Journeys President Robin Weber Pollak discusses some advantages to traveling in a group.

Sometimes I hear from travelers who can’t imagine joining a group of strangers for their vacation. We can always plan a custom trip for those folks… but first, consider all these reasons why small group travel can be way better. There are so many things I love about group travel!

1. Other people notice things I don’t.

When I’m traveling with others, I get to notice the things they notice. I get to see through other people’s eyes. I’m usually more tuned into the sky and the landscape, so when I travel with people who notice the smaller flora and fauna, it helps me see amazing flowers, frogs, and other things I never would have spotted.

2. Learning from other people’s questions.

Another aspect of seeing things from a new angle is learning the answers to questions I might never have asked. It expands my perspective to be along for the ride on a path of investigation I wouldn’t have been inclined to pursue independently.

3. Inside jokes.

It’s true — you might not click with every single person in every group. But most of the time, at least one other person will see humor in the same things you do. Inside jokes can bring endless hilarity and comic relief from the tedium of transit days. Like when a group mate in Argentina performed his dance that he called the Patagonia Flat. (Not funny to you? That’s my point. You had to be there.) If you’re alone, there’s nobody to laugh with.

4. More vivid memories.

The value of sharing experiences goes beyond the goofy stuff. I have found that starting to talk about a trip with travel companions while it’s still going on solidifies my recollection of the experiences once I’m home. Maybe I’m just imagining a scientific benefit here, but the conversation and joint analysis seems to facilitate my mental memory encryption. I definitely wouldn’t remember the history of Camp Leakey, in Kalimantan, Indonesia, if our group hadn’t collectively contemplated the psychology of orangutan researcher Biruti Galdikas at such length.

5. Feeding off of other people’s energy.

Have you ever heard of a “dip day?” It’s what I call those days on a trip when you just can’t get going. But it’s easier to get revved up when you’re dragging if someone else is excited about the day’s activities. Personally, for me, the serpentarium wasn’t the most anticipated highlight of our Costa Rica trip. But the kids in the group were so ridiculously geeked about the snakes that it was hard not to get my own thrill from trying to spot the cobra in its terrarium’s hidden reaches.

6. Partners in bravery.

Maybe this is the “Everybody’s Doing It” Effect. I don’t usually sing the praises of peer pressure. But at the aforementioned serpentarium I was able to psych myself up to let the boa constrictor crawl across my shoulders because I saw that it was going just fine for everyone else. And when I was nervous about the giant swing in Switzerland (a cross between a zip line and bungee jump) the cheers and support of my fellow travelers emboldened me, leading to a leap I was glad I took and will never forget. But maybe best of all is when you see another group member overcome the language barrier, giving you the courage to forge a new, cross-cultural friendship of your own. Take the risk together. Laugh about it together. And take your trip to another level – together.