If you want to take a tour of a country you’ve never been to, you often have the option of a guided or self-guided tour. When you book a guided tour, you will travel with someone who is familiar with the trails and usually speaks the language in the country in which you’re travelling. A self-guided tour allows you to travel on your own, but you may wonder why you would pay to travel by yourself on a tour.
Self-Guided Tour Benefits
While you can travel on your own without having to pay a tour company for their assistance, there are many advantages to booking a self-guided walking or cycling tour.
Set the Pace
Instead of trying to keep up with a guide or a group, you get to set your own pace. For trails that may be more strenuous, this allows you to rest when you need to without being worried about holding other people back. It also allows you to stop and take photos when you see something you want to remember or stop and have a picnic in a picturesque spot.
Luggage-Free Travelling
When you book one of the self-guided walking holidays from Hooked on Walking, you won’t have to drag your luggage around with you as you go up and down the tour’s trails. Instead, the tour company will transfer your luggage to where you are staying for the night on each segment of the tour. This allows you to pack what you need and want, but you don’t have to worry about toting around heavy baggage.
Booked Accommodations
If you travel on your own, you would have to find your own lodging every night you are on holiday. During the busier months, this could be difficult to do in some areas. Fortunately, when you book a self-guided tour, the accommodations are included, and they are booked in advance for you. The last thing you want to worry about after walking four or five hours a day is finding a place to stay for the night. When you book a tour that is one less thing you have to do.
Pick-Up Service
With most tours, you will have the luxury of being picked up at the airport or train station when you arrive at your destination. This prevents you from getting lost when you arrive somewhere you’ve never been, and you have a chance to ask any questions before you start your tour.
Planned Routes
When you book a self-guided tour, they will have your walking or cycling route planned, and they will provide a map for you. This helps you get to your next stopping point, and the routes will usually take you to some of the best scenery in the area you can enjoy. A planned route will also keep you from becoming lost in unfamiliar territory.
While it may seem to be a waste of money to pay to travel on your own, the many benefits of a self-guided tour make booking one a smart choice.