Because many retired seniors have the luxury of traveling whenever they want, it is best to travel abroad in the low tourist season of the location you are headed to. Not only will flights and accommodations be cheaper, there are fewer crowds to deal with as well. For example, if you want to go to Europe, avoid the summer at all costs, as it is the high tourist season. Go in the early spring or fall instead. Call several airlines that fly to your destination, as some airlines offer discounted airfare for seniors. Some online travel websites also offer their own discounts at certain times for seniors.
Although there are plenty of traditional leisure senior tours available, there are also many tour companies that specialize in adventure-type tours for seniors. ElderTreks (eldertreks.com), for example, offers high-energy adventure experiences that will have seniors hiking, biking and exploring exotic locations. However, tours that include a lot of additional equipment such as kayaks and hiking equipment may be more expensive. Tour companies such as Grand Circle Travel (gct.com) offer more traditional leisure tours with professional guides to take you around. There are also educational senior tours, such as Road Scholar (roadscholar.org), that provide an educational experience, including in-depth explorations of the culture, geography and government of the country you are visiting.
For seniors traveling abroad by themselves, many tour companies provide tours for single travelers. The advantage is that seniors get to meet and make new friends with other single travelers. Tours are typically kept small and intimate, usually no more than 15 to a group. Many also offer special discounts for some trips, as well as waiving the single supplement fee often charged in hotels to people traveling alone. For example, Senior Women's Travel (poshnosh.com/swt/index.htm), a tour company for single senior women, avoids the single supplement fee by pairing up solo travelers together to share hotel rooms. Another company, Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com), which provides both leisure and active tours for singles and groups, consistently offers promotions for seniors that knock 5 to 25 percent off the original trip price.
If you and your senior girlfriends or buddies want to travel abroad together, you can save a lot of money booking the trip together, as many tours offer discounts for large groups. In addition, group airfares are typically far cheaper than purchasing flights individually. A travel agent may be the best person to assist in finding the best group fare rates. Many tour companies accommodate preestablished groups, including the aforementioned Grand Circle Travel, which also offers early booking discounts; Safaris 4 Seniors (safaris4seniors.com), a safari adventure tour company; and Collette Vacations (collettevacations.com), which provides a wide variety of group options and offers air booking services at a discounted rate.
Being a part of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will get you exclusive discounts for flights and accommodations around the world. The AARP has relationships with several tour companies such as Grand European Tours (getours.com) and Collette Vacations, which offer discounts on tour and flights for members. Seniors may also be able to get additional discounts for intercountry travel as well. For example, in some European countries, seniors can get a discount on train fare from one city to another. Ask at any train station you go to, as senior discounts are not always advertised.
