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Best self-guided tour providers in 2025 – and the worst
The UK's biggest, best and worst self-guided tour companies, as rated by thousands of their customers in our survey of nearly 20,000 holidays
Self-guided travel is all about doing exactly what you want on holiday, at the pace that you want to do it, while still enjoying the financial and legal protection of a package holiday.
Our two top-rated providers received glowing praise for holidays that really allowed travellers to take their time.
Audley Travel’s advisers create detailed personalised plans, based on your own interests, so if you want to spend more time watching wildlife and less time trekking, then that’s exactly what you’ll do. Its advisers are all experts in their specialist countries and know the best places to visit, eat and stay.
Inntravel’s focus is on walking holidays, although you can also cycle through Slovenia, snowshoe in Switzerland, or travel through Sicily by train. Inntravel provides comprehensive instructions and maps to take with you, and a friendly voice at the end of the phone if you get lost.
You can compare the customer scores and prices in the table below and, for extra peace of mind, all the companies that have our Which Recommended Provider status guarantee they won't apply surcharges in 2025 – so the price won't go up after you book.
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How you rate self-guided tour providers
| 84% | n/a | £372 | |||||||||
| 83% | £200 | n/a | n/a | ||||||||
(111) | 81% | £151 | £293 | ||||||||
(87) | 75% | £119 | £167 | ||||||||
| 74% | n/a | £138 | £157 | ||||||||
(133) | 74% | £153 | £204 |
Using the table Based on a survey of 19,958 holidays taken in the past two years from 12,119 Which? Connect members and members of the public in August/September 2024. Sample sizes in brackets. Star ratings are based on one to five stars. The more stars the better. n/a indicates we did not receive enough responses to report on a company in that category. Average price based on the median price per day of holidays taken by survey respondents with the company named in ALL categories of holiday. Short-haul destinations are defined as anywhere less than a five-hour flight from London. Customer score based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the company.
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The self-guided tour companies that Which? recommends
Audley Travel - 86%
Audley Travel is a luxury tour operator providing holidays tailored to individual preferences and interests. All of its advisors have lived or travelled extensively in their specialist countries.
Audley’s self-guided itineraries are packaged with detail and the five-star ‘description matching reality’ rating suggests that your tour will be everything you dreamt it would be.
Which? Verdict: Audley Travel provides exceptional self-guided tours
Read the full Audley Travel review or visit the Audley Travel website
Inntravel – 83%
Inntravel offers a range of self-guided walking, cycling and activity holidays. Its mainly European itineraries include walking Normandy’s D-Day beaches, Andalucia by rail and a drive through the Peloponnese region of Greece.
Inntravel customers appreciated the detailed supporting route notes, as well as the quality of accommodation, food and customer service overall – all of which were rated four stars.
Which? verdict: Memorable self-guided holidays with great itineraries, accommodation and customer service.
Read the full Inntravel review or visit the Inntravel website
What are self-guided tours and how do they work?
Guy Hobbs, Which? package holiday expert, says:
‘Self-guided tours are an excellent option if you want a hassle-free sightseeing or activity trip with a seamless itinerary organised by an expert, but don't fancy group travel.
‘The tour itself can include anything you like, but the most common types are walking, cycling and sightseeing holidays.
‘The tour operator usually provides detailed route maps and useful information about the destination, but unlike on an escorted tour, you can travel at your own pace and on your own terms. You'll also have the reassurance that someone else has dealt with all the logistics, from accommodation and transport to equipment hire and luggage transfers.
‘The provider usually offers an emergency hotline for any problems on the ground. And because these tours are usually sold as an all-inclusive package, you also have legal and financial protection if something goes wrong.’
If you'd prefer to take this kind of holiday with a group of like-minded travellers, check our results for the Best and worst escorted tour providers.
How we researched self-guided tour companies
In August/September 2024, we asked 12,119 Which? Connect panel members and members of the public to complete an online survey about their experiences of booking and going on holiday in the past two years. Our results are based on 19,958 holidays. We only reported on companies in any given category when we received at least 30 relevant responses.