When to Join a Tour Group or Go Alone

Planning the perfect trip requires many decisions. You can make decisions more easily by outsourcing it to a travel group, guided tours won’t give you the same experience as traveling on your own. Here’s how to choose the best approach for you.

Types of excursions

Typically, while traveling, you come across four types of excursions.

• Audio tours. Audio tours, which are often found in museums or historical sites, give you the opportunity to explore at your own pace while absorbing a ton of information. If you want your journey to be about self-study, this is a great way to do it while still gaining a ton of educational insight into what you see. Chances are, you won’t find audio tours outside of certain attractions, so be prepared to explore other parts of your journey – such as understanding daily life or local culture.
• Personal Guide: By hiring someone to accompany you (and your fellow travelers) one-on-one, it becomes a personalized tour. You often have to dictate where you and your guide will spend your time. You also have the opportunity to ask many more questions than in a large group, and you will receive more specialized attention.
• Guided Group Experience: If you are traveling alone or in a small group and want a less costly way of guiding your excursion, this is your best bet. You will have the opportunity to meet others, but you will have the option to leave after the tour ends. Group excursions are often pre-configured to visit a specific location or take a specific action, making them an easy way to have a more coordinated experience for that location or activity without getting tied to the group experience throughout the trip.
• The entire trip is coordinated by a guide or company: this type of tour can be slightly more expensive than organizing the trip yourself, but you may have access to attractions that you would otherwise miss. However, you often have to stick to a predetermined schedule set by the company. If you want a very relaxed trip, this excursion is for you. Do your research before booking to make sure you are using a high-quality company so you don’t have to worry about anything on your actual trip.

Which of the above types you choose (if any) depends a lot on what you want out of your vacation.

Pros and cons of excursions

Excursions can have a big impact on your overall trip. They offer a complete package for you to enjoy without worrying about directions or timetables, but they can also be stifling and leave you no room to explore. … If you’re unsure, here’s what you should think about.

pros

• Guides can offer a safer experience, especially if you are in a city or country that is known to be not the safest place . Even if you are in a safe place (such as Singapore), there is a guide to help you navigate. In some countries, almost none of the locals speak English (which makes it difficult to order food and ask for directions), and the signs are often not in English.
• You have your own translator to help you communicate both in terms of language and culture. With their help, you can avoid unpleasant situations.
• Some activities, such as rafting and adventure sports, are usually not available without a guide.
• With a great guide, it will be easier for you to learn about challenging or mind-boggling sights. One example is Mary P., a TripAdvisor user, during her recent trip to Costa Rica. She says that using the guide to observe wildlife improved the experience because her guide was very knowledgeable and was able to quickly set up the telescope so that the tour participants could catch a glimpse of birds and butterflies.
• You can get discounts or a special entrance only available to tourist groups. Some museums open early to give tour groups a head start and then allow smaller or solo travelers to pass.
• The excursion often provides a certain level of comfort. This applies to both living conditions and how you feel. When I was with the group in Kyoto, Japan, many people felt uncomfortable with the country’s mono-ethnicity. As foreigners, they had no chance of adapting, and when we arrived, they often attracted the glances of the locals. If you are in a travel group, at least you can embrace this experience with other people who will support you.
• If you are short on time to sightseeing, using a guide will help you get the most out of your trip. To better control your schedule, consider hiring a private guide instead of a pre-planned tour.

Minuses

• A guided tour is not a great deal for your money if a guide (or your own research) fits. I used Rick Steves ‘ guide to help myself navigate the sights of Italy. You can always supplement your study or travel guide with apps such as Next Stop , Hear Planet, or an audio app from the travel guide company.
• With a guided tour, you most likely won’t be in full control of what you see and when. Fodor user TinaLee204 explained that she spent so much time on the “educational” part of her tour of the Vatican that she ended up missing the part that interested her the most.
• Traveling with a large tourist group is one of the easiest ways to establish yourself as a tourist. Even if you are dressed out of place, and you have a giant camera hanging around your neck, there may be others in your group – and this makes everyone in the group a target for pickpockets and scammers. However, as I mentioned in the “Pros” section, in some countries, especially in mono-ethnic ones, it is inevitable to be seen as a tourist.
• The cost of excursions can eat up a limited travel budget. Guided tours are quite expensive, even an audio guide sometimes costs as much as lunch.
• If your destination is fairly safe and you know the language, can get by without knowing the language, or you know someone who speaks that language, then you probably don’t need a guide to help you get around.
• There are just a few attractions that no tourist group will show you. For example, I went to the local open-air market in Rome every week. It was meant for residents and I would never go there if I only stuck to the excursions.

Think about what kind of experience you want to get from the trip before you start looking for an excursion.

What makes a good travel company or guide

If you decide to use a travel company or guide during your trip, there are several factors you need to check before transferring your money.

• Quality: Most legitimate travel companies and guides know their reputation can help or destroy their business, so you should be able to find reviews online. Check out reviews of the service both on their own site and on third-party sites. A few places where you can find reliable guides are sites like TripAdvisor , Any Road, and Rick Steves’ site. If you know someone who has been to the same place, ask them for a recommendation. You will also want to make sure the tour is not a scam and that you will be safe. Take time to make sure you get a quality experience.
• Cost: Confirm how much they cost, including taxes and fees. Be aware of exchange rates so that you are not surprised by the final bill. You need to be sure to book something that does not add to your travel budget. If you plan on sticking to a strict budget, you should find out in advance how much you are willing to spend on all of the guides.
• Activities: You want to get your money back, so don’t be afraid to ask for the exact company breakdown or the guide’s scheduled schedule of activities.
• Cancellation policy: in case you have to cancel your reservation, know if you can get some or all of your money back. If not, it is up to you to decide how risky it is for you to make the reservation.

The travel industry is known for delivering a disappointing tour guide experience after you’ve already paid for your advance booking. Make sure you check all of the above before moving on with your travel company or guide to get the experience you deserve.

Find opportunities to meet locals and other travelers

Whether you decide to book a guide or not, there are many opportunities to meet locals and other travelers who will make your stay an unforgettable experience … Even in a large group (like a tourist group) it’s easy. For example, your guide is most likely local. When there are breaks on the tour (such as transportation times), ask your guide about their lives to get a feel for what the locals are experiencing. You can even get their attention and get an invite to dinner or go with them and their friends after the tour ends. Even if not, you can check out where the locals hang out to try something more authentic in your free time. You can also use excursions as a great way to meet other travelers who are alone or in small groups. When I took a solo trip to Lisbon, I took a day tour of my hostel which resulted in me making new friends for the trip. While I mostly wanted to spend some time alone during my visit, it was a pleasure to spend the day hanging out with others.

Whether you are traveling alone or in a small group and decide not to take guided tours, there are still tons of ways to meet new people . You can search for the organizations you belong to at home, use sites / apps like Meet Up or EventBrite to search for events, or simply head to local gathering places like bars or cafes.

Tours have their pros and cons, but remember that you don’t have to be a tourist with a camera or alone in a foreign country. Choose experiences that you enjoy and will make you feel right at home wherever you roam.

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