Hello,
A friend of mine's daughter was planning on backpacking through Europe with her friend after high school graduation this June. However, her friend is no longer able to go. Does anyone have any recommendations for an extensive European backpacking tour (i.e. 40 days or more) where there are other kids 18-25 that would be safe and fun for an 18 year old girl?
Thanks,
Suzanne.
Take a look into contiki.com. They are a tour company that runs less expensive tours geared towards young people. I have not taken a tour with them (I'm too old now), but they have been around for more than 25 years. I know a few people who toured with them years ago and were satisfied. I can't speak to how they are now.
I've read good things about Contiki and Topdeck. Alternatively, if she's brave, willing to take the time to plan, and wants command of her own vacation, she could tour Europe alone.
How about contiki tours? They are usually aimed at the younger, young adults crowd. My cousins who were young newlyweds at the time, went on their honeymoon. They had a blast and made friends with those on the tour. I can't recall exactly where they went but I know they did go to London, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland in a span of 3 weeks.
My friend did a Contiki tour in 1985 and enjoyed it very much, company is very experienced and I think it would be fun for a young person on their own. I have looked at the web site and the prices are pretty darn good.
Conitki Tours are not backpacking tours but they are professionally run and geared towards people 18-35. (Average age usually early twenties.) Lots of nightlife, very basic hotels. Professional tour director and driver in that age group. Big Bus. Lots of Aussies and Kiwis (meaning new friends around the world.)
I'm a former tour director. While I have never worked for Contiki, I have friends who have. Never heard any real problems except lack of sleep. Contiki's been around a long time. They used to be owned by Trafalgar Tours. Not sure if they still are.
They're based in Anaheim, CA
I did a Contiki tour in 2000 for 21 days. I loved it!
I went from London to Athens and hit all the major cities in between (I forget the tour name). The company generally serves students 18 - 35 y.o. They are usually singles, some couples, or small groups (I went with 2 other friends). I would recommend them! I did the bus tour but they have a less expensive 'camping' option (I think they bring backpacks, etc., but they usually stay in places like lean-tos, Contiki-owned hostel-type housing, etc.). Even the kids that choose the 'camping' option still spend some time on a bus, so it's not entirely 'camping'. Go to www.contiki.com for more information. Only real problems were: (a) not tons of sleep (by my choice - lots of staying up late) and (b) some drinking (which may or may not bother your friend, depending on how responsible her daughter is).
Does she really feel that she needs to go with a tour?
I left for my first round of travelling when I was 18 (for a 18 months from Europe to S. America). I went alone but was never really alone. There are so many other travellers out there, in the hostels. Unlike Americans many cultures travel extensively on their "gap year" so all-year every hostel usually has a few Aus, NZ, Uk kids on the "long haul".
Very often I would meet up and and travel for a few weeks with some people, then split up and travel on some more with different people. (Ahhh those days of freedom...) Not only was this a way to meet friends, it also allowed for more economical renting a car and lodging etc..
Though I have never tried it, many of my employees speak fondly of couch surfing (couchsurfing.com)
One possibility (and this is just a wacky idea, I don't know anyone who has done it) is if she has her college/university picked out (and she's accepted) she could try to enroll in the summer and take a study abroad class. You'd have to work with the admissions counselors at her school and the study abroad office. You'd want to get both involved. And you may need to talk with financial aid too, as you may be able to get financial aid for the cost of the degree credits.
Thank you to everyone who replied. I REALLY appreciate it and have passed along all of your responses to my friend. Thank you again!
if it helps, i am 23 and i am booked onto a topdeck tour. Contiki and Topdeck are probably the way to go, but i chose topdeck in the end as i used to be a travel agent and from wholesalers, clients and friends, i ended up choosing Top Deck for a few reasons, mostly because they tend to give you jusrt a bit more free time, dont emphasise the party life which to me means that they (hopefully) wont have any idiots on there whose sole purpose is to drink and get drunk (in Australia the legal drinking age is 18, and i think its the same in most european countries). Personally I want to SEE europe! a friend of mine did a contiki and they had a guy on there who got drunk every night, slept all day on the bus and his fellow participants took his camera when they stopped and took the photos for him.
