Whether you plan to get away for a few days or a few weeks, traveling allows us to step out of our daily lives and meet new people, try new foods and get inside cultures very different from our own.
And at the end, we’re left with priceless memories that can change our lives forever.
If you’ve started 2014 with wanderlust, but you’re feeling the pinch after the holidays, and with the upcoming tax deadline, you might be keen to hear about the value of guided tours.
Guided tours provide value both financially and logistically, you will know your plan every step of the way.
Colesseum
Spending precious time working out how to get from A to B with your head buried in a guidebook can feel like a waste. Pre-set and guided itineraries remove the hassle of planning your own route and leave you with more time to achieve what you set out to do: explore. Plus all travel – whether it’s by coach, ferry or train – is included. Many of the popular tour companies offer a value much better than what you can find by piecing your trips together. Some companies offer a more budget minded experience, such as Trafalgar Tours worldwide CostSaver guided tours.
In the more budget-minded tours, you will find your biggest differences are in the location of the accommodations and the number of included experiences in your tour. On your traditional or first class options, you will have accommodations in city centers or centrally located; on your more budget-minded options, your accommodations will be on the outskirts of the city or even outside of the city. There is often some difference in quality of accommodations as well. For example, on a budget-minded tour, you will not be staying in a castle, but more of a 3 star commonly known brand hotel.
Compared to Trafalgar’s other trips, more of the experiences on CostSaver guided holidays are optional. Seeing iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum are a given. But it means you can tailor your trip with a range of extras that take you deeper into a country’s culture, like an elephant ride through the jungle in Northern Thailand or attending a sumo tournament in Japan. Or you can use the free time to explore by yourself. Of course, you’re never really on your own. Not with the added expertise of your Travel Director, who’s always on hand to give you their recommendations or to point you in the right direction. The guided tours of today give you a great balance of scheduled tours and free time to explore.
Elephant Trekking in Thailand Trafalgar Travel Director
Travel Directors know their homelands like the back of their hands. It’s their native instinct and years of experience which means they’re able to introduce you to families in their homes; give you insights into local customs and trades; and feed you the true flavours of the places you visit, through home-cooked food and dining at less-touristy restaurants.
Your tour guides are the insiders – there to show you a different side to every place you visit.
I hope this has given you some insight to the value of a guided tour! If you have any questions, or you are ready to start exploring the world, give me call!
Safe Travels,