Trafalgar vs Collette - Tour Companies Compared

Trafalgar is a name many seasoned travelers will recognize. A branch of the Travel Corporation, whose brands all enjoy stellar reputations, Trafalgar has been offering classic and affordable tours for over 70 years.

Trafalagar Tours - Quick Facts

Founded: in 1947

Group size: Large Groups, between 40-45 people

Mode of transportation: Primarily luxury air-conditioned coaches

Accommodation style: Unique 3 & 4 star hotels and guest houses

Typical age range: 50+

Single travelers welcome (single supplements are required, but often discounted)

Average tour price: $3,796

Top Regions: Europe, USA, Canada

Related TTC Brands: Insight Vacations, Uniworld, Brendan Vacations

What Makes Trafalgar Tours Stand Out?

• Great value for pricing and inclusions
• Comfortable, not physically demanding tours
• Largely focused on cultural immersion 
• Hand-picked accommodations
• Strong reputation 
• Dedicated to responsible tourism - Founding member of TreadRight Foundation
• Good balance of free time and inclusions

Trafalgar is a group tour operator and one of the world’s most awarded tour companies. With over 70 years of experience, they unlock the best of the world from iconic experiences you’ve always dreamed of to getting to know the locals all while having everything taken care of for you every step of the way.  

Tours with Trafalgar are comfortable, not too physically demanding, and offer the opportunity to meet, talk, eat and drink with locals. You’ll get to know chefs, artisans, craftsmen, historians, and farmers as you explore what makes each destination truly special.

Trafalgar has a strong reputation, having been around since 1947 - putting them right at the pinnacle of when many premier guided tour companies were established. You’ll meet groups of like minded travelers, enjoy cultural experiences, expertly crafted itineraries with local touches and experiences guides, while traveling in comfort and ease.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Trafalgar?

• Older travelers (but all ages are welcome)
• Families
• Mid to high range budget travelers
• Those who enjoy slow-paced itineraries and easy physical activity
• Those who favor historic sightseeing & cultural immersion over hard core adventure 

If you are an active traveler, perhaps recently retired, eager to explore the world in comfort, visiting a nice combination of unique local spots and classic sites, then Trafalgar could be a great choice.

Possibly you are new to group tours and packages, having been used to creating your own travel experiences at a younger age - Trafalgar provides the perfect introduction to group tours.

You'll have plenty of free time to explore on your own, for shopping, sightseeing, and meals away from the group. Optional excursions are available throughout the itinerary for when you want a bit more structure.

Families will also get a lot out of the Trafalgar travel experience. If you're seeking a family vacation and interested in introducing a new generation of travelers to your favorite country - but don’t really have the time or patience to worry about planning out all the logistics - Trafalgar could be a great choice.

While they offer many trip styles, suitable for travelers of all ages, their classic touch is popular among older travelers. Classic doesn’t mean old fashioned or tired - simply a bit less on the active adventure and more on the historic sights and cultural experiences. They have a number of family focused tours, as well as tailored trips for special interests.

Trafalgar trips are budget friendly, with most trips in middle to low range, including a “Cost Saver” feature that allows you to see more inexpensive trips broken down by ratings and cost clearly. They offer several deals on trips throughout the year.

Trafalgar is a British brand, so many of the attendees on your tour will be from the UK.  

Top Destinations

• Europe & the UK
• USA and Canada
• Australia & New Zealand
• Asia
• South America

With Trafalgar, you can find trips to Europe, USA & Canada, South America, Asia, Australia & New Zealand. While the destinations are widespread, Trafalgar trips explore the culture and their highly trained local guides take you to hidden local spots without venturing too far outside the comfort zone.

Tours in Europe and the UK are among the most popular itineraries, utlizing guest houses and even castles for accommodation! 

Their USA & Canada tours are extremely popular for outdoorsy travelers. National Parks are a common itinerary item, as are trips along the Rocky Mountaineer railroad.

In South America, Trafalgar travels to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. In Africa, they go to Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. In Asia, it’s Cambodia, China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

And in the Pacific, Trafalgar visits Australia and New Zealand - some trips in this region are more basic when it comes to accommodation so be sure to read the itinerary carefully!

Wherever you go, you can expect high quality guides, unique destination-specific accommodations, and smooth travels.

They also have a number of religious themed tours, including trips that include excursions to Oberammergau, Bavaria. Once a decade this small town presents a Passion Play, and Trafalgar has had special access since 1970. The next time to experience this unique event is 2020.

Trafalgar Travel Style

The Trafalgar travel style is all about getting to know the culture through activities and connecting with locals. Their main tagline is “Discover the Good Life”. On Trafalgar tours, you get to experience the real thing in a safe, escorted environment with knowledgeable guides there to help with the language and provide historical and cultural context.

"Discovering the Good Life" encompasses perks like skipping lines and private access to classic sites; and unique experiences that bring you to places and among people you’d never have the chance to meet traveling on your own.

This kind of travel is local immersion, but not in the same way a 25 year old might interpret that idea.

Rather than bunking at hostels, going out late at night, and enjoying potentially questionable street food, you’ll stay in premium, centrally located and culturally significant accommodations - everything from bed and breakfasts in Ireland to hotels right on the banks of Norwegian fjords.  

Learn cooking techniques in Italy, enjoy private winery tours at French chateaus, and touring a small olive farm in Spain are just a few examples of the kind of unique travel experiences you can expect with Trafalgar.

Groups are large, typically between 40-45 travelers, a max of 52 on trips in the USA and Canada. Primary transportation during the tour is in large coaches, equipped with WiFi (with the exception of Alaska) and featuring large viewing windows - ideal for taking in the scenery as you head to your next spot on the itinerary.  

Most meals during Trafalgar tours are included. Trips often include free time during which you can explore on your own, with suggestions from your expert guides.

Why Choose a Tour with Trafalgar?

• Well known company
• Culturally rich experiences in comfort
• Many activities included, plus some optional choices
• All guides are expertly trained
• Large groups of international travelers

Trafalgar has a solid reputation, and they stick to what they’ve done well for over 50 years. They focus on the classics, providing a culturally rich perspective as you meet locals along the way. Their experience has allowed them to cultivate relationships around the world with local businesses - quality control you can trust for every stop along the trip.

Niche tours based on specialized interests are also something they are proud to offer. Trafalgar is where you go to have the essentials and logistics take care of seamlessly while you sit back and enjoy. Do note that these tours can be quite large - 40 people traveling together in a tour group can be stifling for some.

While they appeal to an older crowd due to their history and recognizable name, Trafalgar has an impressively well integrated social media presence. Trips on their site are accompanied by instagram posts from real travelers who have been on the same tour, using the hashtag #SimplyTrafalgar.

Old or young(ish), couple or single, traveling Simply Trafalgar inspires confidence, comfort, and enjoyment.

With a history that goes back to 1918, their experience speaks for itself. They provide comprehensive, well-managed guided tours for travelers seeking an exploratory, comfortable travel experience.

Collette - Quick Facts

Founded in 1918

Group size: It varies. Collette offers private and customizable tours, as well as small groups of between 14-24 guests

Typical age range: 45+  

Average tour price: $2,996

Accommodation style: 4 star and above hotels and unique locations

Top regions: USA & Canada, Europe & UK

Commonly compared with Tauck and Trafalgar 

What Makes Collette Tours Stand Out?

• Flexibility & personalization
• Expert tour managers
• Easy booking process
• Private & Customizable tours
• Balances iconic must-sees with immersive cultural experiences

A long history in guided tourism means Collette knows every inch of guided travel. Take care of all the details like it’s second nature, and even though it's old hat every traveler is new and they dig into that. Collette recognizes that no two traveler is the same and approach each planning experience from a perspective of flexibility and personalization.

Their goal is to ease the hardship of planning and organizing for the traveler so you can fully enjoy the experience without worry or stress. At Collette, they know guided travel and have been successfully leading tours around the world to a growing, devoted customer base for nearly 100 years.

Collette tours are about letting you, the traveler, experience unbelievable, classic, and unique moments around the world.  

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Collette?

• Travelers aged 45+
• Moderately active travelers
• Upper budget range

Do you love the ease of mind that comes with having every detail taken care of when you travel? Details that allow you to relax and enjoy the special little moments of discovering the world; learning about new cultures, awe inspiring wildlife encounters, and leisurely meals highlighting local cuisine? Then you are ideally suited to Collette tours.

The Collette traveler is typically older, in the 50+ range. Travelers who enjoy the finer things, value a premium to luxury style of accommodation and transportation, yet have an adventurous spirit will love traveling with Collette.

Recent retirees and active seniors who are game for anything are the kind of traveler who relish a tour with Collette - check out this group in Costa Rica - taking part in Costa Rica's famous ziplines!

If you don't want to be encouraged to jump in and push your comfort zone a bit, you may find yourself out of step on a majority of Collette tours. They have several offerings though, so don't let that discourage you. 

Collette is ideal for active travelers who enjoy a comprehensive guided tour, with a lot of activity, and local experiences. These tours can involve extensive walking, sometimes over uneven surfaces, so a certain basic level of physical fitness is required.

Tours with Collette are classified by 5 basic physical levels, to help you find one best suited to you:

Level 1 - Mostly flat services and minimal walking. You should be comfortabe with climbing a few stairs, plus getting in and out of the coach 

Level 2 - Average physical ability is required such as long stairs and walks of a few hours. Some walks may be over uneven ground.

Level 3 - Slightly longer distances and more frequent walks can be expected. Expect stairs and some uneven surfaces such as cobblestones or nature trails.

Level 4 - Expect to be on your feet longer, including periods of standing and more extensive walking periods. These tours may also feature nighttime activities, so you'll be active for a longer period of time.

Level 5 - Very active travel. Expect adventure experiences and activities, early mornings and late nights. You can also expect to experience the elements so be ready for rain, wind, dust, what have you.

Free days are included in most Collette tours, giving travelers time to relax, take walks on the beach, or maybe do some shopping.

If you’re the kind of traveler for whom the a glass of champagne out in the blazing sun of the Australian outback, gazing at Uluru, sounds idyllic - then Collette would be perfect for you.

Top Destinations

Collette tours travel all around the world, to all 7 continents including Antarctica. They are well known for Central and South America, Australia, and Africa. They also offer an impressive variety of North America tours including several in the United States and Canada.

Travel styles include everything from river cruises to family tours to faith based tours.

Collette Travel Style

Collette promises the “trip of a lifetime” through exclusive outings, luxury touches, and appreciating the moments of anticipation before the world reveals itself. Their travel style is about discovering new cultures, embracing the explorer within -- in time for a cocktail at the end of the day.

They have 6 broad classifications for travel style: Classic, Explorations, Spotlights, River Cruise, Faith, and Impact Travel:

1. Classic Collette Tours - This is what they call their Flagship collection, group tours that make the postcard come to life. Visit all the must see sites, enjoy cultural experiences, all with a professional and knowledgeable guide, there to help make your travel as seamless as possible. Groups are on the larger side

2. Explorations - These tours are about going deeper, meeting locals, and getting off the beaten path. “Authenticity” is a big word for Collette Explorations. You’ll experience the destination in a smaller group, an average of 18 people, allowing for access to more local experiences not available to larger groups. Classic sites will also be included in your itinerary, but the focus is mostly on unique experiences.

3. Spotlights - Have a shorter amount of time and don’t want to miss anything? Collette Spotlight tours are designed to maximize your city stay or short getaway experience. These are primarily walking tours, packed with sightseeing, historical and cultural information, but with some downtime as well. Typically these tours are between 5-9 days.

4. River Cruise - A very popular mode of travel, particularly for 50+ travelers, river cruising is ideal for those seeking a leisurely vacation, unpacking only once, enjoying gliding by beautiful sites and participating in various guided shore excursions. Collette river cruises go around the world, including China, Egypt, and Europe.

5. Faith - For those travelers interested in visiting religious sites, Collette has a group of tours dedicated to faith based travel. Visit world famous icons and learn their ancient histories.

Collette Faith tours visit everything from grand churches to the humble beginnings of the three major world religions in the Holy Land. Tours are history based with an emphasis on finding deeper spiritual significance and meaning. They also have trips to the Oberammergau Passion Play.

6. Impact Travel - Being a responsible traveler is an important component on all Collette tours, however if you’re seeking to do more to give back, their Impact Tours are a great way to do so. Sightsee with a purpose as you assist with local initiatives, volunteering among the community, helping in classrooms, and protecting local wildlife.

Why Choose a Tour with Collette?

• Flexibility in planning
• Extensions available pre or post tour date
• Private airport transfer
• Expert planners 

If you are looking for an entertaining, fully escorted, active tour to explore new cultures, and enjoy unique experiences, Collette could be for you. They provide a dedicated guide, and handle all the details throughout the tour.

Free time is available on some days, but for the most part expect fairly full itineraries and a good amount of walking on their group tours. Some optional excursions are offered during the tour, so you can tailor your experience to a certain extent.

This is a great opportunity for meeting fellow travelers in a similar age range. Collette tours are open to everyone, but the majority of people on your tour will be older - in the 50+ range. Collette tours are ideal for travelers who want to have fun, enjoy the outdoors, and are open to new experiences.