g travel reviews

G Adventures: Is It Worth the Money? Our Honest Review

It's never easy to pick a group tour, especially when they're all saying the same things. Are they actually as great as they're saying they are? Find out what their tours feature, whats their pros and cons are, and how they compare to other tour companies.

Traveling solo is quite difficult when compared to traveling in a group with friends or family. You have to tackle everything from planning the trip to navigating your way to conversing in a foreign language with locals. This is where Pilot comes in handy to aid you in the trip planning process and allow you to focus on making meaningful experiences. However, planning a trip alone all by themselves is not for everyone.

This is why tour companies are a good choice for solo travelers who also have less experience! They can help you optimize your travel experience better. But, as you might know already, there’s an endless list of options when it comes to tour companies. As if choosing from the endless possibilities of tour companies isn’t enough, the entire outcome of your trip depends on the tour company you choose.

Let us help you pick the right tour company for you. We’re here to review a popular adventure travel company, G Adventures.

G Adventures is a tour service that pledges to “Do the Right Thing” by offering travelers valuable experiences and supporting local communities at the same time. It is a company that supports ethical tourism, and we thought it is worth your attention.

If you're looking for more options, we've previously done reviews of similar tour companies like GetYourGuide so you might want to check that out as well!

Is G Adventures a good tour company? Read our review to find out!

What is G Adventures?

G Adventures , formerly known as Gap Adventures, was founded by Bruce Poon Tip in 1990. It is an adventure travel company that carries out guided tours in small groups of up to 16 people. They offer itineraries to destinations around the world, mostly with local tour guides to assist travelers. 

Since its inception, G Adventures tour has earned fame as a tour operator that offers unique and off-the-beaten-path experiences for travelers, with a focus on sustainability and responsible travel.

Who uses G Adventures?

G Adventures tour caters to travelers aged 18 and above. Its main client base consists of young to middle-aged travelers, and some tours are restricted to independent travelers between 18-39 years. However, there are packages for older travelers and families as well. 

G Adventure tours are mainly focused on adventure travel aspects, but they do provide other types of travel tours. They offer a standard tour service which is neither budget-friendly nor luxurious but somewhere in between. G Adventures is ideal if you need the support of a reliable tour company but with ample flexibility to do your own thing!

What does a G Adventures tour include?

Every trip has a Chief Experience Officer (CEO), otherwise known as a tour guide, to assist the group throughout the trip. They are mostly locals, although some can be expats with good knowledge about the destination.  

G Adventures will take care of accommodation, transportation (within the destination), some meals (mostly breakfast), and the costs of entrance tickets for attractions and other major experiences included in the itinerary. 

What’s not included in the pricing are visas, airfare (unless you book via them), border crossing fees, meals, additional activities, and tips. So, it's necessary to bring extra cash.

What are the types of tours offered by G Adventures?

G Adventures offers a long list of tours based on different travel styles, experiences, and age categories.

• Classic Tours : A mix of different experiences that include major attractions and activities, cultural sites, uncommon and local experiences.
• National Geographic Journeys : A high-end tour with close-up experiences of the best attractions and activities of the destination.
• 18- Thirtysomethings Tours : Fun, fast-paced, and adventurous tours ideal for the young. Expect a lot of partying and drinking.
• Wellness Tours : Tours focusing on yoga, meditation, nourishing food, and other experiencing focusing on self-improvement. Ideal if you are looking for a retreat.
• Active Tours : Action-packed activities like hiking, kayaking, biking, and other experiences that are ideal for adventure seekers.
• Rail Tours : Tours along famous rail routes in the world, experiencing different cities along the way.
• Marine Tours : Cruise tours exploring marine life and other attractions that are only accessible by boats or ships. Eg: G Adventures Arctic cruises.
• Local Living Tours : Tours that give you a good dose of local life in each destination.
• Family Tours: Tailor-made tours to cater to all family members with kid-friendly activities.

What's Great About G Adventures.

In a G Adventures tour, every major aspect of a trip is planned for you, ensuring you have a hassle-free experience. This way, you can focus on enjoying the trip without worrying about logistics, accommodation, etc. You also don’t have to worry about tackling a new language as your tour guide will help you.

• Better travel experience

Many guided-tour companies carry out tours in large, crowded groups, and it’s not a very comfortable experience. Most of the time, it feels like you are taken from place to place with less time to enjoy them. G Adventures tours allow for more interaction. They hire knowledgeable local tour guides to give you informative details! Their tours also focus on authentic and off-the-beaten-path activities, helping you derive more localized experiences.

Many G Adventures reviews praised the service for its reasonable pricing. There are tours available in varying budget ranges, offering a choice for everyone. Traveling with a tour company shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg, and G Adventures is a good example of it.

• Transparency

G Adventure’s “Ripple Score” shows the impact of your spending on local communities. This way, you know how your travel supports the livelihood of people and businesses that need support. If you feel like making an impact while you’re traveling, this is the perfect opportunity to do so!

• Female-friendly

If you are a solo female traveler, there would be a bunch of concerns, regardless of how safe a destination is. G Adventures is renowned as one of the best tour companies for female travelers. They pair you with a female traveler when sharing accommodation and will update you on tips to stay safe when touring around.

What's Not Great About G Adventures.

• Tour guides

Your tour guide can significantly elevate or hamper your experience. While most of them tend to be very knowledgeable and eager to help, there are instances where travelers have got stuck with unreliable guides who are just there for the money.

• The cancellation policy

Although G Adventures claims to have a flexible refund policy, it seems to be otherwise. Many customers had to go through a frustrating process and lousy customer service to cancel their trips and claim a refund. Some had to wait over a year.

Also, G Adventures had canceled many trips over the last year due to the pandemic and has refused to provide refunds, inconveniencing many customers. Keep reading to find out what other people have been saying about their experiences.

• Poor choice of accommodation (rarely)

There had been instances when travelers had to stay in subpar hotels throughout their tour. The complaints included lack of amenities, insect bites, and poor customer service. We think it’s important to provide comfortable accommodation so travelers can get a good rest before their next trip.

Although not really a con, we like to warn you about how extras can easily pile up your expenses. When traveling in a group, you are somewhat compelled to go with the rest – be it dinner at an expensive restaurant or a river cruise (who wants to be a party pooper?). You might overspend if you are not cautious enough, especially if you are on a tight budget.

G Adventures vs. Contiki tours - What’s the difference?

A popular question amongst travelers looking for tour companies to choose from is the difference between the G Adventures tour and the Contiki tour. Which tour company offers the better touring experience, and why?

G Adventures and Contiki are both adventure-based tours that cater to young adults. They’re both small to medium-sized tours that offer authentic and local experiences. If you’re a solo traveler, both tours will likely pair you up with one or more travelers of the same gender in shared accommodation. 

In general, if you’re interested in socializing, making new friends, and partying, Contiki might be a better choice. If you’re interested in a slower-paced tour with more free time, then G Adventures might be the better choice for you.

As always, it’s a good idea to check the individual tours that you’re interested in to see what kinds of activities or people it would attract. If you’re not interested in strenuous activities, Contiki might be a better choice but there are always different tour options in G Adventures as well.

Contiki might be slightly cheaper and budget-friendly than G Adventures but keep in mind that different itineraries may vary in cost and you might also spend more during your trip on optional activities.

What’s up with the G adventures reviews?

As with every tour company, your experiences will vary from the people and guides that you’re traveling with. However, there seem to be a few G Adventures complaints that talk about the same points. We’ll summarize some G Adventures reviews here for you so that you can make a more informed decision on picking the right tour company for you.

One of the big complaints that many users experienced is the level of knowledge the “CEOs” have during their trip. Some “CEOs” will provide an excellent guide that goes above and beyond what you’d expect on a group tour, while others might not. With group tours, it’s very difficult to know who you’re going to get, but the majority of the reviews on the quality of their guides are quite positive.

Some G adventure reviews have mentioned that their dietary restrictions were not honored during the trip. This might be due to the lack of communication between the service and their caterers. If you have dietary restrictions, make sure to check up ahead of the trip to make sure that everything’s good!

Another complaint that travelers had with G Adventures was with the amenities that come with the accommodations. Some of the travelers found that there was no air conditioning, bedding, hot water, etc during their stay despite the trip description saying that they’re provided. A good rule of thumb is to always check up with the trip operator ahead of time to reconfirm and make sure all the amenities are there!

Is G Adventures worth it?

With over 30 years of experience, we think G Adventures is a great tour company that knows what’s good for its clientele.

It takes the hassle of organizing everything by yourself and is a safer way to travel. There are downsides, of course, as with every other tour company. They also don’t offer tours for every country in the world, so make sure you check that. The choice also depends on your personal preference, and you can reach out to their support team and clarify your doubts.

If you want more options for other reliable and established tour guide companies, read our reviews on Contiki, Busabout , and EF Ultimate Break .

Our Rating: 4.6/5

• Adventure-based travel
• Local, real, and sustainable experiences
• Affordable tours
• Many positive experiences by past travelers
• Lacking amenities (sometimes)
• Varying customer service
• Frustrating cancellation policy
• Poor accommodation (sometimes)

Traveling solo? You’ll need a plan.

If you’re still indecisive about joining a group tour, why not try traveling solo? While it is daunting to go traveling alone, the experiences and friendships you’ll gain on the trip is second to none.

Whether you’re going on a trip solo or with friends and family, you’ll need a good plan. Let Pilot take care of that for you!

Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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G Adventures Review: My Honest Opinion

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G Adventures Review

Are you considering a tour with G Adventures ? Here’s my honest G Adventures review!

G Adventures is a group tour company that describes themselves as having a focus on “small group, sustainable, adventure travel.” They have been running tours for more than 30 years and currently offer tours on all seven continents.

I’m going to talk about my personal experience with G Adventures this year, as well as whether I recommend them to other travelers.

I did a 16-day Costa Rica Adventure tour with G Adventures and it was the first time I had ever done a group tour, and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Here’s my honest review of my experience with G Adventures and whether I recommend them!

Who Are G Adventure Tours For?

First of all, let’s talk about the target audience for G Adventures.

G Adventures tours are a good option for a variety of travelers. As a whole, I would say they are more focused on adventure travel and more standard accommodations (not super budget or super luxury.)

However, they do offer different categories of tours, with some of them being tailored toward specific age groups, interests, or travel styles. The categories for tours are:

• Classic Tours 
• National Geographic Journeys
• 18-to-Thirtysomethings Tours
• Wellness Tours
• Active Tours
• Marine Tours

And a few more! You can see all their categories here on their website .

The Classic Tours is a great option for anyone. From what I gather, the National Geographic Journeys typically attract older travelers or families and are more luxurious, while the 18-to-thirtysomethings tours are obviously for a younger crowd and more basic.

If you have a specific interest, like wellness or outdoor activities, you can choose a tour that is more heavily focused on those aspects and incorporates them into the itinerary.

My G Adventures Cost Rica Tour Experience

I did the G Adventures 16-day Costa Rica Adventure tour in February 2021.

This was obviously an interesting time to be traveling because of the pandemic, and so there ended up only being me and one other girl on their tour (along with our guide!)

More on their COVID policies and cancellation policies further down!

I really enjoyed this experience because we basically had a private tour. Obviously, this isn’t the norm, and on a typical tour, you can expect to have 10-15 other travelers.

However, you can also book a private group tour with G Adventures (for example, if you just want it to be you and your family or a group of friends and no strangers.)

On this tour, we visited the following destinations:

• San Jose, Costa Rica (1 day)
• Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica (2 days)
• Tortuguero, Costa Rica (2 days)
• Sarapiqui, Costa Rica (2 days)
• La Fortuna, Costa Rica (3 days)
• Monteverde, Costa Rica (2 days)
• Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica (2 days)

We enjoyed adventurous activities like waterfall rappelling, ziplining, surf lessons, a catamaran cruise, nature walks, hiking to a waterfall, a jungle boat safari, and so much more.

Costa Rica is famous for its biodiversity, and we saw plenty of animals like monkeys, sloths, toucans, caimans, crocodiles, frogs, and more in the wild!

The Costa Rica Adventure tour is one of their Classic Tours.

Highlights of My Tour

Honestly, I enjoyed almost everything about my tour with G Adventures. The whole time I was on my tour, I was thinking of how glad I was that I did it!

Some of the main highlights for me were…

I thought the price for this tour ($1,600 when I went) was fair and worked out to about $100 per day. This included hotels, transportation, some activities, and some meals.

I did spend an extra $750 on food and activities that weren’t included in the tour.

Overall, I felt like this is the amount I would have spent even if I had traveled independently since Costa Rica is the most expensive country in Central America. It was well worth it not to have to worry about planning the logistics myself, which I normally have to do as a solo traveler .

Our guide (or CEO as G Adventures calls them) was great!

Having a local Costa Rican guide was really nice and helpful, and I felt like I experienced more of the country than I would have on my own. Our guide was also super fun and friendly and since we had such a small group it just felt like traveling with another friend!

Again, it was also nice to have someone who dealt with all the logistics and organization, meaning I didn’t have to worry about anything for the entire two weeks of the tour

The ease of the tour

Going off of what I said above, it was nice to be on a tour where I didn’t have to worry about planning or arranging anything myself. I had never done an organized tour like this before, but I would definitely do it again because it was such a fun, seamless experience.

If you don’t enjoy planning trips but want a vacation that’s more active and adventurous than just sitting in an all-inclusive resort somewhere, G Adventures tours are a great option.

As a solo traveler, I normally do ALL the planning for trips myself, and it can get exhausting. So one of the best parts of this tour was not having to worry about any of that.

Our itinerary

I felt like I really got to see the highlights of Costa Rica on this itinerary!

It was a mix of beaches, jungle, and mountains. We saw so much wildlife and got to do so many cool activities.

Although we only spent 2-3 days in each place, it felt like enough time and never felt rushed. I definitely would not change anything about the itinerary for this trip.

Lowlights of My Tour

Honestly, I only had one disappointment on my tour, and that was the accommodations.

When I booked my tour, I hadn’t done much research into the accommodations, but I knew I was booking the “Standard” service level (out of Basic, Standard, and Upgraded) and we would be staying in 3 star hotels described as “comfortable tourist-class accommodations” on this tour.

I’ve stayed at plenty of great 3-star hotels (and even 2-star hotels) around the world, but the quality of accommodation on my Costa Rica tour left me pretty disappointed.

Out of all seven places we stayed on this tour, I would not recommend a single one.

Some of the issues at our hotels included…

• Lack of amenities (no hand towels, washcloths, shampoo, or even soap…)
• No air conditioning in several places
• WiFi that barely worked or didn’t work at all
• Non-working appliances (lamps, etc.)
• Lizards, spiders, ant infestations, and other bugs…

I was just really unimpressed with the accommodations on this tour, and it would definitely make me hesitate to book a standard service-level tour with G Adventures again.

I would probably book an Upgraded service level tour instead or do extensive research on all of the accommodations first if I was going to do Standard.

Overall, while this was definitely the biggest drawback, I still highly enjoyed my tour. The accommodations on this particular tour might not even bother you, depending on how picky you are when it comes to where you stay. I’m definitely on the more picky side!

I also can’t speak for the hotels on any other G Adventures tour since this is the only one I’ve done.

G Adventures Cancellation Policy

G Adventures Book with Confidence policy allows you to cancel or reschedule your tour up to 45 days prior to departure. It’s a pretty flexible policy that makes it a no-brainer in terms of booking ahead.

And during the pandemic when travel plans and restrictions were constantly changing, G Adventures introduced a flexible cancellation policy that allowed you to cancel and rebook your tour up to 14 days prior to departure. This gave you maximum flexibility when booking a tour. It’s not so relevant now, but I appreciated this policy back then.

Would I Recommend G Adventures?

Yes, I would definitely recommend G Adventures.

Even though I was pretty disappointed with the accommodations on my tour, I overall still REALLY enjoyed the experience, and I’ll be reminiscing on this trip for a long time to come!

This trip was a major highlight of my months in Central America.

If you’re looking for a group tour option that’s not too expensive and is guaranteed to be an adventure, G Adventures is the perfect choice for you.

I hope you found these G Adventures review helpful!

Ready to book? Click here to explore all G Adventures tours!

Read Next:  The Perfect Two Week Costa Rica Itinerary

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About Denise Cruz

Denise is a marketing executive who escaped corporate to travel the world… twice. A Brazilian native living in the U.S., she’s lived in 4 countries and visited 35+ others. After side-hustling her way to financial independence, she curates solo destination guides, slow travel tips, and travel blogging advice on Wander Her Way. When she’s not on the road, you can find her in Miami with her dog Finnegan.

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G Adventures Review – Adventure Travel Tours [Tour Styles, Destinations, Reviews]

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Table of Contents

Who are g adventures tours good for, g adventures tour types and destinations, g adventures top tours, g adventures reviews, g adventures vs. contiki, g adventures vs. intrepid, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Most of us have a travel bucket list, but there are some destinations that you may feel more confident exploring with a guided tour. Maybe you’re concerned about language barriers , or you’d rather not have to worry about navigating public transport yourself. It’s natural to feel both excited and apprehensive when visiting somewhere new, and booking an escorted tour can alleviate any concerns you may have, especially if you’re traveling solo.

G Adventures has been providing small group tours for over 20 years and consistently listens to customer feedback to provide authentic and life-changing experiences. The G stands for “Good,” which doesn’t just refer to the good time that you’ll have on a tour — it also applies to the impact G Adventures strives to have on the local communities that it encounters along the way.

All G Adventure tours have 100% guaranteed departures , which some operators can’t provide. This avoids the disappointment of having to move to another date or destination just because the number of participants is not viable to run the tour.

Solo Travelers

Group tours are perfect for those that are itching to get away but can’t find a travel buddy. As tour prices are based on a solo rate , you needn’t factor-in expensive single supplements, as you’ll often have the option to upgrade to a private room if you choose. You’ll find that adventure tours attract like-minded individuals, and many G Adventurers have made life-long friends on their trips.

Although socializing is not compulsory on a tour, it does help if you enjoy the company of others. You could be spending weeks with the same people on your tour bus, group trips, and activities, so if you hate being around strangers, then this type of tour probably isn’t for you.

Hot Tip:  If you’re thinking about the iconic sights you might want to explore on a tour, check out these virtual tours of popular tourist attractions around the world , including Angkor Wat and the Great Wall of China. 

Friends or Groups

Friends often book onto tours as no 1 person needs to be responsible for arranging or coordinating the itinerary or managing payments. 1-on-1 travel can be an intense experience, especially if you’re not used to spending that much time together, so joining a tour can alleviate the pressure.

Just because you start a family, doesn’t mean that you can’t explore new and exotic destinations. If your children are 12 years or older, they are welcome on most standard tours when accompanied by an adult, and dedicated family tours are suitable for families with children aged 7-17. A family tour can broaden horizons for many children and educate them in different cultures and languages.

Touring Skeptics

You may have embarked on many solo trips and love the thrill of independent travel, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that a small group tour isn’t for you. There are a few destinations, such as some southern African countries, where public transport isn’t the most reliable. The prospect of being driven the vast distances while getting some shut-eye along the way can be quite appealing.

With a small group tour, you’ll have a permanent tour guide that will be an expert in the destination and will be able to answer any questions you have along the way. With tried and tested itineraries , you can rest assured that you’re exploring the highlights of that destination and can often immerse yourself more in the local culture and communities due to the connections the tour company has established.

G Adventures recognizes that not everyone likes the same kind of travel, so it offers various styles of tours that cater to most.

18-to-Thirtysomethings Tours

These tours are a little larger in capacity (up to 22) to allow you to meet more people , and let’s face it, if you’re on an 18-to-Thirtysomethings Tour, you’re likely open to the opportunity of meeting some new pals. Tours have a good balance of culture and free time, so you can be exploring temples by day and the local bars and restaurants by night.

Active Tours

Active Tours allow you to explore new destinations through hiking, biking, and other activity sports, such as kayaking and rafting. Each tour has an activity rating to let you know how physically demanding a tour is, and they have a maximum of 16 people (but an average of 10).

Hot Tip:  G Adventures recommends bringing a backpack on your tour rather than a suitcase, as it’s easier to transport than a suitcase. Check out the best hiking and backpacking backpacks for your trip and don’t forget your other adventure travel essentials .

Classic Tours

Classic Tours offer the perfect blend of cultural experiences, must-see highlights, and free time . If you discover something amazing and unscheduled along the way, the G Adventures Chief Experience Officers (CEOs) can adjust the itinerary accordingly to ensure you don’t miss out on those spontaneous, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Family Tours

Organizing a family holiday can be stressful, but with a G Adventures Family Tour, you have the comfort and security of your knowledgeable guide, family-friendly accommodations, and specially-designed itineraries. Family tours usually include 3 or 4 families from all over the world with children around the same age. To ensure everyone has a great time, all family tours have a recommended age ranking indicating how suitable the activities are for children.

Hot Tip:  Traveling with the kids can be a little overwhelming at times, especially to an unknown destination. Read these tips for amazing family travel with your kids .

Local Living Tours

If you’re not a fan of moving from hotel to hotel on a busy tour, but you’re keen to experience a local’s way of life, then a Local Living Tour could be just the ticket. Most tours involve unpacking only once at your home-from-home , including a Tuscan farmhouse or remote village in the Amazon. Live like the locals and do as little or as much as you like with flexible itineraries.

Marine Tours

From river cruises to ocean expeditions, traveling by water can provide a unique way of exploring some of the world’s most magnificent aquatic destinations. Traveling onboard smaller ships than cruise liners allows you to get closer to extraordinary marine wildlife and enjoy more meaningful encounters with local people and communities.

National Geographic Journeys

National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures offers a range of unique tours that delve deeper into the communities and habitats than on a Classic Tour. Your CEO will have specialized National Geographic training for more in-depth, local knowledge on your destination, and tours feature more inclusions and hands-on exploration than standard tours.

It’s as much about the journey as it is about the destination with a Rail Tour. Cruise through some of the world’s most remote areas while enjoying a window view and a glass of wine. Not only is rail travel an authentic and exciting mode of transport, but it also leaves a smaller carbon footprint compared to coaches and airplanes , if responsible travel is important to you.

Hot Tip:  There are many ways that you can become a greener traveler, from taking reusable water bottles to being selective with your toiletries. To do your bit for the environment, take a look at our green travel tips . 

With a G Adventures Wellness Tour, you’ve got the perfect combination of rejuvenating practices such as yoga or mediation and an incredible location. Experience ancient restorative practices and ceremonies and explore cultural sights and awe-inspiring scenery. Most tours include wellness moments such as a daily yoga session or spa treatment, and tours focus on healthy food experiences to nourish the mind and body.

Destinations

G Adventures operates tours to over 100 destinations across the following continents, countries, and areas:

• Australia and New Zealand
• Central America and the Caribbean
• North Africa and the Middle East
• North America
• Polar regions
• South America

G Adventures Antarctica

The Antarctic is a destination that many adventurers dream of visiting. Colossal icebergs, gigantic glaciers, and jagged mountains make up the beautiful but barren landscape, and it’s a wonder how the brutally cold conditions create a home for such a variety of wildlife.

You’ll be on board the G Expedition that can sleep up to 134 passengers and has many communal areas such as the Penguin Library and Polar Bear Pub. All rooms are  en suite with either a porthole or a window view so that you can spot humpback and minke whales breaching in the surrounding waters.

• Includes accommodation, most meals, Zodiac excursions, educational programs, waterproof boots, and parka

Hot Tip:  There are a couple of optional extras available on the G Expedition that are worth considering. Sleep out under the stars with a camping experience or upgrade from the Zodiac excursions to kayaking to get the closest you can be to your surroundings.

G Adventures Cuba

Go beyond the beach with a G Adventures tour to Cuba. This vibrant Caribbean island has only recently opened up to non-traditional travel, so you can explore more than just the beautiful beaches. Stay in a local homestay for an immersive Cuban experience , tour a tobacco plantation, or see the sights of bustling Havana from the comfort of a classic car.

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, Marine, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Cuba.

• Includes transfers, excursions, accommodation, and breakfast

G Adventures Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a tropical paradise with one of the highest densities of biodiversity of any country. Magnificent volcanoes emerge from the lush landscapes, and mysterious cloud forests are home to exotic flora and fauna, including the red-eyed tree frog and the white-faced Capuchin monkey . You’ll need your camera on hand at every moment exploring Costa Rica’s incredible scenery.

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, National Geographic Journeys, Family, Wellness, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Costa Rica.

• Includes transportation and accommodation

G Adventures Galápagos

Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are accessible by flying in to either 2 of the larger islands of Santa Cruz or San Cristóbal . You’ll then spend your trip sailing through the archipelago, spotting whales and dolphins, and snorkeling amongst sea lions. It’s nature’s paradise! You can choose between a small ship adventure where you’ll sleep on board, or if you prefer to spend your nights on dry land, you can opt for a tour with land-based accommodation.

G Adventures offers Classic, Marine, Active, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Galápagos.

• Includes basic accommodation, some meals, transportation, and some excursions

Hot Tip:  If you combine a Peru tour with a Galápagos tour, G Adventures will pay for your flight between Peru and Ecuador. 

G Adventures India

India can be chaotic, mesmerizing, and an intense sensory experience with so many colorful sights, sounds, and smells to absorb. Taking a tour with G Adventures can offer a more organized travel experience. You can spend more time savoring the sights without worrying about the sometimes confusing logistics of navigating this vibrant country. Marvel at the majestic Taj Mahal, cruise along the Kerala backwaters, or relax on the wild beaches of Goa.

G Adventures offers Classic, Wellness, Rail, National Geographic Journeys, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to India.

• Includes transportation, accommodation, excursions, and some meals

G Adventures Japan

Japan is a captivating city with a charming blend of ancient traditions and cutting-edge technology. One minute you’ll be wandering around a sacred Buddhist temple, and the next, whizzing between cities on the high-speed Shinkansen bullet train. Visit in spring to see the famous cherry blossom trees , relax in a traditional onsen, or learn about samurai culture. Nothing about Japan disappoints.

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, Rail, National Geographic Journeys, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Japan.

Hot Tip:  For a limited stay trip, Americans do not currently need a visa to enter Japan, so that’s 1 thing less to worry about. 

G Adventures Morocco

From stunning beaches to bustling cities and rolling sand dunes to mountainous Berber villages, if you’re looking for a diverse destination, Morocco ticks all the boxes. If you’re a little unsure about exploring the bustling medinas and labyrinthine alleyways independently, a G Adventures tour can give you confidence and security, while still allowing an authentic experience .

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, National Geographic Journeys, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Morocco.

G Adventures Peru

Peru is an active adventurer’s paradise , with the wild and rugged landscapes providing endless hiking opportunities and enormous sand dunes begging to be boarded down. Many hike the famous Inca Trail to Machu  Picchu , while others opt for a less strenuous journey to marvel at the magnificent ancient ruins. Kayak on Lake Titicaca or visit the floating island communities of Uros.

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, National Geographic Journeys, Marine, Wellness, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Peru.

• Includes transportation, accommodation, excursions, and most meals

G Adventures Thailand

Foodies will love sampling the culinary delights of the charming market stalls and seafood beach shacks, while others will enjoy tasty home-cooked meals while spending the night with a hill tribe family. With scenery so spectacular, it’s no wonder Thailand has featured in many blockbuster movies, with limestone rocks protruding from crystal-clear waters. Gleaming temples, a vibrant capital, and spectacular beaches make Thailand a well-rounded destination that offers something for everyone .

G Adventures offers Classic, Active, National Geographic Journeys, Marine, Family, and 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours to Thailand.

• Includes transportation, accommodation, excursions, and breakfast

G Adventures is a highly reviewed tour company with the following overall ratings:

• Trustpilot : 4.4 out of 5
• Facebook : 4.5 out of 5
• TourRadar : 4.6 out of 5

To give you a flavor of the feedback G Adventures receives, these are some testimonials from some of its most popular trips.

Antarctica Classic Tour “This was the MOST amazing trip of my life (and I have traveled a lot). The experience of seeing this vastly untouched continent is something I won’t ever forget. The penguins were adorable, and the staff was excellent in giving the passengers a full and knowledgeable trip. Highly recommended!” — Stacie C, United States

Cuba Libre Tour “I had a fabulous time. I visited towns and sites that I would not have found on my own. I also enjoyed meeting other tour participants from various European countries who appreciate traveling just as much as I do.” — Sondra W, Canada

Costa Rica Quest Tour “Our guide was exceptional. Her knowledge of each area and unwavering commitment to ensure that we all had the most positive experience did not go unnoticed. This was the best trip I have ever taken, and I would not hesitate to travel with her again. There were plenty of activities to choose from, so we could take advantage of as little or as much as we liked. The drivers were friendly and accommodating.” — P. Victoria Anne W, Canada

Comfort Galápagos 10 Day Tour “I had an amazing experience like no other. Never have I been so much in contact with wildlife. The trip was very memorable and gave me a very good impression of the place and its people. I have to admire the people at G Adventures in Ecuador, in which they made my travel experience as smooth as possible without any hassle. My trip there was not a luxury trip, but I felt I was treated with first-class service. I was delighted and enjoyed myself a lot. Even though I traveled alone, I felt very comfortable and had one of the best times in travel adventures.” —  Lemuel D, United States

Rajasthan Adventure “This was an impressive tour. We saw a lot of sights and experienced a vast range of Indian cultures. Our tour guide, Narendra Pal Singh, was excellent. A great character to be around. Thank you. The accommodations were incredible; the most impressive for me was the hotel in Ranakpur, that was surrounded by lush vegetation.” — Jamahl M, United Kingdom

Discover Japan Tour “Where else in the world, except Japan, can you go to experience the traditional mixed with the modern, and while not speaking the language and still feel completely at home. Mix in a group of people with different backgrounds, traveling together to places they have never seen and who realize at the end they could not have imagined or understood these places without being there, and you receive 15 perceptions of a place which absorbs you. The tour brought you the opportunities to explore on your own and as a group and the confidence to step out of what you thought was your comfort zone. A great experience which went by way too fast, as they say, time flies when you’re having fun.” — Janelle A, Australia

Highlights of Morocco Tour “This is my 2nd G Adventures tour, so I knew that everything would be well organized and planned. It really showed the diversity of Morocco from cities, mountains, and desert. The local guides were really informative. The level of accommodation was very good.” — Janet C, Australia

Inca Empire Tour “The G Adventures tour far exceeded my expectations, and I would recommend G Adventures to anyone when considering a tour group option. Everything was taken care of, and a special mention to our tour leader Caroline who did a tremendous job from chasing down lost luggage, to taking us to the best restaurants every night! The high point of the trip was when our group made it first to the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu and watched an awesome sunrise over the Inca City. A big mention also to G Adventures for outsourcing their treks to tremendous companies.” — David T, Australia

Northern Thailand: Hilltribes & Villages “The tour was excellent! I was a little apprehensive about embarking on a tour, but this type of tour enabled lots of freedom to do what I wanted, but with the convenience of a guide to helpfully offer advice and make arrangements.” — Sandra F, Canada

Contiki is a tour company that caters to travelers that are 18 to 35 years old only  and quite often has larger group sizes than G Adventures . Some destinations can have up to 50 people — quite a lot compared to G Adventures’ more intimate tour groups of up to 16. If you’re looking to meet lots of people, then you might like the idea of a larger tour group. G Adventures offer young person tours with a permitted age bracket of 18 to 39 but also caters to families and travelers of any age.

Contiki’s range of tour types offers volunteering trips, ski and snowboarding, and festivals , whereas G Adventures has a slightly more mature offering of local living, wellness, and rail tours. G Adventures offers a wider choice of destinations , while Contiki focuses on those typically popular with younger travelers. When it comes to cost, Contiki can be slightly cheaper than G Adventures, but this can depend on the accommodation included and the quality of excursions included in the tour.

G Adventures and Intrepid both offer the same levels of trip styles for their tours, including basic, standard, and comfort (upgraded), so you have the choice depending on your budget and requirements . The group sizes are also very similar for both companies, including 12-16 people on most tours. You won’t be charged a single supplement with either company as you’ll be paired up with a traveler of the same gender to room-share.

All G Adventures tours offer guaranteed departures, as do the majority of Intrepid tours, although these are marked with a “guaranteed departure” flag on the tour page so you can be sure. G Adventures offers around 700 itineraries, whereas Intrepid has over 1,000 , so if you’re looking for the company with the most variety, Intrepid could be your answer.

G Adventures provides responsible, sustainable tours and supports local communities, so you can take comfort knowing that you’re giving back as much as you’re taking away from the experience. Overall, its booking process and customer service are very good, but it’s the ground CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) that are the shining stars. These passionate and knowledgeable guides are with you every step of the way and are there to introduce you to the amazing destination.

G Adventures has completely revolutionized group touring. Instead of following a standard itinerary, you can now choose how you want to discover a new destination, whether that’s exploring by bicycle on an active tour or in the company of like-minded families.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are g adventures any good.

G Adventures is a well-review tour company that scores well-above average for TourRadar and Trustpilot. Many reviewers are repeat customers, which shows that the quality of service is consistent across various destinations.

What does the G stand for in G Adventures?

The G stands for “Good,” which doesn’t just refer to the good time that you’ll have on a tour — it also applies to the impact G Adventures strives to have on the local communities that form part of its tours.

Which is better, Intrepid or G Adventures?

G Adventures and Intrepid both offer the same levels of trip styles for their tours, including basic, standard, and comfort (upgraded). Group sizes are also very similar for both (12-16 people on most tours) and you won’t be charged a single supplement with either.

All of G Adventures tours offer guaranteed departures, as do the majority of Intrepid tours. G Adventures offers around 700 itineraries, whereas Intrepid has over 1,000 .

Is G Adventures a Canadian company?

G Adventures was founded in Toronto, Canada and has 28 offices worldwide.

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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Review: Traveling With G Adventures

Since 2010, I’ve been on 14 different trips with G Adventures . The fact that I’ve been on so many trips should give you an indication of what I think of the company. Not only have I been on 14 different trips with G, but I’ve traveled with them to all seven continents and to 40 countries and territories around the world. I’ve had dinner with the founder, attended their annual corporate meeting, and have served as an ambassador for the tour company.

I know G Adventures about as well as anyone could who isn’t an employee.

Rather than review G Adventures like you might review a movie—with criticism, praise, or comparison—I’ll share an overall idea of what you can expect on a G Adventures trip, so you can decide if the tour company is a good fit for your travel style and your goals for your next trip. Each G tour is a different experience, so it is impossible to provide a review covering every possible trip. And even though I’ve been on 14 different tours with G, they run hundreds of tours around the world, so your mileage may vary.

Booking Your G Adventures Trip

Figuring out where to go is probably the most challenging part of your trip! G Adventures runs tours in over 100 countries and going through the tour company’s booklet of trips is a lot like a child with a Christmas catalog. If you’d like a print brochure, you can easily order one on their website and review all the different destinations and options—all of brochure information is also available online .

About half of all travelers on G Adventures trips book their tour directly through G, either online or over the phone. The other half usually book through a travel agent. This ratio varies depending on the country, but these are the primary two methods.

Occasionally, G runs promotions for certain tours where they will offer a discount. You can usually find these deals by subscribing to their email newsletter or following them on social media . Discounts from 5% to 30% off are possible, depending on the deal being offered and your desired destination. (Note, these promotions are usually for specific trips to specific places, not a blanket discount on everything.)

In addition to picking a destination, you will also want to determine what type of tour you want to go on. G Adventures currently offers many different styles of tours for different travelers, so review what takes place on each tour so you can choose one that best matches your travel goals:

• National Geographic Journeys . This is one of G Adventures’ higher end products. The accommodations are usually a bit nicer than classic tours, and each tour will feature a signature National Geographic experience.
• Classic Tours . As the name suggests, this is the company’s most famous and typical tour, and every classic tour features small groups, local transportation, local experiences, and aspects of responsible travel woven right into the tour experience.
• Active Tours . These tours all have some sort of physical activity component, such hiking, cycling, or kayaking. Check the tour page listing’s “Physical Rating,” which will indicate the level of exertion you can expect. All active tours tend to have a higher physical rating, usually 4 or 5, which corresponds to a “demanding” or “challenging” tour—you can also find a few 3 ratings, which are active but not difficult.
• 18-to-Thirtysomethings Tours . These tours are designed for—but not exclusive to—a younger audience. Previously known as YOLO tours, they often move quickly, visiting more places in a similar amount of time compared to the G Adventures classic tours.
• Wellness Tours . These trips all have a health and wellness component which could include yoga, meditation, or activities surrounding food.
• Marine Tours . This style of tour includes all ship-based trips, including polar expeditions, the Galapagos , sailing in the Mediterranean, and river cruises.
• Family Tours . As the name suggests, these tours are focused on families and have activities available for children.
• Rail Tours . Similar to marine tours, these rail journeys use trains as the primary mode of transportation.
• National Geographic Family Journeys . This is a rather new tour style for the company—it offers a higher-end version of the classic family tour.
• Local Living Tours . These tours flip the idea of a tour on its head. Instead of traveling around from place to place, you stay in one community and live like a local for the duration of the trip.

Once you’ve reviewed your many tour options, selected the style of trip that best suits your travel goals, and have signed up, you will receive a confirmation from G Adventures about your booking.

It’s at this time you’ll want to download the G Adventures app for your smartphone—the app is available for both iPhone and Android . The G app is important because it provides detailed information about your tour, including the names and addresses of your hotels. You should provide this information to your emergency contact back home.

Life is unexpected and if for some reason you have to cancel your tour, G allows your deposit to be used on any other G Adventures tour , at any time in the future.

Do G Adventures Trips Include Flights? If you book your tour with a travel agent, they can, of course, take care of your flights. But not everyone realizes that if you book your trip directly with G Adventures , the company can also book flights for you.

What is a G Adventures CEO? (And Should You Tip?)

The term CEO has a very different meaning at G Adventures than it does at other companies. In most companies, it stands for Chief Executive Officer—it’s the person who runs the company.

At G, CEO stands for Chief Experience Office, and it refers to all of the company’s tour guides. Everyone out in the field running tours is known as a CEO. The CEOs are the face of the company—these are the people most travelers will most remember and essential represent the face of G Adventures to travelers.

Your CEO is the person responsible for your transportation, accommodation, communicating on the ground, and everything else on your trip. If your tour has a group meal scheduled, your CEO will arrange it and get you there.

Being a G Adventures CEO is actually an extremely difficult job, and I have a ton of respect for the people who do it.

Your CEO usually speaks the local language, or a language known by locals. They usually—but not always—hail from one of the countries you’re visiting on your tour. (It should be noted that all G Adventures tours  are run in English.)

Should you tip your G Adventures CEO? Yes. That’s the short answer. If you’re wondering how much to tip your CEO, at the end of the tour, it’s customary to tip about $10 to $20 per day for each day of the tour.

Introduction Meeting

The first day of your G Adventures tour is always a bit confusing because what’s listed as day one is usually just the day everyone shows up. Review your itinerary, but note that you’ll almost always be scheduled to meet with your CEO in the lobby of your hotel. Check for a sign in the lobby of the hotel that has the G Adventures logo—this will tell you the names of everyone else on the tour and what time you should be prepared to meet in the evening.

After the initial meeting and introductions, you’ll usually have dinner somewhere nearby with everyone else on the tour. This initial meeting is where the CEO will ask for proof of everyone’s travel insurance (I highly recommend World Nomads ), and any documents—such as visas—that might be required for the rest of the tour.

If possible, you might want to consider arriving in the starting city a day early. This gives you a full day leeway if you experience any flight cancellations, delays, or lost luggage. In the event that something should happen, you will still have time to start the tour on time.

If everything goes according to plan, then you will have an extra day to explore the starting city on your own. I have often arrived early so I can explore sights, or even neighboring countries, that are not on the tour schedule.

The first morning of your G Adventures tour (day two) is usually a tour of the starting city. This isn’t always the case, so make sure to review your schedule. Because you have more leeway for private exploration, the starting and ending cities usually don’t have as many activities planned as the destinations in the middle of the tour.

During Your G Adventures Trip

Every tour is different depending on the location and the tour style. There are, however, some elements that you’ll find on most G Adventures tours .

Social Enterprise Visits. G prides themselves on sustainable and responsible travel. As such, they have sponsored many social enterprises around the world. These are not charities so much as they are economically sustainable local enterprises that support their local communities. G Adventures has helped establish dozens of these social enterprises all around the world. Which one you visit depends on where you travel, and your style of G tour. Some social enterprises include Women’s Weaving Cooperative in Peru, Women on Wheels in India ,  Thailand Community Trek in Northern Thailand, Aboriginal Training Café in Australia , and many others. Many of these are run through G’s non-profit arm, Planeterra .

Travel Days. Unless you’re on a local living tour, you’re probably going to have one or more travel days in your trip itinerary. If you’re moving from one place to another, this is unavoidable. You will have some days where most of your time will be spent on a bus, boat, train, or van. Make sure to bring a book or have some music downloaded and ready—I find these travel days are a good time to plough through my podcasts. How much time is spent en route totally depends on your the individual tour.

When Your G Tour Finishes

The last day of of your G Adventures tour is usually just the day everyone checks out of the hotel in the ending city, and everyone will then go their own way. As with the starting city, it’s often worth staying an extra day just so you have more time to explore.

Your CEO might ask for email addresses from everyone who would like to stay in touch with everyone else on the tour. This is totally voluntary, but it’s a great way to share photos with the friends you met on your trip, and also keep in touch with everyone on social media. I have several dozen friends on Facebook that I’ve met on G Adventures trips.

when does g adventures have sales or Coupons?

If you’re booking a trip, you naturally want to find the best price, and that will always be located on the G Adventures website on its travel deals page . G Adventures has sales at key times throughout the year, so you’ll want to sign up for the company’s newsletter so you can take advantage of the handful of times that the companies offers sale prices on G Adventures tours—note that many times the sales are for specific trips and regions, and not global discounts across the entire inventory.

When can you find a sale? Think about the key times people are shopping and when people plan travel: around the holidays and in January. It’s a safe bet that the company will offer some deals at least once during the three months of November to January. If you’re outside of those months, just pay close attention as sales do occasionally pop up throughout the year.

If you’re interested in a G Adventures coupon, you need to go on your first trip. Once you do that, given that G is a very data-driven company that uses traveler feedback to improve tours, G will email you a survey after every trip. If you submit your survey and review your G tour, you receive an automatic 5% off coupon for your next tour, so it is definitely worth filling out the survey.

Review Conclusion

After visiting 40 countries and territories with G Adventures , I have yet to have a bad trip or a bad CEO. I find that G Adventures tours are absolutely worth your time and the money. There is a reason why G gets so many repeat travelers and wins so many industry awards: They do a fantastic job of taking regular people to not so regular places, all around the world. 

Tours I’ve Taken with G

Click on the links for reviews of that specific tour, or more details about what it was like.

• Budapest to Istanbul
• Sydney to Cairns
• Alice Springs to Melbourne (2 trips)
• Central America ( El Salvador , Honduras , Guatemala )
• National Parks and Bright Lights
• Highlights of Haiti
• Antarctica (Spirit of Shackleton)
• Baltic Adventure
• West Africa Cruise
• Central Asia
• South India (Kerala)
• South Africa
• Galapagos Islands 2x

Book Your Trip

G Adventures offers tours all over the world with highly experienced guides, the company has great sustainability practices, and you’re guaranteed an unforgettable experience. In addition to the G Tour though, you might need a few more things to prep for your trip.

Protect Yourself With Travel Insurance This is not only necessary for every G trip, but travel insurance is the single best way to protect yourself and your trip from unforeseen complications, illness, theft, and more. Book travel insurance with a trusted company for your international adventure. World Nomads is the best for adventurous trips and budget travelers while International Medical Group (IMG) offers great prices for families and seniors traveling the world (you’ll most likely need the adventure sports rider). The EE team has used both for more than a decade and highly recommends choosing the one that best fits your next trip.

Pack the Necessities I carry a lot of travel gear , but I never leave without my travel adapters. This Glamfield one is my favorite: It features three USB chargers, USB-C, and adapts to most plugs anywhere in the world! If you’re looking for a lower profile adapter, however, you can’t go wrong with this one (I carry both!).

G Adventures

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Trip prices

$146 — 14,299

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Morocco: Sahara & Beyond

Journeys: Explore Belize

Explore Jordan

Highlights of Morocco

Journeys: Explore India & Nepal

Nomadic Mongolia

Sri Lanka: Spice Gardens & Seasides

Classic Belize & Tikal

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Great for : Adventurous, active, cultural travel

Age range : 20-45

Group size : Small - maximum 16

Physical requriments : Most trips are moderate. You will be required to carry your own luggage and use public transportation so pack light!

• Group Tours
• Small Ship & Expedition Cruises
• River Cruises
• Independent / Self-Guided Packages
• North America
• Central America & Caribbean
• South America
• Rivers & Seas
• Australia & Pacific
• Middle East & North Africa
• Antarctica & the Arctic

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G adventures reviews & ratings.

15d National Geographic Inca Explorer

Fantastic exploration of Peru

The tour had an excellent itinerary and activities, giving a broad overview of Peru - we loved it. Accommodations (with one exception) were great, and all had an inc...

One of the Best Trips Taken to Europe!

We spent two wonderful weeks touring several of the best destinations in Portugal & Spain with a group of 16 people. Our guide (Fredy) was from Spain and intimat...

Great itinerary filled with variety of experiences & wonderful guide

Trip exceeded my expectations - not only did we have an excellent guide who was very personable, fun, and put extra attention to everyone's needs, but the country an...

Egypt was my second trip with G Adventures. Again, the whole experience was nothing less than excellent.

Egypt was my second trip with G Adventures. Again, the whole experience was nothing less than excellent. From the itinerary which took us "inside" the country to the...

the tour was fantastic.

the tour was fantastic. i enjoyed every moment. a great way to experience Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia stress free. i had a ball and i would highly recommend this tour ...

See all G Adventures reviews

Editoral Review of G Adventures

Specializing in small-group, multi-day adventure tours and expeditions, Toronto-based G Adventures has been a pioneer in the field since 1990.

Founded by entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip after a backpacking trip to Asia, the company fosters sustainable and environmentally sound tourism practices -- giving back to the communities they visit -- and considers its business “changing people’s lives,” not just offering a vacation.

It’s since grown to become the world’s largest independent adventure travel company, with more than 2,000+ employees, many of them professionally trained guides.

What Makes G Adventures Stand Out?

• Small group size
• Well-balanced, all encompassing, and adventurous trips
• Strong engagement with local cultures
• Emphasis on being a responsible traveler and giving back to the community
• Trips that are made to be life-changing

G Adventures strives to create unique experiences for its travelers that start even before the trip itself. The company provides trip inspiration through their Looptail blog and you can connect with fellow travelers via the ‘Departure Lounge’, which is part of G’s ‘Watering Hole’ travel forum.

Once on your trip, you will meet your ‘CEO’ or ‘Chief Experience Officer’ who is “responsible for enriching your journey, offering local insight, and pursuing great experiences as they happen.” Most groups average around 12 travelers, with a maximum of 16 on most trips.

G Adventures has made a concerted effort to expand their offering beyond youth focused adventures, though this remains a core theme. Your Europe River Cruise will be imbued with the same culturally immersive and adventurous touch as your trekking trip through the Himalayas.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With G Adventures?

• Adventurous-minded and culturally curious people
• Moderately active people
• Ages 18-39 (but all ages are welcome)
• Solo travelers (no single supplement charge!)
• Those who favor authentic experiences over luxury   

If you are the kind of traveler who packs running shoes before dress shoes, hiking attire before dinner attire, and a sense of adventure before playing it safe, then G Adventures is the perfect fit for you. You love engaging with locals, meeting new people, and being spontaneous. 

Most G Adventures tours have an active focus - expect to be on the move, packing a lot in. That said they do allot generous free time to explore on your own.  There’s a chance you may not see every major tourist attraction in the interest of a more “real” experience. But the nice thing is if a particular site is not on the itinerary, you can use your free time to visit.

If you are interested in a tour that plans every part of the itinerary down to the minute, G Adventures will probably not be the best fit for you. 

Groups are geographically diverse, with a higher proportion of North Americans than some other operators. 

Top Destinations

You can find G Adventures trips to most parts of the globe, including  32 countries in Europe , 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 21 countries in Asia, 10 countries in South America, 12 countries in Central America and the Caribbean, five countries in North Africa and the Mideast, plus the U.S., and Canada .

A number of destinations are well off the beaten track, from Sao Tome and Principe in West Africa to Borneo in east Asia to the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and both polar regions.

Itineraries often focus on more off the beaten path locations; small towns, remote and rural villages, less touristy districts and sites.

G Adventures Travel Style

Pricing is competitive (cheaper), largely by using “grassroots” approaches: local transport and a mix of privately-owned accommodations, perhaps including homestays and camping. Efforts are made to focus on authenticity with both culinary choices (locally-owned restaurants) as well as transportation methods.

G Adventures truly offers something for everyone. Trip styles include Classic, Active, Rail, YOLO (You Only Live Once - for 18-39’s), National Geographic Journeys, Marine, Family, Local Living, and Private Groups.

Classic - Classic trips with G Adventures are designed for independent minded travelers who don’t want to miss anything. This is the perfect choice if you want a balanced mix of classic tourist sights and local cultural experiences.

Active - Throwing it back to one of the things G Adventures does best. Kayak, walk, hike, trek; experience your destination through the outdoors. These multi-sport trips are great if you hate standing still and enjoy being out in nature. G Adventures Active tours are ideal for those who are relatively physically fit and like a challenge.

Rail - A rail journey is a great way to dial it back. Take it slow and really savor the feeling of the journey. Take iconic routes and enjoy the ride.

YOLO - “You only live once” is the acronym, and while G Adventures provides adventurous experiences for all, these trips are specifically designed for 18-39 year olds. Get cheeky, get wild, experience life unfettered, as you explore the culture and the local nightlife. If you have the stamina, these trips are once in a lifetime. Kind of like the age range.

National Geographic Journeys - A more premium travel experience, these G Adventures trips, as part of a partnership with National Geographic Expeditions, involve the same culturally immersive approach and knowledgeable guides with an elevated level of accommodations and service.

Marine - Love to be out on the water? Let G Adventures cruises take you to the far reaches of the globe via river and ocean. Experience incredible sights above and below the surface. Unpack once and enjoy the escape of being a part of the crew and passengers.

Family - Adventure tours aren’t always especially friendly to younger travelers. G Adventures Family Friendly tours make adventure activities accessible for you and your youngsters! Trips often have an educational element, and are designed with multiple ages in mind.

Local Living - Get to the heart of it with a homestay. These tours are designed to make you really feel at home and appreciate the feel and rhythm of living like a local.

Private Groups - If you and your family, or a group of friends want the fun all to yourself, G Adventures can plan a private group trip just for you.

Note: part of the culturally immersive experience when traveling with G Adventures is the use of public transportation. This means carrying your own luggage on buses, trains, etc - sometimes during commute hours! So pack light for your own comfort and the comfort of those around you.

Why Choose a Tour With G Adventures?

For those travelers seeking an exciting, professionally guided, and culturally immersive travel experience G Adventures is the perfect tour company to consider. Their trips are designed to be as authentic as possible - and they place much emphasis on responsible travel and giving back to local communities - so you’ll know your tourism dollars are going toward meaningful causes.

Trips with G Adventures are not luxury by any means. But if unique experiences and active days appeal to you over a fluffy pillow then you’re in the right place.

Departures are guaranteed once you’ve paid (barring significant weather or safety issues). And they don’t charge single supplements. In short, G Adventures wants you out there with them.

You can find something for everyone at G Adventures; whether that’s sailing down the Danube with a glass of wine in hand, or traipsing through the rainforests of Costa Rica.

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Solo friendly.

• No single supplement
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About the company.

G Adventures is an adventure travel pioneer offering the planet's most awe-inspiring selection of affordable small-group tours, safaris and expeditions. Our award-winning trips embrace authentic accommodation, exotic cuisine and local transport to put travellers on a first-name basis with the planet’s people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife.

Adventure travel is more than a vacation. It’s a chance to get to know your world better by putting yourself on a first-name basis with the people, places, and things that make it worth exploring. This is your planet. Come and get it.

All G Adventures tours share a common love of adventure, but life-altering experiences come in a variety of flavors. Here are some of the Travel Styles we offer:

"Comfort": “Adventure travel” doesn’t have to mean “roughing it.” Comfort tours offer the genuine experiences you want with more extras, frills, and upgrades.

"Classic": An unbeatable mix of uncommon experiences, insider access, cultural contact, and all the must-sees and -dos, Classic is adventure perfected.

"Active":  Why just see the world when you could bike, hike, kayak, and multi-sport it? Why, indeed. Active tours keep travellers who like to move on the move.

"Yolo":  You’re only young once. Make the most of it with Yolo tours, fun-filled and fast-moving adventures designed just for travellers aged 18 to 39.

"Family":  Just because you settled down and had kids doesn’t mean your adventuring days are through. Family makes our big planet small enough for all.

"Local Living":  Want to get under the skin of some of the most gorgeous and out-there places? Local Living tours grant access that even locals don't have.

"Private Groups":  Got a group of eight or more and want to keep the fun to yourselves? Try a Private Group tour. You pick the who and where, we’ll handle the what.

No matter what kind of traveller you are, we’ve got a tour (or a dozen) that’ll fit you just right.

• 100% Guaranteed Departures
• Lifetime Deposits
• 24/7 Service
• Awards include one of National Geographic Traveler's Tours of a Lifetime and one of National Geographic Adventure's "Best Adventure Tour Outfitters." Several times named Canada's Favorite Adventure Tour Operator.

To speak with G Adventure Travel Specialist  call 1-855-667-9514  

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An amazing one week tour of Malaysia and Borneo

We had a one week tour of Malaysia and Borneo which was absolutely amazing! We had a great guide called EJ along the way who was helpful and efficient at getting us from place to place. We had the opportunity to visit remote islands, see Bornean orang utans and sun bears and much more! Would highly recommend this trip for anyone.

Date of experience : March 29, 2024

Sicily tour with G Adventures

We paid for a 14 day tour of Sicily. Salvo, the tour guide was awesome and deserves a 5*. The group we had was also awesome and got along great. G Adventures failed to provide appropriate hotel accommodations and transportation. They tried to blame 3rd party providers for sub par transportation but the reality is we all paid G Adventures, not the 3rd party. Some hotels were ridiculously poor. We checked cost of these and figured they were 4x less expensive than what we were paying G Adventures for. When touring Sicily, choose someone else.

Date of experience : October 08, 2023

Gadventures ran Kenya trip in natural disaster

I have traveled with GAdventures before and chose to travel with them again because I appreciate their commitment to sustainable ethical travel, which they whole heartedly abandoned. I was supposed to go the Kenya at the end of April, the morning I am set to leave the Sate Department notifies me that natural disaster level flooding is effecting Nairobi and other parts of Kenya. I call Gadventures multiple times asking for information and if the trip is still happening and they keep informing “they haven’t heard it isn’t happening”. I eventually make the decision with over 100 people having passed away and hundreds of thousands displaced that I don’t want to be in a position that would take resources away from those in need. Gadventures informs me I will be responsible for the cost of the trip because it wasn’t canceled. Just to be clear the hotel in the Maasai Mara we were suppose to stay at on the night we were suppose to be there, had to evacuate tourist by helicopter by the Kenya Red Cross. I have not heard anything from Gadventures. I guess it’s all to say that Gadventures put profit above my safety. If you choose to travel with them have really good travel insurance and do your own research to insure you stay safe.

Date of experience : April 28, 2024

Third time lucky? NO !!

Third Trip with this company and had issues with each trip. Head office of little help and definitely no refunds given despite the horrendous experience! Accommodation really poor and in very out of the way areas (not the ones as listed and not even near the same standard) CEO very unhelpful unless you were buying his dinners, drinks etc..

Date of experience : October 31, 2023

Cheated their customers.

We asked for a photographer tour same as friend’s, who introduced us to her tour. But their agent made the vagus travel contract to us, hide the truth that the tour was a cheaper classic tour. But the end, we pay photographer tour price which is $400 more expensive, but got a cheap classic tour.

Date of experience : March 06, 2024

AWFUL !! G Adventures, National Geographic & Disney

After having one fantastic overseas trip with Nat. Geo. several years ago, we decided on a US trip. When I had to cancel due to a medical issue, I found out what you really get with some trips is a subcontractor called G Adventures. Disney now owns and runs most things. This is hidden in the fine print; you are not told you're dealing with a subcontractor. While they refunded the trip cost, they have given me the runaround for over 6 weeks regarding the airline refund. I even had to go to the airline and now have documentation that the airline refunded G adventures over a month ago! National Geographic and Disney passed the buck and refuses to back a trip they advertise and be responsible for this subcontractor. Fortunately, my credit card company refunded!! I no longer recommend Nat. Geo. or Disney for any trip as a result. Check the online reviews for G Adventures, National Geographic Tours...F rating with BBB and horrible ratings with yelp and other reviewers.

Date of experience : April 09, 2024

Went on a 1 month trip around south…

Went on a 1 month trip around south east Asia with g adventures. Wow, best trip ever. Very professional and amazing guide Ratha Van. The trip is planned to perfection with time for culture exploring and fun. I wish I could go back and relive it! They also help and donate a lot to small communities, and help the family and kids in need. I can only recommend!!!

Date of experience : January 11, 2024

Machu Pichu tour

Booked Machu Pichu tour for April. Was recommended to book into hotel in Cusco the night before meeting up with the tour by GA. Booked into the hotel they recommended, and then they changed the itinerary and hotel. Very slow to respond to queries or issues, unless you want to make a booking and they are super speedy. Not impressed.

Date of experience : February 13, 2024

Book with NO confidence

Book with NO confidence. I attempted to change my trip dates and was informed that instead of an admin fee (that I’d expect) that I would be loosing all my money and would have to rebook the trip at the new price. Their policy for date changes are ridiculous and as a result I won’t be recommending to anyone to use them again. I have previously travelled with them (pre-Covid) but it’s not worth trying again as it appears. Might as well go with one of their many other competitors as their main selling point isn’t true.

Date of experience : February 01, 2024

AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!

AVOID! AVOID! AVOID! DO NOT USE THIS UNPROFESSIONAL ORGANISATION OR YOU WILL REGRET IT! G Adventures are awful! The staff are useless and the managers don't call you back! More hassle than it's worth! They are quick to take your money but don't want to help! Intrepid are much better! Do not give your money to this company!!!! Vile company!!!!! I have spoken to Ashely and Zeeshan but their manager is refusing to call me!! Waste of my time and money!

Date of experience : April 17, 2024

Beautiful hikes in Madeira

This was my first ever G Adventures trip and it didn’t disappoint. Our guide Dinarte was brilliant and it was a fantastic way to see Madeira by foot, with likeminded people. Just the right level of difficulty and pace for me. Worth every penny spent.

Date of experience : April 27, 2024

We trekked the Inca Trail in March - it was an adventure packed with history, culture and breath taking views with every step taken that no words or photographs can give it the honourable respect and justice it deserves. I was completely in awe of the Porters who were dedicated and disciplined carrying 30kg each on their backs to ensure we were fed, watered, safe and warm and always had a welcoming smile and very courtesous.How they maintained the stamia each day was humbling- my only criticism is that prehaps alittle less weight for each Porter and definitely the use of walking poles for each of them. Also a huge thank you to our Guides Richie and Paulo & team for pushing us along with inspiration, historical culture and belief! Treasured memories 😊 Jacqueline Grant

Date of experience : March 20, 2024

Make yourself a favour and Do Not book…

Make yourself a favour and Do Not book youtlr tour with them. My tour for Costa Rica got cancelled due to some "places being sold out" but on the website it was advertised 3 places available for this tour. If I knew I would have booked myself a car from the airport and avoid all this hassle and stress I'm going through now because I planned my trip based on this tour. Anyway, this experience is for Costa Rica only. Don't know anything about other countries.

Date of experience : February 29, 2024

Sailing trip round the islands was not good…

Sailing trip round the islands was OK but not as good as i had expected. The boat was riddled with maintenance issues. the guide (CEO) was well organized but seemed to have little knowledge of the wildlife or biodiversity of the area. There were no info sheets onboard to help identify the fish or wildlife we were seeing and the crew were more interested in squeezing extra money out of guests than ensuring a memorable holiday. . As a skipper myself i would refuse to operate this boat as i consider it not fit for purpose. On a good note, the chef was exceptional.

Date of experience : January 29, 2024

My trip to Antarctica..best thing I have ever done!

My trip to Antarctica delivered more than I ever expected, every step of the tour was handled by expert friendly staff,from beginning to end.As a long term traveller I'm 70yrs old,this has been the best experience of my life. Find it hard to put into words how great the whole experience. The staff were fantastic. The on board scientists were so passionate and eager to share their knowledge.As a solo traveller (no extra charge) I would give gadventures 10 out of 10 with no hesitation. Thanks to all on gadventures quest for the antartic circle for your friendly,informative and fun time. If you have a passion to see Antarctica definatly do it with Gadventures also add kayaking which was spectacular. and camping on the ice overnight, great experience...Thanks Gadventures..Graeme

Date of experience : February 21, 2024

We completed the Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand tour in February which was simply amazing. Our CEO, Bun was so kind and enthusiastic - full of knowledge and just couldn't do enough for us. My communication with G Adventures prior to booking was speedy and efficient. We will definitely book again.

Date of experience : February 12, 2024

Mayan Encounter

Mayan Encounter to Guatemala, Belize and Mexico Loved this 11-day tour with GAdventures! This was my first time as a solo traveler on a guided tour; I’m so glad I went with this company for several reasons: our guide, Ella, was delightful; all the logistics were taken care of; the cultural and outdoor experiences were great; sufficient free time was built in; the group was like-minded; and it was fun! The accommodations were just what we needed: clean decent places to sleep (I slept well every night after those fun-filled, active days). My top experiences were Tikal, snorkeling trips (including night-snorkeling!), cave tubing, and low-key bike riding on Caye Caulker. Best of all: to see how GAdventures is helping out very-worthy endeavors. I know I’ll travel with GAdventures again as I love being out in nature and experiencing new things. Now to figure out where to go next! Pam

Date of experience : February 18, 2024

Great trip for a first time traveller

I did the Highlights of Ireland GAdventures tour in June 2023. The tour guide, Jamie was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly, and knew of some great spots around the country for scenery, live music, great food, and of course great pubs/bars. The trip was decently paced, and I felt like I got to see a good chunk of the country. The most memorable parts for me were the Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway, and of course, the group on the tour. I would definitely do another trip with GAdventures, Iceland is high on the bucket list.

Date of experience : June 17, 2023

Great experience!

Greta experience with G Adventures on my 17 day Vietnam/Cambodia tour! Well organized, good hotels and everything laid out where I could just go with the flow and still have just enough time to do my own thing and/or relax. Our travel guide, Sam, did an amazing job and truly added to the travel experience. Will definitely book with G adventures again in the near future!

Date of experience : November 04, 2023

Trip of a lifetime, thanks, in large part to G Adventures

This was the first time were were on a tour. We didn't know what to expect and were so pleasantly surprised by the experience, that we're anxious to go w/G Adventures again. It was a 12 day tour of South Africa and Victoria Falls that hit all the high points, booked all the best accomodations, took all the best tours, and served just the right amount of local flavor that we had hoped for. The trip was jam packed w/places and experiences, but never felt rushed or "too much". The group was smallish (11 people), all of whom got along very well, thanks in large part to the CEO who was excellent and professional. She was vastly knowledgeable, local, and went out of her way to be helpful and friendly. Truly a trip of a lifetime and I'm very excited for anyone who is contemplating taking this trip

Date of experience : February 11, 2024

A Review Of G Adventures’ Costa Rica 16-Day Tour

Written by BELLA FALK

Contents (click to view)

I’m rocking in a hammock in my hotel in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, on the penultimate day of my 16-day tour of Costa Rica with G Adventures . There’s a light rain pattering on the corrugated plastic roof and dripping fatly over the top of a leaky gutter, and a breeze is tickling the leaves of the plants in the courtyard garden.

I can hear chatter and the occasional laugh from one of the other rooms, where some of the girls from my group are hanging out, and just to my left the black-and-white hotel cat snoozes under a rattan garden chair. We have an hour till we meet for dinner, so what better time to start writing my G Adventures review than right now?

During my years of solo travel, I’ve done quite a few small group adventure holidays. From Tanzania to Cuba (also with G Adventures), and from Myanmar to Morocco , I’ve experienced a range of different companies, destinations, and group dynamics, so I’m pretty clued up on what works and what doesn’t, what companies should be aiming for and what makes a good (or bad) group tour.

So if you’re thinking of visiting Costa Rica with G Adventures, or doing any of their other group holidays, read on for my expert review of G Adventures in general and their Costa Rica tour in particular.   

Note: I travelled in the off-peak (rainy season) month of July and received an additional 10% discount on top of the 20% off they were already offering for last-minute bookings. I’ve never been asked to write any G Adventures reviews in exchange for discounts or freebies. All prices are given in US Dollars and are correct at the time of writing.

Why Costa Rica?

If you’re reading this review, chances are you’ve already decided you want to go to Costa Rica, and you probably already know that Costa Rica is considered one of the safest and most rewarding countries to visit in Central America. With abundant wildlife, from curious toucans and noisy macaws to mischievous monkeys and the lovable sloth, Costa Rica is a nature enthusiast’s dream.

And that’s just the start of the country’s attractions. There are also stunning landscapes to explore, volcanoes to hike, coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean with miles of palm-fringed sandy beaches, huge swathes of jungle where you can do adventure activities like zip-lining and white-water rafting , plus buzzing towns with colourful bars, restaurants and shops.

So if you’re here because you’re wondering if you should go to Costa Rica, then no need to read further. The answer is yes, you should!

Why take a group tour?

Of course, you don’t need to do a group tour. Plenty of people get around Costa Rica just fine using public buses, tourist shuttles, or by hiring a car.

However, for solo travellers, those who like the safety and community vibe of a group, or people who don’t want or have time to plan every detail of a trip, a group tour is a great option.

For me, group travel is an excellent way to pack in as many highlights as possible in a short amount of time. Tour companies like G Adventures do all the work so you don’t have to, planning the best routes and activities so you can make the most of your holiday without having to spend days researching hotels and reading travel blogs (though of course you should still read this one!).

What’s more, not only do you get a gang of like-minded travel buddies to hang out with, you also get an experienced guide, who’ll show you round, shower you with interesting information, and look after you should anything go wrong.

If you’d like to know more about why I think group tours are one of the best ways to travel, head to my separate blog post: 10 Great Reasons To Do Group Holidays .

What you get on a G Adventures Tour

The specifics of each tour will vary, but all G Adventures tours follow a similar format.

• The duration can be anything from a few days to several weeks, and you’ll be travelling with a group of up to 16 people, who could be families, couples or solo travellers.  Typically G Adventures customers are in their 20s-50s, but you might get a few older people or families travelling with kids as young as 12.
• The price of your ticket will include all your transport and accommodation for the duration of the tour, apart from airport transfers. If you’re a solo traveller, you’ll be expected to share a room with another solo traveller of the same gender, though if you want your own room, you can usually pay an additional fee to get one.
• The cost also includes the guide, or Chief Experience Officer (CEO) – he or she will be your tour guide, event planner, history and politics teacher, fixer, problem solver and friend for the next few days or weeks.
• Meals are not normally included , though a few breakfasts or dinners may be, depending on the itinerary.
• Some activities may be included, but in general G Adventures make most of their day trips and excursions optional, to give people more choice and to keep the price down. It’s important to check this as you may find that adding on activities can significantly increase the final cost of your holiday, but if you don’t participate, you may start to feel left out of the group.

I’ll talk about how much the whole G Adventures Costa Rica trip cost me at the end of this post.

Every trip also usually includes the following:

• ‘Discover’ Moment – there is always at least one included activity, usually something simple such as a walking tour or cultural experience. You may have to pay a little extra for transport to the location.
• ‘G for Good’ Moment – as part of G Adventures’ commitment to giving back to local communities, 5% of your ticket price goes to help grassroots projects in the country you’re visiting, and this is your chance to see one of them in action.
• Foodie Moment – a food tour, tasting event, or local cookery experience.

Types of G Adventures Tour

G Adventures also have different types of tour. They are:

• Classic tours – the original style of G Adventures tours, these trips include a variety of different activities but are not especially challenging. Accommodation is normally in mid-range hotels.
• National Geographic Journeys – more expensive (but with more activities included), these trips focus more on culture and wildlife and may go a little more off the beaten track.
• 18-to-thirtysomethings tours – does what it says on the tin: adventures for younger travellers. They tend to be a bit more budget, the accommodation a bit more basic, and with more time for partying.
• Wellness trips – as the name suggests, these trips are more focussed on health and wellbeing.
• Active trips – tours for the more adventurous, with a greater focus on activities like hiking, cycling and other outdoor sports.
• Marine tours – boat based, including sailing, river and polar expedition cruises .
• Rail tours – while other G Adventures trips may include a train journey, these tours put train travel front and centre of the itinerary.
• Family trips – aimed at parents who still want to travel and have adventures, but want to bring the kids.
• Roamies trips – these are more for backpackers and the accommodation is mostly in hostels.
• The Jane Goodall collection – wildlife tours

The G Adventures Costa Rica adventure is one of their Classic Tours, meaning you get a good balance of activities while still travelling in relative comfort.

You can read more about the different types of tours here .

G Adventures Review: The Costa Rica Itinerary

So what did the Costa Rica 16-day adventure actually involve?

You can see the planned itinerary here , but sometimes things can change a little due to unforeseen circumstances, so here is what we actually did.

Costa Rica Tour Day 1 – Arrive in San José

The first day of any G Adventures tour is a free day for your arrival – you just need to get yourself to the first hotel at some point on that day. I had already been in Costa Rica for a week, so I booked myself a tourist shuttle from my hostel in the beachside town of Tamarindo to the group hotel in San Jose. Most people flew in that day and got transfers from the airport, which cost about US$35 (though an Uber is much cheaper, at around $10).

At 6.30 pm there was a welcome meeting – a chance to meet the guide/CEO, get a bit of basic information about Costa Rica and the tour, and check out your new travel buddies. After the meeting, everyone went for dinner together and then had an early night, ready to leave San Jose early the next morning.

Some people had arrived a day or two earlier to explore San José. The feedback I’ve had from people who’ve spent time in the city is that there’s not that much to see, so if you want to extend your Costa Rica trip by a few days, I strongly recommend getting out of San José and heading to the beach or the highlands instead.

Where we stayed: Boutique Hotel Casa Las Orquideas . This was a clean but fairly basic hotel on a main road on the edge of central San José. It was conveniently located a short walk from a supermarket, a Starbucks and some bars and restaurants, so it was ideal as a rendezvous point at the start and end of the trip, but I wouldn’t recommend it for longer stays.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 2 – San José to Quepos

Next day we left at 7 am and drove a few hours to Quepos, the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. En route, we stopped off at the Tarcoles river crossing to look for crocodiles.

Quepos is a small town on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. The town itself has a beachfront and a few shops, hotels, bars and restaurants, but the main reason to go there is to use it as a base for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, about 20 minutes away by local bus.

After dropping our stuff at the hotel, we headed over there to get our bearings. At Manuel Antonio there’s another, prettier beach, plus more touristy restaurants, a few shops, and the entrance to the park. We had free time to swim, relax, grab a frozen daiquiri, and look for monkeys playing in the trees by the side of the road. There are also options to do a sunset catamaran cruise, take a surfing lesson, or go parasailing.

Where we stayed: Villa Romantica Quepos. Another reasonable but basic hotel, with air-conditioned rooms set around a jungle garden where we saw frogs and monkeys. The German owner was extremely welcoming after being closed due to Covid. Unfortunately, the swimming pool was still out of action.

Costa Rica Tour Day 3 – Quepos / Manuel Antonio National Park

In the official itinerary this is listed as a ‘free day to explore and relax’. In the morning some of our group opted to do a catamaran cruise along the coast to enjoy the scenery and look for dolphins. The rest of us had wanted to make an early start in the National Park but as it was a bank holiday weekend, morning tickets were sold out. Instead, we had more free time (some people went for brunch in Quepos and I found my way to a gym), and then at lunchtime we hopped back on the public bus to the Manuel Antonio.

Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica’s smallest National Park, with clearly marked trails for hiking or bird and animal watching. With the help of our guide, Tito, we got our first taste of Costa Rican wildlife – spotting two sloths, deer, iguanas, bats and lizards, before heading down to one of the pristine protected National Park beaches to dip our toes in the warm waters of the Pacific.

I would have liked to spend more time here, but the park closed at 4 pm. If you do this tour, I recommend going to in the morning if you can.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 4 – Quepos to Monteverde

After two nights by the sea, we headed into Costa Rica’s central highlands, to the mountain town of Monteverde. Monteverde is another small, quite touristy place, the gateway to Costa Rica’s cloud forests and several parks offering hiking, animal-watching, and adventure activities.

In the afternoon we visited the Monteverde cloud forest reserve and spent about two hours hiking through the damp jungle. Sadly the ‘cloud’ forest lived up to its name and we weren’t able to see any views, but we did spot this gorgeous quetzal bird waiting out the rain.

Later we did our included ‘Discover’ moment – a torchlit guided Guided Cloud Forest Night Walk. We saw frogs, a green viper, a sleeping howler monkey, a tarantula, and even a sloth, though it was very high up in a tree and hard to see.

Where we stayed: Hotel Holistico Monteverde . A quiet retreat hotel with comfortable rooms and decent breakfast. The hotel was nice but located about 25 minutes’ walk outside the town centre up a steep hill, making it a bit of a hassle if you wanted to explore by yourself.

G Adventures Review Day 5 – Monteverde

Day 5 is a full day in Monteverde, during which you have a choice of many things do including more hiking and wildlife-spotting, walking suspension bridges through the jungle, visiting a butterfly garden, horseback riding, or zip-lining.

Our entire group opted to do the canopy bridge walk followed by the ziplining. We went to 100% Aventura who have a series of ziplines through the cloud forest, including the longest zipline in Costa Rica at over 1.5 km! You can choose to do it on your front, flying superman-style, which literally took my breath away!

You can pre-book the ziplining as part of G Adventures’ Costa Rica Adrenaline Bundle which saves you a bit of money. There’s more information about how much this all cost coming up later in the post.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 6 – Monteverde to La Fortuna

It was time to move on again, this time to La Fortuna, close to lake Arenal and the majestic Arenal volcano. The journey was about three hours by bus and then a very pleasant hour spent crossing Lake Arenal, with the volcano looming ever closer.

La Fortuna is another touristy town with plenty of restaurants, shops, and tour agencies, so after our fairly long travel day we had free time to relax and explore before heading for dinner.

Where we stayed: Hotel Las Colinas . Rooms here were clean and comfortable with working air-con, hot showers and views of the volcano. The hotel has a terrace bar which could get quite noisy, but calmed down after 10 pm.

G Adventures Review Day 7 – La Fortuna

The next two days were devoted to adventures around La Fortuna . There are dozens of different tours you can book, from whitewater rafting, waterfall rappelling, mountain biking and ATV excursions to calmer activities like hiking, boat trips or SUP on the lake, or a visit to the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge.

On the morning of Day 7 most of the group opted to go canyoning and waterfall rappelling, and in the afternoon we went to see Arenal volcano. It’s active so you can’t climb it, but there are several scenic hiking trails around the base where you can learn more about it and see lava from previous eruptions.

On the way back we stopped at the Paradise Hot Springs which was one of my favourite places on the trip: a gorgeous resort with eight thermal pools in a leafy jungle setting. At night they were lit up in different colours and one of the pools has a swim up bar, making for a fabulous place to relax after another busy day.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 8 – La Fortuna

Another day in La Fortuna: we were offered the chance to book more adventure excursions through a recommended adventure tour company, but everyone decided to have a more chilled day, visiting the La Fortuna waterfall for a swim and then taking the afternoon off to enjoy the town’s many cafes, shops and bars, or getting a massage.

I had a quiet lunch in an organic restaurant, ate gelato, and browsed for souvenirs.

Costa Rica Tour Day 9 – La Fortuna to Sarapiquí Rainforest

Another travel morning – several hours by bus heading east from La Fortuna to Sarapiquí.

En route, we stopped at the Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative for our ‘G For Good’ moment, visiting one of the local organisations supported by the G Adventures and the Planeterra Foundation. We had a tour of the site, learned about how Costa Rican coffee is produced and why it’s considered some of the best in the world, and ate a delicious Costa Rican lunch of fresh fish with rice, beans and plantain.

Once we arrived at Sarapiquí we headed straight out for a short hike to another waterfall where we were able to swim in the cool water and relax after another sweaty bus journey.

Later the hotel staff took us on a short night walk to see tree frogs, and then fed us a traditional dinner.

Where we stayed: Pozo Azul. This was one of my favourite places that we stayed on the trip: very rustic safari tents with no air con or hot water, but what they lacked in luxury they more than made up for in the location, right in the heart of the rainforest so we fell asleep listening to the rain and the sounds of frogs and crickets chirruping.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 10 – Sarapiquí Rainforest

Some of us got up before dawn to do a sunrise birdwatching hike around the property, where we saw hummingbirds, toucans and a colourful trogon, before heading back for a delicious included breakfast (I especially loved the sweet fried plantains).

Then it was time for more adventure: whitewater rafting on the Sarapiquí river. The rapids here are Grades 2-4, so not too scary but still exciting enough to give you a thrill and get you pretty wet!

In the afternoon we had more free time to relax in our jungle oasis, and we also had our included ‘Foodie Moment’ – learning how to make traditional empanadas (and then eating them!).

G Adventures Tour Day 11 – Sarapiquí to Tortuguero

Time to move on again on our whistlestop tour of Costa Rica – this time to Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast.

Tortuguero is a unique village: a small cluster of shops, simple houses and bars built on a very narrow strip of land between the Tortuguero River and the Caribbean Sea. It’s only accessible by boat and feels like the sort of place you need to visit soon before rising sea levels wash it away completely.

Getting there was another adventure – a few hours on the bus and then an hour’s boat ride downriver, looking out for wildlife as we chugged along between overhanging jungle fronds guarded by beady-eyed herons and noisy howler monkeys.

Tortuguero gets its name from the green and leatherback sea turtles (tortugas) that come here to nest on the beaches, and as we were lucky enough to visit at the start of nesting season, late in the evening we had the chance to go and see them.

The experience is closely regulated: visitor numbers and time spent on the beach are strictly limited and you can’t take phones or cameras, but it’s still a unique chance to see these rare endangered creatures up close.

Where we stayed: La Baula Lodge . Another of my favourites, a riverfront lodge featuring comfortable rooms (though without air con) arranged around a gorgeous garden filled with colourful flowers, with monkeys and toucans playing in the trees and a small pool for cooling off after the sweaty day. Breakfast and dinner were included.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 12 – Tortuguero

A full day to explore the delights of Tortuguero National Park. In the morning we did a peaceful kayak excursion downriver, paddling gently along spotting monkeys, herons, bright green basilisks and other birds.

In the afternoon we were supposed to hike up to a viewpoint to look for more wildlife and admire the landscape, but the heavens opened and it was cancelled, so we hung out in the hotel, relaxed to the sound of the rain, and enjoyed the 2-for-$10 cocktail deal!

Read more: Nature Vacations: 25 Amazing Places For An Outdoors Adventure

G Adventures Review Day 13 – Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

I would have liked to spend a bit longer wildlife-spotting in Tortuguero but it was time to move on again, back along the river by boat and then a few hours by bus down the coast to Puerto Viejo.

Puerto Viejo is one of Costa Rica’s popular Caribbean beach villages, a small, friendly, walkable place with a few streets jammed with cafes, bars and souvenir shops, a sandy, palm-fringed beach, and a relaxed Caribbean vibe.

The plan for the afternoon was to relax on the beach, but again the weather was not on our side (the perils of travelling in rainy season!) so people either relaxed in the hotel or went to find a bar to hang out in.

Where we stayed: Cabinas Jacaranda Hotel . Located just a short walk from the beach and shops, this cute hotel had comfortable rooms with air-con and hot showers arranged around a leafy courtyard with hammocks for relaxing in.

Costa Rica Tour Day 14 – Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo is known for its miles of sandy beaches, some black, some white, so in the morning we were given bicycles so we could explore. Most people cycled along the main road to a quiet and pretty beach where we relaxed and enjoyed a dip in the Caribbean before heading back to the town to explore the shops and buy all those important last-minute souvenirs and gifts.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 15 – Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to San José

And before we knew it, it was the last full day of the tour. We had a lazy morning, a relaxed breakfast, the chance for another quick dip in the sea, and then an 11 am start for the long drive back to San Jose.

We got back at about 5 pm, giving us enough time to grab a coffee, pack for the plane, or pick up essentials for the journey home, before heading out for a final group dinner to say goodbye.

G Adventures Costa Rica Tour Day 16 – Departure

The final day of any G Adventures tour is just departure day. Some people had early flights, others were staying on in Costa Rica for a few days, and my flight was at lunchtime so I had breakfast, said goodbye to the group and our excellent guide, and then hopped in an Uber to the airport for my journey back to London.

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G Adventures Review: The Guide (CEO)

G Adventures call their tour guides CEOs – or Chief Experience Officers. Ours was Tito, a 45-year-old Costa Rican with 20 years of guiding experience, boundless enthusiasm and energy and endless patience when it came to our many questions.

He was extremely knowledgeable too, full of information sometimes to the point of excess, like when he would continually point at things from the bus even when we were trying to sleep, or being so thorough at the evening briefings that we would start to get confused from the information overload. But he was always likeable and smiling, ready with a joke or a few words of encouragement, a man who clearly loves his job and his country and enjoys sharing it with visitors.

Of course there’s no guarantee you’ll get Tito if you do the Costa Rica G Adventures tour, but in my experience of group travel in general and G Adventures in particular, I’ve found all the guides to be of a similar level of enthusiasm and knowledge that really helps to bring the tour to life.

G Adventures Review: The Food

Costa Rican typical food usually involves rice, beans, fried plantain, and some sort of grilled or fried protein, alongside Mexican-style dishes like tacos and burritos and deliciously sweet local pineapples, mangos and bananas.

Mostly you’ll be eating in touristy restaurants which typically serve up crowd-pleasers like pizza, pasta, or burgers.  

Food and drink were not usually included in our Costa Rica tour. The exceptions were a couple of the hotels that provided breakfast, or the remote jungle lodges where there were no restaurants nearby, so dinner was also part of the service. In total only 4 breakfasts, lunches and dinners were included.

When choosing restaurants for us to visit, Tito always tried to pick a mid-range place where there were enough options to suit all tastes – though the vegetarians in our group did struggle a little.

Invariably we ended up in very average places that always offered the same food, most of which was fine and some of which was terrible, though there were a few excellent meals tucked in there too.

That, unfortunately, is one of the downsides of traveling with a group where everyone has different price points and expectations around food. Let’s just say this is not a foodie tour, and if culinary adventures are a priority for you, you might want to research your own restaurant options online and not eat with the group every night.

G Adventures Review: Accommodation

The Costa Rica Adventure is one of G Adventures Classic trips, which means travelling in a little more comfort than some of their more basic tours, while still sticking to a budget.

Hotels in general were clean and comfortable but basic. We usually had wifi, air-conditioning and hot water, but not always. Sometimes the rooms were quite small and dark, and only one of the hotels had a swimming pool.

This is not a luxury trip – the focus is much more on adventure and seeing this wonderful country on a fairly limited budget. So if room service and a pillow menu are important, this probably isn’t the trip for you.

But if like me you’re not planning to spend much time in the room anyway, and you don’t much care about the accommodation as long as you have a clean bed and a shower, then you’ve come to the right place!

G Adventures Review: Transport

Transport for our tour was in an air-conditioned private bus, with the occasional public bus, taxi or boat ride. Unlike other tours I’ve done, we didn’t always have the same bus and driver; instead we used local companies and drivers where necessary, so the buses varied in size and comfort but they were always big enough and had air-conditioning. Very occasionally we had to share with other travellers but usually we had the transport to ourselves.

We were told that pre-pandemic more of the journeys involved using public transport, but that switched to private buses due to Covid. By the time you travel, this may have changed back, so it’s worth checking if this is important to you.

None of the buses had toilets, but we made regular bathroom stops. The longest bus ride was about 5 hours and I usually passed the time by listening to music, reading a book, or watching Netflix downloads on my phone. Some of the roads are windy, so make sure you bring travel sickness pills if you’re a sufferer.

G Adventures Review: The group

G Adventures market themselves to a wide range of travellers from teenagers all the way up to pensioners. As long as you have a love of travel and a sense of adventure, then G Adventures is for you.

However, in general I have found most of my fellow travellers on these sorts of trips to be in their 20s to 50s. The maximum group size is 16, and at the moment most of their tours seem to be operating at near capacity.

We had 14 in our group, consisting of two middle-aged couples with children in their late teens; one middle-aged single man, and five solo women in their 20s and 30s. Plus me.

I found this was a good mix of ages and interests, and while people did tend to make friends and form little sub-groups, overall we got along well. Our guide told us that sometimes he’s had tours where people split off or seriously clash, but we had no problems.

Of course you can’t predict who you will get, but I think G Adventures does tend to attract the same sort of adventurous, outgoing people, so even if you don’t bond with everyone, you stand a good chance of at least finding a few people in your group that you get along with.

G Adventures Review: Sustainability and ethics

More than ever we need to be thinking about the ethics and sustainability of our travel choices. So if that’s important to you (and I hope it is), you’ll be pleased to hear that G Adventures take it seriously too.

All G Adventures trips have a focus on community tourism. That means making sure that all trips directly benefit the people and places they visit. This includes working with the Planeterra Foundation to help develop local communities, and 5% of your trip fee goes to the foundation.

All trips now also have a ‘Ripple Score’, which is a measure out of 100 of how often the trip uses local businesses and services. The Ripple Score for the Costa Rica Adventure is 100, meaning you can be confident your money is helping to support small businesses in the communities you’re visiting.

There’s loads more information about the different ways G Adventures take their ethical responsibilities seriously on their website here .

G Adventures Costa Rica Adventure: How much did it cost?

So after all that, what was the final cost of the trip?

The list price for this tour at the time of writing is £1279 in off-peak season and £1429 in peak season. However G Adventures quite often do discounts of up to 20%, so if you travel in rainy season (as I did) and book during a discount window you could pay as little as £1087.

This price does not include flights, most meals, or most of the activities.

You can make savings on some activities by pre-booking, for example:

• Catamaran tour in Manuel Antonio – in advance for $75
• Adrenaline Bundle (includes canyoning in La Fortuna and zip-lining in Monteverde): $135. If you pay separately during the tour the price would be $96 + $54 = $150.

Other optional extra costs were as follows (all prices in US$ and sometimes estimated or rounded to the nearest $10):

Add all this up and what it means is that if you do all the activities, eat every meal in the restaurants recommended by the guide, drink the tap water and only do laundry once, you’re looking at roughly an extra $1260 on top of the baseline cost of the trip.

So your total for the whole trip, not including flights, will be somewhere around $2900 or £2300 per person, assuming you travel in off-peak season and are happy to share a room with a fellow traveller (if not, you’ll pay around $680 / £570 extra to have your own room).

When is the best time to do the G Adventures Costa Rica tour?

The best time to visit Costa Rica is during the dry season, November to March. However, this is also peak season and everything will be more expensive. I visited in rainy season and although it did rain a fair bit and a couple of things did get cancelled, we also had some good weather and managed to do almost everything as planned on the itinerary.

If you visit during rainy season, you will save money but you will also have to be prepared to put up with some bad weather. So if money is not an issue, I recommend paying a bit more and travelling during the UK/US winter (when you’ll also get to escape the cold back home!)

G Adventures Review: My verdict

Before I joined the tour, I spent a week in Costa Rica by myself. During that week, I spent about $630 on private rooms in mid-range hotels, and $100 on transport. So $730 just for transport and accommodation in a single week, travelling by myself.

On that basis, the G Adventures Costa Rica tour is very good value. For less money than I would have spent travelling by myself, I got my whole trip organised for me, all my accommodation, an expert guide, some meals and activities, and a group of like-minded people to hang out with.

It did cost a lot more to do all the activities, but Costa Rica is not a cheap destination, and the activities we did do were varied, exciting, well-managed, and worth paying for.

Cost aside, I thought this was an excellent tour. It was well planned, with a good balance between activities and free time. There was an excellent choice of activities and a good balance between wildlife spotting and hiking and other adventure sports.

Bus journeys were no longer than about four hours each and we always spent at least two nights in each destination, so while the itinerary did feel packed, we weren’t overwhelmed and rushed.

While group travel may not be for everyone , I do think that if you want to explore Costa Rica with the comfort and safety of a group and the convenience of having your trip planned for you, then the G Adventures Costa Rica Adventure Tour could be just the thing you’re looking for.

But don’t just take my word for it! Click here and then scroll down to read hundreds more reviews from previous customers.

Convinced? You won’t regret it!

Where to next?

If you enjoyed this post, why not try some of my other group holidays posts?

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• An Ideal Morocco Itinerary in 2 Weeks
• The Beautiful Leg-Rowing Inle Lake Fishermen, Myanmar
• The Best Wheeled Backpack: Osprey Farpoint Wheels 65 Review
• How To Climb Kilimanjaro In 10 Easy Steps

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G Adventures vs. Intrepid Travel: Which Operator is Right For You?

Thinking about booking a world-class tour but hitting a roadblock when choosing between two operators who offer seemingly similar trips? Both  Intrepid  and  G Adventures  have spectacular selections of tours to choose from, but how do you choose between them? Here’s a side-by-side glance at both operators.

Group size, age requirements and travel styles

Both operators offer a variety of trips that adhere to different travel styles. 

G Adventures  offers tours to independent travellers aged 18 and up. There are no upper age limits on most tours, but they do have YOLO tours that are restricted to 18 to 39-year-olds based on the nature of activities appropriate for that demographic.

Their Family Adventure travel style has tours available to families with children aged 5 to 17. All other trips (with the exception of YOLO) are open to kids aged 12 and older when accompanied by a parent. The average G Adventure tour has 10 people on a tour but allows a maximum of 15.

G Adventures also has a partnership with National Geographic (called National Geographic Journeys) and offer trips that can be considered premium excursions. These trips offer more inclusions, interactions with local experts, comfortable accommodations and transportation options as well as smaller group sizes.

Intrepid   also allows travellers under the age of 18 on their tours, so no worries about having to leave your 15-year-old sister behind on your Euro-trip.

Similar to G Adventures, Intrepid offers Family Adventure styles of travel that have a range of minimum ages depending on the destination and level of difficulty. While most trips are available to travellers 15 years old and up, all travellers under the age of 18 must have an adult accompany them. 

Intrepid does have a youth-orientated trips called 18 to 29s, which is similar to G Adventure’s YOLO tours in that the tours are available only to 18 to 29-year-olds and are budget-friendly. Other than the 18 to 29 tours, there is no maximum age limit on most tours.

The average Intrepid tour has 10 travellers but allows up to 16 on overland trips but most max out at 12 people. They have some trips that allow up to 24 travellers. Intrepid offers a premium travel experience with their brand  Peregrine , similar to G Adventure’s Nat Geo Journeys, for travellers who aren’t restricted by a budget.

Physical requirements

Both operators offer tours that have stricter physical demands than a typical trip. 

  G Adventures  offers many tours under the umbrella of their Active travel style. These trips vary from trekking to the top of Kilimanjaro, rock-climbing, dog sledding, cycling through China’s countryside and more.

You’ll absolutely need to be in good shape to have the best time possible on these types of tours.  

Intrepid  has their Cycling and Walking & Trekking travel styles that offer tours that require you to be in good physical shape. You can expect to be working your muscles every day on one of these tours!

While Intrepid’s Overland trips don’t focus as heavily on constant physical activity, they do recommend that you are reasonably fit in order to fully participate in this trip style.

Accommodation

G Adventures  rarely have a mandatory single supplement while  Intrepid  steers clear of them entirely.

For solo travellers, both companies will typically match you with a traveller of the same gender to share your room with.  The standard of accommodation will vary with both companies depending on the type of trip you decide to take.

For example, nearly all tours will include air-conditioning and heating but if you’re travelling to a rural destination or a homestay you should adjust your expectations for the facilities.

Transportation

Both operators provide a variety of transportation options based on the trips.

G Adventures and Intrepid use a combination of private buses and public transit to get you where you need to go.

In most cases with G Adventures, you’ll be using public transit but both operators offer very similar transportation options.  

Most of Intrepid’s Overland trips have vehicles that come with their own power supply so that you able to recharge your devices on board.  

Destinations

G Adventures  and  Intrepid  offer tours to the following locations:  North America ,  Latin America ,  Polar Regions ,  Central America  &  the Caribbean ,  Europe ,  North Africa ,  the Middle East ,  Africa ,  Asia ,  Australia  and  New Zealand

Intrepid  and  G Adventures  go to many of the same destinations but Intrepid has a larger selection of tours on all continents.

G Adventures  is slightly more affordable for budget travellers with their average price per day sitting at roughly USD $220 .

They keep costs low with the use of exclusions. While their trips always include the highlights of a destination they also leave out some activities you’d considered “can’t miss.” You’ll pay for that separately in addition to the listed tour price.  

Intrepid   can be considered slightly more expensive as their average  price per day costs approximately USD $245 . Why the slight spike in pricing you ask? Intrepid’s tours generally have activities included in your tour price. 

There are many factors that affect the price of accommodations, which either increase or decrease the price of the overall trip. With G Adventures you’ll likely find cheaper rates in their South America destinations and with Intrepid, the same can be said for their Southeast Asia trips. Travellers should compare individual trips to ensure the best price.

Looking for more info? Find reviews for Intrepid Travel here and reviews for G Adventures here .

Days to Come Editorial Team

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G Adventures Reviews: Tours, Promo Code, Vs Intrepid & More

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Do you daydream about taking a trip abroad but dread the planning process? Traveling abroad can be overwhelming, and for those of you who aren’t big on planning, G Adventures may be your best option. You can choose your destination, and how long you want to be gone, and G Adventures does the rest. But does the actual experience measure up to the hype? Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

G Adventures Review

Name: G Adventures

Description: G Adventures is a popular adventure travel company that offers a wide selection of small-group tours, safaris and expeditions.

G Adventures focuses on providing transformative experiences within any travel budget. It organizes its tours into 13 different travel styles, giving participants good variety. Tour destinations include trips to all seven continents, and G Adventures has solid partnerships to give you the best experiences possible while you travel. G roup sizes are 15 people or less, so if you have a larger group, you’ll need to look elsewhere. And Yolo tours are restricted to ages 18-39.

Overall Score

• Customer Service
• Accomodations
• Overall Value
• Group size: 15 people or less
• Yolo tours are restricted to ages 18-39
• 24/7 phone support and FAQs
• Offers trips in all continents and Oceania, even Antarctica
• Lifetime deposit: if you have to cancel, your deposit can be applied to a future tour with no expiration
• While fewer age restrictions than most travel companies, there are still age limits on Yolo and Family excursions

Visit G Adventures Website

7 Key Features

• 9 types of trips to choose from: Classic, National Geographic, Active, Yolo, Cruising, Family, Local Living, Rail, and Private Groups
• Accommodations and a portion of your meals are included
• Smaller group sizes compared to other travel companies
• Focus on sustainable travel via a partnership with Planeterra Foundation , local investments, animal welfare, and disaster relief
• Everything is coordinated for you
• G Adventures app gives you information on your trip, including maps, packing lists, itineraries, and more

Below are some sample trips to give you an idea of pricing for G Adventures.

• G Adventures Africa: 12 days, Cape Town to Victoria Falls, starting at $3,399
• G Adventures Antarctica: 13 days, Antarctica and Argentina, starting at $7,499
• G Adventures Galapagos: 10 days, Galapagos and Ecuador, starting at $5,499
• G Adventures Machu Picchu: 12 days, Amazon, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and Peru, starting at $2,749
• G Adventures Patagonia: 15 days, Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia, starting at $3,999

Consumer Feedback

We’ve gathered G Adventures tour reviews from a couple of online sources to help you see what travelers love and hate about G Adventures trips.

I have travelled with G Adventures time and time again over the past 14 years. Costa Rica, Colombia, Patagonia, and the Galápagos Islands just to name a few of the 10+ destinations I’ve visited with them. On every tour I’ve done – the CEO (guide) has been organized, incredibly knowledgeable, and tries to take you to the main attractions, while also to the lesser known areas that would be missed by someone just searching for the most well known attractions. They want you to learn about the culture, try new things, and ‘Embrace the Bizarre’ as they say. Liz H., Yelp! 2/21/2023

We did G Adventures Inca Trail 4D/3N tour. Can’t recommend this experience enough, it was extremely professional from start to finish and we had a beautiful time. The cooks and porters who carry your things are incredible and a HUGE shoutout to our guides Paulo and Miguel who made us feel like family. You’re the best!! Will/Ev., TripAdvisor 5/4/2023

Video: Benefits of Traveling with G Adventures

I recently had the worst experience with G Adventures, and I would not recommend them to anyone. I booked a trip with them for a long-awaited vacation to India Marchbut it turned out to be a nightmare. First of all, I did not receive ANY information about the tour guides or hotels before my arrival, which was extremely frustrating after a long 19-hour flight. When I arrived at the airport, I had to wait for 6 hours just to find out where I would be staying and who my tour guide would be. Jordania R., Yelp! 5/15/2023

I would not recommend GAdventures. I booked a Salkantay Trek tour 2 weeks prior to the date. Understandably most dates were booked, but one date which worked for me was listed as available. I paid £500, and after a 3 hour wait was emailed to inform me they had recieved my “request” but would have to check the local office to see if there was availability, despite listing the date as available. After an agonising 3 day wait, watching other tours sell out, they informed me there was in fact no availability, and offered 2 completely different tours, the same tour in a month, or a refund. I of course opted for a refund, which they informed me would take up to 2 weeks to process, although thankfully I recieved it in one week. Cem S., TripAdvisor 7/13/2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Does g adventures offer cruises.

Yes. When G Adventures acquired Swan Hellenic in 2017 , which is a U.K.-based boutique cruise line, it expanded its adventure travel offering to include cruises. The tours consist of historical or cultural themes and are aimed at the upper echelon of cruise travelers.

What Happened To The G Adventures Watering Hole Forum?

G Adventures closed the forums, citing it needed the resources to put into its core business efforts. More information is on their forums closed page .

Best Adventure Vacation Travel Companies

See how G Adventures compares in our adventure travel company comparison . We compare G Adventures to other companies with key features, pros and cons, user reviews, sample trip pricing, and more.

Where do you want to go with G Adventures? Let us know in the comments !

Kimberly Alt

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One Week in Morocco with G Adventures [Tour Review]

Posted on Last updated: September 13, 2023

The first time I got introduced to the adventure travel company  G Adventures was when I worked in a hostel in Sydney , where I was also the in-house travel agent. One of the tour guides came to promote their product, as they all do, except for the fact that this time we didn’t so much have a sales talk, as just a great conversation about travel in general.

While I never got to try their products and write a G Adventures review for you, this moment stuck with me and I was reminded of them again when I got the invitation to the Future of Tourism event that was held at the Royal Geographical Society in London in the beginning of April 2014. G Adventures was the host, together with the Planeterra Foundation .

Besides an evening of discussion about whether tourism can be a force for growth, change and global good, there was also the UK launch of the first book of G Adventures’ founder Bruce Poon Tip: “ Looptail : How One Company Changed the World by Reinventing Business “. If you’re interested in learning more about the remarkable history of G Adventures and the life of Bruce Poon Tip, I can highly recommend reading this book!

On the evening, Bruce talked about how technology has taken away the element of surprise for travel these days, how travel has become an emotional purchase and how, luckily, the consumer is changing how they book trips. People want their vacation choices to match the way they live (responsible travel not package holidays) and they want to give back and do good, they no longer spend randomly on their travels.

The evening really made me think about just how travel can make a difference to this world and how the travel industry has the responsibility to provide their customers with products that benefits everyone.

“Travel can be a force for good. It can transform lives and communities, but it has to be done right. The core issue for sustainable tourism is consumer awareness. We need to educate consumers on the power of their purchasing decisions and the change that it can bring.”

For example, did you know that of $100 spent on vacation in developing countries, only $5 stays in local hands? (source: UNEP). Tourism really has the opportunity to distribute more wealth across the world, but besides creating better products, they need the consumer to help by making more considerate choices when they book their travels. Like Bruce said: “As a consumer your buying power will change the world. You need to be willing to pay a premium for sustainability.”

All this came full-circle when a few months ago, Nick and I had the chance to join a G Adventures tour group for one week in Morocco , where we travelled for a week from Casablanca to Marrakech  via Fez . Curious to find out what we did on this trip? Keep reading!

ONE WEEK IN MOROCCO – CASABLANCA TO MARRAKESH

G Adventures Tour of Morocco

We chose for the “ Morocco Kasbahs & Desert ” Tour by G Adventures, which is a guided, 8-day tour from Casablanca to Marrakech .

You’ll get to wander through old medina’s, taste local food, ride a camel to stay in the desert overnight and visit natural gorges and Roman ruins. It’s a nice mix of everything Morocco has to offer and a great choice for people that have never visited the country and have limited time.

The pace of this short trip is very fast, since you’re covering a lot of ground, so expect to be in the car about 4-10 hours each day with early departures and not a lot of free time! Groups are about 10-14 people.

This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by a driver and a group leader, otherwise known as a Chief Experience Officer (CEO). He (in our case), makes sure you’ll have the best experience by taking away all the hassle, explaining about the historical, cultural, religious and social aspects of the country and giving you tips on what to see and do in each location. Apart from the main guide, there will be certified local city guides where more specific knowledge is required.

If you’re a solo traveler, you’ll be pleased to know that there is no single supplement on accommodation, but do note that if you aren’t paying extra for your own private room, you will be paired with someone of the same sex in a room.

What to do in Casablanca?

The tour itself doesn’t spend any time in Casablanca, so we can recommend what we did and arrive a day early to explore on your own.

Casablanca is an easy city to navigate and has a nice mix of architecture, restaurants, a beachfront and an old medina for you to explore. Something you definitely don’t want to skip is a visit to the  Hassan II Mosque .

To see all our recommendations on things to do in Casablanca, make sure to read our entire guide to Casablanca:

One Day in Casablanca, Morocco? Complete City Break Guide

What to do in Meknès?

After our welcome meeting and a dinner in Casablanca the night before departure, we head off in a minibus to our first stop of the tour: a traditional lunch in Meknès. G Adventures supports projects all over the world and in Morocco they arrange a lunch that benefits rural Moroccan women and children.

This G Adventures lunch program provides access to education opportunities and healthcare services, so these women can support their families and children. The home-cooked Moroccan meal is lovely and you’ll even get the chance to practice a bit of  Arabic when meeting the women. We thought this was a great first stop along the way!

After our meal, some of us on the tour wandered around the little market for a bit and especially the butcher area was a bit of a shocker, so be aware of the pictures below if you are a sensitive person!

What to do in Volubilis?

From Meknès, we drive to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis , where we get a guided tour and see some of the most incredible mosaics! This site has some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in this part of Northern Africa, so you can imagine why this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

We wander around the old bathhouses, see all the incredibly detailed mosaic floors and gaze up at towering marble pillars. We even walk over the same road that people walked over thousands of years ago! It’s hard not to be impressed here.

What to do in Fez?

After Volubilis, it’s on the bus again as we continue to Fez / Fès, which turned out to be our favourite city on this tour. We stayed overnight in the New City of Fez, which wasn’t really that interesting, but at night we decided to go to the old city to soak up a bit more atmosphere, which was a good idea.

The following morning, we got a guided tour of the old medina (with over 9000 streets!) that featured buildings that date back to the 9th century. There are also 350 mosques in the medina that are still in use today, which was super impressive.

We also saw lots of handicrafts such as pottery and tanneries and wished we had more space in our backpacks already, haha! Some people in our group arranged a hammam at the hotel, which is not really something for us, but they loved it.

You can read our entire guide to Fez here and find out what else we did in this amazing city:

One Day in Fez, Morocco? Complete City Break Guide

What to do in Merzouga?

From Fez, we drove through the Middle Atlas Mountains to Merzouga , which was a 10 hour journey and really quite a long sit for everyone. We saw the landscape change from green to red as we reached the edge of the Sahara Desert, where we ‘boarded’ a camel to take us to a traditional Berber desert camp.

Unfortunately for us, we had a bit of rain on the way over to the desert (yes, apparently we really were this ‘lucky’), so we only had grey skies and what was supposed to be the highlight of this tour was a bit disappointing for us, as we didn’t even see any stars and couldn’t sleep outside. We still liked the experience though and were happy we got to see the camp, but yeah, bit of a bummer for our group!

What to do in Tinejdad?

On our way to Todra Gorge, our next overnight stay, we made a few stops along the way. Here, we saw a factory where they produce products out of fossilized stone from the area, and we also visited Ksar El Khorbat Oujdid, a “ksar” (fortified village) completely built out of rammed earth near the town of Tinejdad, that was built in 1860 and is still inhabited. The houses here are built over the alleys below, so the alleys are dark and cool, which is of course nice if you pretty much live in the desert.

Here, you can visit a museum or have a nice lunch, like we did.

What to do in Todra Gorge?

After some more driving, we finally arrive at Todra Gorge which is a gorge wedged between massive cliff walls. Around it, there is a green oasis filled with palm trees and we took some time to walk through the local village farmlands and explore the area a bit, before going for a quick (rather chilly) swim and dinner in our accommodation.

What to do in Ouarzazate?

After a good night’s sleep, we depart Todra Gorge again and head onwards to the Aït Ben Haddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. But before we get there, we travel along the “Route of 1000 Kasbahs” to make a quick lunch stop at the thriving town of Ouarzazate.

This town is home to the Atlas Film Studios, where many films have been shot over the years, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.

What to do in Ait Benhaddou?

As I said, Ait Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site and as soon as you arrive, you can see why. Of all the remaining Kasbahs (a type of medina or fortress) in Morocco, the walls and interior of this area are the most intact. The Kasbah still houses a few families, but many now live in the adjacent village.

Like many of the earthen built fortresses in Ouarzazate, Aït Ben Haddou has been used in many film and television productions like Gladiator, Babel, and my favourite: Game of Thrones! (see more GOTR film locations I visited in Malta and Northern-Ireland )

In Ait Benhaddou, you can opt for a cooking class, but Nick and I just walk around town for a bit an relax the afternoon. We do go with our guide on a little walk up the hill, so we can get a stunning view over the area.

What to do in The Atlas Mountains?

On our final day of the tour, we again drive through the Atlas Mountains and are this time treated with some a-ma-zing views into the distance.

We make a quick stop at a shop that sells argan oil, before we drive into our last stop of the tour: Marrakech!

What to do in Marrakech?

In Marrakech, we get a guided walk from a local guide with G Adventures to see the Saadien’s Tombs, Bahia Palace, before we head in to the maze of tiny streets and alleyways of the ancient medina surrounding the famous Djemaa el Fna market square.

We say farewell to our group and group leader and spend one more day on our own in Marrakech, to visit the lovely Jardin Majorelle, The Yves Saint Laurent Museum and to go on the incredible Marrakech Food Tour , which you can read more about (and should definitely do as well!) below:

Curious on what else to see and do in Marrakech? Make sure to read our complete guide:

One Day in Marrakech, Morocco? Complete City Break Guide

For our review on the Marrakech Food Tour, click below:

Marrakech Food Tours: Taste the Best Traditional Moroccan Food With a Local [Tour Review]

In one week’s time, we saw so much of Morocco, that we would have never been able to see on our own. We loved having a local guide with us on the trip, so we got to understand much more about Moroccan culture!

Read more about this tour on the G Adventures website >>>

Yes, this tour is super fast paced and it would probably be better if you had more time (G Adventures offers many more tours, some of which cover the same are, but a bit more relaxed), but if you’re like us and just don’t have many days to travel because of Nick’s limited holidays, this was a great option.

We had a nice mix of people on our trip, but I did have the feeling that not everyone had a good sense of the type of trip they’d booked, or it just wasn’t the type of trip suited for them. They had problems with not being able to buy alcohol or having no fridges on their hotel rooms and limited food options, for example, which of course is a bit silly if you know that you’re travelling to a Muslim country and will be staying in the desert and small rural villages most of the time!

What we didn’t expect was to spend quite a lot of money on things like food, activities and tips (there are just 7 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner included in the trip), so make sure to calculate some extra money for this. We were happy to have brought a few granola bars and other snacks/sweets as well, and we can recommend you do the same BEFORE you depart (there is a chance to get things in the supermarket in Casablanca), because there are limited to no options to get anything like that along the way.

That said, we had a great time and this tour definitely provided a nice introduction to a country we’d never been to and felt a bit hesitant to visit alone, as we just had no clue what to expect. Morocco turned out to be a fantastic destination to visit, with super friendly people, amazing architecture and a rich history. We would love to come back one day and see more of the country in the future.

Thank you  G Adventures  for helping us create some amazing memories!

Plan your Morocco Trip

Time Zone in Morocco?  GMT +1

Currency in Morocco? Moroccan Dirham.  Check the latest exchange rate here .

Languages Spoken in Morocco?  Moroccan Arabic (Darija), Arabic & Berber +  French . We had no trouble getting around with just English and our G Adventure guide helped us everywhere, as he was a local and spoke all the languages needed.

Best time to visit Morocco & Marrakech Travel?  Spring (March-May) or Autumn (September-October). Summer can be nice on the coast, but will definitely be too warm more inland. Make sure to also take the date of Ramadan, the month of daytime fasting, in account when planning your trip!

Insurance for Morocco?  Make sure to get travel insurance!  We recommend checking out worldnomads.com

Flights to Morocco:

• Find the best flights to Marrakech
• Find the best flights to Casablanca
• Find the best flights to Fez

Hotels in Morocco:

• Find the best hotels in Marrakech
• Find the best hotels in Casablanca
• Find the best hotels in Fez

Tours in Morocco: 

• The most popular tours & activities around Morocco

I hope you enjoyed all the suggestions for Marrakech Morocco things to do!

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Make sure to check out our other Morocco articles:

• One Day in Casablanca
• One Day in Fez
• One Day in Marrakech
• Marrakech Food Tour Review

Here are some other great Morocco articles written by our fellow blogging friends and colleagues:

• Maroc Mama [Entire Website: marocmama.com ]
• One Week In Morocco – Morocco Itinerary For Marrakech And Essaouira [ wonderfulwanderings.com ]
• Hiking In The Atlas Mountains , Morocco [ insidethetravellab.com ]
• Mysterious Chefchaouen : The Blue Pearl Of Morocco [ expertvagabond.com ]
• Taroudant, Morocco : So how many camels are you worth? [ adventurousmiriam.com ]
• A Guide To Essaouira | Morocco’s Windy City [ alongdustyroads.com ]

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Disclaimer:  We were hosted on our tour through Morocco by G Adventures. All photos and opinions in this article are, as always, 100% our own. This post contains affiliate links. 

Monday 27th of May 2019

Rue Soukarno, Rue Djakarta and Rue Bandung the name of the street in Morocco, precisely in the city of Rabat, ... where 3 street names were taken from Indonesia

Ryan K Biddulph

Monday 4th of February 2019

Excellent breakdown Nienke. Fabulous job. Bruce speaks great wisdom too. Travel can be a force for good if you circle the globe with compassion and mindfulness.

Monday 21st of January 2019

Morocco got a lot of places to visit .but in my opinion its not about the place its a cultural visit (another culture and ways of living ) you should meet locals see them work maybe talk to them

Hrmm. Looks like you're using an older browser, which means some site features may not work they way they should. For the full gadventures.com experience, we recommend upgrading to the most recent version of your browser . It's worth it! Honest!

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Go deeper into the cultures and habitats of the places we explore. More is included and you’ll enjoy greater hands-on exploration, interactions with local experts, and freedom to roam.

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Are you an adventure-loving family in search of meaningful ways to discover the world together? These tours are specially designed for travellers seven and up and their inquisitive families.

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Step deeper into the animal kingdom while respecting all of its inhabitants. Our incredible collection of wildlife-focused tours is endorsed by the world-renowned ethologist.

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The thrill of adventure. The awesomeness of hostels. Get ‘em both on these immersive small group trips for 18 to 35-year-old travellers.

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Together with our non-profit partner, Planeterra, we ensure local communities touched by our tours benefit from our visits in as many ways possible.

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Leave your destination even greener than you found it! For every day on tour, we’ll plant a tree in your honour and ensure that our forests get to live their best lives.

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Want to dive even deeper into the cultures and habitats of the places you explore? Set foot on an enriching, hands-on adventure with the latest tours in our National Geographic Journeys Collection!

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Central america, middle east.

National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures is a new line of trips for adventure-loving families in search of a meaningful way to discover the world together.

Why you should explore with us:

Unique, culturally immersive experiences.

National Geographic Journeys take you deep into the culture and history of the places you visit. Combined with G Adventures’ nearly 30-year history of community-focused small group tours, it’s a travel experience like no other.

Travel with meaning

Many of our itineraries connect you to fascinating people and projects supported by National Geographic or G Adventures, creating meaningful experiences for travellers and local people alike.

Be in the know, before you go

As you prepare for your adventure, you will receive pre-trip articles from National Geographic to get you excited about your trip. You’ll have your explorer cap on before you’re even on the plane.

Change the world

National Geographic and G Adventures believe that travel can and should be a force for good in the world. By traveling with us, you support community projects and initiatives that improve livelihoods in the places we visit. You also help further the work of National Geographic’s scientists, explorers, and educators around the world.

Get more out of your adventure

These trips feature upgraded accommodations, cozier rides, more inclusions than other G Adventures Travel Styles.

Live like, and learn from, the local people

Your adventure will be led by a CEO (Chief Experience Officer) with specialized National Geographic training and a deep, locally informed knowledge of your destination.

Take comfort in your Journey

National Geographic Journeys feature upgraded accommodations compared to other G Adventures Travel Styles. We select our accommodations based on how well they represent the unique character of your destination. Want to see where you might be staying? Take a look:

Traveller Testimonials

Get an idea of what your adventure could be like from people who have enjoyed their travels with National Geographic Journeys.

I learnt so much about Costa Rica, its history, flora and fauna. I have some amazing memories and have made some firm friends from the tour. It was excellent and, as a result, I know I will be going back to Costa Rica in the future!

Jayenne C., Explore Costa Rica

It was a wonderful experience that I have already recommended to several friends. The accommodations were great and well located. Yoko was a well-organized, helpful and knowledgeable guide.

Patricia S., Iconic Japan

AMAZING! From being able to try such a variety of experiences, learning the culture and history to meeting NOW everlasting newer friendships from this vacation. This is by far one of the best, and most enriching vacations I have ever had—for both my husband and I.

Maria L., Explore Machu Picchu

Absolutely fabulous! This was the best vacation we have ever had in that we were part of a small group of people who all love the outdoors, learning and experiencing new places, foods, culture, and best of all, people! Our CEO was fantastic! He shared so much of his beautiful homeland with us through visits to hidden gems, meeting local people, sharing time and culture with the unique and lovely people of New Zealand. We hiked, we ate, we heard, we saw, we felt, and we laughed and hugged a lot! We left a piece of our hearts in New Zealand. What we took away from all this is a lifetime of fantastic memories.

Virginia D., New Zealand Journey

This trip totally exceeded my expectations. Our CEO, Moses, and driver, Edward, were both excellent and really made the adventure everything it was. They worked really well together and were really friendly, informative and enthusiastic. The wildlife itself was superb, better than I had hoped and because of the guys' enthusiasm I found myself interested in far more than just the bigger animals. The standard of accommodation and food was excellent and I really enjoyed all the activities included in the tour. The tour felt totally authentic, and it really felt like people were welcoming of us on the basis of the positive work done in the community.

Caroline D., Tanzania Safari Experience

This trip was truly an adventure worth taking. In one short week, I came face-to-face with 13 gorillas, sprinted through a forest in pursuit of chimpanzees, watched a mother hippo protectively shield her baby from our view, and listened to a pride of lions devour a buffalo carcass at sunset. Experiences like these provide lifelong memories, and as an added bonus, I made new lifelong friends as well. After planning this trip for over a year, the experience itself lived up to — and surpassed — my expectations in so many ways.

Kelley G., Rwanda & Uganda Gorilla Discovery

Great trip. I was especially happy with the National Geographic exclusives. The food we got at the Parwa Community Restaurant was one of the best we enjoyed in Peru. The visit to Parwue de la Papa was enlightening and enjoyable. The same can be said of the visits we did at Lake Titicaca — the Floating island, the Taquile Island visit and lunch hosted by the village on Luquina Peninsular. It is especially heartening and fulfilling to know that [the company] is actively contributing to the local community in helping these villages help themselves in a sustainable manner.

Wern L.C., Inca Explorer

This tour exceeded my expectations on pretty much all fronts. I was able to get pushed out of my comfort zone just enough by being in a place where the customs were different and I didn't speak the language, but at the same time I always felt safe. We were able to see the "real" Morocco in a way that other tours wouldn't have done.

Amanda R., Morocco: Sahara & Beyond

This trip was awesome. The cities, architecture, interiors, food and people were a photographer's dream. I've been to Spain before (Madrid and Barcelona), but Andalusia is truly special. The entire itinerary was great, and the exclusive experiences provided lots of insights into the destination. When I first read about learning to dance flamenco, I didn't think it would be a highlight, but it was so much fun and really made me appreciate the history, talent of the dancers and the show even more. I want to go back!

Ann-Christine R., Discover Moorish Spain

Our Travellers’ Photos

Stories from our ceos.

Get to know the passion behind the people that lead our tours in their own words.

Zuhair Z., Jordan

I love my job as a Journeys CEO for five reasons: 1. I get to meet new people I love meeting others and hearing their stories. It's so cool seeing their eyes light up while telling me what they're passionate about. 2. I get to talk about my favourite place Talking about your home , your family, and your friends — it's literally the best thing ever. Getting to share that sense of happiness and peace is the coolest thing.

Lindsey P., United States

I love leading National Geographic Journeys trips because you get to take your experience to another level that even I myself couldn’t dream up. One of my favorite parts of leading trips in North America is when I take people to the Grand Canyon. I get to experience their first sighting of the amazing layers and shear natural beauty that exists in the Wild West of Arizona.

Darlington, Zimbabwe

It’s such a diverse continent I come from. And taking travelers through it is mind and soul enriching. Whether it’s traversing through the oldest desert in the world, the Namib, walking through the jungle of the Okavango delta, the largest inland delta in the world, watching hundreds of elephants drinking in Hwange National Park, or putting the icing on the cake by showing our amazingly rich culture.

Stefano P., Italy

There was a moment in Florence last summer when I was standing there with my group next to the iconic Ponte Vecchio after showing them around the beautiful city. I started talking about the second World War in Italy and Florence specifically. Then I pulled out a piece of paper and started reading: "Our pockets were filled with odd scraps of paper on which were written the names of the sons and daughters and relatives in America to whom we had promised to write that we had seen mother or uncle or cousin in Florence

Son P., Vietnam

“Even if it doesn’t smell good, jasmine is still jasmine. Even if he isn’t elegant, a Hanoian is still a Hanoian.” My father used to recite this poem to me when I was a little boy. I will never forget what he told me about Hanoi because since I moved to this city, Hanoi simply became my second home. As a local who loves food, cultures, and meeting people, I see that many tourists are now stuck in the touristy area, which doesn't make them "really travel" to Hanoi, Vietnam. So I love getting opportunities to show people "The Real Hanoi."

Julian H., South Africa

I love leading National Geographic Journeys trips because I get to spend time with like-minded people that just love anything to do with nature. I get excited every time I see the joy in our travellers’ faces when they see their dream become a reality. Many times, people on our trips have been waiting their whole lives to come to Africa to see our beautiful land and creatures. For me it is a privilege to show them all that I can in the time I have with them. I want them to leave with a little piece of Africa in their hearts forever.

ZUHAIR Z., JORDAN

I love my job as a Journeys CEO for five reasons: 1. I get to meet new people I love meeting others and hearing their stories. It's so cool seeing their eyes light up while telling me what they're passionate about. 2. I get to talk about my favourite place Talking about your home, your family, and your friends — it's literally the best thing ever. Getting to share that sense of happiness and peace is the coolest thing. 3. I get to see others excited about being at my favourite place There's nothing quite like that feeling you get when you see that your stories are making people smile. 4. I get to walk around my favorite place for hours When you're having a rough day, a nice walk in Petra talking about how much you love its beauty is a good way to lift your mood. 5. I make a huge impact in people's lives Every tour I do, every person I meet, is an opportunity to change their life by bringing happiness and friendship forever.

I love leading National Geographic Journeys trips because you get to take your experience to another level that even I myself couldn’t dream up. One of my favorite parts of leading trips in North America is when I take people to the Grand Canyon. I get to experience their first sighting of the amazing layers and shear natural beauty that exists in the Wild West of Arizona. And then we all go behind the scenes and have a local expert explain the history and the detail that goes into the magnificent wonder of the world. I get excited each time we get to have a unique opportunity to speak to someone who studies the background and unique details that accompany our amazing National Geographic Journeys destinations.

It’s such a diverse continent I come from. And taking travelers through it is mind and soul enriching. Whether it’s traversing through the oldest desert in the world, the Namib, walking through the jungle of the Okavango delta, the largest inland delta in the world, watching hundreds of elephants drinking in Hwange National Park, or putting the icing on the cake by showing our amazingly rich culture. Sharing all this, sitting around a campfire with a beautiful night sky above us, I love to bring some of the stories travelers read into life by simply sharing all this with them.

There was a moment in Florence last summer when I was standing there with my group next to the iconic Ponte Vecchio after showing them around the beautiful city. I started talking about the second World War in Italy and Florence specifically. Then I pulled out a piece of paper and started reading: "Our pockets were filled with odd scraps of paper on which were written the names of the sons and daughters and relatives in America to whom we had promised to write that we had seen mother or uncle or cousin in Florence, that all was well, and that they were full of courage. One woman came up to us with a shy 16-year-old daughter and told us in English that she had waited to speak to the first Americans in Florence. She turned to the daughter and took two almost wilted roses and handed them to us. We have been looking for Americans to give these to, and you are the first. We are happy now." This is taken from a National Geographic published in March 1945. The words were followed by a moment of deep emotion felt by the group. For a second, it felt like we connected with those who were fighting to free the country more than 70 years ago. Moments like these are the main reason why I love leading National Geographic Journeys tours.

“Even if it doesn’t smell good, jasmine is still jasmine. Even if he isn’t elegant, a Hanoian is still a Hanoian.” My father used to recite this poem to me when I was a little boy. I will never forget what he told me about Hanoi because since I moved to this city, Hanoi simply became my second home. As a local who loves food, cultures, and meeting people, I see that many tourists are now stuck in the touristy area, which doesn't make them "really travel" to Hanoi, Vietnam. So I love getting opportunities to show people "The Real Hanoi." I like to take people to secret corners, small alleys, beautiful places, local street food places where they can take photos with real life styles of Hanoian, taste amazing local foods, or simply do Taichi or exercise with local people in the early morning. I'm proud to be a part of this beautiful city and I love having a chance to show people the real Hanoi.

I love leading National Geographic Journeys trips because I get to spend time with like-minded people that just love anything to do with nature. I get excited every time I see the joy in our travellers’ faces when they see their dream become a reality. Many times, people on our trips have been waiting their whole lives to come to Africa to see our beautiful land and creatures. For me it is a privilege to show them all that I can in the time I have with them. I want them to leave with a little piece of Africa in their hearts forever. Changing people's lives and showing them the importance and interconnectedness of nature brings me joy. A bit deep, maybe, but I do love what I do.

Recommended tours

10 Best G Adventures Tours to Take in 2024

These g adventures trips have especially amazing itineraries..

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Founded in 1990, G Adventures has been offering exceptional adventure-focused small group tours to bucket-list destinations around the world for more than 30 years. The travel company’s trips are a great fit for younger travelers, families, and active people of any age who want to learn about their destination in an immersive and hands-on way. 

Something I love about G Adventures is that in addition to its own tours, the company also partners with National Geographic for special different tour types: National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures and National Geographic Family Journey’s with G Adventures . It also partners with Dr. Jane Goodall’s institute (for Jane Goodall Collection tours) to showcase locations and experiences that bring people together with the natural world. 

The Best G Adventures Tours to Take in 2024

Group tours with G Adventures include all of the essentials like accommodations, local guides, activities, meals, and transfers between places. Each trip accommodates up to 15 people, but the average group size is 10. For solo travelers , there’s often no single supplement fee on G Adventures tours, though you may share a room with another traveler. While G Adventures tours number in the hundreds, these 10 stand out for 2024 with especially amazing itineraries in some of the most dazzling destinations around the world.

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1. Vietnam: Historic Cities and Halong Bay Cruising with G Adventures

G Adventures takes small groups deep into the culture and nature of Vietnam with its Vietnam: Historic Cities & Halong Bay Cruising tour. This standout 12-day trip starts in Ho Chi Minh City, where you’ll meet the group before wandering Pham Gnu Lao Street and its exciting nightlife scene. The trip continues with plenty of free time in Nha Trang, a coastal city known for its beaches, temples, and food. 

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This G Adventures tour then spends two nights in Hot An, where you can try your hand at a cooking class, walk the old town streets, or take a cruise down the Thu Bon River. If you’re an adventure seeker, you’ll love day nine of the trip when the group visits the caves of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. The guided tour ends in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, where you will see Halong Bay, explore more caves, and take a tour of the city’s old quarter. 

• Length: 12 days
• Starting price: $699
• Average group size: 14 people 
• How to book: Book online through  G Adventures ,  TourRadar , or Tourhub ; or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

2. France Family Journey: From Paris to Normandy and Beyond

Take the kids to France on the G Adventures-led France Family Journey: From Paris to Normandy and Beyond , which is a family tour in partnership with National Geographic. The tour starts in Paris, where you can see everything from the sparkling Eiffel Tower to walking through the galleries at the Louvre. Day three takes the group to the home of Claude Monet to see his impressive gardens and quaint home. 

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The highlight for many people will be the day in Bayeux, where you’ll board military vehicles to ride out to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. Other highlights of this immersive France tour include a day in the Loire Valley and canoeing the Cher River past castles. At the end, you’ll spend some time in the Palace of Versailles before heading back to Paris for the evening and a next day departure.

• Length: 9 days 
• Starting price: $3,899
• Average group Size: 18 people 
• How to book: Book online through  G Adventures or  TourRadar ; or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

3. Iconic Ireland with G Adventures

Another great National Geographic partner tour from G Adventures is Iconic Ireland . The nine-day tour starts and ends in Dublin, where you’ll get to wander the Medieval Quarter including St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle. The tour continues to Cork, where you’ll spend the morning on a walking tour and then check out the city on your own. 

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If you’re looking to kiss the iconic Blarney Stone, you’ll get your chance on day four, then the group continues on for a day each in Killarney and Galway. The trip comes to a close after seeing the Cliffs of Moher on a coastal cruise and spending one last day in Dublin to check out the pubs or take a tour of the Guinness Factory. 

• Length: 9 days
• Starting price: $3,499
• Average group size: 12 people 
• How to book: Book online through  G Adventures , TourRadar , or Travelstride ; or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

4. Peru: Ancient Cities and the Andes with G Adventures

For an active and incredible way to see Machu Picchu and some of Peru’s other natural wonders, G Adventures’ Peru: Ancient Cities and the Andes tour is the way to go. This guided trip starts in Lima, where you’ll arrive and immediately hit the nightlife scene in the city. Then the tour group heads to Arequipa, where you’ll see the Santa Catalina Monastery and taste some of the local cuisine. 

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In Cusco, you can explore on your own before the group heads to the indigenous Ccaccaccollo community for a weaving demonstration and overnight homestay. The highlight of the tour starts on day 10, when begin your three-day Inca Trail trek before reaching Machu Picchu for a guided site tour. The trip ends back in Cusco.

• Length: 14 days
• Starting price: $1,759
• Average group size: Average 14 people
• How to book: Book online through  G Adventures or TourRadar ; or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

5. Mt Kilimanjaro Trek – Machame Route

If you’ve ever dreamed of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, this G Adventures guided trek is for you. The eight-day Mt Kilimanjaro Trek – Machame Route tour is intensely physical and worth every step. It starts in Moshi, Tanzania, where you’ll spend the afternoon and evening meeting your trek leaders and fellow hikers. Each day you’ll hike to a different camp, passing by beautiful landscapes and stunning scenic views. 

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On day five, you’ll pass the postcard-perfect Helm Glacier. On day six, the hike takes place at night to the summit so you can see the sunrise over Stella Point before starting your descent. The trip ends with a climbing ceremony by the Moshi Women’s Cooperative to celebrate your achievement. 

• Length: 8 days 
• Starting price: $2,647
• Average group size: 10 people

6. Mexico City to Oaxaca: Pottery and Aztec Pyramids with G Adventures

Traveling through Mexico is a feast for the mind and the belly, especially on the Mexico City to Oaxaca: Pottery & Aztec Pyramids tour. This weeklong trip starts in Mexico City, where you’ll spend two and a half days seeing the sights, sampling food, and checking out artifacts. Then the trip ventures to Puebla, where you’ll visit a ceramics workshop and see pyramids before watching a Mexican wrestling match. 

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The tour ends with two full days in Oaxaca. Here you’ll visit markets, see the Alebrijes Artisan Community , and have plenty of free time to wander on your own. During your free time, consider taking a cooking class or visiting a local distillery to try tequila or mezcal. 

• Length: 7 days
• Starting price: $804
• Average group size: 12 people

7. Alaska Kenai and Denali Adventure with G Adventures

Alaska is a bucket-list destination many travelers, and G Adventures’ Alaska Kenai and Denali Adventure tour hits many of the state’s most incredible sights. The eight-day trip begins in Anchorage, though you won’t be spending much time there before venturing south towards Seward to hike through Kenai Fjords National Park . The trip then takes everyone north to Talkeetna for a visit to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Museum and an afternoon of free time for activities. 

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Once you reach Denali National Park , you can take a hike through the rugged landscape or see a sled dog demonstration. You’ll spend an additional day in Denali when you can do everything from taking nature tours to hiking on your own on the trails. The trip ends back in Anchorage. 

• Length: 8 days
• Starting price: $2,564
• Average group size: 9 people

8. Spirit of Shackleton

If you’ve ever wanted to make landfall in Antarctica, G Adventures is giving you the chance with its absolutely epic Spirit of Shackleton expedition cruise . The 21-day sailing starts in Ushuaia, Argentina, which is the gateway to sailing to Antarctica. The first few days are spent traversing the Drake Passage, which can be an adventure because you never know if you’re going to get what travelers call the “Drake Shake” or the “Drake Lake.” On day five you’ll finally arrive in Antarctica, where you can see the continent’s incredible wildlife and attempt to make landfall daily. 

WORLD’S BEST: 15 Best Group Travel Companies for Guided Tours in 2024

The second half of the trip takes you to the Scotia Sea and South Georgia to see former whaling stations and a colony of king penguins. Then cruise to the Falkland Islands to see more penguins before heading back to Ushuaia to go home. 

• Length: 21 days
• Starting price: $16,899
• Average group Size: Up to 134 people per cruise

9. Highlights of New Zealand with G Adventures

New Zealand is a gorgeous country with a unique culture that you can learn about on the newly updated for 2024 Highlights of New Zealand tour. The 15-day tour starts in Auckland, but you’ll quickly be shuttled off to the see the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and lakeside town of Rotorua. On day five, you’ll visit the lively city of Wellington to take a guided walking tour before being let out on your own to go where your interests take you.

Wine lovers will enjoy day six, when the group visits a local winery before stopping for the night in Kaikoura. Here, you can swim with dolphins or just enjoy the laidback atmosphere before going to Hanmer Springs for a dip in the natural hot springs. The trip ends with a few days in Queenstown where you can do everything from mountain biking to skydiving, before heading to Christchurch to depart New Zealand and begin the journey home. 

• Length: 15 days
• Starting price: $3,779
• How to Book: Book online through  G Adventures or  Tourhub ; or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

10. The Best of Morocco

On the nine-day Best of Morocco tour, your small group will explore the African country from Casablanca to Marrakech. The tour begins in Casablanca, where you’ll tour the medieval ruins and Roman ruins of Meknès and Volubilis, respectively. Then the group moves to Fez for a walking tour of the Medina. The trip continues into the Sahara desert to Merzouga, where you’ll spend the night on the edge of the sand dunes and take tours on a 4×4 vehicle. 

Ending in Marrakech, you’ll have time to explore on your own before taking a cooking class to learn how to use all of the spices and flavors of Morocco. Your local guide will suggest things to do while on your own, including activities and dining options. 

• Starting price: $2,049
• How to Book: Book online through  G Adventures or through a travel agent such as  AAA .

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Tour Scoop’s team of travel experts brings you in-depth tour company overviews, tour itinerary reviews, the latest tour news, and travel tips and advice written just for guided tour travelers like you.

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The Best Car Air Fresheners to Keep Your Ride Smelling Fresh

Don't let those drive-thru fries stink up the place!

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Best Overall

Febreze car air freshener vent clip.

Meguiar's Whole Car Air Refresher

Best Hanging

Little trees car air freshener.

There are many car air fresheners out there that can help, but our goal is to help you find the best ones. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we tested some of the most notable car air fresheners on the market to pull together a list of the best ones, from hanging cards to vent clips to traditional spray bottles.

There's a reason we named these the best car air fresheners in our roundup of the best air fresheners for every room in your home . The minimalistic design looks at home on your car's dashboard, they start working instantly as your car circulates hot or cold air and they can last up to a month. One tester was particularly enthused by the design, saying, "It's nice and small, and the black color blends perfectly into my vents and leather dashboard." Some users also note the minimalistic vent clip design is preferable to a swinging or hanging air freshener which can distract while driving.

In our testing, we noticed the scents may be a bit overbearing when first installing, but these clips are equipped with a dial on the back that lets you adjust the amount of fragrance released so you can easily tune them to your preferences. The brand claims they last for a full 40 days on low.

Type: Vent clip | Scent: 13 options | Size: .28 ounces

This innovative pick from Meguiar's works a little differently from the rest of the air fresheners on our list. While most spray bottle air fresheners simply have you spray an inconspicuous place in your car, this air freshener is a "scent bomb" that claims to eliminate odor by using the air circulation in your car. Simply close all your windows and doors, turn your air conditioner on high, and activate the canister's locking trigger. Leave the car for 15 minutes, then open all the doors and allow your vehicle to air out for an additional 10-15 minutes before hitting the road.

While it isn't as expedient as many other air fresheners, users say it's both easy to use and highly effective. One user says it cleared up smoke smells from a nearby forest fire; another said the scent lingered for months.

Type: Scent bomb | Scent: New car | Size: 2 ounces

These hanging air fresheners are a massively popular pick for keeping your car smelling nice year-round. They're simple, easy to install, and do exactly what they claim — replace your less palatable car scents with more preferable ones. We are particularly impressed with the sheer number of scents available (40 on Amazon!).

While some drivers may not like the distraction of a dangling item in their view, we can't help but admire the simplicity that these offer. If you don't want to hang it from your mirror, you can get creative and tie it around a vent adjuster, door handle or even a headrest. And who said you had to keep them in the car? They're versatile enough to hang anywhere you want a fresh boost.

Type: Hanging | Scent: 40 options | Size: 4.65 x 2.74 inches

Air Spencer CS-X3 Squash Scent Air Freshener

For the individualist who wants their car scent to stand out among the masses of green pastures and ocean breezes, we present the Air Spencer CS-X3. This refillable air freshener sits atop the dashboard to eliminate foul car odors.

The name is a bit of a misnomer in that this air freshener doesn't actually smell like squash — it has a citrusy sweet scent that many reviewers have compared to Ramune, a popular Japanese soft drink. Since this is a Japanese import product, getting refills might not be as convenient as some of our other picks, but how cool will you sound when you tell passengers that you import your air freshener?

Type: Dashboard | Scent: Squash | Size: Not listed

Drift Wood Freshener

We love just how beautiful this car air freshener is. The wood block is soaked in essential oil and has an organic, minimalist appeal. It clips into the car's sun visor using an included clip. Drift offers a subscription model so that when your old freshener starts to fade, you'll have a new one at the ready for your use.

Our Lab pros were wowed by this air freshener's design and equally impressed with the scents offered by the brand. Many of them, like coffee and teak, skew more masculine and are scents we've never seen before for in car air fresheners. We also loved the "scent of the month" option which features seasonally limited edition scents curated for the specific time of year.

Type: Visor clip | Scent: 7 options | Size: Not listed

Chemical Guys Signature Scent Premium Air Freshener and Odor Eliminator

If you don't like the feeling of a vent clip blowing scented air toward your face as you drive, a more subtle approach may be better. Chemical Guys makes a great-smelling air freshener in a spray format that lets you have more control over your air freshening application.

Testers were pleased by the spray's uniquely sweet and leathery scent that some Amazon reviewers compared to the Air Spencer CS-X3, meaning this may well be a more accessible dupe. While we liked the spray format, we noticed that upon first using it, the nozzle can get a little clogged and deposit more of a stream of liquid than a true mist, so you may want to do a couple of test sprays before applying to avoid depositing too much at once.

Type: Spray | Scent: Signature scent, black frost | Size: 16 ounces

Bath & Body Works Laundry Day Car Fragrance

If you're looking for a lot of options and a wide selection of both familiar and seasonal scents, look no further than Bath & Body Works. The shopping mall staple offers a variety of different vent clip styles so you can customize your dashboard, and the multitude of scents will appeal to those who like to switch it up.

One consumer tester noted they are strongly scented, and as such may not be for those who are easily overwhelmed. They also emphasized just how large the scent selection is and how they enjoyed being able to pick their favorite familiar Bath & Body Works scents for use in their vehicle . With 15 scents currently available online, even the pickiest connoisseur of scent is sure to find something agreeable. Type: Vent clip | Scent: 15 options | Size: .2 ounces

Yankee Candle MidSummer's Night Sidekick Vent Clip Fragrance Kit

Since deciding which car air freshener to use is so personal, we're always impressed with products that give the consumer as many options as possible. The Yankee Candle Sidekick features dispensers in vent-clip, visor-clip and hanging forms that all take the same refill.

A starter kit contains one dispenser and two refills, each of which the brand claims lasts for 30 days. Our Lab pros appreciate the novelty of using the same refills for different forms of car air fresheners. It seems so obvious, yet it's so uncommon! We also love that there are scents that mimic some of Yankee Candle's most beloved candle scents like Pink Sands and Clean Cotton. If you're already a fan of the brand's candles, you'll easily find a perfect freshener for your car. On the downside, some users say the scent doesn't linger for as long as they'd hoped.

Type: Vent clip | Scent: 15 options | Size: 06 ounces

Maison & Muse Car Freshener Vent Clip

Like other vent clips, this air freshener is very simple to use — you simply activate it and clip it onto your dashboard — or even back seat — vents. What separates this pick from the rest of the pack, though, is the scent. Our Lab pros found it to be more subtle than our best overall pick. The options are also all inspired by famous people — like Marilyn Monroe, Whitney Houston, Audrey Hepburn, etc. — which is a fun touch. We tested the vanilla and caramel (inspired by Marilyn Monroe), which was noticeable but not at all fake or overpowering.

We liked the aesthetic of this pick, too. The whole freshener is black, so it looks better on the dashboard and is less noticeable than others we've tested. Plus, it pivots to all angles, so you can direct it away from you.

Type: Vent clip | Scent: 4 options | Size: Not listed

Pura Car Fragrance Diffuser

This is one of the more innovative car air fresheners we've ever tested — it's a mini diffuser for your car. As such, it does have to be plugged into your car's USB outlet to work and only works when the car is moving. When the car stops moving it shuts off. But our Lab pros say you don't have to keep it up front with you; if your car has a rear USB port, that works just as well to avoid distraction or clutter around the dash.

Unfortunately, the scent discs are sold separately, but there are 35 very pleasing scents to choose from from luxe brands like Nest and Capri Blue. Once we had both in hand, we found the device easy to set up and use — it's all via a compatible smartphone app . Once up and running, the app even tells you how much scent is left and lets you adjust, stop and start it.

Type: Diffuser | Scent: 35 options | Size: .176 ounces

How we test car air fresheners

Air fresheners are difficult to test in a controlled way, especially within the confines of the Good Housekeeping Institute, and recreating the environment of a car for such testing is an even bigger feat. Since we don't have the smell chambers necessary to do the most granular testing, we evaluate air fresheners similarly to how consumers do — by using them in our cars and seeing how they stand up to each other in real-life scenarios. We also appraise car air fresheners based on their design appeal, how easy they are to use and the variety of scents available. We evaluate claims made by different air fresheners and review their formulations and safety data sheets.

How can I make my car smell good permanently?

While it may be virtually impossible to have your car perennially smell brand new, there are some steps you can take to reduce the displeasing odors in your car and maintain a fresh scent for longer. First of all, preventing odor-causing messes is key. Using items like car seat covers can prevent smelly liquids from seeping into your car's upholstery, and many are machine washable making cleanup super easy. Second, you'll want to clean your car's interior regularly with a handheld vacuum and use a detailing spray or leather wipes to clean the upholstery. We've rounded up the best car cleaning products to help you find exactly what you need. Once your car is sparkly clean, consider using a car air freshener to mask or eliminate odors between cleanings, guaranteeing a fresh-smelling car year-round.

What to look for when buying a car air freshener

✔ Type : Car air fresheners come in a variety of formats that each have their benefits. Hanging fresheners are the easiest to set up. Vent clips won't obscure your field of vision as you drive and instantly start working once the air begins to circulate. Sprays give you more exact control over how much deodorizing you need, and the "scent-bomb" format lets you make sure every nook and cranny of your vehicle is pleasantly fragranced. When making the decision, consider what's most comfortable when you're driving and any risks inherent to the type (more on that below).

✔ Scent : Just like household air fresheners, car air fresheners are available in just about every scent you could imagine. This is an area of personal taste rather than objective truth, so you'll want to pick something that you know you and any regular passengers enjoy. If you or any passengers have fragrance sensitivities, a more thorough and regular car cleaning may be a better route than installing an air freshener.

✔ Safety : Consider both the safety of the driver and passengers when choosing your car air freshener. If the driver is apt to be distracted by a swinging object hanging from the rearview mirror, consider vent clips or a spray. If you have kids, make sure they cannot access your air freshener, as many fragrances are irritating and may be harmful if swallowed. Exercise caution and do not remain in the vehicle while using a "scent-bomb" air freshener.

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Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Nikolas Greenwald has a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University. He's no stranger to a safety data sheet analysis and uses his knowledge of formulation chemistry and chemical safety to take a look at products being vetted at the Good Housekeeping Institute. He also helps to refine testing protocols and data systems across the Institute based on industry standards and his knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and data science.

As a data engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute , Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022 , Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

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• AIG Travel Guard Overview
• AIG Travel Guard Plans

AIG Travel Guard Cost

How to file a claim with aig travel guard, compare aig travel guard, aig travel guard frequently asked questions.

• Why You Should Trust Us

AIG Travel Guard Insurance Review 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

AIG Travel Guard is a well-established and highly rated name in the travel insurance industry. It offers three main coverage options to choose from, and in general its policies have above-average coverage for baggage loss and baggage delays, plus high medical evaluation coverage limits. If you're looking for travel insurance, consider Travel Guard .

AIG Travel Guard Travel Insurance Summary

AIG Travel Guard is among the best travel insurance companies with impressive coverage limits, even with its basic plan, Travel Guard Essential. It's emergency medical evacuation coverage is particularly high, making Travel Guard a good choice for insuring cruises, as sea to land evacuations are often expensive. 

Additionally, Travel Guard's Premium and Deluxe plans offer coverage that many of its competitors don't, such as its travel inconvenience coverage and ancillary evacuation coverage.  

That said, Travel Guard is on the pricey side, compared with its competitors. While age is often a factor in your insurance premiums, Travel Guard tends to quote older travelers higher rates than its competitors. However, you often get what you pay for. In Travel Guard's case, you'll find that its coverage justifies its higher rates. 

While great coverage is important, it's also crucial that an insurance company has a smooth claims process, which Travel Guard lacks, according to its customer reviews. Across 135 reviews on its Trustpilot page, AIG Travel Guard received an average of 1.2 stars, with 95% of reviewers giving the company one star. Surprisingly, AIG Travel Guard fares even worse with the Better Business Bureau, receiving an average of 1.08 stars out of five across 301 reviews. 

Coverage Options Offered by AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard offers three primary plans: Travel Guard Essential, Travel Guard Preferred, and Travel Guard Deluxe. Each plan has different coverage limits and various types of protection.

Here's a look at what you'll get with each plan:

Depending on the policy you select, additional coverages may be included at no extra charge, such as a pre-existing conditions waiver , single occupancy fee coverage, worldwide travel and medical assistance services, and more. Be sure to check each policy closely to see what is and isn't covered.

Each of these plans also includes coverage for one child under 17 as long as their travel costs are equal to or under the adult's cost. Additional coverage does not apply to the child.

AIG Travel Guard Pack N' Go Plan

In addition to these three primary plans, Travel Guard offers the Pack N' Go policy along with an Annual plan. This policy is for last-minute travelers who don't need trip cancellation coverage.

This plan includes:

• Trip interruption and trip delay ($200 per day maximum) up to $1,000
• Missed connection up to $500
• Baggage delay up to $200 and baggage coverage up to $1,000
• Medical expenses up to $25,000 and dental expenses up to $500
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains up to $500,000.

AIG Travel Guard Annual Plan

Taking multiple trips throughout the year? Consider the Travel Guard Annual plan instead of purchasing a new policy for each adventure. This plan comes with coverage for: 

• Trip interruption coverage  up to $2,500
• Trip delay coverag e up to $1,500 ($150 per day maximum)
• Missed connection coverag e up to $500
• Baggage delay coverage up to $1,000 and lost/damaged baggage coverage up to $2,500
• Medical expenses coverage up to $50,000 and dental expenses up to $500
• Emergency evacuation coverage and repatriation of remains up to $500,000
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $50,000 and security evacuation up to $100,000

Additional Coverage Options from AIG Travel Guard

Like many other travel insurance providers, Travel Guard offers add-ons for an additional cost. These can be selected while you're purchasing your policy.

The availability of these add-ons depends on the policy you're buying. Note also that some are already included in the Preferred and Deluxe plans. 

• Medical bundle — Increases coverage amounts for medical expenses and evacuation and adds hospital of choice and additional evacuation benefits.  
• Security bundle — Provides various coverages for trip interruption or cancellation due to riot or civil disorder.  
• Rental vehicle damage coverage — Reimburses a predetermined amount for physical damage to a rental car in the policyholder's name. 
• Cancel for Any Reason Insurance (CFAR) — This is just what it sounds like. Cancel for any reason coverage will reimburse 75% of nonrefundable expenses when you cancel your trip for any reason, up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure. CFAR coverage is only available for Travel Guard's Deluxe and Preferred plans. 
• Inconvenience bundle — Offers reimbursement for inconveniences like closed attractions, credit/debit card cancellation, hotel construction, and more.
• Pet bundle coverage — Daily travel benefit for boarding and medical expense coverage for illness or injury of dog or cat. Includes trip cancellation or interruption coverage if the pet is in critical condition or dies within seven days before the departure date.
• Adventure sports bundle — Removes the exclusions for adventure and extreme activities.
• Baggage bundle — Your baggage coverage with AIG becomes primary with increased coverage and baggage delay benefits. 
• Wedding bundle — Provides trip cancellation coverage due to wedding cancellation (brides and grooms not covered).
• Name a family member bundle — One person can be named as a Family Member for the purpose of family member-related unforeseen event coverage.

How to Purchase and Manage Your AIG Policy

Getting a quote from AIG Travel Guard is quick and easy. Head to the AIG website and enter basic information about the trip you're looking to cover. You'll get an instant quote for the insurance plans available for your trip, so it's easy to compare each option. Be prepared to provide information including:

• Your state of residence
• Date of birth
• The cost of your trip
• Travel dates
• Destination
• Method of travel

We ran a few simulations to offer examples of how much a Travel Guard policy might cost. You'll see that costs usually fall within 5-7% of the total trip cost, depending on the policy tier you choose.

As of April 2024, a 23-year-old from Illinois taking a weeklong, $3,000 budget trip to Italy would have the following  Travel Guard travel insurance quotes:

• Travel Guard Essential: $86.96
• Travel Guard Preferred: $152.01
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $188.59

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans are between 2.8% and 6.3%, well within, and even below, the average cost of travel insurance .

A 30-year-old traveler from California is heading to Japan for two weeks, costing $4,000. The Travel Guard travel insurance quotes are:

• Travel Guard Essential: $198.77
• Travel Guard Preferred: $240.39
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $305.04

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans are between 5% and 7.6%, within the average cost of travel insurance.

A couple of 65-year-olds looking to escape New York for Mexico for two weeks with a trip cost of $6,000 would have the following Travel Guard quotes:

• Travel Guard Essential: $471.10
• Travel Guard Preferred: $618.22
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $834.78

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans range between 7.9% and 13.9%, which is significantly higher than the average cost. That said, travel insurance is often more expensive as you get older. 

AIG Travel Guard Annual Plan Cost

Getting a quote for the annual plan requires much less information, only asking for the intended policy start date, your state of residence, and how many people you plan to insure. Quotes from AIG remained at $259 per traveler, regardless of state of residence and number of travelers.

Filing a claim with Travel Guard is a straightforward process. You'll need your policy number and can either go to travelguard.com or call Travel Guard at 866-478-8222 to start the claim. Once submitted, you can check the status of your claim at claims.travelguard.com/status.

See how AIG Travel Guard stacks up against the competition and find the right travel insurance policy for you. 

AIG Travel Guard vs. Nationwide Travel Insurance

Nationwide is a household name when it comes to insurance providers and one of the largest and most recognized insurance providers in the US. Similarly to Travel Guard , Nationwide makes it easy to find coverage by offering just two single-trip plans: the Essential and Prime plan.  

In addition, Nationwide offers plans specifically designed for cruises along with annual trip insurance for those who travel a lot throughout the year.  

The Nationwide Essential Plan comes with trip cancellation coverage of up to $10,000, up to $250,000 in emergency medical evacuation, up to $150 per day reimbursement for travel delays of 6+ hours, and coverage for delayed or lost baggage.

In comparison, the Travel Guard Essential plan covers trip cancellations with up to $100,0000 in coverage, up to $150,000 in emergency medical evacuation expenses, up to $100 per day ($500 total) for trip delays of 12+ hours, along with lost or delayed baggage coverage. 

The high-tier Prime Plan from Nationwide offers even more coverage, including trip cancellation up to $30,000, trip interruption coverage up to 200% of the trip cost (maximum of $60,000), missed connection and itinerary change coverage of $500 each, $250 per day for trip delays of 6+ hours, and up to $1 million in coverage for emergency medical evacuation

AIG's highest-tier Deluxe plan comes with trip cancellation coverage of up to $150,000, up to $1,000,000 in emergency medical evacuation, up to $200 per day ($1,000 maximum) reimbursement for travel delays of 12+ hours, and coverage for delayed or lost baggage.

As you can see, it's hard to compare apples to apples when comparing the two different insurance providers. But it helps to know the specifics of the coverages that matter most to you.

Read our Nationwide travel insurance review here.

AIG Travel Guard vs. Allianz Travel Insurance

With Allianz Travel Insurance , you can choose from 10 different insurance plans to find one that suits your needs. Like Travel Guard , it offers one-off policies for specific trips and an annual travel insurance plan for those who take multiple trips a year. Similar to AIG, too, the different plans offer varying levels of coverage. 

Allianz's most popular single-trip option is the OneTrip Prime plan. This plan offers trip cancellation coverage up to $100,000, trip interruption coverage up to $150,000, emergency medical coverage for $50,000, coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000, and up to $800 in travel delay coverage.

The most similar plan from Travel Guard is the mid-tier Travel Guard Preferred plan, which which you'll get up to $150,000 in trip cancellation coverage, trip interruption coverage up to $225,000, $50,000 in emergency medical coverage, coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000, and travel delay coverage of up to $800.

A variety of factors will determine the final cost of any of these travel insurance policies. However, when comparing quotes with the same factors, Allianz tends to be cheaper. Additionally, Travel Guard seems to be more sensitive to the traveler's age. However, it's best to compare quotes using your specific personal and trip details to determine which policy is the best for you.

Read our Allianz travel insurance review here.

AIG Travel Guard vs. Credit Card Travel Insurance

Before purchasing a travel insurance plan, take a look at the coverage offered through your travel rewards credit cards. Some of the basic coverages you're looking for, like rental car insurance, may already be available through credit card travel protection . 

The coverage you have on your credit card couple be sufficient if, for example, you're taking a road trip by car and you don't have any non-refundable trip expenses. It could also be enough if your health insurance covers you while you travel and you aren't overly worried about incurring additional medical expenses during your trip.

It's also worth remembering that credit card coverage is usually secondary versus the primary coverage you'd get with a travel insurance policy. Meaning you'll have to file a claim with the other applicable insurance (like through the airline travel provider) before filing a claim with your credit card company.

Read our guide on the best credit cards with travel insurance here.

Depending on the single trip plan you choose, AIG Travel Guard offers $15,000-$100,000 in emergency medical expense coverage.

All three of Travel Guard's single trip policies offer pre-existing condition waivers as long as you purchase your policy within 15 days of your initial trip payment.

Travel Guard is the name used for AIG's travel insurance products, but AIG also offers other insurance products, like AIG Life Insurance .

Your coverage depends on the policy you buy, but all policies will cover (up to a specified limit) trip cancellation, interruption, delay, emergency medical expenses, lost and delayed baggage, and emergency evacuation. 

Yes, Travel Guard plans cover trip cancellation and interruption due to illness, injury, or death of a family member. If your trip is delayed or canceled due to inclement weather, that's covered too. AIG Travel Guard's is also among the best CFAR travel insurance companies.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed AIG Travel Guard

The policy that's best for you will be the one that offers the right amount and type of coverage, fits your budget, and is easy to use if you ever need it.

In reviewing Travel Guard , we looked at the company's travel insurance offerings and compared them to plans offered by the top travel insurance companies in the space. Factors considered included things like coverage options, claim limits, what's covered, available add-ons, and typical insurance policy costs. We also considered buyer preferences.

Read more about how Business Insider rates insurance providers .

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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