Home > Compare Tour & Adventure Operators > Insight Vacations vs Trafalgar
Insight Vacations vs Trafalgar
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Insight Vacations and Trafalgar.The Low Down
Upmarket coach touring, with 4.5+ star accommodation, maximum group sizes of 40 on a full size coach and more leisurely paced touring itineraries. The pricing of Insight's trips tends to attract travellers in their 60's and 70's. If you're tall, then you should seriously consider Insight, as their coaches been reconfigured to allow up to twice as much legroom as on a standard coach. Insight have recently launched trips through South America, and expanded their range of Gold Luxury Vacations, where you can expect the ultimate in luxury and refinement.We find that the feedback we get back from past clients is sometimes a little critical, and we feel this is because of the very high standard some of our clients are expecting due to Insight's positioning in the market. On every multi-day journey, there will always be little annoyances, but as a whole package the team here definitely recommend Insight worthy of your consideration. If you've travelled with any of its sister brands like AAT Kings, Trafalgar or Uniworld further savings are available.
Over 350 coach tours around the world, and one of our clients most popular Operators, Trafalgar is part of the Travel Corporation, which includes under its umbrella the sister brands of Insight Vacations, AAT Kings, Uniworld, Contiki & Costsaver. With a worldwide presence and local operations in Australasia for many years, you'll enjoy the company of many nationalities aboard your coach, including those from Downunder. Sitting between Insight and Costsaver, Trafalgar pride themselves in touring innovation, introducing 'Insider Experiences' (where you get to know and dine with the locals) and travel styles to suit those that prefer smaller groups or those that prefer a more leisurely itinerary.Look out for Trafalgar's Early-payment savings where you can save up to 10% on your trip as well as further savings if you are a past passenger on any of the aforementioned sister brands.
Stats
No. of Trips
453
No. of Departures
4,103
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$561
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Budget
Premium
No. of Trips
407
No. of Departures
9,075
Avg. Trip Length
11 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$470
Accommodation
4 Star
Budget
Premium
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
At Insight Vacations we have been creating magical travel experiences for over 40 years, showcasing the most outstanding destinations and curated experiences in Europe and North America.
Why are we different to any other operator? It’s our unique Insight experiences. It’s our authentic and varied dining options, it’s travelling in smaller groups on customised coaches with twice the legroom, it’s staying in the right hotels in the right location, all brought together seamlessly by our exceptional travel directors. In essence: All the sights, and the insights….up close and personal…in comfort and style.
Travel is such a joy and a personal passion for myself and every member of our team. We’re so proud of the quality, service and value we provide and invite you to try it for yourself. Talk to Global Journeys to find out more about travelling in style and booking your next holiday with Insight Vacations.
We are the world’s leading and most awarded travel brand spanning all 7 continents of the globe. From the iconic to the unexpected our guests connect to the real depth of the places we go. They will break bread with the locals at our exclusive Be My Guest experiences and unlock local secrets of our Travel Directors and Local Specialists. Everything is taken care of, so they travel with true ease and get the real thing without worrying about a thing.
We consider how we can positively impact the communities we engage with. Through our JoinTrafalgar initiatives powered by TreadRight, guests don’t just leave footprints on the ground, but leave a lasting legacy for the betterment of locals and the future of their communities.
It’s 72 years of destination experience and feedback from over 5 million happy guests that fuels our innovation to continually delivery simply the best holidays.
Recent Reviews
4.5
I would certainly recommend this tour. It covers the whole country and it is a country of contrasts, from the Algarve in the south to the Duoro valley in the north. They are two very different geographies. The hotels were comfortable and there was plenty of food. There was also plenty of walking. Bring comfortable walking shoes with you.
There were ...read more many highlights, even if some were a bit of a challenge: try wine tasting at 9.15 am. The three that stood out for me were the Capela dos Ossos with its skulls, bones and the mummified remains of a young women and a child; the cork factory; and the Templar Castle and Convent of Christ in Tomar. The local guides were excellent, especially the local guide in Tomar.
Criticisms are few. The time in Lisbon was limited and our tour director probably spent more time talking about his real estate adventures and the unreliability of Portuguese tradesmen than was necessary. And if you use a face washer (or face cloth), bring one with you, because they aren’t supplied in the hotels.
Jemma Rosen, as always, provided the service I’ve come to expect from Global Journeys, but excelled when it came to a major problem with Lufthansa’s cancelled flights and difficulties with alternative flights. She had the problem sorted in a very short time.
There were ...read more many highlights, even if some were a bit of a challenge: try wine tasting at 9.15 am. The three that stood out for me were the Capela dos Ossos with its skulls, bones and the mummified remains of a young women and a child; the cork factory; and the Templar Castle and Convent of Christ in Tomar. The local guides were excellent, especially the local guide in Tomar.
Criticisms are few. The time in Lisbon was limited and our tour director probably spent more time talking about his real estate adventures and the unreliability of Portuguese tradesmen than was necessary. And if you use a face washer (or face cloth), bring one with you, because they aren’t supplied in the hotels.
Jemma Rosen, as always, provided the service I’ve come to expect from Global Journeys, but excelled when it came to a major problem with Lufthansa’s cancelled flights and difficulties with alternative flights. She had the problem sorted in a very short time.
It was my first Insight Vacation and it was even better than I thought it would be. Exceptional accommodation, an awesome tour director and for me, just long enough at 11 days. It was more full on than I thought, we were shattered by the end of each day but will know to really study for next time. Our tour group were fun, from across the globe and ...read more for many it was their 4th, 5th or more tour. I will definitely book again!
Overall the trip was amazing. Probably better than we had even hoped for. There was so much to see every day and it never got old. The guide in each country was excellent. Each had an amazing knowledge of each place we visited and could answer almost any question. The accommodation was good and the coach travel was comfortable and we felt safe and ...read more well cared for. Highlights for us were Bethlehem in Israel, Petra in Jordan and Karnak Temple & Abu Simbel in Egypt.
We felt the Egypt section could have been improved with some changes to schedule. On day one we arrived at the hotel at 6pm and had to be packed, ready to leave at 3.30am to catch the 6am flight to Luxor. The optional flight to Abu Simbel was more than 7 hours later which meant a rushed trip to the site and arrival back at the boat at 10.30pm for a buffet dinner! On our last day in Luxor, we toured all day then returned to the boat for 2 hours before catching the 10pm flight to Cairo. It ran 90 minutes late, the coach was not waiting for us in Cairo and we finally got to the hotel at 2.30am. People were tired and still had 2 days of touring in Cairo.
We felt the Egypt section could have been improved with some changes to schedule. On day one we arrived at the hotel at 6pm and had to be packed, ready to leave at 3.30am to catch the 6am flight to Luxor. The optional flight to Abu Simbel was more than 7 hours later which meant a rushed trip to the site and arrival back at the boat at 10.30pm for a buffet dinner! On our last day in Luxor, we toured all day then returned to the boat for 2 hours before catching the 10pm flight to Cairo. It ran 90 minutes late, the coach was not waiting for us in Cairo and we finally got to the hotel at 2.30am. People were tired and still had 2 days of touring in Cairo.
Travelling with Insight for the first time was a joy; our accommodation was of a high standard and all were centrally located. The tour director Gwen was very personable and did a great job, and our tour companions were also very friendly and a mix of nationalities.
Our main goal was to see the fabled Aurora Borealis and we managed to see it once ...read more (at North Cape), which was satisfactory. Most of our fellow travellers however were disappointed there weren't many more sightings despite having necessary favourable weather conditions a few times (clear, cloudless skies and sufficient solar activity), but Mother Nature was not cooperative. Just going to the northern parts of Norway above the Arctic Circle was special enough for us, as Honningsvag, Alta, and Tromsø were all unique and spectacular places to be, especially in winter (or close enough to it) with a snowy landscape.
Overall, I would recommend this tour, but don't have too many expectations of seeing the Northern Lights night after night. Just enjoy this part of the world for all it has to offer, and it's a lot!
Our main goal was to see the fabled Aurora Borealis and we managed to see it once ...read more (at North Cape), which was satisfactory. Most of our fellow travellers however were disappointed there weren't many more sightings despite having necessary favourable weather conditions a few times (clear, cloudless skies and sufficient solar activity), but Mother Nature was not cooperative. Just going to the northern parts of Norway above the Arctic Circle was special enough for us, as Honningsvag, Alta, and Tromsø were all unique and spectacular places to be, especially in winter (or close enough to it) with a snowy landscape.
Overall, I would recommend this tour, but don't have too many expectations of seeing the Northern Lights night after night. Just enjoy this part of the world for all it has to offer, and it's a lot!
Overall we enjoyed our tour in Spain. We loved the country and acquired a lot of interesting information about it from our tour guide and from the local guides we also used along the way. We felt that the company did a good job of highlighting as much of the country as possible in the time available. The coach was comfortable and the accommodation was ...read more good.
However, there are a couple of aspects of the tour we would like reviewed by the operators. The first is the group dinners. Overall they were disappointing. I don’t believe the food was the best Spanish restaurants have to offer … and the way it was served to such a large group wasn’t pleasant either. We felt like we were a nuisance … and so the faster the food’s served and finished, the better. Probably one group dinner together would be sufficient. Surely this would also mean a fairer distribution of business in each location? And I’m quite sure the quality and value for money would be better.
The ‘optional extras’ were the other aspect of the tour I didn’t like. If something is worth seeing in a particular city, then include it in the tour. Why make it an ‘extra’? Of course I understand that every important site or monument can’t be included in a ‘highlights’ tour, but if the inclusions are listed then the customer knows what they are signing up for. By all means leave the occasional free afternoon or morning (I’m not saying we should have every second filled) but when it’s free time just make it free time. Overall I felt these ‘optional extras’ were more about the company creating more revenue.
The tour guide and driver were really lovely. These people do a good job … I hope the tour operators adequately remunerate them (because in the tour information there is a lot made of the tipping, and how essential it is etc … the implication being that we need to help the company to supplement their salaries). Surely tipping is at the discretion of the customer, without the percentage or amount being suggested by the company in their tour notes?
However, there are a couple of aspects of the tour we would like reviewed by the operators. The first is the group dinners. Overall they were disappointing. I don’t believe the food was the best Spanish restaurants have to offer … and the way it was served to such a large group wasn’t pleasant either. We felt like we were a nuisance … and so the faster the food’s served and finished, the better. Probably one group dinner together would be sufficient. Surely this would also mean a fairer distribution of business in each location? And I’m quite sure the quality and value for money would be better.
The ‘optional extras’ were the other aspect of the tour I didn’t like. If something is worth seeing in a particular city, then include it in the tour. Why make it an ‘extra’? Of course I understand that every important site or monument can’t be included in a ‘highlights’ tour, but if the inclusions are listed then the customer knows what they are signing up for. By all means leave the occasional free afternoon or morning (I’m not saying we should have every second filled) but when it’s free time just make it free time. Overall I felt these ‘optional extras’ were more about the company creating more revenue.
The tour guide and driver were really lovely. These people do a good job … I hope the tour operators adequately remunerate them (because in the tour information there is a lot made of the tipping, and how essential it is etc … the implication being that we need to help the company to supplement their salaries). Surely tipping is at the discretion of the customer, without the percentage or amount being suggested by the company in their tour notes?
The tour itself was great. There were many highlights especially for those who love the buildings, culture and art of Ancient Egyptians. The Nile cruise was wonderful and food good. There is one hitch. Transfers at Cairo airport, the pickup is not at the Arrival Hall but at the area before the Immigration. For travellers especially jet lagged travellers ...read more who after after 21 hours flight from Australia can easily not notice it. Insight informed travellers that the pickup was at Arrival Hall or outside depending on Covid restrictions. I had before the trip, enquired with my advisor to confirm the pickup point. Sadly she said there was no reply from Insight. It was a dent in my holiday because I was not informed of the pickup point, walked pass it and had to take local taxi and paid US 30 dollars!!!
4.6
This is the 2nd time we have booked through Global Journeys and our contact Hannah has been wonderful! It is always great to get the same person to deal with again.
The tour with Trafalgar was our first time and we found the short tour to Devon & Cornwall to be exactly perfect. Our Tour director Hannah and bus driver Steph were absolutely the best ...read more to deal with and they looked after the whole bus load of 47 tourists really well. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Trafalgar again. There was a good mix of people from Australia, US, UK and NZ.
The tour with Trafalgar was our first time and we found the short tour to Devon & Cornwall to be exactly perfect. Our Tour director Hannah and bus driver Steph were absolutely the best ...read more to deal with and they looked after the whole bus load of 47 tourists really well. I wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Trafalgar again. There was a good mix of people from Australia, US, UK and NZ.
This tour was a Trafalgar tour and was the best tour we have been on. Trafalgar really know how to run a tour. Our Tour Director and Driver were faultless, both providing an excellent service. The Tour Director (Terry Blanchflower) needs a special mention. His attention to detail was first class. He provided us with each days activities the eve before ...read more and ensured that we all knew what was happening and when it was to occur. He made great recommendations for things to do when we had free time.
Ireland is a fascinating country to visit. The people are so friendly and welcoming. Everywhere we went we met locals who welcomed us with open arms. The social scene experienced at each of the Pubs we visited was nothing like what we see here in Australia. The history and scenery are both very interesting and well worth the effort to visit. The tour itself is a leisurely pace that allows enough time to relax and explore cities at an acceptable pace. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Ireland is a fascinating country to visit. The people are so friendly and welcoming. Everywhere we went we met locals who welcomed us with open arms. The social scene experienced at each of the Pubs we visited was nothing like what we see here in Australia. The history and scenery are both very interesting and well worth the effort to visit. The tour itself is a leisurely pace that allows enough time to relax and explore cities at an acceptable pace. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Well paced tour with Trafalgar with multiple 2 night stays. Our tour guide was energetic and knowledgeable and had a great passion for the two countries. The tour group were a great mix and added to the fun of the trip. Slovenia was an incredible surprise with the stunning Lake Bled and the capital of Ljubljana. The Plitvice Lakes in Croatia and its ...read more entire coast line is absolutely stunning. And for Games Of Thrones fans like ourselves Dubrovnik old town (aka Kings Landing) was the icing on the cake. It is our second overseas tour we have booked with Global Journeys and both times the attentiveness of their staff is much appreciated.
Oh my goodness I just got back from my first tour with Trafalgar exploring Portugal and saw so many wonderful things that I would not have gotten did it on my own. Our tour guide was so creative within the structured itinerary. For example she organised opportunities for people to speak one on one to vintners or to see an amazing bookstore. And the ...read more passion that she has about Portugal brought the history and culture to life. Having said all of this, without Jemma's wonderful guidance and support during the whole booking process, it would not have been possible. Jemma has such wonderful experience and made the whole process seamless. thanks for such am amazing holiday and can hardly wait until September for the Greek Islands.
Would absolutely recommend the Best of Italy tour. This was my first tour and although I knew it would be good, it exceeded my expectations. We were told it was a popular tour and considering the number of beautiful places you visit and the great accommodation where you stay, you can see why. From the great team including the professional TD and driver ...read more to the local specialists it was all so well organised. It was so much fun. Special thanks to Georgie for booking my tour with such ease and I look forward to booking another in the near future.
Great tour of Ireland and Northern Ireland that was aided by excellent weather (we expected rain every day but only got a few days). Our TD Emma was a local with a clear passion for her home and she provided good information and funny anecdotes through the ten days. The itinerary was mostly great, although we would've preferred to have stayed in Waterford ...read more instead of Kilkenny for our penultimate night (Waterford was larger and more interesting), especially when the last day involved basically travelling back towards Waterford to head to Dunbrody, which didn't seem logical.
The hotels were generally of a good standard with excellent location near the city centre, except for Galway which was a bit far (a 30-minute bus ride away). We did also notice that around half the hotels on the tour was changed from the ones listed from our original booking, including the one in Galway. Overall, we recommend this tour if your aim is to visit most of the country's top attractions (Giant's Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, etc.) in a comfortable way and want a taster of the two countries.
The hotels were generally of a good standard with excellent location near the city centre, except for Galway which was a bit far (a 30-minute bus ride away). We did also notice that around half the hotels on the tour was changed from the ones listed from our original booking, including the one in Galway. Overall, we recommend this tour if your aim is to visit most of the country's top attractions (Giant's Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, etc.) in a comfortable way and want a taster of the two countries.
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