Why Independent Travelers Will Love Small Group Travel

Why Independent Travelers Will Love Small Group Travel

(For those who prefer to read)

I love independent travel.

I love being able to go where I want, when I want, and how I want.

And as someone who travels solo most of the time, I especially love the freedom that comes with being 100% in charge of my own trip.

Yes.

I have control issues!

So I wasn’t entirely sure how I would feel about small group travel.

And yes, I see the irony in this since I offer small group trips.

Small group travel was actually something I envisioned as part of Wander Your Way from the very beginning — despite the fact that I’d never really traveled that way myself.

Then in September 2025, I led my first Wander Your Way Adventure in the Dolomites of northern Italy.

And it turns out — I love it.

Since then, I’ve discovered how much I enjoy sharing places I love with other travelers, seeing those places through their eyes and experiencing new places right alongside them.

And somewhere along the way, I — this fiercely independent traveler — realized that small group travel offers something different.

Not better than independent travel.

And not a replacement for it.

Just another wonderful way to experience the world.

So if you’re an independent traveler who immediately thinks, “Nope. Group travel isn’t for me,” hear me out.

I have 9 reasons why independent travelers will love small group travel — from handing over the logistics and getting out on the trails with a knowledgeable guide to sharing those unexpected moments that make travel so memorable.

And you can do all of that without completely giving up the independence you love.

Let’s get into those 9 reasons.

#1 Someone else takes care of the logistics

Let’s start with one of the biggest advantages.

You don’t have to figure everything out.

Transportation, accommodations, guides, activities and all those little logistical details are typically taken care of for you.

You can simply show up and experience the destination instead of wondering:

Which road do I take?

Where do I park?

Which bus do I get on?

What time does that castle close?

Is Google Maps actually sending me in the right direction?

As an independent traveler, I know how much time and energy those little details can take.

And while I don’t mind figuring these things out most of the time, it’s awesome — and a sense of relief — to hand them over to someone else every now and again.

This can be especially helpful when you’re traveling into rural areas where public transportation is limited or getting from place to place isn’t quite so straightforward.

But here’s the important part for me.

Having someone else handle the logistics doesn’t have to mean every minute of every day is scheduled.

There’s still room to breathe.

And that’s where good small group travel begins to feel a lot more like independent travel.

#2 You can get to places that aren’t always easy to reach on your own

One of the things I love most about travel is venturing beyond Europe’s usual stops and getting into smaller villages, rural landscapes and places that are a little more off the main tourist track.

Sometimes those places aren’t particularly easy to reach independently.

On the Wild Heart of Scotland adventure, for example, we spent time in Glen Affric.

It’s not impossible to visit on your own, but having our own transportation and a guide made getting there — and getting out on the trail — much easier.

And it wowed all of us.

That’s one of the things I love about small group travel.

You’re not simply traveling from one famous sight to another.

With the right itinerary, you can get into those nooks and crannies of a destination that you might not have known about or may have struggled to reach on your own.

And sometimes the place you knew the least about before the trip becomes one of your favorites.

#3 A great local guide adds another layer to the experience

I love a good guide.

And a really good local guide does so much more than recite historical facts and dates.

They tell stories.

They explain the landscape, the history and the culture.

They answer those random questions that pop into your head.

They point out something interesting as you’re driving past it.

And sometimes they introduce you to places, people and experiences you simply wouldn’t encounter on your own.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the guides on the Wander Your Way Adventures so far.

Laura, our guide in the Dolomites, quickly became one of us.

And Ray, our guide for the Wild Heart of Scotland, added so much to our experience.

He wasn’t simply the person leading us from place to place.

He became part of the group.

That’s what a fabulous guide can do.

Their knowledge and personality become part of the travel experience itself.

#4 Small group travel can make soft adventure easier

You know me.

I’m all about soft adventure.

I want to walk through the glen.

Follow the trail around the loch.

Wander through the forest.

Walk along a beach or beside the sea cliffs.

Because I’d much rather experience the landscape than simply look at it through a window.

And small group travel can make getting out into nature feel a little easier, especially if you’re not completely comfortable heading out on a trail by yourself.

You don’t have to figure out where the trail begins or worry about which direction to go when you reach a fork.

You have a guide who knows the area, understands the weather and can gauge the abilities of the group.

There’s also something wonderful about the encouragement that comes from the other travelers.

You’ve got this.

You can do it.

Come on, we’re almost there.

The point isn’t how many miles you cover.

It’s about what you experience along the way.

Stopping for photos.

Listening to the birds.

Noticing something tiny on the forest floor.

Taking a few extra minutes at a viewpoint because nobody really wants to leave yet.

That’s my kind of adventure.

#5 It’s not ALL about being outdoors

Yes, I love walking and hiking.

But understanding a destination means experiencing both its landscapes and its culture.

That’s why I love mixing the two.

Maybe one day includes a beautiful walk through the countryside.

Another might include a castle, a historic site or a distillery.

And some days might have a little bit of everything.

On our Scotland adventure, we had days that were primarily about walking and being outdoors.

But we also visited castles, wandered through towns, toured a distillery and spent time with the Cairngorm reindeer herd.

For me, this combination gives you a much better sense of a destination.

You’re not just seeing its historic sights.

And you’re not just walking through its landscapes.

You’re experiencing different pieces of the place that, together, tell a much fuller story.

#6 Small groups leave room for spontaneity

This is a big one for independent travelers.

One of the reasons we love traveling independently is flexibility.

See something interesting?

Stop.

Hear about a place you didn’t know about?

Go check it out.

Change your mind?

Change the plan.

You don’t necessarily lose all of that with a small group.

In fact, because the group is small, there’s often room for those unexpected moments.

On our Scotland trip, I mentioned the Highland Chocolatier when we were in Perthshire.

Could we stop?

Turns out, yes.

So we did.

After our walk in Glen Affric, we stopped at a quirky café inside a bus for a hot drink.

We made an unplanned stop at a waterfall because Ray knew about it and thought we might enjoy it.

These weren’t necessarily major moments.

But they’re the kinds of things you remember.

And there’s another advantage here.

As an independent traveler, you can certainly make spontaneous stops too.

But you have to know they’re there.

A local guide does.

#7 There’s something special about sharing travel with other people

This may be the part of small group travel that surprised me the most.

I genuinely love solo travel.

But I’ve also had those moments when I’ve been standing somewhere absolutely incredible and instinctively looked to my left or right because I wanted to say:

“Wow. Look at that.”

And nobody was there.

There’s something special about sharing those moments with other people.

Someone spots something and calls everyone over.

You’re laughing about something that happened earlier in the day over dinner.

You’re encouraging each other on a walk.

Inside jokes begin to develop.

And people who were strangers a few days earlier start becoming friends.

One of my favorite examples actually began on our Dolomites trip.

One of my travelers, Paige, told us about the fairy garden she and her wife Evelyn have at home.

Another traveler, Ellen, became fascinated by it.

Guess who ended up with fairy garden pieces for Christmas?

Ellen.

Then, months later, several of us were traveling together again in Scotland when we spotted a wee fairy garden beside a tree in the forest.

Suddenly a group of grown adults was ridiculously excited about a fairy garden while our guide looked at us as though we’d lost our minds.

But we knew.

We had this shared story.

Those little connections are difficult to explain until you’ve experienced them.

And they’re one of the things I’ve come to love most about small group travel.

#8 Small really does make a difference

When I talk about small group travel, I mean small.

Not 20 people.

Not 30.

And definitely not 50 people piling on and off a motor coach.

Wander Your Way Adventures are capped at 12 travelers.

That smaller number completely changes the dynamic.

You can actually get to know one another.

You can have conversations with your guides.

Meals feel more like a group of friends gathering around a table.

Smaller vehicles can get you into places large motor coaches can’t.

And you can stay in smaller places that wouldn’t necessarily work for a large group.

It creates a more intimate experience.

And it allows us to travel at the slower, more meaningful pace that I prefer.

If you’re considering a small group trip with any company, I’d definitely ask what they mean by “small.”

Because the number matters.

#9 You don’t have to give up your independence completely

This may be the most important point for my fellow independent travelers.

Small group travel doesn’t mean you have to be with the group every single minute.

At least I don’t think it should.

Downtime matters.

Free time matters.

Sometimes you need to recharge.

Maybe you want to wander around the village by yourself.

Maybe you and your travel companion want some time alone together.

Maybe you want to take a walk, grab a coffee, read for an hour, take a nap or simply sit somewhere and do absolutely nothing.

I need that time myself.

I love being around people, but I also need time alone to recharge my batteries.

Give me my camera and a little time to wander on my own, and I’m quite happy.

That’s why I make sure there is some free time built into every Wander Your Way Adventure.

You can spend that time with other travelers if you want.

Or not.

And I think that balance of shared experiences and independent time can work beautifully for travelers who aren’t quite ready to give up their freedom.

Final thoughts on why independent travelers will love small group travel

I still love independent travel.

I still love solo travel.

And neither of those things is going to change.

I certainly don’t believe small group travel is the only way to travel.

But I’ve been converted.

I’ve discovered how much I love bringing a small group of like-minded travelers together.

I love sharing places that mean something to me and watching someone experience them for the first time.

I love discovering new places right alongside everyone else.

And I absolutely love watching the connections develop between people.

There’s something wonderful about handing over the logistics, spending your days walking through beautiful landscapes, learning from fabulous local guides and experiencing the culture of a destination with other curious travelers.

Then having enough breathing room to wander off and do your own thing for a while.

For me, that’s what small group travel should be about.

Soft adventure.

Culture.

Connection.

And plenty of room to still travel your way.

So if you’re an independent traveler who has always said, “Group travel isn’t for me,” maybe don’t rule it out quite yet.

You might be surprised.

I certainly was.

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