Is Travelling with Strangers Awkward? What Actually Happens on a 12-Person Trip

You've found a trip you like. The mountains look right, the dates work, the price is fine. Then the real question arrives: it's going to be eleven people I've never met. Won't that be awkward?

Honestly? Yes, for about an hour. Then it isn't. Here's what actually happens on a 12-person trip, hour by hour, and why the awkward part ends sooner than you think.

Quick answer: Travelling with strangers is usually awkward only at the start, during introductions at the meeting point and the first hour on the road. In a small group of around twelve, shared moments such as the first dhaba stop, a hike and a bonfire turn strangers into friends within a day. It feels easier still when the group is chosen for fit, balanced, and given free time instead of forced icebreakers.

Hour by hour: what really happens

This is the rhythm of one of our weekends from Delhi. Every group is different, but the shape of the weekend is the same.

8 PM, Thursday: the awkward bit

Akshardham Metro. Twelve people with backpacks are trying to work out who else is with the group without staring at everyone. Anna, our founder and host, finds each of you and makes introductions. Everyone says their name; nobody remembers anyone else's. This is the awkward part, and it lasts about as long as it takes to load the bags.

9 PM: the van

A private van, one group. Someone asks for the aux. Someone else has opinions about the aux. Snacks go round. Conversations stay polite: where do you live, what do you do. That's fine. Nobody has to be interesting yet.

Midnight: the first dhaba

The first real conversations happen over chai and parathas under fluorescent lights at a highway dhaba. People are tired and a bit giddy, which turns out to be a great combination. Maybe the quiet one at the back turns out to have done three Himalayan treks; maybe two of you went to the same school.

2 AM: half the van is asleep

Two or three people are still talking in low voices about things they'd never mention at work. This is usually where the first real friendship of the trip starts.

7 AM, Friday: waking up in the mountains

Someone says "guys, look," and twelve people look out of the window at the same ridge at the same time. A shared first view is a surprisingly strong bond.

Midday: the first hike

Walking side by side is the easiest way to talk to a stranger. There's no eye contact to manage, silences are fine, and there's always something to point at. By the top, the group has reshuffled three times and everyone has talked to most people.

Night one: the bonfire

This is when it turns. Cold air, a fire, nobody looking at their phone. The stories get longer and more honest. Somebody sings badly; somebody else sings well. By the end of the night, the group has its first inside joke.

Day two: the group finds its shape

People pair off for walks and regroup for meals. The afternoon has free time, and it's completely normal to spend an hour alone with a book or by a river. Nobody takes it personally. The second night is the one where everyone stays up too late.

Day three: the hard part

The awkward part was supposed to be the beginning. It turns out the awkward part is the end. The last café lunch goes long, the drive back is quieter, and the goodbyes at the metro station at dawn are much harder than the hellos. The group chat is already busy before you get home.

Why some group trips stay awkward

Not every group trip feels like this, and it's worth knowing why.

• The group is too big. On a bus of 30 or 40, cliques form fast and you may only ever talk to the people beside you.
• Nobody chose the group. When anyone can book, you get whoever booked, including people who came for completely different reasons.
• The schedule is packed. Back-to-back sightseeing leaves no time for the long, aimless conversations where people actually connect.
• Forced icebreakers. "Tell us one fun fact about yourself" in a circle is how you make a group awkward on purpose.

What makes it easier, by design

We run our weekends the opposite way:

• Twelve travellers, not forty. Small enough that by the second evening you've talked to everyone.
• A group that's chosen. Every traveller applies and has a call with us, so everyone arrives wanting the same kind of weekend.
• Balanced seats. Places are split between women and men, so nobody is the odd one out.
• No forced icebreakers. No networking games, no "one fun fact". The van, the hikes and the bonfires do the work.
• Room to breathe. The itinerary leaves free time, because the best conversations aren't scheduled.
• A host who's been there. Anna travels with every group and knows when to bring someone into a conversation and when to leave people be.

The worries people bring with them

"I'm an introvert."

Good; groups need listeners. Small groups are much easier for introverts than big ones, and you can always step away. Our application form literally asks whether your road-trip energy is "music up" or "headphones in, wake me at the destination", and both are welcome.

"What if I don't click with anyone?"

With eleven other people and a host, the odds are on your side, especially when the group was put together for fit. And even if no one becomes a lifelong friend, you'll have had a good weekend in the mountains with pleasant company.

"What if everyone else already knows each other?"

The group is put together so that no one is left out. Many people come alone, and those who come with a friend tend to split up within a day anyway.

"Is it a dating thing?"

No. It's a trip. People come for the mountains and the company, and some leave with a lot more friends than they expected. If you're curious about that side of it, we wrote about group trips vs dating apps.

See it for yourself

The best way to find out is to go. These are the invite-only weekends open right now:

Invite-only weekends from Delhi

Where the next small groups are going

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If you're new to the idea, start with what an invite-only trip is and how to get invited. If you're travelling as a woman on your own, our guide to solo female travel in India explains how we keep trips safe.

Frequently asked questions

Is it awkward to travel with strangers?

Usually only at the beginning. Introductions and the first hour can feel stiff, but shared experiences like a late-night dhaba stop, a hike and a bonfire break the ice naturally. In a small group, most people feel comfortable within the first day.

Is it weird to go on a group trip alone?

Not at all. Many people on small-group trips come on their own, and a well-run trip is designed so that solo travellers are never left out.

How do you make friends on a group trip?

Say yes to the small things: sit with someone new at a meal, walk with a different person on the hike, stay for the bonfire. Small groups make this easy, because you'll naturally spend time with everyone.

What's the ideal group size for a trip with strangers?

Around ten to fourteen people works best. It's big enough to have a mix of personalities and small enough that everyone gets to know everyone. Large groups of 30 or more tend to split into cliques.

What if I'm an introvert?

Small groups suit introverts well: conversations happen one-to-one on hikes and drives rather than in front of a crowd, and there's free time to recharge. You're never obliged to be the life of the party.