Intro Travel Review: What My Group Trip Experiences Were Like

If you’re considering joining a group trip for your next adventure, you’re in for an experience that makes travel effortless, social, and fun. Intro Travel is a small yet impactful group tour operator that’s a good choice for a wide range of travelers. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to join a group trip with them, this Intro Travel review will give you an honest look at the details, vibes, and whether it might be the right fit for you.

Every Intro trip is different, from style and pace to inclusions and cost. This Intro Travel review is based on my experience on two of Intro’s trips, but is by no means comprehensive for every single trip they offer.

While this post dives into my personal experience, I also know that every traveler is different. That’s why part of what I do as a travel advisor specializing in solo travel is help people decide if a group trip like Intro is right for them, or if another company (or even a fully custom trip) might be a better match. If you’d like personalized expert advice (plus, sometimes I score exclusive discounts for my clients), learn more here and get started planning your supported solo adventure with me today.

Table of Contents

Intro Travel Review: My group trips

In 2025, I went on two group trips with Intro Travel. First, I did the India Experience trip, which visits Delhi, Jodphur, a desert camp, Pushkar, Jaipur, Ranthambore, and Agra (the Taj Mahal) in 13 days. Then, I added on the Sri Lanka Experience trip, visiting Negombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Udawalawe, Talalla, Mirissa, and Weligama in 12 days.

These group trips come as a bundle, but each is operated separately, meaning I had very different experiences. From my fellow travelers and my tour guides to the style of travel and accommodations, there were notable differences in both trips. I’ll be referring to both throughout this Intro Travel review to give you more insight, as all tours with Intro will vary in some ways.

Intro Travel Review: Why I chose Intro

I’m a frequent solo traveler, and I’ve traveled to many countries fully independently. However, there are some places where I simply want the ease of the logistics being taken care of, having a local guide, and knowing I’ll be with the same people the entire time.

I knew I wanted to join a group trip when I visited India for safety reasons and ultimately added on Sri Lanka for convenience (although the added layer of security was nice there, too). It was the tail-end of my 6-month Southeast Asia backpacking trip that I did entirely independently up until India and Sri Lanka, so I was ready to take a back seat on figuring everything out myself.

I had been on a few group trips before, and while they were all fantastic experiences, I had one common complaint: not enough was included. When you’re shopping around for group trips, you’ll notice that every single one has its own style, route, pace, age range, activity level, budget, and more. When I first started going on group trips, I prioritized what came up as cheapest in my search. However, I noticed that these group trips included hardly any activities and excursions. Ultimately, I spent a lot of money on the trip to add on experiences that I felt like my trip would be incomplete without (for example, seeing the Batu Caves in Malaysia and Gardens by the Bay in Singapore).

When I was looking for my next group trip experience, I wanted a higher level of inclusions. I knew that paying less upfront for a tour with few inclusions did NOT mean it would be cheaper in the long run. These are great options for budget travelers who want control over exactly what they spend money on, but it wasn’t the experience I was looking for. I’d rather spend more on the package price up front and not worry about adding much on.

I came across Intro Travel because I’d seen it recommended many times in the Facebook group Gals Who Travel (join it if you’re not in it already!). They had a brand new trip to India receiving rave reviews, and their Sri Lanka trip was recommended by many who had done it before. After seeing their high level of inclusions, care for the environment and local people, and focus on great accommodations, I was sold.

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Intro Travel Review: What it’s like to travel with Intro

Group Leaders

From the moment I arrived in both India and Sri Lanka on day 1 of my group trips, I was met at the airport with a convenient transfer. Then, I was taken to my hotel, where I was greeted by my Intro trip leader. Each Intro leader is trained to be an expert in the destination they’re leading, and they’re also there to ensure the trip goes smoothly and help you make friends with everyone. Both of my Intro leaders were great – very knowledgeable about the destination, friendly, gave good recommendations, and kept the energy up throughout the trip.

In India, we also had a local leader. The Intro leaders are usually British (since the company is based in the UK), but the local leader in India was a tour guide born and raised there. He was PHENOMENAL! Not only did I enjoy learning about the country from a local, but he was there to help keep us safe and protect us from scams. I truly enjoyed his company the entire trip, and the combination of him and the Intro leader was equally fun as it was informative.

In Sri Lanka, we had only the Intro leader for the entire trip. Occasionally, we would have a local guide for the day if we were doing a culturally or historically important tour where we would benefit from that perspective. I appreciated the inclusion of these local guides whenever possible. I would’ve loved to have a local guide with us the entire trip, though, as having that in India was an incredible experience.

Fellow Group Members

My group consisted of 20 travelers in India and 16 in Sri Lanka, including me, plus our Intro leader and local leaders.

India group members breakdown:

Solo travelers versus accompanied travelers: About a 50/50 split of solo travelers and those traveling with a companion (either partner or friend).
Age range: Ranged from 20s to 50s, but the majority were 20s to 30s.
Countries of origin: 2 from the USA (including me), 1 from Spain, 2 from the Netherlands, 2 from Germany, 1 from Sweden, and everyone else was from the UK.
Trip occasion: Almost everyone was on a short vacation, going only to India before returning home (I was the big exception, as someone on a 6+ month backpacking trip). There was one other woman on a backpacking trip. 7 of us continued to Sri Lanka together.
Travel style: About 25% of us were backpackers, while 75% brought suitcases. That about lined up with our spending habits, as well. The backpackers leaned on the side of not wanting to splurge much, while the others didn’t seem to care as much.
Compatibility: Everyone got along well, despite some large age and budget gaps. I loved how diverse yet inclusive the group was. I could sit with anyone at dinner and feel comfortable. Small sub-groups of friends formed, as they naturally do, but it wasn’t cliquey.

Sri Lanka group members breakdown:

Solo travelers versus accompanied travelers: About a 25/75 split of solo travelers and those traveling with a companion (two couples).
Age range: Ranged from 20s to 30s, but the majority were 20s.
Countries of origin: 1 from the USA (me), 1 from Spain, 2 from Germany, 1 from Sweden, 1 from Ireland, and everyone else was from the UK.
Trip occasion: Almost everyone was on a short vacation, going only to Sri Lanka before returning home. There were two of us on backpacking trips, and another who was living in Sri Lanka for a few months. 7 of us did both India and Sri Lanka together.
Travel style: About 25% of us were backpackers, while 75% brought suitcases. That about lined up with our spending habits, as well. The backpackers leaned on the side of not wanting to splurge much, while the others didn’t seem to care as much.
Compatibility: Everyone got along well and was very friendly. With 16 people on this trip opposed to 20 in India, I felt like I got to know everyone better. 7 of us had been in India together, which helped us bond even further.

Hotels

I was more than satisfied with the accommodation offered on both trips, but keep in mind that I had just finished almost 6 months in hostels in other parts of Asia. Both trips put us in double occupancy hotel rooms, which was a huge upgrade for me. However, everyone seemed satisfied, and all the hotels were up to cleanliness and comfort standards. There are always some that are better than others, but I had no complaints.

Each room had two separate beds that the Intro leaders would assign to two of us. They all assign rooms differently, but I ended up rooming with the same three women the entire 4 weeks. They were responsive to feedback on rooming for those who needed to change roommates.

All the hotels included breakfast, which was great since we had a busy schedule almost every day.

Transportation

The modes of transportation were different for both of my group trips. In India, we had a large coach that stayed with us the entire trip (except for Delhi). With the exception of the flight between Delhi and Jodhpur, which is included in the trip cost, we were on that coach every single day. It was comfortable, new, and air conditioned, so no complaints.

In Sri Lanka, we had a mid-sized bus that also stayed with us the entire trip, but occasionally we would take other forms of transportation. We took the scenic train between Kandy and Ella and frequently got tuk-tuks to get around within a local area. This bus wasn’t as comfortable as the one in India, but it was more than acceptable.

Activities

As I mentioned before, a huge reason I chose Intro Travel was that they include many activities in their trips. I was sick of paying out of pocket for every excursion on my previous group trips, and Intro boasted about their high level of inclusions. I was overall very satisfied with the quality of included activities, and I didn’t have to pay to add any on because the included ones were very comprehensive.

In each place, we did the must-sees and must-dos that I would’ve felt I missed out on if we hadn’t. The included activities were good introductions to these areas that we usually didn’t have much time in. My favorite included activities in India were visiting the Taj Mahal and going on a tiger safari in Ranthambore. In Sri Lanka, they were the beginner surf lesson in Weligama and the elephant safari in Udawalawe.

Intro Travel Review: Pros

Everything you could want, other than souvenirs and some meals, is included in the price of the tour.
All the included accommodations were clean and comfortable, and I enjoyed sharing my room with only one other person. There were no hostels or dorms as part of my trips.
I enjoyed having both an Intro Leader at all times and local leaders where important, such as at culturally significant sites (and in India, all the time!).
Both of my leaders did a great job at helping everyone bond, from organizing optional dinners to hosting fun game nights.
Both of my groups were fantastic, and I made some great friends. This comes down to luck, but I can imagine that Intro attracts similar types of people. So if this all sounds good to you, I bet you’ll enjoy everyone’s company as well.
The groups were a good size, never more than 20 people.
There was a good mix of bucket list experiences and hidden gem experiences.
All the included transportation was comfortable, and I appreciated having private transportation most of the time. I’ve been on group tours where they shove a big group of us on public transport, and it wasn’t the best experience.
Because Intro is a small company, I found it easy to get in touch with customer service when I had any questions before the trip.

Intro Travel Review: Cons

The initial price tag is higher than some other youth-focused tours, but in the long run, I believe it balances out with all the inclusions.
This wasn’t a con to me, but could be to someone – there is no age limit, so while it’s focused on the 18-39 age group, you could have people of any age.
Once again, this might not be a con for everyone, but our itinerary was PACKED. As someone who travels quickly, it even wore me out. Most days, we were up very early and didn’t stop going until the afternoon, when we had a few hours to rest before dinner. Since I was with Intro for almost 4 weeks straight, I was exhausted.
I didn’t love the dinner options we were given. You never HAD to go to dinner with the group, but we almost always did (FOMO is real). The restaurants were chosen by the leaders and were usually more upscale. I like to try more local places when I travel, both to save money and have a more authentic experience, so this didn’t always work out.

Is Intro Travel right for you?

Intro Travel is right for your next group trip if:

You don’t mind paying a higher price tag up front, but having more included (so you spend less while there).
You don’t care as much about free time or me time, and are okay doing group activities most days.
You’re looking for a fast-paced trip that checks off the bucket list but also dives deeper into the underrated.
You appreciate having group leaders with lots of energy and knowledge.
You enjoy traveling with a diverse group of people and don’t care about age restrictions.

Overall, my time with Intro Travel was filled with adventure, friendships, and the kind of seamless planning that takes the stress out of travel. But group tours aren’t one-size-fits-all, so what felt perfect for me may not be exactly what you’re looking for. I hope this Intro Travel review helps point you in the right direction.

If you’re curious about whether Intro or another group trip company is the right fit for you, I’d love to help you find your best option. From well-known names like G Adventures and Contiki to more niche experiences, I can connect you with the best-fit tour (or create a custom plan) that will make your travel dreams a reality. Plus, sometimes I can score exclusive discounts for my clients! Click here to get started today.

Take the guesswork out of finding the perfect group trip

As a travel advisor specializing in solo travel, I help clients like you find their perfect-fit group trips all the time. From which company and itinerary to which trips match your vibe and budget, there are so many considerations and options that can make or break your experience.

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Intro Travel Review: What my group trip experiences were like

Intro Travel Review: My group trips

Intro Travel Review: Why I chose Intro

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