Contiki and Trek America both offer tours in North and Central America, with Contiki also offering tours in many other destinations around the world. In North America, Contiki has 25 tours with another 22 in Latin America, whereas Trek America offers a similar number with 54 tours. Below, we look at the differences between the two operators, to help you decide on an epic trip with Contiki or Trek America.
Cost
Contiki has 25 tours in North America, starting from about USD $110 per day, and their 22 tours in Latin America start at about USD $175 per day.
Trek America has 54 tours in North and Central America, also starting at about USD $110 per day.
Group size, age requirements and travel styles
Contiki has a strict age limit of 15-35, and the group sizes range anywhere from 20 up to 50 travellers. In most cases, you will be travelling a larger group of approximately 30 or 40 other similar aged, like-minded travellers.
Trek America runs tours that are much smaller, yet also has an age limit in place. The groups of a Trek America tour are normally 10-12 people in size, and the age range for Trek America tours is 18-38. This means you will be sharing experiences with travellers of a similar mindset to yourself.
Physical Requirements
With both Trek America and Contiki, generally there are no strenuous activities that must be completed, although some optional excursions, if you decide to do them, may involve swimming, bike riding or small hikes.
Depending on the tour you are wanting to do, this will be found in the detailed itinerary, as there may be times throughout specialty tours (hiking for example) where a certain level of fitness will be required. This will be outlined in the itinerary of each tour.
Accommodation
Contiki tours in the USA and Canada differ from those in Europe, as they use hotels and special stays, as opposed to hostels or camping. The hotels will be centrally located and are decked out with home comforts you’ll love, like hairdryers, WiFi and swimming pools at some of the accommodations.
Trek America offers camping tours, for the all-American outdoor experience, as well as a range of budget lodging tours, for those who would prefer a bed and a roof over their head at night.
This often means that you will be staying away from large city centres and getting in touch with nature. On the camping tours, they provide all the equipment you’ll need apart from a sleeping bag! Regardless of the trip style chosen, accommodation and transport are included in the price of all tours.
Transportation
In the USA and Canada, Trek America has private vans to get you around. These will be driven by your guide and will have wifi on board.
For some tours operating in Central America (Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica) Trek America use BOLTS – Buses or Local Transport, which means on these tours, you’ll get around using buses, water taxis and collectivos. These varied modes of transport help you get around affordably and ensure you get to experience local life.
Contiki in North America uses only private transport, with WiFi and powerpoints. The transport used will generally be a large coach able to accommodate the entire group, so on the trips between destinations, you can get to know your group. For trips to Central America, private minibuses and vans are used, which are fully air-conditioned.
Destinations
Contiki has tours to North America and Latin America, including Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Brazil.
They also have tours to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Trek America has tours to North America (USA and Canada), as well as tours to Latin America.
Looking for more info? Find reviews for Contiki tours here and reviews for Trek America here.
