Hey All,

Is it really beneficial doing a contiki tour, or just organising your own trip overseas?

I looked at doing my own tour, but by the time I'd researched good places to stay, which we're the best things to see and then how to get everywhere using all the different modes of public transport, Contiki seemed like a much better idea!

I'm going Contiki because there's a lot of countries I want to go to, and organising it by myself would take so much effort. But if I was just going to a few places, then I'd probably do it myself

Thanks guys, will definitely think more about it.

I think it's beneficial only because it's nice to know someone ELSE is handling all of the details and whatnot. When I go to Europe for a whole summer I'm doing a longer tour, but I'm also going to do some traveling on my own. I think it totally depends on your personality and how comfortable you are with making your own way around. I like a nice mix.

Yeah, a mix sounds good. I suppose it does depend on your personality, i mean, i like to mix with people from time to time, but sometimes i feel like just wondering off and doing my own thing, so, maybe i'll mix things up alittle, i'll decide in good time.

Well I had orginally planned to go to NZ with contiki but then when I asked for time off, Contiki wasnt doing a tour when it would be best for me so yeah i had to organise everything myself.

I have to say though that the travel agent helped organise stuff which is good. Plus I get to see more of Queenstown and am not stuck on a bus for ages. Plus i get to see what i want according to my own interests and how i feel that day.


having said that, i wont be able to meet as many people as I would on a tour plus i wotn be able to stay on the Milford Wanderer adn stay overnight on Milford Sound.

It just depnds on what you want to see etc.

And how much time you want to allocate yourself to see those things!

i'm off on my trip in 2 months i and going to canada and europe i will be doing part of each on a tour and part on my own none of the tours i found take me every were i want to go so i'm going on the tour that takes me to the most then i'mm continue on my own and go see every thing else dont for get all activites on contiki are optional and you can go do what ever you want at any time you dont have to do some thing just cos its planed for the day

So to say if the first day in LA was a sight seeing tour, you could instead go to disneyland (as an example?)

Definetly Contiki.It gets rather lonely and depressing travelling all alone and not having anyone to share the experiences with

I was wondering too abt that but i went to European Discovery tour and had a good time. Contiki is good if you want to meet people, dont want to plan anything. but make sure you know what you want to do. I thought that when they said 1 day in one city was actually 1 day but by the time you et to that city half the day past. so if you want to spend more time make sure it says 2 or 3 days if you want to make sure you have enough time to explore and see the things you wanna see because you will have alot of free time by yourself. You will meet new people from different part of the world wich makes i even more fun I know ive ejoyed my time

The social aspects of independent traveling can be just as good as Contiki. You surely can at least avoid becoming "lonely and depressed" if you make the most minimal effort socializing at hostels, campsites, pubs, and clubs. You also don't get stuck with people you don't like for any amount of time.

I went with contiki because I was travelling solo.

If you have never travelled before, and a little nervous about travelling alone definately go with Contiki.