Frequently Asked Questions

If you can't find the answers to your specific question below, please e-mail our sales department and we'll answer your question as quickly as possible.

What is the minimum/maximum group size?

There are no minimum or maximum group sizes on our tours. Whether you're traveling with 10 art students to New York, or with 110 band members to Austria, Adventures Abroad's Private and Custom Tours will be happy to provide you with a quote, free of obligation. You're in full control of your tour's content throughout the entire trip.

Transportation

Adventures Abroad Private and Custom Tours department arranges only the best motor coaches, airlines, boats, trains and other means of transport. We simply refuse to skimp on safety and comfort.

Accommodation

All our hotels have been inspected by members of the Adventures Abroad team and provide excellent value for money. Although some destinations in the world offer different standards and smaller rooms than North Americans may have come to expect, we ensure the properties we use have private washrooms (unless otherwise specified) comfortable sleeping arrangements and up-to-date safety features.

Meals

Meals Sampling different cuisines is an integral part of travel. We ensure our group tours include local specialities and that participants are provided with nutritious meal options and ample portions.

Special Meal Requirements

In almost all instances, we can cater to group participants with special meal requirements. Be it for allergies, religious reasons or simply personal preferences, we do our best to accommodate any requests of this type. It is best to contact our sales department to discuss the specifics of your requirements and concerns.

Group Leaders travel free

As incentive for those who seek to organize an Adventures Abroad Custom Group tour, our policy is that after signing up 20 interested participants, the group leader can enjoy the tour entirely free of charge.

Can I book through a travel agent? When are deposits due?
When are final payments due, and what method of payment is accepted?

Bookings must be made directly with Adventures Abroad. We have offices in the US, Canada and the UK. You can book a tour or request a quote by contacting our sales department by phone, fax or e-mail. Additional information about Adventures Abroad and our tours can be found online.

Though there are no set deadlines as regards payment of deposit, we urge clients to do so as soon as possible, so as to ensure adequate airline seats, hotel space and restaurants are available. For example, a group travelling in May would be advised to submit a deposit no later than October, make a second payment by January and a final instalment at least 60 days before departure. We suggest making all payments by cheque, though in certain cases, we will accept initial deposits by Visa, MasterCard and American Express. In the UK, we also accept debit cards (e.g. Switch).

Would it be possible for me to talk to someone regarding a particular tour?

For more information, simply give us a call. In most instances, our expert, well-travelled staff members are able to provide first-hand information of the tour in question; many of our staff have participated on our tours and are more than happy to share their experiences and we also have an extensive list of client references who will be pleased to relate their Adventures Abroad tour experiences with you.

Why choose Adventures Abroad for your custom groups and FITs?

Everything we do at Adventures Abroad Custom Department is customized, utilizing the first-hand experience of our extensively traveled staff - all of whom have guided groups around the world - we offer your clients the highly skilled first hand experience of our staff throughout the itinerary design process. This enables you to ensure your clients get pertinent and informed feedback to their requests, and can build their itineraries with someone who truly knows the region, reflecting well on your agency. You also get to choose your own commission, adding a financial benefit to utilizing our services.

Are our customized itineraries expensive?

Each group and individual will normally have some sort of maximum budget in mind. We design each group's itinerary around the indicated levels of service requested by your clients (3 star, 4 star or 5 star, hiking and camping etc.) Our custom itineraries span the range of expense, depending entirely on the levels of service requested by each group. However, in most cases the custom itineraries are very budget-flexible, as we can include or omit services and select or alter hotels until your clients are satisfied. We also understand that for this to work for us both there must be room for commission for your agency.

What types of itineraries can we design?

We offer an extraordinary variety of customized itineraries, from Australia to Zimbabwe and all points in-between. If you can imagine it, we can design it. We handcraft itineraries for family groups or individuals, for special interest groups such as schools, universities, museums, non-profit organizations, religious organizations and spiritual organizations, photography groups, cooking and wine groups, and sports groups. We will work closely with you and your clients to design any style of tour from Art Tours in Italy to Trekking in the Himalayas.

What is it like to travel on an Adventures Abroad Custom Itinerary?

We first build the itinerary around the specific requirements and interests of each group (be they the churches of Paris, the life of Livingstone, the wineries of Tuscany, or Harry Potter filming locations). We then incorporate well-known sites and monuments along the route as practicable, as well as including any "off the beaten path" areas as required. All itineraries are crafted around the combined themes and interests of each group.

We lean towards "boutique" style tours, using small, unique hotels full of character, and incorporating interesting cultural or adventurous activities. We produce genuine experiences for your clients, such as sleeping in a Bedouin tent in Morocco, attending a tribal ceremony in Ethiopia or sharing a meal in an Aboriginal village in Australia. Your client's interests may include historical research relating to a specific period, person or event, or have a cultural emphasis relating to music, cuisine, or local handicrafts. Other themes might be adventure related, hiking in the High Atlas, Carpathians or Himalayas, cycling through Languedoc, or white water rafting the Indus. They may be art related, visiting private collections in Barcelona, following the life of Leonardo in Italy, or a Methodist Church group who want to visit sites relating to Wesley's life in Cornwall. This is the service we offer.