Group Travel
One of my favorite types of travel to plan is group trips. I have two types of group trips: ones that I personally host and ones that are hosted by a group leader. For groups that I host, I simply select a destination I want to travel to and then invite everyone I know to come along with me. Not only do I get to see a new destination, but I also get to experience the trip through the eyes of others that are important to me.
Here are my group trips for 2022 and 2023:
Alaska Cruise and Land tour- August 2022
Iceland Northern Lights- October 2022
Antarctica- December 2022
Tulip Time River Cruise- April 2023
Undecided- Summer 2023 - Suggestions?
Egypt and Jordan- Coming soon October 2023
My group trips with a group leader are a bit different. Usually, someone comes to me telling me they want to plan a trip with like minded people (family, friends, co workers, or social groups). Generally, when I have a group leader, I don’t travel with that group. The group leader takes on the responsibility of narrowing down the destination, resort, cruise, and any activities. The two of us plan the trip together and then they invite their group.
The first group trip I planned started back in July 2019 and it finally traveled to the Galapagos a few weeks ago. This group was a bit different as I wasn’t the group leader, but I went on the trip. My group leader was my friend Christina. She is a mammal trainer and has dreamed of a trip to the Galapagos islands. She proposed the idea and told me that she knew mammal trainers, vet techs, and others in the wildlife education arena that would love to go.
We worked together to pick the right marine tour (we did this a few times thanks to the pandemic) that would hit some of the most desired islands and animal sightings. She then presented the tour to her friends that would be interested. In no time she had a bunch of rooms booked on the trip.
Because of her excitement, I knew I wanted to experience the Galapagos islands through the eyes of these wildlife lovers. Watching her group of friends live out a life long dream was something else. While I was excited to see and experience these same islands, seeing their faces light up was worth so much more. We created lifelong memories with each other during that trip.
Not everyone is fit to be a group leader. Here are some qualifications for a great group leader:
Someone who is confident to make a decision about big details (destination, itinerary, cruise, tour, resort, activities)
Great communicator
Someone who can wrangle a crowd
Someone who is excited about travel and the trip
