11 Bespoke Travel Companies That Offer Custom LGBTQ Tours

11 Bespoke Travel Companies That Offer Custom LGBTQ Tours

Are you looking for an LGBT travel agency that can plan a custom trip for your rainbow family? Read on to discover 11 amazing travel agencies and private tour operators catering exclusively to queer travelers.

There are a ton of gay travel companies serving the group tour market. Queer women have a handful of options for lesbian tours, too. But there are times when you don’t want to take a group tourโ€ฆand you also don’t want to do all the work of planning a tour on your own. If you just want to relax in LGBT friendly travel destinations with an itinerary designed to your exact preferences, an LGBT travel agency might be the perfect solution.

Three Black women wearing white beach coverups wading in the ocean.

Why Do A Private Tour Instead of a Group Tour?

Group tours tend to cost less than private tours. However, they’re also less flexible. The tour dates are set in advance, there’s no telling who will be on your tour (even if it’s all lesbian travelers or all gay travelers), and the itinerary may include some activities you don’t care for.

A private tour means you travel when you want, do what you want, and go with your partner, family or even try a solo trip.

Here are some more advantages to a private tour instead of a group tour:

  • Pace: You can go at your own pace without feeling rushed or having to wait for a larger group. This can be especially helpful for LGBT families with young children.
  • Exclusivity: Some sites or activities are not suitable for large groups. On a private tour, you can have an attraction or experience all to yourself. If a local guide is showing you around, you’ll also get more personalized attention.
  • Introvert-friendly: For introverts like me, the social interaction that comes with a group tour can feel like work. A private tour means no need to make small talk.
  • Trans-friendly: While there are gay and lesbian tour companies that welcome trans travelers, not all do. Rather than go on a group tour and risk microaggressions, trans and nonbinary travelers can make sure they’re traveling with supportive people by curating their own small-group tour with a trans friendly travel agency.

Why Choose an LGBT Travel Agency?

Do you really need an LGBT travel agency for a private tour?

Technically, no. Any travel agency can help you plan a dream trip. But in my experience, LGBT travel agencies have a better understanding of the local climate. They know LGBTQ friendly hotels, clubs and bars, gayborhoods, and inclusive local guides.

For LGBTQ friendly destinations like Europe or Latin America, you can find much of this information on your own, with research. But why spend time on it if you’ve hired a travel agent to develop a custom itinerary?

For destinations that are not considered LGBTQ friendly, like Africa, it’s critical that you use an LGBTQ-owned or LGBTQ-friendly travel agency to plan your tour.

An androgynous brown-skinned person riding a train in Sri Lanka, looking out at the scenery.

11 Travel Companies Specializing in LGBTQ Travel

On this list you’ll find general interest travel companies, companies that specialize in certain destinations, including Africa and New Zealand, and companies with expertise in certain types of travel, like family travel or adventure travel. Every one of these travel agencies is queer owned and operated, so you can trust them to plan the perfect LGTBQ couple vacation or family trip!

1. Out Adventures

Out Adventures made our list of gay group tour providers. But they also create private tour itineraries for LGBTQ families, couples and more.

Out Adventures has experience planning trips to places around the world with anti-LGBTQ laws, including places like Maldives or Sri Lanka, where same-sex activity is criminalized. Over the years, they’ve built up a network of reliable local guides who can shepherd queer travelers through places, with respect for and sensitivity to our needs as LGTBTQ people.

A buddha image carved into red stone in Sri Lanka.

2. Destination Rainbow

Founded by a queer parent, Destination Rainbow is your go-to service provider for couples trips, girls’ weekends, LGBT family vacations, and other custom trips.

With their expertise in LGBTQ+-friendly locales worldwide, Destination Rainbow takes the stress out of travel planning. Their travel designers can recommend destinations and itineraries tailored specifically for you and your group. From luxurious couples retreats to family-friendly multi-generational vacations, Destination Rainbow will take care of every detail and pass on local insider tips to make the most of your LGBTQ vacation.

3. Out Of Office

Luxury travel company Out of Office creates bespoke designs trips to destinations around the world, including Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Maldives, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa, Tanzania and Morocco. Their team is adept at handling romantic travel, multigenerational family travel and private group trips to celebrate a life milestone. As you might guess from the “out” in their name, every vacation is designed by queer travel advisors for queer clients, with the utmost sensitivity to our needs and preferences.

Out of Office welcomes all LGBTQ clients (and our straight allies), including nonbinary and trans travelers.

A fishing boat passes through the ocean with limestone karsts in the back, during an LGBT Thailand trip.

4. Voyemo

Voyemo creates extraordinary bespoke travel experiences for clients, from friend trips to romantic retreats and family trips. They’ve sent LGBTQ clients to trending destinations in Latin America and Europe, planned bucket list tours of Galapagos Island tours and the Faroe Islands.

In addition to planning a private tour, they can also connect you to their local partners, who are fully versed in LGBTQ friendly activities, hotels, restaurants, and of course the social scene! If you want a fully hands-off approach to vacation planning, reach out to their onsite specialist. With a little input from you on your dream destination, budget, time frame and more, they can create a custom itinerary filled with special moments and exclusive opportunities in dream destinations.

5. Zoom Vacations

Gay-owned tour company Zoom Vacations offers group tours for singles and couples. They also put together bespoke tours for the entire queer community and our chosen fam. 

Their private tours deliver the perks of a done-for-you group trip without being tied to an actual group. Explore the world on your own terms, with activities that fir your distinct preferences. Zoom’s dedicated travel experts personally vet all lodging, guides, transportation, and activities to make sure your trip is welcoming, safe, and discrimination-free.

When possible, Zoom Vacations will add LGBTQ-owned hotels, restaurants and other businesses to your itinerary. So not only do you get to explore a vibrant queer scene, you can support locally-owned gay businesses along your trip!

6. R Family Vacations

Gregg Kaminsky worked for the world’s biggest gay tour operator, Atlantis Events before co-founding co-founded the rainbow family focused travel company R Family Vacations with Kelli Carpenter. While R Family Vacations specializes in LGBT cruise vacations, they also offer personalized travel services in partnership with Travel100Group.

If you want a custom family itinerary, look no further than R Family Vacations. Kelli and Gregg have been helping LGBT families travel for over 20 years. Their other areas of expertise are luxury hotels and cruise lines, including river cruises. Get their assistance planning a family or small group trip to locations in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa or Australia.

Three young female travelers sitting on a bench with a tulip field behind them. One woman is brown-skinned with dark hair and two are white-skinned  with medium brown hair.

7. Protravel International

Protravel International is committed to diversity, inclusive and safe travel. While Protravel International is not queer-owned, they do have a dedicated team of LGBTQ travel experts. Their LGBT travel advisors are well versed in queer-friendly travel options, including which hotel brands are LGBTQ-friendly. Tell their team where you want to go, what you like to do, and who you’ll be traveling with, then leave it up to their specialists to develop a luxury escape just for you.

Their LGBTQ travel team keeps up to date with global laws around LGBTQ rights and free expression. They take it one step further, seeking to understand the cultural in destinations to best advise gay and lesbian travelers. They do their best to curate a safe, comfortable and affirming trip by working with LGBTQ-friendly service providers, even in places where it’s not safe to be openly queer.

8. Out Asia Travel

Found in 2012, Out Asia Travel, specializes in custom travel throughout East and Southeast Asia. This LGBTQ-owned travel company focuses exclusively on East and Southeast Asia, with tours of Japan, Singapore, China, Thailand and other inclusive Asia nations. They’ve done the ground work to identify welcoming accommodations, dining, tours, and activities like a drag queen bar crawl of nightlife-rich Osaka. Their tours aren’t all party. You’ll also discover the cultural and historical gems of each country, from an LGBTQ-affirming perspective.

A Kyoto temple at night, with illuminated cherry blossom trees.

9. Out2Africa

While African safaris hold universal appeal, few African countries truly welcome LGBTQ+ travelers. For nearly 20 years, Cape Town-based luxury tour operator Out2Africa has helped adventurous queers plan safe and inclusive African safari vacations.

Their majority-LGBTQ staff personally visit venues to ensure their LGBTQ-friendliness. And they curate every aspect of a trip to line up with your preferences. Their specialists curate everything from stargazing safaris to wine tours to beach retreats, and handle all the logistics. All you need to do is show up with your squad!

10. Afrigay Travel

Also in South Africa is Afrigay, a high-end concierge service for LGBTQ travelers.

From gay destinations weddings to romantic honeymoons and couple vacations, Afrigay helps queer travelers experience Africa without stress or worry. The company’s founder personally selects local partners for their commitment to inclusive travel.

11. New Zealand Awaits

Lesbian travel company New Zealand Awaits was featured for their small group tours of New Zealand. But they also plan custom trips. Whether it’s your first solo vacation, a honeymoon or anniversary trip, or a family vacation with different generations, the team can put together an epic self-guided New Zealand tour for you. They focus in regenerative travel, which means the experiences they select not only benefit you, but enrich New Zealand communities!

New Zealand pink and purple lupine blooms in the foreground, with ocean and mountains in the background.

I am thrilled at the growth of travel providers that serve the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ+ women, trans and nonbinary vacationers have more choices than ever celebrating our diverse gender identities.

I’m so excited to curate this amazing list of bespoke travel companies serving LGBTQ+ travelers. The 11 personalized tour companies highlighted in this list have experience in cruise travel, family travel, luxury travel, adventure travel, wildlife travel and more. They cover all areas of the globe, from tried-and-true favorites to emerging destinations for LGBTQ travelers.

Queer travel is a different experience, no matter which identities under the big rainbow umbrella you hold. And while you can plan your own vacations, or go on a small group tour, sometimes it’s nice to get personalized advice from someone who shares your identity and understands your needs. When you work with an LGBTQ+ focused travel pro, you can relax and be fully present, knowing someone else truly gets it…and you don’t have to explain, or pretend to be something you aren’t.

Know of an LGBTQ-friendly travel provider that didn’t make this list? Drop their name in the comments, so I can continue building out this helpful list!

1 Comment

  1. I never knew a concept like this existed. This is the first time I read a blog on LGBTQ travel.

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