Under 40s travel guide

Our under 40s travel guide shows that you don’t have to follow the crowds during your valuable holiday time. You could island-hop along Turkey’s coast, coast the Route 66, or learn the art of noodle making in Japan. Join a lower-impact small group tour, and our experts will take researching and booking everything from sleeper trains to accommodation out of your hands. Plus, you’ll travel with guides who will fill you in on exactly which bars and beaches to make a beeline for (or not). Read our under 40s holidays guide to find out more.

You’ll probably join a small group of up to 16 travellers matched up with local drivers, guides and transport. Some of the more complicated European rail trips can be tailor made – ideal if you want to sneak in a detour or pick and choose your accommodation.

You’ll join a group who is on your wave length. People who won’t be averse to exploring the night markets till the early hours or checking out the ruin bars of Budapest.

These under 40s holidays are for people who care about where their money goes. When it does come to budget, many of the trips will surprise you. Lots of free time and optional activities make an epic trip suddenly affordable – especially in shoestring standards like Cambodia, where a bowl of Khmer curry is just a couple of pounds.

Solo travellers are in the majority on these tours. That's because small group travel is especially appealing for independent first-time travellers who'd like the extra security and a readymade group of friends to travel with.

Timings and themes vary hugely. Some tours take a week to city-hop through Europe, while others spend a month tackling a region of Southeast Asia. They tend to be faster-paced tours, too. All the logistics are sorted for you by experts who will hunt out the best stays and pair you up with the best tour guides in town.