For me, independent trips provide a great deal of freedom. I travel solo so I'm not tied to any specific schedule. If I'm feeling energetic and want to ride until dark (or later) I can do that. Or if I suddenly get the urge to change the entire route, that's fine. I also like the independence of hauling my own gear and camping for the night where I choose.

At the same time, I won't write off the idea of organized tours. There are times and places where that experience could be good. If I were to do a group tour, I'd want to check the company carefully before joining up.