Learn to be a Safari Guide in Kruger National Park

Our Detour trips are minibreaks packed full of unique, local-led experiences. They’re perfect if you’re looking for a short weekend trip or just wanna spend a little more time at your destination.

You know we love social travel here. While most of our trips have large groups, the Detour trips are all about small group travel. Check out the maximum group size on the trip page above, your group will never be larger than this.

In classic Contiki style, your accommodation and transport are included in the trip. Plus, we’ll sort out some meals and activities that are outlined in the itinerary. That’s not all, though. You’ll also have an expert Local Host to give you an inside scoop at every destination. 

All you have to do is check whether you need a visa (and apply for one if you do!), book your insurance and arrange your transport to the start location of the trip. We’ll handle the rest!

Our trips are short & sweet (and loaded with fun activities). That’s why we don’t offer pre or post trip accommodation. 

Lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants and buffaloes make up the Big 5 AKA the most prestigious animals to spot on safari.

Not much. There’s some walking on this trip but it’s suitable for those with basic fitness.

Nope, whether you’re young or just young at heart – everyone is welcome on this trip.  

This trip is your chance to make new friends from all around the world (even beyond Contiki!). You’ll find a mix of people on this trip who may have booked through other operators. Don’t worry, you’ll still get the same awesome experience, we promise. 

There won’t be a specified Contiki Trip Manager on this trip. But don’t worry. You’ll have professionally trained safari guides with you the whole time. They’re absolute experts in their field & are the perfect people to show you the Safari ropes. Plus, they’re locals too!

Your Host will endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements where possible. Vegetarianism, lactose intolerance, and gluten intolerance will be catered for in most instances. There are, however, some meals and activities that are fixed in advance and therefore cannot be modified to suit dietary requirements. Please use My Contiki to notify us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking. For those suffering from particular food allergies, your Host will endeavour to disclose to their fullest knowledge the main ingredients in the dishes being consumed. It is, however, your personal responsibility to ensure that you do not ingest any foods to which you are allergic.

Contiki is the complete travel experience for 18-35s, with over 200 trips to choose from across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, New Zealand and Australia. We take care of your stays, local transport and truly unique travel experiences too, so you just need to show up and have the time of your life.

You’ll join a group of friendly people from all over the world, all aged between 18 and 35. Contiki has been taking young travellers across the world since 1962, and we’re rated 4.7/5 on Feefo based on over 25,000 independent reviews. Imagine how good you’d be at something if you’d been doing it for over 60 years?

Not at all! You’ll certainly have the option to explore a destination’s nightlife (and the Trip Manager may point you to their fave bars) but there’s absolutely no pressure to join in. In most groups, there’ll be a good mix of people who like to party and people who like to take it easy. Your Trip Manager will have this in mind, and they can suggest lots of night time activities that don’t involve drinking.

Choose from well over 200 trips around the world. You’ll find Contiki trips in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, New Zealand and Australia. Popular destinations include the Greek Islands, Italy, Thailand, Japan and South Africa. Browse all destinations here.

Contiki takes the stress out of global travel! Each of our trips are designed, tried and tested by travel experts so that you’ll experience the main highlights and hidden gems of your chosen destination. 

Stays, local transport and awesome experiences are included with every trip. You’ll also travel with a friendly group of 18 to 35-year-olds, plus a highly trained Trip Manager and Trip Driver. This means that all you need to do is choose your adventure and then turn up at the designated starting point (usually the hotel/hostel for Day One). 

You can secure your booking with a low deposit, and then set up an (interest free) payment plan to take care of the rest. Choose monthly or bi-weekly payments. If you’d prefer, you can also pay the full amount upfront or pay in flexible instalments up to 60 days before you go.

Not always. You’ll travel by the iconic Contiki coach on lots of trips, especially multi-country adventures in Europe or New Zealand – but you have other options too. We have epic train trips running throughout Europe, then there’s sailing & island hopping in Croatia, Greece, Thailand and beyond. Outside of Europe, you might travel on a mix of trains, minibuses, boats and even planes. Wanna know how you’ll travel on a specific trip? You’ll find all the info you need on the trip page. 

Group sizes will vary from trip to trip, destination to destination. 

Typically in Europe, North America and New Zealand, the group size will range between 24-53. 

In Asia, Australia, Africa and Latin America, group sizes are much smaller and range from 12-30 travellers (30 maximum).

You certainly can. All of our trips are available to book online, just select your preferred travel date(s) and you’re good to go. You can also book over the phone if you'd prefer.

If you need help with your booking or have any questions, you can contact our friendly support teams 24/7, online or over the phone.

Each and every Contiki trip includes: 

• Hotel/hostel accommodation
• Local transport (by coach, train or internal flight) 
• Various experiences like guided tours and meals 
• An expert Trip Manager & Driver and
• MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences
• Breakfast daily (plus a few lunches and dinners too) 
• A group of friendly travellers from around the world, all aged 18-35
• 24/7 support

The number of included meals and activities varies from trip to trip. For example, you’ll find that on many of our city trips, fewer meals are included so you have the freedom to explore different eateries for yourself. 

Wanna know exactly what’s included on a specific trip? Just check the trip page for a more detailed breakdown.

Flights to/from your start/end destination are not included with the cost of your trip. You can add flights to your booking though – just give us a call on 011 280 8481 to make it happen.

Our trips also include optional Free Time Add-Ons – experiences designed to help you get the most out of your Contiki trip. These could be anything from white water rafting to cooking classes, skydiving to a cabaret show. On Day One of your trip, you’ll get to select from a menu of Free Time Add-Ons, and then you can pay for them during the trip.

Breakfast is included on the vast majority of our trips, but not all food is. In most cases, the itinerary has been designed to give you the freedom to explore and choose where/what to eat for yourself (with tips from your Trip Manager/local guides). The number of included meals varies from trip to trip. Got your eye on a specific trip? Visit the trip page for a full breakdown of what’s included. 

Contiki trips don’t include visas or travel insurance. As the traveller, it is your responsibility to procure each of these for yourself – although we can advise on both! Contact our friendly team 24/7, online or over the phone.

Contiki is committed to sustainable travel, and to doing our very best both for the future of our planet and the travellers of tomorrow! We’re on track to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050, we’re proud to report that our European coaches now run on HVO fuel, and our exclusive properties are powered by 100% renewable energy. 

The majority of our trips include at least one MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, designed to benefit local people & communities, wildlife or the planet – aligned with at least one of the United Nations’ Goals for Sustainable Development.

In recent years, we’ve… 

• Announced more trips in more developing regions to help combat over tourism
• Partnered with organisations like Trees for Life (Scotland) and Rainforest Rescue (Australia)
• Published our annual Impact Report, making sure we stay on track with our sustainability goals 
• Committed to being as inclusive as possible, both on our trips and in our marketing

Learn more here.

Yes! It’s a requirement of travelling with Contiki that you take out a comprehensive insurance policy, covering: 

• Cancellation
• Personal injury
• Death
• Medical expenses
• Repatriation expenses
• Evacuation expenses
• Personal liability
• Loss of personal property
• Any and all activities included on your trip

Yes and yes. You can add pre- and post-trip accommodation to your booking in one of three ways:

• When booking your trip online
• In the My Contiki Travel Portal after you've made your booking
• By calling us any time on 011 280 8481

In certain cities, you may even be able to secure a preferential rate for your pre- or post-trip accommodation.

Wanna make the most of your time in a new destination? Many smaller Contiki trips make awesome add-ons to larger adventures. I.e. If your trip starts/ends in London, you can join our London Explorer to get the lowdown on London. To learn more about add-on trips, chat to us 24/7 online or over the phone.

Of course you can! You’ll just need to book each trip separately, then add each individual booking to your My Contiki Travel Portal account. 

If you’re booking two adjoining trips (i.e. one trip ends in London and you’re booking another that starts in London), just make sure you have enough time between the two.

Need help or have questions about multiple bookings? Chat to our friendly team 24/7, online or over the phone on 011 280 8481. 

Visit our Travel Lounge on Facebook to chat to our awesome Contiki community – made up of Past Travellers, Trip Managers and future travellers too.