Turning 50 is a golden milestone. Your passion for traveling has allowed you to see so much of the world, yet you still thirst for more.
Expanding your traveling horizons in your older years often requires more foresight, so you can plan an itinerary to soak in and savor every moment.
Tour companies catering to travelers 50+ will help you plan your next adventure and perhaps subsequent getaways.
These companies don’t treat you like a senior (you’re 50 years young, after all!) but understand the travel challenges and desires and will work with you to craft your dream expedition.
Here are 9 of your best options.
1. Luxury Gold
Usher in what’s referred to as “the new golden age of travel” through Luxury Gold.
You’ve roughed it on trips and adventures for years, and now it’s time to travel in style. As a name like Luxury Gold calls to mind, this is a luxury travel company catered toward small groups of no more than 20.
Luxury Gold will ensure every moment of your vacation is a pinch-me-I’m-dreaming moment, from stays in premier lodgings in some of the most world-renowned destinations, tantalizingly delicious dining, and concierge-led travel experiences.
The immersion accommodations include some of the most beloved luxury hotels in the world. You’ll feel like royalty staying at The Leela Palace in Udaipur, India.
The lake views from your window at the Hotel D’Angleterre in Geneva, Switzerland will rejuvenate your soul.
You can even get a room in hard-to-stay locales like The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans or the JW Marriott Hotel Lima in Miraflores Lima, Peru.
Where would you like to visit? Luxury Gold has five-star vacation experiences in Africa, Egypt, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Latin America, Canada, and the United States.
The curated experiences are one of the top reasons to seek this company’s services. How else can you take a tour of the Tower of London after-hours, discover pyramids in Giza with an Egyptologist, meet an Austrian princess in Artstetten, or dine with a rugby player in Auckland?
These Founder’s Collection experiences were an idea of the late founder, Stanley Tollman, and live on to this day.
2. Tauck Tours
Tauck understands your roving heart, as its company is founded by travelers like you. Family-owned and operated, Tauck Tours has led some of the most immersive, remarkable tour experiences for almost 100 years.
You can plan an exploration of more than 70 countries and seven continents through Tauck Tours, with over 100 destinations to select from.
Would you rather keep your tour group small? Tauck offers more than 80 destinations with groups of under 25 people on average.
Tauck can also hook you up with a river cruise across Europe. These award-winning cruises on a riverboat will stop off at exclusive locales while offering personalized, top-notch service.
For instance, The Blue Danube itinerary is 12 days and takes you across Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Regensburg, Salzburg, and Budapest.
Another way to travel the seas in style is on a small ship. Immerse yourself in the culture of Iceland, the Galapagos Islands, Peru, Toronto, Chicago, and more as you tour for seven to 14 days, sometimes more.
Some tours are themed, like the Galapagos: Wildlife Wonderland tour. Across eight days, you’ll explore Guayaquil, Quito, Bartolome Island, Genovesa Island, Santa Cruz, and Rabida Island.
Not so fond of traveling by boat? You can also take a land tour through Tauck to premium destinations like the Americas, Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
3. Road Scholar
As you get older, you’ve become interested in traveling for more than fun, focused on education. Road Scholar is the ideal travel company to cater to your every whim.
Traveling through Road Scholar makes you an active learner ready to meet fascinating people, expose yourself to fresh ideas, and make invigorating discoveries.
The expert faculty who lead your travel itinerary are historians and scholars passionate about the destinations you travel to.
The range of travel experiences is for every type of 50+ vacationist, from those who want to stay close to home or globetrot to those who want a fast-paced trip versus something easier.
Pick from 100 countries and see the world the Road Scholar way. The destinations include Australia, the Pacific, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, Canada, and the US.
You can keep more cash taking a trip through Road Scholar, saving 20 percent on your lodging per night compared to other commercial tour companies. Your experiences, lodging, and most meals are covered in the cost of your trip, and so are taxes and tips.
Speaking of the available experiences, you can often go behind the scenes for incredible moments and educational opportunities you won’t find anywhere else.
4. Trafalgar
Perhaps your next vacation will be a Trafalgar tour.
As one of the most famous travel companies on the planet, you can’t go wrong with Trafalgar. You can explore six continents and 72 countries on more than 300 trips with this expert-led service, with special Be My Guest experiences offered for many travel destinations.
See a new side of Europe, New Zealand, Canada, Asia, the US, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East, or Africa, checking off more of your bucket list. Meet the locals, fall in love with the culture, and discover hidden gems off the beaten path.
Trafalgar’s themed tours are the stuff dreams are made of. The curated itineraries take care of everything for you, so you can simply pack your bags and get going.
Travel in groups or as a family, plan a short excursion by boat, take a sightseeing tour, go on safari, or cruise through Trafalgar.
I’m merely scratching the surface. You can also allow your taste buds to guide you with food travel, go on a castle or battlefield tour, experience the best of the world with an arts and culture tour, see the most beautiful lakes and mountains, go on a walking vacation, or plan a shopping vacation where you take breaks in the most popular cities.
All these incredible vacation experiences and more await you. Trafalgar also frequently offers deals, including last-minute deals where you can save around 15 percent if you get on the road fast.
5. Globus
Have you always longed to go to Europe, but it’s never worked out before now? Perhaps you’ve been but are eager to go again.
Globus specializes in European tours but can help your travel dreams come true elsewhere, including Latin America, the Middle East, Canada, Asia, the US, New Zealand, Africa, and Australia.
Globus tours will cover your transportation, giving you a range of options for getting from Point A to Point B. You can fly, take a day cruise, ride a ferry, enjoy the scenery on a railway, or get there fast on a high-speed train.
Touring with Globus also includes your hotel, which will be specifically selected according to your travel itinerary, interests, and needs. All hotels are first-class major brands with amenities suited for you.
Skip the lines on a Globus tour, as VIP access to your favorite sights and travel destinations is included with your package. You can see some of the world’s most beloved attractions without spending most of your vacation waiting around.
Experiential dining is part of the trip, which means immersing yourself in the incredible regional cuisine.
Are you worried about language differences and cultural shifts affecting your ability to have a good time? Don’t be! Your Globus vacation includes access to your own Storyteller, Tour Director, Troubleshooter, and Interpreter so you can enjoy every element of your journey.
6. Poseidon Expeditions
You won’t find just any kind of travel experience through Poseidon Expeditions, but one centered around traveling the Antarctic, North Pole, or the Arctic.
Poseidon Expeditions is a UK company founded in 1999 that leads cruises on its Sea Spirit ship, which has room for 114 passengers. An itinerary in Antarctica might include touring South Georgia and the Falklands for 15 days and taking photos.
You can also try the Realm of Penguins & Icebergs tour in the Antarctic Peninsula. This 11-day tour features camping, kayaking, and photography experiences.
Plan a venture to Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, and the British Isles as part of the Poseidon Expedition’s Arctic tours.
You can also see the North Pole, sailing along the Arctic Ocean past Franz Josef Land and Murmansk before turning back around. You’ll travel on the l/b 50 Years of Victory, a nuclear icebreaker for 124 passengers.
Its bow is shaped like a spoon to facilitate icebreaking. That’s how this ship can travel across ice 2.5 meters thick, which is common around the North Pole.
7. Smithsonian Journeys
Smithsonian Journeys–through the Smithsonian Institute–abides by this mission statement: the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
This company has a legacy of more than 50 years of planning vacations with a personal touch, VIP access, and high-quality service.
Your vacation experience will grant you access to the Smithsonian’s long-standing history of community, prestige, and heritage.
See the mainlands of Africa, the many parts of Europe, the Pacific and Australia, the Caribbean and Central America, the beauty of North America, the culture of South America, or the wonders of Asia.
You can take any kind of trip your heart desires through Smithsonian Journeys, including ocean cruises, land journeys, cultural stays, river cruises, family journeys, train trips, active journeys, and special interest voyages.
The cultural stays are a Smithsonian standout, offering experiences you won’t find anywhere else. For instance, you can plan a vacation in Provence, France. Your vacation includes guided tours of Marseille, Pont du Gard, Avignon, and the Luberon Valley.
You can also select from an arts and culture, culinary, or language lesson track to supplement your vacation.
Taste the best of Italy’s Amalfi Coast by staying for seven days in Vietri sul Mare. This experience boasts Capri, Sorrento, and Naples tours, visits to architectural sites, fine dining, and shopping on the Amalfi Coast.
8. Intrepid Travel
Travel has no age limits, as anyone can experience its joys. For more than 30 years, Intrepid Travel has brought the amazement of traveling to millions.
Venture deep into Africa, including Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, or Botswana.
Perhaps you want a full tour of Europe. From the big ones like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain to Kosovo, Estonia, and Albania, Intrepid can hook you up.
See the best parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Japan, India, Laos, South Korea, China, and Singapore. Take a tropical tour of Central America’s Caribbean, Belize, or Costa Rica.
Visit the Middle East, including Turkey, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt.
You can also plan getaways throughout South America, North America, Central America, Oceania, and Australia.
Intrepid Travel gives you so many ways to take your next vacation. You can focus on festivals, become a gastronomist on a food tour, or take a cruise so you can sit back and relax.
Tailor-made tours for your age, desires, and activity level are also available. Pair up with a destination specialist to put together a custom itinerary, or let them select the plans for you with a ready-made itinerary. You just have to show up and have a blast.
Intrepid offers flexible departures and bookings that work according to your schedule.
9. Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises’ hands-off vacation experiences by sea are ideal for travelers over 50.
Your trip prioritizes cultural enrichment; Viking even calls it “the thinking person’s cruise.” The Scandinavian design of the ships, staterooms, and amenities will put you in a relaxed mindset.
The staterooms boast fine attention to detail, with spacious sites that are two rooms apiece. You won’t find larger suites across Europe’s rivers. You’ll be able to appreciate the full extent of every sight on your route with large windows while relaxing.
» MORE: 9 Best All-Inclusive Cruise Lines in the World
Dining on a Viking cruise is a treat for the taste buds, but make sure you save some room in your stomach, as you can experience local cultures on your route during Viking’s onshore experiences.
You’ll receive exclusive entry into museums, palaces, and private homes, visiting after-hours or before opening.
Further, you can enjoy amazing seating for cultural performances, everything from the opera to ballet and folklore.
Sail to Mississippi and experience Americana culture, see the pyramids of Egypt, venture from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, take the Elbe to Prague, sail the Douro along Portugal, see the waters of France, tour 10 European countries by boat across the Danube, or ride the Rhine through the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland.
You can even take a Christmas market river cruise for the holidays, experiencing how countries around the world celebrate the holidays, including Budapest, Paris, Regensburg, Prague, Zurich, Basel, Amsterdam, Passau, and Berlin.