by In a country made up of about 15 million Theravada Buddhists, I was doing my best to slip into a meditative Buddhist state of compassion and the swish air-conditioned bus I was traveling through Sri Lanka was filled with idle chatter and bragging travel contact . . As someone who loves to explore off-the-beaten-track destinations, mostly alone, and almost always on local buses and trains – when everyday life moves at a slower pace – I was a bit nervous that I signed up to wear 12. days trapped inside a minibus with nine strangers.
During the trip, I had to bite my tongue many times and I later found out that others in the group did as well. That’s the thing about hanging out with a group of strangers of different ages (mine ranged from 31 to 49), from a bunch of different countries — you don’t always have the same outlook on life, values or interests. So, just what yes the appeal of group travel in your 30s and 40s?
Keen to see the astronomical rise in popularity of group travel, I joined Flash Pack’s ‘Inside Sri Lanka’ tour. Since launching in 2014, Flash Pack has made thousands of group tours, and in recent years, since fighting COVID they have reported 100 percent year-on-year growth with 60 percent of their total tour sales coming from the US . travelers. Similarly, G Adventures’ annual revenue is currently estimated to be hovering around £424 million ($532 million) per year, while Intrepid is also growing rapidly boasting an ambitious growth strategy to ‘be the first a $1 billion global adventure travel company by 2025’. This is serious business.
As someone who has never joined a group tour, the concept is quite strange to me, even more so since the cost of a 12-day tour in Sri Lanka is £2,300 per person. That doesn’t include flights, alcoholic drinks, most meals, and an extra night’s cost if you don’t want to share a bedroom. The itinerary took us on a whirlwind tour of the country including climbing to the top of Pidurangala Rock, cycling around the ancient city of Polonnaruwa with its monolith Buddha rock carvings and ornate temples, a short stop in Kandy, an outdoor yoga class, a train ride to tea country , a safari in Yala National Park, a night in Galle Fort and a few nights of rest in Kosgoda, all the while staying in mostly four or five star hotels and moving on to the next destination every year days.
Whatever you need you’re likely to find it, every need is catered for – it’s really impressive.
In this way, everything is completely taken care of, right down to providing toilet paper in public bathrooms, and hand hygiene when necessary. ATM stops, mountaintop cooling towels and refreshments, and impromptu gin and tonics were thrown into the mix along the way. Whatever you want, you can probably find it. Every need is catered for – it’s great.
For the 12 days in Sri Lanka, we had our own driver, the very efficient Shantha, and his right-hand man Sachintha who ensured that we did not have to carry our luggage for the duration of the trip. Backpacks and suitcases were seamlessly transplanted from bus to bedroom and back, at each destination – an aspect of the trip that felt very exciting, but made traveling much easier than the usual solo experiences I had And this is where the appeal lies: embarking on a tour is undoubtedly the easiest way to travel, plus you get to see a huge amount in such a limited amount of time – it’s perfect for someone who anyone who is short on time, cash rich and inquisitive. about another country.
If I had traveled the same way alone, and on public transport, I would not have seen all the places in the time frame we did. Sure, I’d love to spend a few leisurely days strolling around the awesome ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa instead of half a day, and yes, I’d love to spend a few days wandering through the cloud forests and tea plantations. de Haputale, but I am well aware that most people’s holidays are limited. It means a trip like this is the perfect way to make the most of limited annual leave.
Flash Pack also greatly promotes the camaraderie aspect of joining one of his tours. Their Instagram account shows how they are, “On a mission to create a million meaningful friendships around the globe”. A quick scan through their feed reveals inspirational quotes about being single and traveling later in life. They have tapped into a growing market, and boy does it work.
For me, the first few days of the trip were kind of awkward with people figuring each other out. Like most environments with a lot of personalities, the voices dominated the conversation, and some out-of-date comments angered others, but by the sixth day something clicked in force. During the scenic train ride from Kandy to Nanuoya, where we passed through verdant tea plantations past waterfalls and village life, I had one of the most beautiful conversations of the trip with two incredible women. In fact, I enjoyed the company of all the ladies on the trip and one of the guys from the UK. With these people, when the small talk died down and we talked honestly and openly, the travel experiences I enjoyed began to fade, and from then on, it was mostly smooth sailing. .
Once the small talk died down and we talked honestly and openly, my favorite travel experiences began to fade, and from then on, it was mostly smooth sailing.
For most of the people in the group (four men, six women), this was not their first Flash Pack experience. Many had done many tours, while others had tried different tour providers such as G Adventures or Intrepid. I found that the main draw was the upmarket feel of the Flash Pack tours, as well as the ease and variety of tours available. The company currently offers 51 tours, to countries such as South Korea, Colombia, Rwanda and Albania. For the women in my group, the attraction of traveling to places where they would feel unsafe as solo travelers was a big draw.
He was one of the sweetest souls I have ever met and was the highlight of the whole trip. Our group tour leader Suranga, or Razz as he likes to be known, has the patience of a saint, a truly addictive smile, and an attitude that nothing is too much trouble. Every day I was amazed by his patience, his knowledge, and his love and passion for his beautiful country.
On the eighth day, a little more than half way through the trip, we visited the Yala National Park, on the border with the Indian Ocean, and we learned how young male elephants leave their herd at about 13 years age, going on to live alone. I touched them, hard. As much as I’d love to be driven around, never having to think – apart from the cocktail to order – I’ll probably return to my solo travel experience.
Flash Pack is a great concept and a lucrative business model, but personally, I love the random travel experiences I have when traveling alone. Like when I met a local family on a bus on the road from Medellin to Jardin and was invited back to their house for dinner; or the time I rented a shed for the night with a group of backpackers in Hampi, India because every room was taken because it was Gandhi’s birthday; or drinking red wine with a random Airbnb host while reminiscing about life and love.
But, I would go back to the Flash Pack tour in a second, if only for Suranga, the best thrill guide in Sri Lanka. Along with the girls I met on the trip (all of whom I’m still in touch with), it was a real highlight – I hope the Flash Pack know how lucky they are to be at them.
Flash Pack group tours start from around £2,075 per person. For more information or to book visit flashpack.com.
