9 destinations that are best seen on a guided or small-group tour — including some you wouldn’t expect

Guided tours have always made sense for seeing Egypt’s legendary pyramids or Africa’s expansive parks. But even seemingly easy-to-navigate destinations — say, Australia, Japan or America’s national parks — are great contenders for a guided or small-group tour.

Big names like Globus, Trafalgar, Adventures by Disney, Abercrombie & Kent and Tauck are leaders in the industry, with tours that go beyond just ticking boxes; these guided tours blend insider access with local culture, food, history and geography.

Best of all? Someone else is taking care of the logistics, leaving you free to sit back and take it all in. Here’s our pick of where to go — and why a guided or small-group tour makes all the difference.

Armenia

Armenia rarely tops travel lists — which is exactly why it’s worth a closer look. The Caucasus nation is laced with hilltop monasteries, timeless villages and a 6,000-year-old wine-making tradition. The capital of Yerevan hums with cafe culture and modern art, yet history is never far away. Traveling solo can be tricky, but Globus’ 11-day Journey Through Time makes it seamless, weaving together Armenia’s history and spiritual heritage, from the Armenian Genocide Museum and Etchmiadzin, the world’s oldest Christian cathedral, to the UNESCO-listed monasteries of Sanahin and Haghpat. There are surprises, too: Sample Areni’s vintage wines and Winston Churchill’s favorite cognac straight from the barrel before crossing into Georgia, where food and wine are having a moment. Take note that Globus’ tour is a small-group tour designed for a maximum of 18 people.

Norway

Most people dream of cruising Norway’s fjords, but a small-group tour adds layers. Whether chasing the northern lights in winter or fjords in summer, this is a landscape so stunning, it defies logic. Waterfalls thunder into sapphire inlets, glaciers peek around bends and Viking legend is everywhere. Nordic specialist 50 Degrees North brings together the best of it, from cruising the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord to standing before the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier, exploring the Lofoten Islands or winding hairpin bends along scenic routes. Its eight-day Best of Norway tour begins in the capital of Oslo, with its bold waterfront architecture, and ends in Bergen, where the tour group enjoys fresh seafood on the wharf. In between, you’ll hop aboard the Flam Railway, zip across glassy fjords in a rigid inflatable boat and soak up Norwegian summer vibes in villages that feel plucked from a fairy tale.

Japan

Japan never fails to surprise. Tokyo dazzles with neon skyscrapers and all things kawaii (cute), like cat cafes, Hello Kitty boutiques and Harajuku cosplay. Hiroshima tells a story of resilience, while Kyoto is Japan at its most zen, with temples and geisha at every turn. You could spend a decade here and barely scratch the surface, so having a bit of structure in the form of a guided tour can make a world of difference. Adventures by Disney connects the dots for families of every age. From Kyoto to Hiroshima, “little Kyoto” Takayama and Tokyo, the 10-day journey opens doors to old and new Japan — and experiences that aren’t always easy to unearth alone — from sumo tournaments and rickshaw rides to taiko drumming, bento box-making and the dazzling digital world of teamLab Borderless.

Africa

The Big Five might top every safari wish list, but Africa’s magic lies in how it’s experienced. Small-group tours are the inside track to game drives at dawn, canoe rides along hippo-filled waterways and bush walks, where your bingo card is spine-tingling encounters with wild elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas and painted dogs. Africa specialist Abercrombie & Kent’s Ultimate Great Migration Safari adds a dose of luxury, with front-row seats to one of nature’s greatest spectacles. October is prime viewing, when millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles thunder across the Mara River, predators in hot pursuit. From days red with tooth and claw to evenings in boutique lodges, sundowner in hand, this is Africa at its most luxurious and epic.

Morocco

Envision spice-laden souks, maze-like medinas and the call of the muezzin drifting across rooftops. Morocco is intoxicating to be sure, but its intensity can overwhelm — so a small-group tour makes all the difference. G Adventures Geluxe itineraries slow the pace, with upscale stays, immersive outings and more time to linger. On the nine-day Northern Morocco journey from Casablanca to Marrakech, wander the indigo streets of Chefchaouen, hike the Rif Mountains and tour the Roman ruins of Volubilis. Beyond Fez, and its 1,300-year-old medina, the Middle Atlas beckons. Hike to the dramatic rock formation Imsfrane Cathedral before lunch with an Amazigh family to learn the secrets of their bread. This isn’t just a tour; it’s an intimate look at Morocco from the ground up.

South Korea

South Korea is fast becoming one of the world’s top food destinations, but there’s much more to the Asian nation than kimchi and bibimbap. Trafalgar’s 10-day Best of South Korea takes you from Seoul’s royal palaces and K-pop cool hot spots to the Demilitarized Zone — with its rare glimpse into North Korea — and on to Busan’s coastal charms. Along the way, ride high-speed trains, savor street food at Gwangjang Market and sip traditional rice wine, makgeolli, with a sixth-generation registered master. Over 10 days and five cities, this is a journey that stitches together music, food, history and culture into one unforgettable experience.

Turkey

As you travel through Turkey, the history rises around you like dust from the hallowed roads. Byzantine churches sit alongside Ottoman mosques and bustling bazaars meet sweeping Mediterranean coastlines. Intrepid Travel’s women-only expedition goes behind the monuments, and even into the homes of locals. In Istanbul, a mother and daughter serve borek and strong coffee, then read fortunes the way women in Anatolia have for centuries. In Avanos, a family displaced from Hatay after the 2023 earthquakes cooks for guests, keeping alive the flavors of their UNESCO-listed hometown. Take a hot air balloon high over Cappadocia at dawn, hike the Soganli Valley and learn how to make kitre dolls, handcrafted by local women for generations. This is meaningful travel, where stays in female-owned hotels and visits to social enterprises give back in valuable ways.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina is buzzing right now. Emerging from its turbulent past, Sarajevo hums with cafes, markets and bakeries, the scent of warm burek in the air. In Mostar, the rebuilt Stari Most bridge arches over turquoise waters where locals dive with fearless joy. Globus’ new 10-day Croatia Island Hopper traces the highlights — Sarajevo, Mostar and the spectacular Kravice Falls — before slipping into Croatia and the sun-drenched islands of Hvar and Brac. Along the way, you’ll discover hidden corners, the warmth of the Slavic spirit and food that tells its own story, from flaky cheese-filled burek and grilled cevapi sausages to fresh seafood charred to perfection.

Australia

Australia can feel deceptively easy to explore alone, but hit the open road and its vastness quickly becomes clear. Tauck’s Spotlight on Australia makes sense of the scale, with three charter flights and experiences that dial up the luxury. Think Melbourne’s hidden laneways, a private cruise of Sydney Harbour, hot air ballooning over Port Douglas and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef’s vibrant outer reef. Add in Uluru glowing at sunset, Indigenous rock art stretching back 65,000 years and wildlife found nowhere else, and you’ll see why expert planning transforms a trip here into something truly spectacular.

Bottom line

Guided and small-group tours unlock experiences you might otherwise miss. From off-the-beaten-path destinations to family-friendly adventures and women-only expeditions, they offer VIP access to culture, food, history and hidden corners — perfect for first-timers or anyone seeking more than the usual sights.