Alexander + Roberts vs Myths and Mountains - Tour Companies Compared

Founded in 1947, Alexander + Roberts holds the distinction of being one of the oldest guided tour companies around, and a founding member of USTOA. Unlike many tour companies, they focus equally on small group, private group, and customized travel.  

What Makes Alexander + Roberts Stand Out

• Historical legacy
• Authentic experiences
• Exotic and classic destinations
• Local guides
• Unique itineraries

Alexander + Roberts has over 70 years of tour experience. In fact, the company was the first to provide guided tours of the former Soviet Union during the Cold War era. Since then, A + R have been pioneers, traveling to new far-flung locations like Burma and Cuba before many other operators.

There can be a tendency for old and established guided travel companies to seem out of touch and stuffy, while also getting unwieldy if they try too hard to adapt to the modern traveler.

Alexander + Roberts has managed to remain firm to their classic yet innovative roots - an old fashioned charm comes across. You’ll find a blend of classic itineraries as well as more unique experiences and themes. 

Who Will Enjoy Traveling with Alexander + Roberts?

• Affluent travelers
• 50+ and Seniors
• Couples
• Active travelers

Alexander + Roberts is a US-based tour operator for the affluent traveler wanting to venture beyond the ordinary in a comfortable manner. A + R is best for those travelers looking for a small-group experience with an added element of luxury. They also offer private journeys, custom itineraries, and fully supported independent travel options. 

This is not budget travel by any means. Unlike most tour companies today that don’t require a single supplement, they do (for most tours) at “only $700”. Many activities and meals are included on Alexander + Roberts small group tours.

So if you have more of an independent streak and would like some flexibility but aren’t interested in a private or tailor made trip, you may want to explore other tour companies that provide more free time during the itinerary.

If you’re looking for a professionally planned trip with expertise, luxury, and attention to detail baked into the price then Alexander + Roberts is a good place to start.

Top Destinations

A + R offers hundreds of trips on six continents, including Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. They also offer small-ship cruising in the Americas, Antarctica, Asia, and Europe.

Alexander + Roberts Travel Style

• Small groups (16 max)
• Private travel
• Tailor made travel
• Most meals and activities included

Alexander + Roberts purposefully keeps their tour group sizes small - maximum 16, for added flexibility and authenticity. Hotels are a mix of unique local and boutique properties, all with a touch of luxury. Most meals are included on their standard group departures and guides are local, with the in-depth knowledge that comes with it. 

Why Choose a Tour with Alexander + Roberts?

If you’re looking for a refined experience that still gets you under the surface of a destination, then Alexander & Roberts could be for you. Their trips are not cheap, but do provide good value with many inclusions and years of experience in the industry.

Since it was founded in 1988, Myths and Mountains has endeavored – and succeeded – in immersing travelers deeply in the culture of destinations where they conduct both group and custom-designed trips. Each itinerary is focused upon one or more “core concepts” intended to provide unique insights into a destination.

What Makes Myths & Mountains Stand Out?

The concepts around which each trip is planned are not intended to limit participants’ experiences. Instead, they provide inspiration to explore a destination more deeply and fully, based upon the unique attributes of the local culture.

For example, depending upon the destination, the “Culture and Crafts” focus might include learning traditional crafts or cooking local delicacies. “Natural Healing” and “Traditional Medicine” may visit a shaman festival or include a visit with indigenous healers in a rainforest. There also are itineraries that explore the “Environment and Natural History” of a destination, and “Religion and Pilgrimage Sites.”

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Myths & Mountains?

Travelers with Myths and Mountains are seeking to delve below the surface of a country and its culture, and meet and interact with its people. These trips are intended to provide an immersive experience, exploring through doing and getting to know individuals.

If your ideal trip challenges your perspective in ways you never saw coming, provides avenues through which to go off the beaten path, and explores well beyond the classic tourist spots then the Myths & Mountains approach could be for you.

These trips are not for those travelers who are looking to stay in 5 star hotels, or pack a lot of activities in each day. Expect modest but comfortable lodgings, you will be active during the day, and spend a good amount of time outside or in rural areas getting to know the locals.

People who travel with Myths and Mountains to Nepal, India, or Bhutan also have an opportunity to learn first-hand about the company-supported READ Global centers there.

Those self-sustaining projects provide education and community development to residents of isolated villages. In the past two decades, the close to 80 READ (Rural Education and Development) centers that have been established continue to improve the lives of people in countless ways.

Top Destinations

Given its goal of introducing travelers to life-changing experiences, it’s not surprising that Myths and Mountains steers clear of more tourist-trodden destinations. It offers guided trips to six countries in each of Asia and Southeast Asia. A “Customize Your Trip” link to each planned itinerary described on the website enables those who wish to do so to tailor a tour to their own interests and preferences.

Myths & Mountains Travel Style

The term “off the beaten path” gets thrown around a lot these days, but Myths & Mountains creates itineraries with this in mind, and in a more authentic and true way than most. This is somewhat due to the destinations themselves that they specialize in.

Depending upon the location, Myths and Mountains augments familiar ways of getting around with modes of transportation that are indigenous to a destination. They include trekking through stunning landscapes, exploring caves in a sea canoe and hiking over lava fields to a volcano.

Why Choose a Tour with Myths & Mountains?

The Myths and Mountains approach to immersing travelers in the essence of a destination is a major reason why it attracts a very high percentage of repeat clients. You will return home with not only new understanding about a part of the world but also with memories of very personal experiences that will linger for the rest of their lives.

For Myths and Mountains, the belief that “There is no such thing as one itinerary fits all” is not just a slogan. It’s the way the company does business. As a result, travelers benefit in ways well beyond only seeing a destination.

They get to know and understand its history, environment, and especially the people who live there. They come away with an understanding of a new and different society that results from being a participant in its traditions and mores, rather than just an observer.