Contiki Review: Are Contiki trips worth it?
I just got back from a whirlwind adventure through Portugal and Spain (two new countries for me!) with 16 strangers, who became 16 new friends.
Yepp, I was on a Contiki, a specially curated group trip for 18 – 35 year olds and I’m excited to share my full Contiki review including what to expect, the pros and cons, and everything in between.
What is Contiki?
Contiki is a group trip operator for 18 – 35 year olds with over 200+ trips in 6 continents. They have itineraries ranging from weekend getaways in the US to a 6 week long exploration of Europe hitting 16 countries!
Not only that, but they have themed trips for different travel styles and interests like African safaris, Christmas markets, and Pride trips.
Contiki is most popular (for now) in Australia and New Zealand, so as an American (as most of my readers are), you might not have heard of Contiki. But they’ve been around since the 1960s curating incredible trips, fostering local connections, and supporting young travelers in checking off their travel goals.
Who is Contiki for?
Aside from the obvious target age group (18 – 35 year olds), Contiki is best for a variety of travelers.
If you’re traveling solo for the first time, group trips are an especially wonderful way to go as they ease the mental load in planning your own trip and you won’t really be solo since you’ll have a group to travel with once you arrive.
Contiki is also great for travelers who want to cross off lots of destinations in one go. These trips are fast-paced with the goal of tackling that travel bucket list of yours.
I’m in my late 20s/early 30s. Is Contiki right for me?
Heyyy! 👋 As a 29 (almost 30) year old, I feel ya. I was a bit intimidated to be thrown into a younger crowd, especially as a non-drinker and avid 10 pm bedtime type-of gal.
But fear not! These trips are for 18 – 35 year olds for a reason. That age bracket goes up to 35 for a reason.
It’s not just 18 year olds, there are people your own age on these trips and I found that we naturally gravitated toward each other.
I never thought I’d walk away from a Contiki with new true, lifelong friends, but that’s what happened! And as a self-employed post-grad with no daily interactions like school or an office, it’s HARD to make friends. So for me, this was incredibly valuable, special, and treasured.
What’s included in a Contiki booking?
All Contiki trips include accommodation, ground transportation, breakfast, some dinners, and select itinerary activities.
You also get a trip manager, trip driver, and a whole group of friends waiting to be made!
What’s NOT included?
Flights
Flights to your starting destination and from your end destination are not included in order to give you the most flexibility in booking. Personally, I wouldn’t want a company to blindly pick a flight that ends up with a terrible layover or multiple stops if I had the freedom to decide.
This also allows you to extend your trip before or after your Contiki, which can be really nice if you’re traveling extra far and want to maximize your time!
You can book flights with Contiki as an add-on if you need help, so don’t fret if you don’t want to do it yourself!
Some meals
Select lunches and dinners are also not included. Each itinerary has free time built in to allow you to explore on your own with your new friends. This is also great because you can try local recommendations or those by your trip manager, who always know the best spots! You’ll need to budget for these meals when you’re travel planning.
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Free Time Add-Ons
In order to customize your itinerary, Contiki has free time add-on (FTA) experiences, which are extra experiences for an extra cost. You can choose to add these on or not.
In fact, you can choose to add them on during the trip. So, when you make friends and find out they’re doing a FTA experience or when you get to talking with your trip manager and they recommend a FTA, you can decide then and there to participate.
You can pay via card or cash during the trip, so that gives you even more time to save up for those activities.
Like to plan ahead? Don’t worry, they’ll send you a full list of the add-ons and their cost with your travel documents a few weeks before your trip.
Make Travel Matter Experiences
Another unique aspect of Contiki are their Make Travel Matter (MTM) experiences, which are available on 80% of Contiki’s trips and are also add-on’s. These experiences foster connections with the local community and support local efforts of sustainability, tourism, and the arts. The goal is to travel responsibility and give back to local communities.
The impact of MTM experiences is incredible, not only for locals to have their stories amplified, but for travelers to truly have meaningful experiences.
On my Contiki, our Make Travel Matter experience was a tour of street art in the Torre neighborhood in Cascais, Portugal. It was significant because this neighborhood was once plagued with graffiti vandalism, so locals gathered to come up with a solution. They started the Infinito Festival, an 8-day celebration of art, where artists created massive murals on their neighborhood buildings. The goal was to give artists recognition in exchange for making the community better.
The Infinito Festival transformed the government’s opinion on the community, so now they are able to garner support for local programs like daycares, after-school programs, and more!
All this to say, had I planned my own trip to Portugal, I never would have even known about the Torre neighborhood, let alone been able to tour their beautiful street art and learn of their incredible efforts to transform their community. It was the most memorable activity on the whole trip!
Some other examples of Make Travel Matter experiences you might get on your Contiki include a visit to a local lemon farm in Italy, learning about Kiwi conservation in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island, and discovering Indigenous plant medicine in Jasper, Canada.
How much does Contiki cost?
The average trip costs $2,000 – 3,000 and lasts for about 7 – 9 days. Of course, so many factors contribute to the cost of a trip. For example, shorter weekend trips can cost as little as $350 where the 45 day European explorer trip is almost $7,000.
You’ll also want to account for those extras like Free Time Add-Ons, excluded meals, souvenirs/snacks you want to purchase, and although optional, a tip for your trip manager and trip driver ($3 per day is recommended).
Cost Breakdown
As your resident trip planner bestie, let’s breakdown the costs to see if that price tag is really worth it and I’ll give you my two cents 😉
I’m using my trip as an example, which was 9 days including the two travel days – arrival and departure.
Accommodation
| Hotel 1 (3 nights) | $270 |
| Hotel 2 (2 nights) | $160 |
| Hotel 3 (1 night) | $90 |
| Hotel 4 (2 nights) | $300 |
| Total | $820 |
Meals
| Breakfasts (all included – 9 total) | $135 |
| Themed Lunch | $40 |
| Select Dinners (~ 4 included) | $180 |
| Total | $355 |
Activities
| Walking Tours | $50 |
| Attraction Admissions | $25 |
| Aveiro Boat Tour | $15 |
| Port Wine Tour + Tasting | $30 |
| Toledo Zipline | $15 |
| Total | $135 |
Other Expenses
| Transportation (public transport + ride shares) | $150 |
| Make Travel Matter Experience | $30 |
| Wine Tasting and Estate Tour Add-On | $35 |
| Food Tour Add-On | $100 |
| Flamenco Show and Dinner Add-On | $85 |
| Total | $400 |
Priceless Stuff
| Private Trip Manager | priceless |
| Private Coach and Driver | priceless |
| Make Travel Matter Experiece | priceless |
| FRIENDS | priceless |
| Planning Time | priceless |
Total: $1710 compared to a $2200 Contiki
Is the cost worth it?
Just looking at numbers, you might save around $500 – 700 if you DIY the whole trip yourself, which I totally understand is nothing to sniff at. BUT, all those priceless things that you get by booking a group trip I personally think are valued at way more than $500.
Having a trip manager who shares their knowledge with you is seriously priceless. They know all the best local spots and if you have a question about the destination’s history or fun facts, they know it!
Not to mention, having a private coach with a driver is not only incredibly nice, but it saves you so much headache. I don’t know about you, but when I travel, transportation is my least favorite thing to figure out. I hate that no matter how comfortable I am in a city, I still am going to have to figure out my way back to my hotel at the end of the day no matter how tired I am.
So on a Contiki, this headache is permanently relieved. Phew!
Plus, you can travel from city to city and country to country without having to worry about navigating trains, buses, or a rental car (and don’t even get me started on driving on the opposite side of the road). And if you hired a private coach, you’d be paying top dollar out of pocket (much more than I estimated above).
I mentioned it before, but I’ll say it again, those Make Travel Matter experiences are also priceless. Those connections that Contiki has will make for the most memorable part of your trip.
And of course, group trips come with new friends! Sure, you could stay in a hostel and meet people as you travel, but as soon as you go to your next stop, you have to start over. Here, your friends travel with you the whole time! Score!
And finally, my favorite thing. Contiki’s trips are pre-planned. You don’t have to spend hours and hours of stress and tears planning your own trip. As a planner myself, I have total faith in you that you could do it. That’s kinda my whole jam. But, holy cow, handing over the reins is instant relief (if not a little nerve-wracking, I know).
Now when you put all that together, I truly think Contiki trips are worth the price tag for first time solo travelers, young travelers looking to make friends, and anyone who is intimidated by or tired of planning your own trips.
On the other hand, it might not be right for you if you really need to pinch pennies and DIY the trip yourself. It also might not be the right fit if you want complete control of your schedule and pacing.
Pros of Contiki
Pre-Planned
Having the whole she-bang pre-planned for you is truly a blessing. It’s so nice to just be able to have someone else take care of everything. It saves you time and headache.
I also think because of this, you’ll like do things you might not have considered or found yourself. Like in Toledo, we did a super fun zipline, that I don’t know that I would have known about otherwise!
Cost Effective
Contiki trips are cost effective for those looking for pre-planned trips. They often have sales, which make it an even better deal. In fact, there’s a Switch on Travel sale happening now, so the trips are up to 25% off!
Good for Challenging Destinations
One of the best parts of Contiki is that they’re fantastic for exploring destinations that might be challenging to visit on your own. Whether that’s somewhere with language barriers, transportation obstacles, or where you need a tour for access like a safari.
For example, if I were to visit Africa as a solo female traveler, I’d probably feel much more comfortable doing so on a group trip. In fact, I visited Japan on a group trip and it was so helpful for navigating the language barrier!
Encourages Social Travel
One of the best parts of traveling is meeting people – not just locals, but fellow travelers who can share in your excitement of discovering a new place.
When you’re on a group trip, friends are built into the experience.
Trip Manager and Driver
I said it before and I’ll say it again, having a private trip manager and trip driver is priceless. They make everything easier and ensure that you have the best, most comfortable, and most fun time.
Support System
Not only do your new friends support you with some healthy peer pressure for doing things that might be beyond your comfort zone, but having a professional team behind your trip is an extra security blanket that’s incredibly valuable.
Lost luggage or passport? Caught a cold? Your trip manager will ensure these hiccups go smoothly and help you resolve them seamlessly.
Bucket List Checker
With Contiki, you really get to check off your bucket list because you’re visiting multiple destinations in one go. I especially love this because it makes the price tag even more valuable.
Cons of Contiki
Pre-Planned
Yepp, that’s a pro and a con. With pre-planned itineraries, you get what you get. That means if you really aren’t interested in something, you might not be able to skip it. And if you really want to do something, you might not get a chance to.
However, there is freedom built into the itinerary. After speaking with my trip driver, he said that they don’t monitor everyone’s whereabouts all the time – only when traveling from city to city. So, if you want to skip something, technically you can just not show up to the morning call time at the coach.
Plus, there is free time frequently where you can roam the cities by yourself or with your new friends. I usually stuck with my Trip Manager so she could give a little walking tour and I could learn about the destination.
Other times, I wandered off on my own, which was especially nice as an introvert to recharge. I visited Livrario Lello, the most beautiful (and crowded) bookstore in Porto and the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid to see artworks that I learned about in Art History back in high school and college (I was almost an art preservation chemist way back when).
Fast Paced
This is a word of warning for any group trip, not just Contiki. These things are fast paced. I mean meet at the coach at 8 am to drive to a guided visit of a local attraction, free time for lunch, walking tour after lunch, wine tasting, then food tour for dinner ending around 10pm or later each day.
It’s a lot. And you get tired easily. You’ll learn to love the long coach rides between destinations so you can recoup, especially my late 20s/early 30s crowd.
If you’re looking for slow travel with deep local experiences, Contiki might not be right for you.
Dependent on Others
It can be aggravating to wait on others, no matter the context. So on group trips, that’s just something to expect. It’s not always a problem, but if you’re an “on time is late” type of person, it might annoy you to wait for others to start your day or continue a tour.
My Contiki Experience
Hotels
Accommodation on Contiki trips can range from hostels to hotels, but most commonly you’ll find you’re staying in 2 to 3 star hotels.
Typically, you will have a roommate as rooms are booked based on double occupancy. If you travel with someone, you’ll be paired with them accordingly. You can also pay extra for your own room upon booking your trip.
While the hotels I stayed in were certainly a far cry from 5 star luxury properties, they did their job. The beds were comfortable and breakfasts at each hotel were typical continental breakfasts. Nothing to write home about, but a free breakfast is a free breakfast.
My biggest complaint really has to do with European hotels, not with Contiki and that’s that the climate control was often not available or set to AC because it was still too early in the year (it was March). The other thing was that these lower star hotels have pretty small rooms in Europe with two twin sized beds right up next to each other and little room for large suitcases.
Take that as you will and pack accordingly.
Food
As a foodie who travels mouth first, I found the food options hit or miss. We had some incredible food like a bifana sandwich in Porto and egg tarts from the original shop in Lisbon.
But, we also had some food that wasn’t bad, but I wouldn’t have chosen myself or I wouldn’t go back to in lieu of other things.
I think the magic really comes from your free time and picking the brain of your trip manager for their local recommendations. They really are your greatest resource!
Pacing
As someone who has been on group trips before, the pacing of Contiki felt on par. It’s fast, but intentionally so. The goal is to check off that bucket list, baby!
While it’s not my usual travel style to travel that quickly, I wasn’t disappointed in the fast pacing of the itinerary. Expect to be busy and tired, yet fulfilled by the end of your trip!
And sleep on the coach!
Partying
Ahh the unspoken undertone of Contiki. Maybe for my US readers who aren’t as familiar with Contiki, you might not know that there’s a party atmosphere, especially after dinner each night.
In fact, in Australia, many recent high school and college grads take a gap year to go on Contiki trips and it’s their first time away from home. So, they’re looking to party.
For me, I found that the option was there if I wanted to partake, but it wasn’t overly in your face. I didn’t feel like I was missing out if I didn’t go out.
And when I did join in the fun, I could stay sober if I wanted and just hangout with everyone!
All this to say, it is what you make it.
People
Everyone on my trip was so incredibly friendly that it was impossible not to make friends. I’ve been on some questionable group trips before and definitely didn’t get along with everyone, which honestly I think is a reasonable experience. However, my Contiki had the best people!
My trip manager, Maddy, and trip driver, Bart, were also amazing! I had the best time getting to know everyone and make these travel memories together. It was seriously the most fun part!
Not to say my experience is a guarantee that you’ll click just as well with your group, but I would put more faith in it than you might be.
What I did right
The first thing is that I got social real quickly. As the trip goes on, you get more and more tired, so you want to push yourself to be social and make those friends ASAP. Future you will thank you.
I packed light and that was so helpful for those tiny European hotel rooms. Not to mention, we switched hotels every couple nights, so to unpack and repack then haul my suitcase to and from the coach was a lot. Having one carry-on with packing cubes and one backpack was all I needed and much appreciated.
On the topic of packing, I packed the essentials (most of them anyway). I was the go-to person for sunscreen, basic medication, tissues, hand sanitizer, portable chargers, and water. On these action packed itineraries, you’ll appreciate having the basics covered, so you don’t need to waste your free time running into a pharmacy…which I needed to do myself…so no one’s perfect.
I kept in touch with my friends and trip mates. It can be HARD to do this, but I’ve found as I’ve gotten older that this is so incredibly important. I’m excited to keep up with my Contiki friends’ lives and visit them around the world as I continue to travel.
What I did wrong
I didn’t pack enough cold medication. That’s always a tip I include for group trips and yet, I didn’t pack enough for myself. And guess who the first person was to get sick on the trip? ME. Rookie move.
Luckily, my trip manager came with me to a pharmacy and spoke to the pharmacist for me (in Spanish) so I could get what I needed. What would have been a stress-inducing interaction was seamless because I was on a group trip! Thank goodness!
I had trouble staying hydrated. I’m not sure if this was a destination thing, or a Contiki thing, or a me thing, but despite having a reusable water bottle, I couldn’t find places to fill it up and after walking 10,000+ steps each day, my body was feeling it. I recommend keeping an eye out and prioritizing your health, always!
I booked another trip right after my Contiki. That one was on me. I literally left the next day after I returned home to go to Universal Orlando and while I always have a great time running through the Wizarding World, my body wasn’t thrilled with my choices. My advice is to factor in some downtime once you return from your Contiki, so you can recoup and settle back in.
So, is Contiki worth it?
It depends on the person. I know…a very diplomatic answer, but I honestly think it depends on what you’re looking for in your trip.
If you have more time to spend abroad and prefer slow travel with a deep emphasis on local culture and cuisine and are truly trying to stretch your budget, I would keep doing your own research on what options are best for you.
But, if you want someone to plan your trip for you, sweep you away everyday, set you up for a fun time checking off your bucket list, and get you ready to make some amazing new friends and memories, Contiki is for you!
Browse Contiki’s trips here to get started.
*All photos asterisked are courtesy of My Media Sydney.
Thank you to Contiki for hosting me on this trip. As always, all opinions are my own.
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