November 28, 2024
Booking sightseeing tour is a great opportunity to create your own travel program. Nowadays you don’t have to use tourist packages with boring “for everyone” programs. Unique sightseeing tours are able to embellish any trip and give you what you really want.
The age of the participants, their physical fitness level and skills, visual experience and familiarity with a particular country (for example, if you have already visited country for many times and know almost everything) – these are the factors that should be taken into account when choosing programs and touristic routes.
Benefits of Tours with Local Guides
Tourists often suffer from the fact that the programs offered are too stereotypical: they are the same from year to year and often differ little from country to country. This is often due to the fact that the guides themselves do not know the area well, as they only travel around with the tour companies they work for.
Local guides are people who know the place they are working in very well, usually from childhood. Such specialists are worth their weight in gold. Getting a tour from a person who knows all the hidden places, hidden gems and sights is a unique opportunity. It is even more interesting to get a tour with locals, who do not stick to templates, but simply show you what they love and appreciate.
Where to Look for Unique City and Sightseeing Tours?
Today, such programs are made available through extensive communication in the tourism industry. The best sightseeing tours with local guides are posted on the Internet, separate from package tours, and can be booked individually. This way you can go where tourists do not usually go, get unique tour programs and learn new things even in a country you know well.
The Puzzle Trip service is a collection of trip programs and other tourist services that travelers can order individually to create their own itinerary. You can choose guided tours, private sightseeing tours, or itineraries focused on specific types of activities: for example, on the water or in the mountains.
It’s also an opportunity to choose a program that’s tailored to your group, their needs, and their physical abilities. This way, the trip will be comfortable and not too challenging. The program will provide you with all the necessary impressions and leave you with truly unforgettable memories.
How to Choose and Book the Perfect Sightseeing Tour?
When you book sightseeing tours online you can plan everything in advance: back at home, you can study the nuances of the upcoming program and coordinate them with the guide. It is best to clarify any issues before you go – especially if you are booking a guide who will be leading you on a personal program.
Questions to Ask Your Local Guide Before Booking a Tour
Be sure to ask about the itinerary of the tour: even if the guide knows the area well, it is not enough – the itinerary must be well thought out. This is also a guarantee that you will have time to visit all the places you have planned.
One of the most important considerations when booking a tour is safety. Check with the guide the weather conditions (including acts of God) and a list of things you will need to bring with you.
Find out the composition of the group if you are choosing trips for tourists on a common program. Typically, guides are aware of which clients have reserved specific routes. This allows you to assess the level of comfort you will experience (for instance, if you are travelling with young children or the route traverses challenging, rugged terrain).
If the itinerary is customized, let the guide know your physical fitness level and preferences. A custom tour guides usually take this into account and create an itinerary that is comfortable for certain people.
Sightseeing tours usually include visits to places that may require to buy a separate ticket. Please verify whether the cost of tickets, photography, etc. is included in the tour price or if there is an additional fee.
Booking tours online is usually done in advance. Therefore, be sure to check the terms and conditions for canceling a tour (if someone suddenly gets sick).
Local tours are usually more active than tours in major cities and tourist areas. Keep this in mind, and find out how much walking you will be doing during the program, as well as time for rest and snacks.
When it comes to choosing a tour and finding a guide who will offer something of value to you, there is no need to hesitate: guides are often willing to tailor programs to the needs of travelers. After all, it’s in their best interest to do so; following the same itinerary over and over can be tiring. Remember that you are dealing with passionate and knowledgeable people who are willing to share their knowledge of the area. Take advantage of this during the program and during the tour itself to create a truly memorable and off-the-beaten-path itinerary full of valuable information that will enrich all participants.