Group travel 2025: Utravel experience in Fuerteventura between surf, yoga and real connections

I keep hearing more and more voices, colleagues and friends, saying they’re tired of the same old idea of travel as a simple escape from routine. The same routine that creates that subtle numbness born from living on repeat between screens and repetition. Office work, tight schedules, timed breaks. Everything pushes us to stay still, when instead we just want to move. Seeing the same faces every day and having schedules that often don’t allow us to enjoy some pleasant networking with new people, people who could pull us out of our comfort zone (with which we all have a love-hate relationship). It’s honestly draining, no doubt about it.

Group travel trends: real connections with others and with ourselves

What’s emerging is a new way of thinking about travel: no longer just as an escape from everyday life, but as an opportunity to regain balance, energy, and real connections with others and with ourselves. Despite the fear of starting an adventure alongside strangers you’ll be sharing your days with away from home, there’s a curious pull, a persuasive little voice that keeps repeating that you should try, because it will be worth it. That’s exactly what happened to me. Between yoga classes, surf sessions on the waves of Fuerteventura, and moments of relaxation under the sun, a bond formed among us young travellers united by one desire: to live an authentic experience and build connections, during and beyond the trip. That’s when I discovered Utravel, a reality that speaks directly to us: young, curious, and hungry for genuine experiences. Not the usual travel agency, but a new way to experience the world alongside others who share the same desire for discovery, lightness and connection.

How does an organized trip with Utravel work?

I admit I was skeptical at first. Leaving alone, with people I’d never met, trusting an organized program… me, who reads every single TripAdvisor review before choosing a restaurant. I had no idea what, or who, to expect. I was even afraid I wouldn’t be sporty/energetic/social enough for this kind of experience. Despite that, I decided not to look up too much information. This time I wanted to leave without mental frameworks or preconceived testimonies: I wanted to understand for myself, once there, how I would live it. Spoiler: it was fantastic. Within a few hours, the group, a mix of young people with completely different backgrounds, already felt like a small traveling family. No filters or roles were needed: you recognized each other immediately, perhaps because deep down we were all looking for the same thing.

The concept is simple and honestly a bit of a treat: you pick the destination and Utravel takes care of everything else—from flights to accommodation, from activities to local experiences, with formulas designed for a young audience who appreciates insight into local culture, trending activities, and the best places to taste local cuisine. The group is led by a Travel Coordinator, a young and trained figure who manages the trip with a friendly approach, sometimes they’ll just feel like part of the group. They’re not a classic guide with a little flag and a rigid schedule, but a discreet and natural presence who knows exactly how to balance organization and spontaneity. Behind that is solid preparation: they know the destination inside out, from iconic locations to hidden spots only locals know, and they handle every situation with calm and confidence. Days flow slow but full: surf, excursions, yoga, but also sunset aperitifs, villa brunches, poolside chats, and laughter until late at night. It feels like being part of something fluid, evolving, and real, a trip that doesn’t end with the return flight but continues in the genuine connections created.

Fuerteventura: between slow living, adrenaline, and a surf baptism

Fuerteventura is a place that doesn’t leave you indifferent. There’s a calm, enveloping energy and a sense of freedom everywhere: in the constant wind, in the sand’s colors, in people’s smiling faces. We live in the era of digital nomads who – now I understand why – choose to spend the year on the island enjoying an eternal summer that lets you unplug the moment you shut your laptop, living with a slow yet dynamic mindset. More relaxed faces, bodies more connected to their spirit, wild nature framing idyllic sunsets and dunes from which to admire them. We are a generation seeking freedom and inspiration, but also balance and awareness. And that’s precisely the core of the trips we want to take: experiences created for those who aren’t satisfied with just seeing places, but want to live them, forming real bonds with the group’s participants. Trust me, after 24 hours it will already feel like you’ve known each other for months.

So… what about the activities?

For a curious but not-so-sporty soul like me, it was a challenge: I wanted to fully enjoy everything the island and the trip had to offer. On the morning of the yoga class, I realized I hadn’t started a day that well in years. And honestly it only got better, because afterwards I stood for the first time on a surfboard, trying to ride the ocean waves with the help of our instructors. If you’d told me I’d surf, I wouldn’t have believed it. If I had been alone, or even with friends, I would’ve skipped the whole thing to lie on a towel under the sun and watch from afar. Surfing in Fuerteventura isn’t just a sport: it’s a philosophy. My first lesson began like this: boots in the sand, the sound of the ocean in the background, and that slight fear mixed with curiosity before every new challenge. The instructors taught us the essentials: balance, coordination, listening. When you catch a wave, it feels like catching something impossible, like taming nature and tuning into the most mystical of elements. Five seconds standing were enough to make me feel invincible and to understand why this sport is addictive. Surf teaches you to fall, to laugh at yourself, to try again, and to reconnect with your body. Since we were all beginners, we encouraged each other to keep trying: every time someone came back to shore, there was always someone ready to cheer, share a smile or crack a joke.

The chill part of the trip

Let’s be honest: every trip needs its chill moment, the one made of slowness, sunshine, and memories, yes, even Instagrammable ones. Fuerteventura, with its soft light and constant breeze, seems made for that. Here, in the heart of the island, there’s one of the rare Utravel villas: a place that feels more like a shared home among friends than a simple accommodation. As soon as you enter, you’re welcomed by photos and little notes left by previous travellers, tiny traces of journeys and crossed lives. Then there’s the private pool, sunbeds, background music, and that feeling that time finally slows down. On the second day, we improvised a poolside brunch: pancakes, guacamole, laughter, and shared playlists. The sun high, perfect weather, and the awareness that in Italy, at that moment, temperatures were over ten degrees colder. After just a few hours – between a sangria and a dip – the group had become a small community: strangers two days earlier, now accomplices in an experience that already felt like ours. In the evening, a stroll through the center, the scent of the ocean, and a paella dinner shared with lightness and new confidences. Maybe this is the real power of trips like these: the ability to create simple and authentic bonds, without even realizing how much you needed them.

Unexpected discovery: aloe vera and slow living

As often happens in the most authentic trips, an unexpected discovery arrived: Fuerteventura is the world’s largest exporter of aloe vera. As a skincare lover, I absolutely had to try everything. Here, between the ocean wind and the light that seems to never fade, beauty comes straight from nature. Aloe vera grows everywhere: in gardens, along the roads, in small local labs, symbol of a slow, authentic, sustainable lifestyle. It’s no coincidence surfers love it: its soothing and moisturizing properties are perfect for those living between sun, wind, and saltwater. I left alone, with a thousand doubts and a suitcase that was way too full. I came back with freckles on my face, a patatas bravas addiction, and phone numbers I know I’ll call again. If that’s not the sign of a successful trip, I don’t know what is.