Contiki

J

jamacouve

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Hey guys planning on doing this June/July.

Anyone done it recently , if so which trip did you do ?
 
I have done two:

London + Paris + Amsterdam

&

Thailand West Island Hopper

Some of the best times of my life. Would love to go again but money needs to be directed into property now :( No more jolling overseas.

And with the R/$... Eina.
 
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I prefer independent travel but I usually travel for a month and the only thing I purchase is a plane ticket, the first nights stay and maybe flexible train/bus passes. I go with a general idea of what I plan on doing based on information from the net, lonely planet etc but take it day-by-day with only one rule, be back in time for my flight to SA....
 
This is exactly the one I'll be doing. Please update once you have done it :)
 
RVQ said:
I prefer independent travel but I usually travel for a month and the only thing I purchase is a plane ticket, the first nights stay and maybe flexible train/bus passes. I go with a general idea of what I plan on doing based on information from the net, lonely planet etc but take it day-by-day with only one rule, be back in time for my flight to SA....
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I have also done this and enjoyed it but as with anything there are pros and cons to both.

If you just have a few weeks, want to do and see the maximum stuff possible, jol hard with a group of similar aged people from all around the world who become great friends, Contiki is tops. I actually found it cheaper as well (if you exclude the booze).

PS: Go single.
 
Brawler said:
I have also done this and enjoyed it but as with anything there are pros and cons to both.

If you just have a few weeks, want to do and see the maximum stuff possible, jol hard with a group of similar aged people from all around the world who become great friends, Contiki is tops. I actually found it cheaper as well (if you exclude the booze).

PS: Go single.
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Cheaper with Contiki?

Suppose part of the problem is I'm not the "similar aged people" you would find on a Contiki tour that said even when backpacking independently the majority of the people I meet are younger then me. I prefer the freedom of changing my mind in a second just when I'm about to buy a ticket, leaving when I want or staying just little bit longer. Even though I generally travel solo I've always met awesome people who I ended up travelling with for days/weeks...

And you definitely want to be backpacking single ;)
 
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So trip changed from June/July to end of April due to public holidays ( less leave has to be taken )

Now trying to decide whether I should start in London where the trip actually starts or skip it and meet them in Amsterdam.

Doing the London route will work out 5k more with the UK visa and 2 nights accommodation(1 before and 1 after the tour)

Thoughts?
 
jamacouve said:
So trip changed from June/July to end of April due to public holidays ( less leave has to be taken )

Now trying to decide whether I should start in London where the trip actually starts or skip it and meet them in Amsterdam.

Doing the London route will work out 5k more with the UK visa and 2 nights accommodation(1 before and 1 after the tour)

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Do London first - we did and it was totally worth it. And for 5k, it's not a big deal. There are tons of things to do in London and you get to know people on the first leg of that trip if you leave there. Also, enjoy the "secret" Contiki extra in Amsterdam :D

Also, if you can, do every damned extra. Every one. You're already spending a crapton of cash, you might as well experience everything.
 
AntiThesis said:
Do London first - we did and it was totally worth it. And for 5k, it's not a big deal. There are tons of things to do in London and you get to know people on the first leg of that trip if you leave there. Also, enjoy the "secret" Contiki extra in Amsterdam :D

Also, if you can, do every damned extra. Every one. You're already spending a crapton of cash, you might as well experience everything.
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Do you have any idea how much every extra is? its a ludicrous amount of money.
I would rather research and pic must have extra's, and then spend the extra money on the evenings out or for sppntaneous excursions
 
No idea what it is like now. Me and the good missus did a European Tour in 2001 just before the 9/11 disaster (and before the Rand's subsequent tank). The trip was the best we could have done and the best way to see parts of the world we always dreamed of seeing.

If it is anything like it was back then, it is a must if you can afford to go. I'd also say that you should have a little extra spending money for the odd time you get to explore on your own. The last thing you want to do is feel you cannot buy something iconic. (For us, we bought a cuckoo clock in Germany. It is was worth it and the schlep of getting it home.)
 
Thats what I'm thinking about. If I go to the UK I would want to go to see Stamford Bridge and buy some sort of Chelsea merch.

So it would be 5k for the London trip and probably an extra 2-4k spending in UK alone.
 
jamacouve said:
So trip changed from June/July to end of April due to public holidays ( less leave has to be taken )

Now trying to decide whether I should start in London where the trip actually starts or skip it and meet them in Amsterdam.

Doing the London route will work out 5k more with the UK visa and 2 nights accommodation(1 before and 1 after the tour)

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

What is the weather like in April though?

June/July is awesome.

The London part of Contiki tours is a blast and I will def recommend it. You do all the usual stuff + amazing nightlife with 50 or so new friends + dressing up and going to the theatre. During mine we also went to stonehenge and Bath (highly recommended).

I would also do all of the extras.

If you are spending so much money you might as well do it properly with no regrets.
 
For a Contiki tour, you pay the fee of say 15k (covers accommodation and the tour), then you still need to pay for the plane ticket right?

How much would you spend for an average Contiki to Europe? Was looking around and they just all seem so expensive
 
Stevi said:
For a Contiki tour, you pay the fee of say 15k (covers accommodation and the tour), then you still need to pay for the plane ticket right?

How much would you spend for an average Contiki to Europe? Was looking around and they just all seem so expensive
Click to expand...

For Contiki, Trafalgar and the like, fees are usually broken up as follows:

Tour fee - This is the big one that they all quote, and covers your accommodation, transport around the area, some meals and some tour highlights
Side trips - These are the optional extra side trips that the tour offers, highly recommended (but expensive)
Flights - Not included in the quote
Visas - Don't forget the visa if you need it. Shengen visa is around R1,400 now.
Meals - Most tours will give you breakfast every day, as well as 1 or 2 included suppers. More suppers may be included in the side trips (should you choose to do them), but for the most part you're on your own.
Spending money - Don't underestimate how quickly this can add up, even if you're not buying big ticket souvenirs.

Make no mistake, these types of tours aren't cheap. But they're probably the best money you'll ever spend.
 
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