Bruce Poon Tip established G Adventures in 1990 as an alternative to large tours and backpacking adventures. G Adventures is now one of the world's largest adventure travel companies, offering hundreds of tour options at any given moment. G Adventures is well-known for its one-of-a-kind themes, such as "Local Living" excursions and the Jane Goodall Collection, which features wildlife adventure experiences certified by the famed primatologist herself.

Outstanding trip: Local Living Italy-Tuscany San Gimignano. 7-day deep dive into the towns, vineyards, and countryside of central Tuscany, through the eyes of locals.

Average Group Size: 10-15 people
Top Travel Themes: Classic, wellness, rail, local living

Website: gadventures.com/destinations/

Intrepid Travel is one of the pioneers in adventure travel. The company was founded in Australia in 1989 and is now the world's largest small group adventure trip company. It is also the largest travel company to be designated as a B Corporation - a designation given to companies that balance profit with ethical behavior. Whatever your interests are – family trips, under-30s groups, vegan culinary tours – Intrepid Travel has an adventure for you.

Outstanding trip: Mexico Unplugged Lonely Planet Experience. 15-days of exploring the heart of southern Mexico’s Aztec, Zapotec, Maya, and Spanish cultures.

Average Group Size: 6-10 people

Top Travel Themes: 18-29, cycling, food, retreats, expeditions

Website: intrepidtravel.com

The National Geographic brand is well-known, but it is less well-known that Nat Geo offers world-class adventure programs for normal travelers. When you go with National Geographic Expeditions, you will experience a one-of-a-kind adventure planned by Nat Geo and conducted by Nat Geo's own experienced geographers, educators, filmmakers, anthropologists, and ecologists. This is the epitome of professional adventure travel.

Outstanding trip: Epic Patagonia. 20-day expedition tracing the Chilean Coast aboard the National Geographic Explorer, a state-of-the-art, ice-class expedition ship.

Average Group Size: 10-16 people
Top Travel Themes: Land, river, train, private jet

Website: nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/

Austin Adventures is a family-owned firm that specializes in high-end and tailored expeditions. The company was founded in the mid-1980s. Every Austin tour includes strategically placed "wow" moments, such as your guide appearing around a bend in the trail with a pineapple cut in the shape of a fish on a silver tray. Another thing you'll notice as you read through some of the itineraries is how much care is taken in picking the best hotels, lodges, and haciendas.

Outstanding trip: Indonesia – Bali Seatrek. 7-day adventure on Bali and neighboring islands, taking in remote beaches, coastal villages, volcanoes, waterfalls, and Komodo dragons.

Average Group Size: 12-18 people (max 6:1 guest-guide ratio)

Top Travel Themes: Biking, culture, multisport, safari

Website: austinadventures.com

The Abercrombie & Kent tale began in 1962 on the African plains when Geoffrey Kent and his parents introduced a new brand of luxury adventure safaris. A&K now offers luxury adventure vacations all over the world, combining magnificent animals and wilderness with luxury accommodations and concierge service. A&K has over 55 locations in over 30 countries and a global family of over 2,500 committed travel experts. The Resident Tour Directors, who lead each group departure and provide unrivaled on-the-ground experience, are among them, with A&K local guides contributing along the way.

Outstanding trip: Signature Great Migration Safari. 6-night tailor-made journey for small groups, taking in the Serengeti, Masai Mara, and nights in luxury safari lodges.

Average Group Size: 12-18 people (1:3-12 guest-guide ratio)
Top Travel Themes: Small groups, private jets, expeditions

Website: abercrombiekent.com

Judi Wineland and Rick Thomson saw their growing daughters and decided they wanted to offer adventure travel for families, a bold idea that had never been considered before. Thomson Family Adventures was founded on that day, in 1998, and it opened the world of travel to families of all ages. Thomson's 'adventure artists' curate each trip to incorporate activities that are appealing to both adults and children (such as hot air balloon rides). The nicest thing about Thomson is that it can accommodate all types of groups, from multigenerational vacations to lone parents to families with teenagers. It can even hold huge family gatherings.

Outstanding trip: Baja Multi-Sport Adventure. A 7-day adventure in Baja California, incorporating activities like surfing, swimming with whale sharks, and snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez.

Average Group Size: Max 25 people

Top Travel Themes: Family reunions, solo parents, teens

Website: familyadventures.com

REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) Co-op is a well-known retailer of travel and outdoor supplies, founded in 1938. REI Adventures is the company's specialized adventure travel segment. Specialty travels, such as under-35s, women's adventures, family adventures, volunteering vacations, and weekend trips, are the focus here. REI Adventures, a giant of the outdoors, can arrange tours around any sport imaginable, including backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking, and snowshoeing.

Outstanding trip: Yosemite Backpacking – The High Country. 4 days of intense backpacking through the less-explored parts of Yosemite National Park.

Average Group Size: 10-16 people
Top Travel Themes: Camping, under 35, women, families

Website: rei.com/adventures

While several adventure travel organizations offer tours for the elderly, ElderTreks is one of the only firms that caters completely to those aged 50 and up. Founded in 1987, ElderTreks provides exotic adventure excursions by land and sea in over 100 locations. ElderTreks provides wildlife and tribal African safaris, active hiking excursions to the Rockies, Himalayas, and the Andes, Arctic and Antarctic icebreaker adventures, and cultural journeys across Asia, South America, and much of the world.

Outstanding trip: High Arctic Explorer. A 12-day trip through Greenland, Nunavut, and the Arctic Sea, taking in fjords, belugas and more from the comfort of the Ocean Endeavour.

Average Group Size: 10-16 people

Top Travel Themes: Hiking, sea journeys, polari

Website: eldertreks.com

AdventureWomen, founded in 1982, is a women-owned and runs adventure trip company. The company now provides dozens of women-only tours in over 65 countries in the world. Its purpose is to enable women to challenge themselves physically and psychologically while traveling the world at their own pace and on their own terms. Although the majority of AdventureWomen's clients are over the age of 50, the company also offers tours for people aged 20 to 50.

Outstanding trip: Morocco: Sahara Sands, Markets, and a Feast for the Senses. A 14-day cultural journey exploring Morocco’s culture, mountain villages, local markets, and amazing cuisine.

Average Group Size: 10-16 people
Top Travel Themes: Hiking, skiing, culture, glamping

Website: adventurewomen.com

Urban Adventures, which is owned by Intrepid Travel, is an adventure travel business that focuses solely on city experiences such as eating, drinking, and shopping. Unlike the other firms on the list, Urban Adventures does not provide end-to-end excursions. Rather, it provides short (usually one-day or half-day) experiences in cities all around the world. When you're planning a trip overseas, use Urban Adventures to find local cooking, eating, and drinking experiences.

Outstanding trip: Online Private Delhi Experience. Built for the new age of travel restrictions, this experience brings you an authentic vegetarian Indian cooking class straight to your home.

Average Group Size: 8-12 people

Top Travel Themes: Food, beer, shopping

Website: urbanadventures.com