What It's Like to Travel With G Adventures

Karen Cristello

Jul 3, 2025

5 min read

Updated: 20 hours ago

I've always been a solo, DIY traveler at heart, so signing up for a week of group travel with total strangers filled me with both excitement and trepidation. Here's what I learned.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam (Unsplash)

A Quick Primer on G Adventures

I recently returned from my very first group tour, which was to Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & Hoi An, and Saigon & the Mekong) with G Adventures.

G Adventures is a Canadian small-group adventure travel company running trips since 1990, with a strong emphasis on local guides, locally owned hotels and restaurants, and community-based tourism. They offer everything from budget-and-hostel trips to comfortable mid-range “Classic” tours to upscale lines like National Geographic Journeys. Groups are small, usually under 16 people: less like being herded around, more like having a well-connected friend show you around. Their non-profit partner, Planeterra, funds social enterprises along the way — women’s co-ops, craft workshops, training restaurants — so your money actually stays local.

This is what came to mind when I used to think of what a tour group looks like. Our group in Vietnam was a third this size, probably all under 60, and fairly active. (Unsplash)

The Group Dynamic

Here’s the thing: You have zero control over who else is in your group (unless you book your own group, of course). You’ll get a random mix of personalities, ages, and energy levels, thrown together for meals, buses, and hotel rooms. Some people are quiet and easygoing; others are loud and dominate every conversation on the bus, which can wear out an introvert fast. You may love some of them and dislike others — just like real life.

However, there are tours that skew younger or older, and you can choose your travel style — hostels to luxury, solo trips to large groups. At meals (usually about half are scheduled as a group), you can switch up tablemates; just loop in your tour leader before wandering off on your own.

Rooming is luck of the draw unless you pay for a single. (If you're a couple, no need to worry about this.) You might click with your roommate’s habits, or you might not, and there’s not much you can do about it once you’re there. If it’s in your budget, consider the (usually reasonable) single supplement if you’re an introvert or risk-averse. I roomed with a stranger in Vietnam to save money. She was blessedly quiet, but for anything longer than a week, I’d probably book my own room.

Still, there’s something genuinely nice about bonding with people you’d never otherwise cross paths with, and not having to manage a single logistics problem myself was a bigger relief than I’d expected.

What Surprised Me About Group Touring

I never really thought of myself as a “tour person.” I like planning my own days, wandering off on a whim. But with a small group, I loved it. The itinerary mixed things up constantly (cyclos, motos, boats; a cooking class, craft workshops, kayaking), so no two days felt alike, plus there was free time to do our own thing. (Note: this was an accelerated travel advisor tour built for a specific educational purpose. Regular G Adventures itineraries have more breathing room.)

People also engage with a group trip very differently — some were fully present, asking questions, soaking it all in; others seemed checked out, more interested in their phones than the guide in front of them. It's a good reminder that a group trip only gives you as much as you put into it.

Tips for Traveling With a Group and/or With G Adventures

If you’re flying solo, get your own room if it’s in the budget, especially for anything longer than a week. G Adventures also offers “Solo-ish” trips.

Pack light — one rolling suitcase or backpack plus a personal item. You don’t need two XL suitcases (or even one) and you’ll thank yourself every time you have to move fast or climb stairs.

Build in buffer time. Group tours are go-go-go, so pick an itinerary with built-in free time, or add a day or two before or after to acclimate and relax or see more.

Ask your travel advisor (me!) about the accommodations, as hotel star ratings can be generous.

My G Adventures guide in Vietnam was amazing — patient and funny, which matters when herding cats. Tip generously, including your driver, if tips aren’t already covered.

Don’t disrupt the group — if you want to chat while a guide is talking, step a few feet away so others can hear. Watch your volume generally, but especially on group transportation.

What I Really Loved About G Adventures

There was honestly nothing I didn’t like about my experience with G Adventures or the tour itself. It was the kind of low-key, immersive traveling I like, with a fantastic guide, some cool travel mates, 95% terrific food, a wide variety of activities, and time for lots of Vietnamese coffee.

But hands down, the moments that have stuck with me most weren't the famous sights — they were the community-based Planeterra activities: the Top Gear Lady moto drivers, the Kymviet craft workshop, the Streets/Oodles of Noodles training restaurant; and other social-focused and small family enterprises. These are the kinds of places you might never find (or feel comfortable walking into) on your own and knowing that your visit directly supports the people you're meeting makes the whole experience feel a lot more meaningful than a typical stop on a sightseeing list where your taxi driver takes you to his cousin’s friend’s carpet shop.

Group travel isn't for everyone, and it definitely isn't the same as traveling solo. But done well, with the right company and the right size group, it can open doors that solo or self-directed travel can't. It can also take a lot of stress off your shoulders since all you have to do is show up. And sometimes, solo travel just gets boring.

I fell in love with G Adventures and came away as a genuine believer in the company and in group tours. In fact, it changed my business focus. Meaningful travel is what I hope everyone can experience.

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Are you up for a group tour? Interested in experiencing G Adventures yourself? Contact me.

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