If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve heard of Contiki. Maybe you’re even thinking about going on a tour, and trying to decide if it’s the best route for you. Good news: you’re in the right place.
Contiki is a coach tour company for young adults (ages 18-35) that manages trips across the globe – from Asia, to Europe, to Australia and more. Contiki is everywhere, and when you begin to search for tour companies, chances are you’ll see it somewhere.
Which leads us to the big question: “Am I well-suited for a Contiki?”
My personal experience with Contiki was nothing short of amazing. I laughed endlessly, explored beautiful areas of Europe, and made the kind of friends that last a lifetime. But regardless of my experience, it would be a lie to say all people are made for this kind of format.
So, I will start with the aspects that one might consider a con.
You have to make friends.
You are essentially thrown into a group of complete strangers, and in order to have a good time, you almost have to make friends. While some people, myself included, might consider this a great thing, others may not. If you’re an introvert too afraid to speak up, or making new friends is extremely stressful and exhausting to you, this may not be for you.
It’s true: you can/do party a lot.
Personally, my Contiki wasn’t like some of the horror stories I hear about. A few times we went out and got a little rambunctious, but by no means was it every night. Even so, there were others in our group who wanted it that way. Obviously, it’s always up to you what you want to do, but if you end up in a group of people who want to go out nightly, and you want to stay in, you’re going to miss out.
You have to pay for additional activities.
It was a bit of a shock for me when I realized I was going to have to pay $500 on top of what I had already paid to be there. It’s up to you to opt in to these activities, and you can forgo them if you want.
You ride the coach bus. A lot.
In my opinion, this should go without saying. But hey, let’s dot our i’s and cross our t’s. It’s likely you will be traveling across the country or continent by coach, and as a result, some days will be spent almost entirely on the bus. If that’s going to drive you crazy, I wouldn’t recommend a Contiki.
This trip format is not for complainers.
I hate to be blunt, but if you’re a complainer, please don’t go on a Contiki. There will be bad weather, you may not have the best hotels, the breakfasts aren’t too great and smooth sailing simply can’t be guaranteed when you’re traveling abroad.
Now before you run away from the idea screaming, please let me try to convince you otherwise with the following list of pros 🙂
The additional activities are worth it.
While it’s true you have to pay for their add-on activities, if you go into it prepared, it’s worth it. I paid for all them, and I have no regrets. Some were historical tours, some were more risqué. Contiki provides an opportunity to experience the best of both worlds – and if there’s even a sliver of doubt in your mind, you should do them all.
It’s great for young, solo and (sorry…) naive travelers.
I took my trip as a single, very naive, 18 year old woman. If I had had to do the trip by myself without the help of my tour manager and driver (shoutout Rhi and Paolo!), I’m not sure I could’ve made it. I was able to see over ten countries because of their expertise, never felt afraid, and found hidden gems all across Europe – all thanks to Rhi and Paolo.
You will go places you otherwise would’ve missed.
It’s funny because now I see pictures of Cinque Terre on a weekly basis on my Instagram feed. But before my trip, I had never heard of those five seaside villages along the Italian Riviera coastline. I was blindly guided there by Contiki, and it turned out to be one of the most impactful places of the entire trip for me. Who would’ve guessed.
You will make some of the best friends and memories of your life.
I would almost guarantee the statement above to everyone contemplating going on a Contiki. I’ve now traveled with one of the gals I met two additional times, once to Hawaii and once to Africa. And it’s been two years now, but I still think about my trip and the people I grew close to on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I can never thank them enough for how amazing they all were.
Sorry to state the obvious… but you’ll experience the world!
It’s amazing! You’re going to see and learn so much if you let yourself. Try new foods, go to all the museums, talk to the locals, learn the history, spend nights wandering foreign cities and be vulnerable. It won’t be until the day it has to end that you’ll realize how much it all meant to you.
