Should I book a group tour or travel solo?
Book a small-group tour if you're short on time, heading somewhere logistically tricky, or want instant company and safety; travel solo if freedom, budget and setting your own pace matter more. Plenty of 18–35s do both — a tour to start, then break off and travel independently once they've found their feet.
A tour trades some freedom for ease: transport, accommodation and a ready-made group are sorted, which is worth a lot when you only have two weeks or you're nervous about going alone. You'll usually pay a premium over doing it yourself, but rarely as much as people assume once you count the logistics you'd otherwise pay for piecemeal.
Solo travel is cheaper and infinitely flexible, but you carry all the planning and the quiet evenings. The honest middle path — a short group trip to break the ice, then independent time after — is why so many people book a one-week tour rather than a three-week one.