Exploring a destination with a group may help you navigate a new city better than you might have if you were traveling solo. But have you tried traveling with a group of people who inherently understands your existence? As humans, we are likely to group ourselves with people similar to us, so it isn’t a coincidence that Black people tend to travel in groups. From gathering at some of the best Black festivals IRL to cheerleading other Black travel bloggers online, for Black travelers, community and travel have always been intrinsically interlinked. If you’re a Black traveler looking to scratch your travel itch, try one of these seven Black travel groups on your next trip.
For Creative Travelers: Wind Collective
Wind Collective has only been around since 2017, and they’re already a force to be reckoned with. Their itineraries have taken travelers from places like Brazil all the way to The Philippines. The London-based collective believes in meshing creativity with travel, which is evident from their Instagram feed. Travelers joining this Black travel group can expect a ‘creative session’ where they’ll be authentically photographed and recorded as they enjoy their trip. These creative sessions serve as beautiful reminders of the experience (and make for great travel ‘grams, too).
As a way to infuse social good into everything they do, every Wind Collective trip includes a ‘give back session’ where travelers contribute to bettering the local communities in the destinations that they visit. They’ve given back in places all over the world like Bali, Cuba, and Colombia.
For Single Black Travelers: Haywire Weekend
If you’re a single traveler, then Haywire Weekend might be for you. Touted as “the best weekend of your life”, Haywire expertly combines island life, luxury travel, and partying. They pride themselves on finding the best and most exclusive villas for every trip. If luxury travel is your thing, Haywire is for you.
As erratic as its namesake, Haywire Weekend is absolutely for single people, groups of friends, or couples who are traveling together. The crew is fun to follow along with on social media too. The company films epic episodes on their trips similar to the style of a reality television show. If boat parties and flowing bottles sound good to you, don’t forget to add Haywire to your list.
For Solo Women: Black Girls Travel Too
Black women looking to join a group trip should definitely consider Black Girls Travel Too. The travel company was founded to steer away from the narrative that Black women don’t travel. In her youth, BGTT’s founder, Danny Rivers-Mitchell, fell in love with traveling after a school field trip to Washington, D.C. The Alabama native started the organization as an online community on Instagram in 2015.
Since then, over 100K people have followed the company’s far-flung adventures. Previous destinations for their group trips have included London, Thailand, India, and Australia. Barbados, in particular, is a favorite destination for the group as they take travelers to the island each year to celebrate crop over: a carnival-style celebration held every summer. Black Girls Travel Too trips are immersive in the local cultures, often including volunteer opportunities, while providing camaraderie amongst Black women.
For Adventurers: Urban Events Global
Founded in 2011 as a camping trip for a group of friends, Urban Events Global is the go-to Black travel company for those seeking a bit of adventure. Every year, they host a range of trips including a camp weekend, two international trips, and a cruise weekend. UEG events are made for the curious, thrill-seeking Black traveler.
Urban Camp Weekend is usually held in the South; this year’s event was in New Braunfels, Texas. Campers can pull up in their own RVs, cozy up in a cabin, or pitch a tent. Activities include everything from tubing on the river to beach volleyball. The best part about this camp? No kids are allowed and there’s an open bar all weekend–a true adult camping experience.
The company has hosted International trips in destinations like Capetown, South Africa where travelers got to explore nature and dive into the historical culture of the region. Urban Cruise Weekend takes travelers to breezy Caribbean destinations like Cozumel, Mexico. Adventurous Black travelers shouldn’t miss the chance to travel with this group.
For Luxury Lovers: Yacht Week East Africa
If your idea of luxury travel is living on a yacht in Seychelles for a week, then book your trip with one of our favorite Black travel groups— Yacht Week East Africa —immediately. This Yacht Week is a lot more welcoming than what some Black travelers have experienced when attending Croatia’s version. In Seychelles, travelers get to spend two days on land before hopping on the water for a week-long expedition. Water activities include snorkeling, fishing, swimming, and some yacht hopping, too.
Unique activities on the YWEA itinerary are a sunset beach BBQ and a full moon party. If Tanzania is tugging on your passport strings, the collective will bring in 2021 exploring Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar island. During 7 days of authentically experiencing Swahili culture, travelers will get to take a Spice Tour and visit Mikumi National Park. If Keyna is calling, join the community in Nairobi for safaris, white water rafting, and a visit to the best place for handcrafted goods, Maasai Market.
For Group Tours Across Africa: Tastemakers Africa
Traveling across the continent hasn’t always been easy or well connected, but Tastemakers Africa is the missing link. With Black travel group tours and experiences hosted by locals, Tastemakers is allowing people of African nations to tell their own stories. From Johannesburg to Accra, the platform lists various types of locally-led tours for travelers to choose from.
In Accra, one tour takes attendees to the former slave castles of Cape Coast, which was the last time many West Africans stepped foot on African soil before being shipped to The Americas during the transatlantic slave trade. Tastemakers tours allow travelers to link up with local insiders for experiences like a live music crawl in Johannesburg or fabric dying in Ghana. These authentic experiences are a great way for Black travelers of the African diaspora to connect with the parts of their ancestral roots.
For Black Teens: beGirlWorld
beGirlWorld was founded in 2014 in Philadelphia as a way to empower young Black girls through global education and travel. Here, travel is a vehicle for cross-cultural experiences, future career paths, leadership, and inspiring new possibilities. The organization accepts donations that are often used to sponsor passports for their travelers. On their trips, the teens are exposed to cultural activities like language learning and culinary arts.
The program isn’t just about travel. It’s a structured two-year cohort that features notable guest speakers, lessons in travel planning, and assignments like interviewing travel professionals. At the end of the two years, the girls travel to destinations like London and Madrid as part of their graduation from the program. Organizations like beGirlWorld serve as important pillars in the Black community.