Small-Group vs Private Family Tours: Which Is Right for You?

The short answer: small-group tours are generally more affordable and give your kids the chance to make friends with other travelling families, while private tours give you complete control over dates, pace and itinerary — at a higher per-person cost. Which one suits your family depends on your budget, how much flexibility you need, and whether meeting other people is part of what you're after.

Here's how the two actually compare.

Quick comparison

Small-group family tours: the case for going together

A small-group tour puts your family alongside a handful of others — typically somewhere between 10 and 20 travellers — with a guide who handles the logistics so you don't have to.

Why families choose this option:

• It's usually better value. Because the cost of the guide, transport and any exclusive experiences is split across the whole group, small-group tours tend to work out cheaper per person than arranging the same trip privately.
• Kids meet other kids. Travelling alongside other families gives children the chance to make friends on the road, and gives parents someone to swap notes with. For a lot of families, this social side is as memorable as the destination itself.
• Everything's planned for you. Transport, accommodation and a day-by-day itinerary are all sorted in advance, so you're not the one managing logistics in an unfamiliar country.
• There's still some flexibility built in. Most itineraries include free time to explore independently, rather than being scheduled solid from morning to night.

The trade-offs:

• Fixed departure dates. You're travelling when the tour departs, not necessarily when it best suits your family's calendar.
• A shared pace. The itinerary is designed to work for the whole group, so there's less scope to linger somewhere longer or skip something that doesn't interest you.

Child discounts: Most of our small-group family tours offer a discount for younger travellers — typically somewhere between 10% and 25%, depending on the operator and your children's ages at the time of travel. Because this varies by tour, get in touch with our team and let us know how old your children will be — we'll point you to the options that work out best value for your family.

Private family tours: the case for going it alone

A private tour takes the same destination and itinerary structure as a small-group trip, but it's just your family and your guide — no other travellers along for the ride.

Why families choose this option:

• Complete flexibility on dates. You're not tied to someone else's departure calendar, which matters if you're working around specific school dates or a milestone birthday.
• The itinerary bends to you. Want an extra day at the beach, or to skip an activity that isn't right for your children's ages? A private tour can be adjusted to fit your family, rather than the other way round.
• Your own pace. No waiting on other travellers, and no feeling rushed to keep up with a group.
• More privacy. If your family would rather not share the experience with strangers, a private tour gives you that space.

The trade-offs:

• It costs more. Without other families to share the cost of the guide and transport, private tours carry a higher price per person than the equivalent small-group departure.
• No built-in social side. If part of the appeal of a group trip is meeting other families, a private tour won't offer that.

Turning a group tour private: Most of our small-group family tours can be run as a private departure, on a date of your choosing. If a particular itinerary is right for your family but the scheduled dates don't work, get in touch with our team to find out whether it can be arranged privately and what that would mean for cost.

So, which should you choose?

A few questions worth asking yourselves:

• Is budget the priority? A small-group tour will almost always work out better value.
• Do you need a specific date? If you're tied to particular dates — a birthday, a narrow window of annual leave — a private tour removes that constraint entirely.
• Would your kids enjoy meeting other families? If so, that's a point firmly in favour of small-group travel.
• Do you want full control over the itinerary? Private touring gives you the final say on pace and detail; small-group travel gives you a ready-made plan.

There's no wrong answer here — plenty of families do both, depending on the trip and what that particular holiday is for.

Frequently asked questions

Is a private family tour more expensive than a small-group tour? 

Yes, generally. Small-group tours share the cost of the guide and transport across the whole group, which brings the per-person price down. On a private tour, your family covers that cost alone, so it typically costs more per person for the same itinerary.

Can I turn a small-group tour into a private one?

In most cases, yes. Many of our small-group family tours can be run privately on a date of your choosing — get in touch to check availability for the specific tour you're interested in.

Do family tours offer discounts for children?

Yes. Discounts for younger travellers are common on our small-group family tours, typically ranging from 10% to 25% depending on the operator and your children's ages. Contact our team with your children's ages at time of travel and we'll confirm what's available.

Will my children make friends on a small-group family tour?

It's common. Small-group tours bring together a handful of families at a time, and many parents find their children pair off with other young travellers early in the trip.

Is a private tour better for large families or multi-generational trips?

Often, yes — a private tour gives larger families or multiple generations travelling together more control over pace and itinerary, without needing to fit around unrelated travellers in the group.

Not sure which option suits your family? Get in touch with our team and we'll help you find the right fit — group or private.