I normally prefer independent travel but this seems like an economical, convenient, and stimulating way to explore more exotic locales. Anyone care to share experiences, good or bad?

Since i travel cheaply I have met several of the elderhostel tours in my travels accidentally. At least in Europe, they seem to choose centrally located small hotels and allow some free time for personal exploring. However there seemed to be "lectures" at meals which seemed like they were"official" lectures and not just some windbag

I support them getting tours together for older people. Until I am older and/or more inform or mobility-limited, I will ,iely not use their tours Right now I would have a hard time with being limited by the most limited of the older people I have met on these tours who had a lot of trouble walking , hearing etc. The tour groups seem to be big - 20 or more - at least in France and Spain.

I do get their booklets on tours and I found the prices for First World travel locales rather expensive. Perhaps for more exotic locales it's a better deal re; access and level of comfort.

I have friends who love them BUT we will not pay the outrageous sums they want for their tours. We still know how to read and research. Plus we like to pick restaurants for ourselves. Group dinners are usually appalling.

Wife and self (70ish and usually independent travelers) took the elderhostel Copper Canyon (mexico) trip two years ago.
Plus side: luggage handling was painless, trip transfers well organized, not a push-push schedule, no hurry up and wait on activities
Minus side: stuck with large group- no relief if no compatible travelers as companions, group dinners were preset with little choice from menu
Would recommend it for third world travel areas where local transportation could be haphazard and excessively time consuming.

I have never traveled with Elderhostel, and I am sure I never will.

I recently browsed through their online brochure for various destinations on different continents, and I was astonished to see that Elderhostel had prices that really were quite expensive!

I could easily put together my own vacation in 4-star hotels that would be much less costly than what they offer. In most parts of the world, transfers and luggage handling are not so difficult to accomplish.

Although Punki and I are interested in some of the tours that they have available, I'm sure that we'll choose to self explore by ourselves as long as we are physically fit and able.

Besides, I don't think that they do very many tours where there is lots of ballroom dancing available.

nor do they speak swiss-german ...