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G Adventures vs Topdeck
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of G Adventures and Topdeck.The Low Down
G Adventures have impressed us with their ethos, their range of unique itineraries and proven track record with over 100,000 past travellers. Their main competitor in the adventure touring space is Intrepid, with both Operators focused on authentic, affordable small group tours. With over 600 trips around the world and 50,000 departures, G have a stunning range of interesting unique itineraries to choose from, with a focus on South and Central America, Asia and Polar expedition cruising. G Adventures operate dynamic pricing so prices can change daily - upwards if the trip is filling up, and down if they need to fill some spaces. G have also recently incorporated Wellness trips, 18-to-Thirty Somethings adventures and National Georgraphic Signature luxury trips into their portfolio of trip styles.
Topdeck has undergone a complete brand refresh and their big bus tours are out. An all-new portfolio of small group tours for travellers aged 18 to 32 have been released. There's a maximum of 18 travellers on each trip along with a more targeted age range that has narrowed from 18-39 to 18-32. With a renewed focus on connection, Topdeck's small group trips prioritise authentic, genuine interactions with fellow travellers. Smaller groups allow for a more connected and personal exploration of each destination and a more inclusive and communal atmosphere. While Europe makes up the backbone of Topdeck's range, they also run a series of tours through Asia, Egypt, Morocco and New Zealand. Topdeck's new trips take advantage of public transport where they can - like the use trains over coaches to allow more time in key cities and less time spent travelling.
Stats
No. of Trips
1,066
No. of Departures
96,856
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$245
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium & Luxury
No. of Trips
70
No. of Departures
801
Avg. Trip Length
15 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$208
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
G Adventures came from a desire to deliver authentic and responsible small group travel adventures that were equally life-changing for travellers and the communities they visit. And we’re been doing just that for almost 30 years. Our award-winning trips span seven continents and over 100 countries, giving you meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, as well as offering you the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own.
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Topdeck's origin story was small group touring. It was 14 absolute adventurers who were fun and spirited and ready to go out there and see everything. At the end of the 90's and into the 2000's, Topdeck moved to large coaches and now we're returning to or roots. Our travellers don’t see bigger groups as ‘more social’ -they want to connect quickly, with like-minded people, in a way that feels less overwhelming and less intrusive.
Small group touring unlocks up so many opportunities. We can now get into local tavernas or hole-in-the-wall restaurants, sit family-style, and build that cultural connection. We can run small optional expereinces and secure entry to highlights like the Alhambra much more easily than with a large coach. It makes each experience more immersive and flexible.
What’s changed is the trip itself: better choice of centrally located accommodation, richer in-destination experiences, and more inclusivity.
Recent Reviews
4.6
Make sure you can walk 0
Christmas in Central Europe, Berlin to Vienna
Mom and Daughter Trip, WA, United States, Nov 2025
We did a mother–daughter trip. We can both walk. Some in our group could not, and it really dragged us down. We also can follow simple travel instructions and pivot to make our own plans for side activities and meals; others could not. That said, we had a great time!
Our CEO, Jelena, was great. However, at times we felt that she could have used some read more office support that she could have contacted. We turned a corner to be at a Christmas market that wasn’t there in Berlin. She did a great job of pivoting, knowing some history to tell us, and found a cathedral for us to go in and tour for a moment. She also explained some other monuments that were in the plaza, which was an old site used for Christmas markets but not in 2025.
The small offers that the tour company provided, such as the currywurst, the glüevine, and lebkuchen, seemed to be more difficult with the budget allowed by the tour company than it really needed to be. For instance, people were given too many options: what was in the budget, or add more money, or pay for the deposit on the mugs and get it back if you want, or keep it if you want. It just seemed very confusing for so many people at once. It would have been nice if it had been arranged that we went to a specific booth for each of those items. Maybe G Adventures is able to look into contracting that in the future. Or making a specific reservation for the cakes and coffee in Vienna. Or working it out ahead of time with the restaurant on the meet-up day for a set meal that’s within the budget, so everybody can get a little bit without having to go over budget, get confused, and feel off-put on our first dinner together.
We loved the Christmas markets. We loved the time that we spent. We loved the bit of history that we learned through our CEO. We know that it was one of the first Christmas market tours of the year, and we definitely felt some hiccups, but we had a good group of people that really tried to make the best of it.
I would recommend this tour for anyone in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. My mom was fine in her 70s, but others younger were not. I don’t want to sound bad, but if you walk with a cane, a walking tour is probably not the tour group that’s best for you. That’s the experience that 17 people had to endure on our tour. They would have to be able to walk multiple miles and deal with their luggage themselves, because one slow person affects 17 other people, and that really isn’t fair for the 17.
We knew we were going to be staying at smaller places, and they were great and had different personalities. Although the one in Salzburg should probably be looked at for the smell in the restroom, on the flip side that smell made us get out of the room nice and early to find the Thursday market in Salzburg, which was an amazing find and one of the highlights of our trip.
The accommodations were okay. I would give them about two stars at best. Berlin was a little bit better. But for single women traveling, places with a whole lot of graffiti or a strip club across the street were not exactly the safest feeling, and I don’t know if that was actually planned. But it’s how it was, and we did try to travel in groups because of that. There were some very high points and some very “this could be done a little bit better with just a little bit of effort” points as well.
Our CEO, Jelena, was great. However, at times we felt that she could have used some read more office support that she could have contacted. We turned a corner to be at a Christmas market that wasn’t there in Berlin. She did a great job of pivoting, knowing some history to tell us, and found a cathedral for us to go in and tour for a moment. She also explained some other monuments that were in the plaza, which was an old site used for Christmas markets but not in 2025.
The small offers that the tour company provided, such as the currywurst, the glüevine, and lebkuchen, seemed to be more difficult with the budget allowed by the tour company than it really needed to be. For instance, people were given too many options: what was in the budget, or add more money, or pay for the deposit on the mugs and get it back if you want, or keep it if you want. It just seemed very confusing for so many people at once. It would have been nice if it had been arranged that we went to a specific booth for each of those items. Maybe G Adventures is able to look into contracting that in the future. Or making a specific reservation for the cakes and coffee in Vienna. Or working it out ahead of time with the restaurant on the meet-up day for a set meal that’s within the budget, so everybody can get a little bit without having to go over budget, get confused, and feel off-put on our first dinner together.
We loved the Christmas markets. We loved the time that we spent. We loved the bit of history that we learned through our CEO. We know that it was one of the first Christmas market tours of the year, and we definitely felt some hiccups, but we had a good group of people that really tried to make the best of it.
I would recommend this tour for anyone in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. My mom was fine in her 70s, but others younger were not. I don’t want to sound bad, but if you walk with a cane, a walking tour is probably not the tour group that’s best for you. That’s the experience that 17 people had to endure on our tour. They would have to be able to walk multiple miles and deal with their luggage themselves, because one slow person affects 17 other people, and that really isn’t fair for the 17.
We knew we were going to be staying at smaller places, and they were great and had different personalities. Although the one in Salzburg should probably be looked at for the smell in the restroom, on the flip side that smell made us get out of the room nice and early to find the Thursday market in Salzburg, which was an amazing find and one of the highlights of our trip.
The accommodations were okay. I would give them about two stars at best. Berlin was a little bit better. But for single women traveling, places with a whole lot of graffiti or a strip club across the street were not exactly the safest feeling, and I don’t know if that was actually planned. But it’s how it was, and we did try to travel in groups because of that. There were some very high points and some very “this could be done a little bit better with just a little bit of effort” points as well.
Wonderful tour. Japanese 'CEO' was so kind and well organized. She made sure we had a great variety of experiences in and outside of the cities. I loved every moment of my tour.
This was our 5th trip with G Adventures and it did not disappoint. The CEO, Toshio, was outstanding in his knowledge, organization, kindness and generosity. He even guided us around during free time ! I used Global Journeys to book the trip because they quoted a better price than GAdventures. Melissa made the booking easy and made sure I received read more my GAdventures credit and also that we could use our rail pass on the last day for our transfer to the airport. We used Zipair for our flight and had no problem using a no-frills company to save on our flight costs. Accomodation was as expected with only 2 nights with shared washrooms. Seniors might have difficulty with beds on the floor.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
The soloish trip to Italy was the best trip I have taken. Having a group of solo travelers patriciate in a pasta making class the first night was an excellent bonding moment. I had such a good time, our CEO was outstanding and I have made lifelong friends. I will definitely travel with G adventures again.
The group was an excellent size, lovely guide and bus driver. Plenty of time at each stop, and Meghan our guide was very thorough in both informing us and setting us on our way for our free time slots. Hotels okay, but the Relais hotel in Parisshould not be allowed to let room 111. It is not up to standard. and actually, most depressing to be in. All in all a great trip.
Galapagos Adventure: Snorkelling & Sea Lions 1
Galápagos Adventure: Snorkelling & Sea Lions
David, NC, United States, Sep 2025
The tours and activities were great! Really enjoyed our leader. Felt like he was very knowledgeable and he was very personable. One complaint-breakfasts were way too small. Nina from Global Journeys was extremely helpful. Especially since I made arrangements kind of last minute.
4.6
I have traveled a lot for school and work but this Euro trip was by far the best experience. I got to experience new cultures, try new foods, meet incredible people and have memories for a lifetime with new bonds I created. This is a VERY fast paced trip. It gives you teasers of each city. Be prepared to pack, tour and explore in a short period of time. read more It gave me a broad perspective of the cities I would like to visit again. Thank you for a great tour and a lifetime of memories Topdeck!
Central Europe Highlights 1
Get Social: Central Europe Highlights (Winter)
Oliver, New Zealand, Jan 2023
Fantastic trip, accommodation and travel were great and the team leader was amazing. Found it a great way to get an overview of Europe, though I think in retrospect more time in fewer places would have been better as at times it felt quite rushed. Ultimately though I was able to see and do what I wanted to do, though each day was fairly jam packed to read more do it all. Really enjoyed myself.
Fast paced trip through many locations in Italy 4
Delve Deep: Italy
Barbara, VIC, Australia, Aug 2017
Bravo Italia was a fantastic tour that included 16 stops around Italy. This is not for someone looking for a leisurely holiday - every bus day had stops at towns with walking tours and then time for lunch along with a group dinner once you arrived in your location, and most free days had included walking tours or activities that took up most of the read more morning. If you are looking to see as much as you can in as little time as possible I would recommend this. Our trip leader was highly knowledgeable and always happy to help if you had a question about where to go, what to do, etc. The other people on the trip were mostly from Aus/NZ and were mostly age 25+, with a lot of couples. Booking through Global Journeys was easy and I would use them again.
This tour is great for someone who wants to get a taste of many different countries in Europe and plans on returning later for some more in-depth travel. The tour is very fast paced, as you are on the bus almost every day, but the trips go by quickly and before you know it you are in a new place. The accomodations were all of decent quality, the included read more meals were nice and there was a great mix of planned activities and free time. There was never any pressure to do any activities though, so you could always go off on your own accord if you wish. My tour leader Jass and driver Filipe made the trip fun and I will never forget this experience. If you are thinking about it and are not sure... just do it. It's the best thing I've ever done and as a solo traveller was a great way for me to make friends.
Juliet at Global Journeys was an excellent travel agent - she put through all my request efficiently and promptly and was happy to answer any questions. Would highly recommend booking through Global Journeys as they gave me the best price I could find on this trip.
Juliet at Global Journeys was an excellent travel agent - she put through all my request efficiently and promptly and was happy to answer any questions. Would highly recommend booking through Global Journeys as they gave me the best price I could find on this trip.
A very fast paced and exhausting tour but really worth it. I got to visit all of the places I only used to dream of visiting. The accommodation was lacking in some cities but generally pretty good. The Topdeck tour leader and coach driver were very professional and lovely people. Some of the optional excursions were disappointing but I'm glad that I read more got to experience them.
Booking through Global Journeys was a breeze and Juliet Scott was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this trip and booking through Global Journeys to friends and family.
Booking through Global Journeys was a breeze and Juliet Scott was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this trip and booking through Global Journeys to friends and family.
I really enjoyed the laid back pace of this tour. Unlike the usual Europe coach tours, this felt more relaxed, mostly as it was one county and main transport by ferry. The accommodation could be better, hotels usually not in central locations (apart from the really small islands we visited) and fairly dated/old. Also, a large chunk of the tour are very read more young, be prepared for lots of alcohol/late nights. I found the pairing of roommates quite odd (e.g I'm in my mid twenties and shared with an 18 year old, another was a 30 year old with a 20 year old). Otherwise the tour was very enjoyable and I really enjoyed the amount of free time. The optional tours were worth it as well.
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