Planning Your Holiday Your Way or Going Along For the Ride

Now I’m sure many people who are planning a fun holiday have come across this age-old (not really) dilemma. Should I just go on a tour (Contiki, TopDeck) or should I plan my own trip.

You may be asking why should I trust you? Well I spent 3 weeks on a TopDeck tour in Europe and I’m currently planning another Europe trip with friends where we’re making out own itinerary. And let me tell you there are pro’s and con’s for both.

Tours
Pros

You get to see so many places
Accommodation is provided
The cost does work out cheaper
A expert (tour guide) will tell you what are some great places that you should visit
You will meet a load of great people

Cons

What they don’t tell you is that 1 day is spent travelling in a bus, and depending on the tour you may only get 1 day in a certain place of country
The destination points are more touristy orientated, so not much room for exploring the local life
You’re stuck in a bus with the same people for weeks (it’s human nature, you’ll love some and not love others)
Long-ass bus rides!

Planning your own trip
Pros

You get to plan exactly where you go
You can spend as much time in one place as you want, so you can explore and discover a new place for yourself
You can meet locals or other travellers

Cons

You have to plan a lot, which can be stressful

If you’re going with friends everyone will need to compromise on things they want (may cause tension)

It can be pricy (flights, transport, accommodation, food, spending money, day trips, adventures etc.)