Over 50s holiday tips
Be brave
Be brave
Amanda Marks, managing director of our supplier, Tribes Travel:
“Don’t be afraid, be brave and go for it. I haven’t ridden a horse for about 30 years. I became scared. Then I saw a brochure about horse riding in the wilds of Namibia. I knew I had to do that, so I am now re-learning to ride. It might be a year before I feel strong enough and confident enough to take the Namibia trip, but I will do it. Not only will I have the joy of the holiday, but I’m already revelling in my renewed love of horse riding. Travel offers you experiences that are very well worth making an effort for.”
John Beswetherick, from our supplier Tikalanka tours:
“You can have profound and life-affirming experiences travelling at any age, especially when you engage with local people. I met Pathi by chance in Sri Lanka and now we are best mates and business partners. Brother Sobhana chatted to me at a Buddhist temple in Burma and now he is a close friend who blessed us at our wedding. Open up to new experiences and it may change your life!”
Our Over 50s Holidays
Costa Rica wildlife holiday
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
£2999 to £3899
16 days
inc UK flights
Japan golden route holiday
9 night classic Japan trip: Tokyo, Fuji, Kyoto
From
£2100
10 days
ex flights
Japan small group holiday, Japan unmasked
Whistlestop Japan highlights with an expert tour leader
From
£2470 to £2855
14 days
ex flights
Southern Croatia cruise in comfort
Cruise Croatia's beautiful islands on a small cruise ship
From
£559 to £805
8 days
ex flights
Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Explore bustling cities, lush jungles and paradise beaches.
From
£1658
9 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka holidays, tailor made
Independent tailor made holidays to Sri Lanka
From
£2145
15 days
inc UK flights
Classic Cuba holiday, 11 days
Get into the Cuban swing over just ten days.
From
£1125
12 days
ex flights
South Africa safari holiday, 14 days
Award winning safari in South Africa
From
£3865
14 days
ex flights
Galapagos holiday cruise options
Excellent selection of small and midsize Galapagos cruises
From
£3655 to £4150
8 days
ex flights
Self drive holiday in Costa Rica, Pacific Coast
Self-drive Costa Rica's Pacific coast, away from the crowds
From
£4495
17 days
ex flights
Costa Rica highlights holiday & beach
Short highlight itinerary covering city, forests and beach.
From
£1455
13 days
ex flights
Amalfi Coast walking holiday, Italy
Walk in lemon groves and hillside villages
From
£1149 to £1599
8 days
inc UK flights
Cycling holiday in Portugal, self guided
A leisurely cycling holiday in the Algarve
From
€665 to €729
7 days
ex flights
Cycling holiday in Croatia, Dalmatian Coast
Cycling through the Dalmatian Coast Islands in Croatia
From
£1299 to £1899
8 days
inc UK flights
Croatian coast walking tours, self guided
A seven-day walking holiday on the Dalmatian coast — islands and Dubrovnik included
From
€595 to €750
7 days
ex flights
Southern Peru small group tour
Journey through south Peru, the heartland of the Inca Empire
From
£3264
14 days
ex flights
Self guided walking holiday in France
Idyllic walking in France with great food, wine and ambience
From
£900 to £980
7 days
ex flights
Catalonia self guided walking holidays
Self-guided walking holidays in Catalonia
From
€715 to €799
8 days
ex flights
Sintra Natural Park accommodation in Portugal
Eco-friendly B&B, in Sintra Natural Park near lovely beaches
From
€90 to €120
per room per night
Whale watching in the Azores
Classic whale watching trip in the Azores archipelago
From
£610 to £745
7 days
ex flights
Scotland by railway holiday
Experience authentic Scotland independently and car-free
From
£1135 to £1195
8 days
ex flights
Small group adventure holiday to Patagonia
Explore the spectacular wilderness and mountains of Patagonia
From
£4042
20 days
ex flights
Transylvania holiday accommodation
Stay at a Count's guesthouse
From
€100 to €174
per person per night
Orkney & Shetland self drive holiday, Scotland
Island hop the wild Scottish Northern Isles on this week's holiday to Orkney and Shetland
From
£825 to £940
7 days
ex flights
Umbria cooking holiday, Italy
italian cooking in a farmhouse between Umbria and Tuscany
From
€1440 to €1650
7 days
ex flights
Gorilla Safari & the Masai Mara
Superb safari and trip to see gorillas
From
£4149
18 days
inc UK flights
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
£2799 to £3449
16 days
inc UK flights
No maximum age for adventure
No maximum age for adventure
Andrew Appleyard from our supplier, Exodus Travels:
“A large proportion of our clients at Exodus are in their 50s and they are not taking the softer cultural trips but tend to be serious hikers and bikers looking for challenges and a different way of seeing a country. Age is just a number and I personally have found the company of the 50s to 60s group fantastic. They have many stories to tell and past travel experiences to share and they are in the company of likeminded travellers.”
Going solo
Going solo
Amanda Marks, managing director of our supplier, Tribes Travel:
“A tip for solo travellers – people everywhere are always friendlier than you imagine. You just need to take the leap of faith to travel where you want to go, then people will inevitably share their love of their country with you.”
New decade, new experiences
New decade, new experiences
Catherine Mack, guide author at Responsible Travel and 50-something travel writer:
“I am blessed with my job, because I find myself constantly taking on challenges on my travels that I might not have even attempted in my 20s. I am not into triathlons or super adrenaline sports. But being pushed out of my comfort zone, with the helping hand and encouraging smile of an expert guide, is something that I hope to continue doing throughout my 50s, 60s, 70s… as long as I can still swim, kayak, hike, cycle and smile at the end of it all. And that goes for sharing new cultures too. I find it easier to speak with people whose language I don’t share now that I have a bit of life experience behind me. If I just show a mother pictures of my kids, that opens up a whole world of joyful communication. You just have to take that first step, learn a few basic words and you’re off.”
Our top Over 50s Holiday
Costa Rica wildlife holiday
An amazing variety of Costa Rican wildlife
From
£2999 to £3899
16 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2020: 11 Jul, 1 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 31 Oct, 3 Nov, 10 Nov, 14 Nov, 19 Nov, 21 Nov, 24 Nov, 28 Nov, 19 Dec, 22 Dec
2021: 2 Jan, 5 Jan, 7 Jan, 9 Jan, 12 Jan, 14 Jan, 16 Jan, 19 Jan, 21 Jan, 23 Jan, 26 Jan, 28 Jan, 30 Jan, 2 Feb, 4 Feb, 6 Feb, 9 Feb, 11 Feb, 13 Feb, 16 Feb, 18 Feb, 20 Feb, 23 Feb, 25 Feb, 27 Feb, 2 Mar, 4 Mar, 6 Mar, 9 Mar, 11 Mar, 13 Mar, 16 Mar, 18 Mar, 20 Mar, 23 Mar ...
2020: 11 Jul, 1 Aug, 15 Aug, 22 Aug, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 3 Oct, 10 Oct, 17 Oct, 31 Oct, 3 Nov, 10 Nov, 14 Nov, 19 Nov, 21 Nov, 24 Nov, 28 Nov, 19 Dec, 22 Dec
2021: 2 Jan, 5 Jan, 7 Jan, 9 Jan, 12 Jan, 14 Jan, 16 Jan, 19 Jan, 21 Jan, 23 Jan, 26 Jan, 28 Jan, 30 Jan, 2 Feb, 4 Feb, 6 Feb, 9 Feb, 11 Feb, 13 Feb, 16 Feb, 18 Feb, 20 Feb, 23 Feb, 25 Feb, 27 Feb, 2 Mar, 4 Mar, 6 Mar, 9 Mar, 11 Mar, 13 Mar, 16 Mar, 18 Mar, 20 Mar, 23 Mar ...
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Over 50s or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Tips from our over 50s travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful over 50s travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday – and the space inside your suitcase.
you need to be pretty fit to snorkel from a rubber boat twice a day as we did in the Galapagos... It was definitely one to tell the kids and grandkids about ad infinitum!!![]()
- Mary Lee on a tailor made Galapagos cruise trip
“I am in my 50s and I found the pace excellent - no more than 3 nights anywhere - arrive - shower/rest - orientation walk then choose your activities and what a great diversity of activities. I found it stimulating and fun. The guide took all the hassle out of it. He gave us guidelines on costs, he showed us the best value for money places to eat in the location and doing activities as a group meant not only was it sociable, but we got good deals. I enjoyed spending time with people from all over the world.” - Hazel Durbridge on a North India cultural tour
“Having never undertaken an activity holiday (and both in our sixties) being encouraged and guided by 2 consummate professionals gave us a chance to try things never done before….If you don't take regular exercise be prepared to push yourself a little - but there is no pressure to do so and Craig and Xania are well able to gauge what you can and can't do. They don't make you feel inadequate if you don't try or complete all the activities. An amazing experience and it has given us an incentive to consider how we become fitter, eat more vegetarian dishes and how invigorating it is to try new things. Never too late to try!” - Veronica Thompson on our Croatia holiday, activity week
“Having never undertaken an activity holiday (and both in our sixties) being encouraged and guided by 2 consummate professionals gave us a chance to try things never done before….If you don't take regular exercise be prepared to push yourself a little - but there is no pressure to do so and Craig and Xania are well able to gauge what you can and can't do. They don't make you feel inadequate if you don't try or complete all the activities. An amazing experience and it has given us an incentive to consider how we become fitter, eat more vegetarian dishes and how invigorating it is to try new things. Never too late to try!” - Veronica Thompson on our Croatia holiday, activity week
I am in my 50s and I found the pace excellent - no more than 3 nights anywhere - arrive - shower/rest - orientation walk then choose your activities and what a great diversity of activities. I found it stimulating and fun. ![]()
- Hazel Durbridge on a North India cultural tour
“To anyone thinking of booking a similar trip I would give this advice - go for as long as you can, do as much as you can and if like me and my husband you are in your sixties make sure you are as fit as you can be before you go. We had a month of 6am starts and activities on many days until 10pm so it was tiring and you need to be pretty fit to snorkel from a rubber boat twice a day as we did in the Galapagos... It was definitely one to tell the kids and grandkids about ad infinitum!!” - Mary Lee on a tailor made Galapagos cruise trip
“Go for it! My other half doesn't cycle routinely and she was fine (we're both late fifties and averagely fit). If your legs get tired you can always walk for a bit and in any case you'll want to stop, look & take photos quite a bit. If you want an interesting holiday with some activity then this is for you. As well as this, the surroundings, food and wine are just great.” - Paul Millner on our Catalonia self guided cycling holiday, Spain
“The Marquesa Islands are amazing. The cultural shows and dances superb. The 10 mile hike is very worth doing but is not easy. If you are booking dormitory accommodation be aware that the top bunks are very confined. They are difficult to get in and out of (particularly if you are over 65) and only have a clearance of about 30 inches.” – William Bainbridge, on a French Polynesia cruise
“Go for it! My other half doesn't cycle routinely and she was fine (we're both late fifties and averagely fit). If your legs get tired you can always walk for a bit and in any case you'll want to stop, look & take photos quite a bit. If you want an interesting holiday with some activity then this is for you. As well as this, the surroundings, food and wine are just great.” - Paul Millner on our Catalonia self guided cycling holiday, Spain
“The Marquesa Islands are amazing. The cultural shows and dances superb. The 10 mile hike is very worth doing but is not easy. If you are booking dormitory accommodation be aware that the top bunks are very confined. They are difficult to get in and out of (particularly if you are over 65) and only have a clearance of about 30 inches.” – William Bainbridge, on a French Polynesia cruise
More about Over 50s
These holidays allow you to take time to immerse yourself in a culture, activity or landscape. About having a special 50th (or 60th...) birthday celebration...
Over 50s holidays are just the same as under 50s holidays, as none of our holidays have any age restriction, other than the odd minimum age for kids...
Explore our best over 50s holidays, from gorilla watching to tracking the Big Five, hiking the Inca Trail or kayaking from island to island in Croatia...
Over 70s holidays are a chance to really make the most of things, such as not having to worry about annual leave, and so being able to take extended holidays...
Book a small group tour if you don't fancy going truly solo, or a special interest holiday - like yoga or photography - which attract plenty of solo travellers...
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