Is your idea of travel bliss quiet walks through secluded spots or do you thrive in the centre of a busy crowd? Whether you consider yourself more introverted or extroverted in nature, group travel can be the perfect travel experience for you. In this blog post, we share 7 tips and tricks for everyone to make the most out of group travel.
1. Choosing the right travel package.
It may sound obvious, but with all the choices available to us these days, it’s not always easy to choose the package that will best suit our needs. Be really honest with yourself about what you’re looking for, and try to push fear and apprehension aside so you can hone in on what you really need from a package.
If you’re a natural introvert who has always wanted to explore India, for example, you may have some fears around the vibrant, bustling culture and whether it will be too overwhelming for you. Choosing a package that includes a good balance of sightseeing and quieter activities such as meditations will allow you to navigate the culture in your own way. Conversely, if you’re a natural extrovert who is inspired to take a yoga or meditation retreat, look for a journey that includes group outings and dinners together so you have time to recharge the batteries through socializing.
Tip:
Packages that include rest periods and alone time will help introverts rejuvenate & re-energize so they can fully enjoy all the other activities on offer.
2. Travelling with like-minded people.
Making new friends and travelling with like-minded people is one of the many tangible benefits of group travel. While we can never know for sure with whom we’ll be travelling and whether we’ll become lifelong friends, there are ways to help find the group that’s right for us. When reviewing packages, study the pictures and testimonials to get a sense of who has been on the tour previously. The tour description usually also includes information about the target audience so you can see if it’s a right fit for you. If in doubt, contacting the organizer can be a good way to appease any doubts and give you a greater sense of confidence in your choice.
Tip:
Don’t assume you need to be travelling with a similar personality type to fully appreciate your travel experience. Wherever you are on the introvert-extrovert scale, you can benefit from being with people who approach experiences a little differently to yourself! Seeing the world through new eyes is one of the many benefits of travel and being part of a diverse group can facilitate this process.
3. Learning from your guide.
Travelling with an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide is one of the very best ways to fully appreciate a country and its culture. Tour guides all have their own individual style and way of sharing knowledge, so doing some research on your guide before committing to a travel package is always a good idea. A good guide will be able to offer activities that appeal to all travellers – from journaling to dinner outings, meditation to surfing, depending on the journey.
4. Being open to new experiences & ideas.
Openness and curiosity can really enhance any group travel experience for all personality types. Letting go of judgments, for example, can have powerful effects on our sense of self and our travel experience – reframing a fear such as “I’m terrified of giving surfing a go – what if I mess up, everyone else looks so much better than me” with open curiosity – “wow, I’ve always wanted to try surfing. I wonder how it will be” – allows us to try new things and most likely make friends in the process. You may find surfing really isn’t your thing, and that’s ok, or you may find you love it! You never know until you give it a try!
Tip:
Knowing yourself is important, but don’t let your personality type restrict you or stop you from trying new things. Accepting who you are can help you understand how best to approach new situations – introverts, for example, might need some quiet, alone time before trying a new activity such as surfing while extroverts might need to be surrounded by other people before doing something that scares them. Use your self-knowledge to empower you to live your travel dreams!
5. Fully participating.
On a group travel experience participation can take many forms, and fully participating doesn’t always mean going to every optional activity or group event. You know your own comfort level and when you need to recharge by spending time alone or having a night out with the group. The most important thing is to be fully in the moment when you are with the group. For introverts this might mean ducking out of some of the optional extras to spend time alone, while extroverts might want to take that free afternoon and organize an extra small group outing. Fully participating also means being respectful of other people, honouring differences, and adhering to any requirements such as getting back to the coach on time after a morning’s excursion.
6. Deepening your knowledge or skill set.
Some group travel adventures are quite general in nature while others have a particular focus – be it an activity (writing, journaling, drawing) or places visited (sacred sites, pilgrimages). When you choose a group journey with a specific focus, you’re more likely to meet like-minded fellow travellers and have a satisfying travel experience. If your goal is to visit Machu Picchu in the most authentic way possible, for example, be sure to look for packages led by an experienced guide and wisdom keeper, and ones that include enough time at the site to truly appreciate it. Similarly, if you’re investing in a writer’s retreat you’ll want to know it’s being led by a published author who also has workshop or teaching experience, and is preferably in an inspirational setting.
7. Making a lasting contribution.
The best group travel experiences leave a lasting impact, and also inspire travellers to fully contribute to their families and communities on their return. Reading through testimonials is a good way to see if previous tours have had a lasting impact on participants. Choosing the right package, especially one with a specific focus, can also help ensure the experience has a lasting and inspirational impact on you.
At Sacred Earth Journeys our carefully crafted itineraries provide an excellent balance of activities and excursions to ensure all personality types can benefit from group travel. Our detailed tour descriptions, testimonials, and photos give a true flavour of what you can expect on any of our journeys.
To browse our current tours and find the perfect group travel experience for you please visit our website: https://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/journeys
~ Sacred Earth Journeys
