Whilst the majority of people opt for spending their main holiday by the beach – this style of holiday isn’t for everyone. A blissful break to an exotic location was particularly popular as we came out of the trauma of Covid. But these days, I’m finding that many of my clients are looking for touring holidays to different Bucket List destinations around the globe. A trip that’s more active, where they can visit a variety of places and which allows them to explore a country in depth and get under the skin of its culture. In fact, a touring trip is my favourite style of holiday - and I've been travelling the world this way for over 20 years.
Once you’ve chosen a destination or a geographic area, the next choice facing you is how you want to travel. Do you want to an escorted tour, where you’ll explore the country as part of a group of like-minded individuals with a prescribed itinerary? Or would you rather have your tour tailor made and where excursions and transfers will be arranged just for you. I thought it might be useful to explore the pros and cons of both options to help you decide. Of course, your choice may well depend on the destination – I know that many of my clients feel that somewhere like India is best explored as part of an escorted group tour, because it’s such a “full on” destination. Escorted tours can also appeal to solo travellers who are wary of exploring exotic destination on their own. Some of my suppliers actually offer tours with departures for solo travellers only.
Group Tours
Escorted tours offer the prospect of “safety in numbers” and, for many people, the appeal of a group tour is the prospect of meeting new people and the camaraderie that comes with travelling in a group. Generally speaking, escorted tours can be the better value way of exploring a country, as the tour operator is able to negotiate good air fares and accommodation rates based on more people travelling.
Escorted tours will often include a number of meals in the tour price, which means you’ll need to spend less on food in your destination.
Not all escorted tours are created equal. You definitely need to consider the maximum group size – it’s possible that you may be travelling in a group of 30 or more people, which can make visiting ancient and historic sites a bit of a challenge. My advice would be to opt for a small group tour with guaranteed numbers of no more than 20 people for a better overall experience. This is particularly true if you're looking for a group tour that includes game viewing where a window seat is always at a premium.
You’ll also need to consider the rhythm of the tour, because many group tours pack a lot into a short period of time. How many one or two-night stays are there on the trip? How much free time do you have to explore by yourself or simply to chill out? A tour is a holiday after all, not a test of endurance. Speaking of endurance, I have a number of suppliers whose focus is on more active holidays, where a certain level of physical fitness is required because of the nature of the activities – it’s essential that you select the appropriate tour for you.
It’s also important to consider the standard of accommodation that’s included, and where hotels are located. It can be very frustrating to be in a fascinating town or city but to be staying far away from the centre if you want to explore on your own. Finally, is the date of the tour you’ve chosen a guaranteed departure? Most tour operators have a minimum number of passengers for a tour to run – and if the minimum number isn’t achieved, they’ll simply cancel the tour for that date. I always make sure that I find out what the minimum passenger number is for any group tour, how many people are already booked to travel and the likelihood of the tour actually running. This way my clients can make an informed choice.
Private Journeys
In my opinion, the best way of touring around any destination is on a private, tailor-made journey designed around your preferences and reflecting the style of accommodation you’re looking for - with an itinerary that reflects the pace at which you want to travel. A tailor made trip gives you so much more flexibility – you can choose the specific dates you want to travel on, the length of your holiday, how long you want to stay in each place and the style of accommodation that best suits you. And wherever in the world you’re looking to travel to, I have some amazingly knowledgeable suppliers that I work with. Together we’ll pull together a bespoke itinerary that’s perfect for the style of holiday you’re looking for with the right rhythm.
You’ll explore places on your own, accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, you’ll transfer from place to place privately (no need to wait for stragglers to get on the coach!) and we’ll put together a schedule that combines the right number and style of excursions for you but which leaves you enough free time to explore on your own or simply to relax. We can arrange tours that reflect your specific interests – whether that’s a cookery class in Vietnam, wine tasting in Chile or a Taiko-drumming class in Tokyo.
In some destinations self-drive can be a compelling option – particularly English-speaking countries like New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa where there’s no language barrier. But even if you’re driving around yourself, there’s still the need for an itinerary that’s right for your needs. You’ll want expert guidance on must-see places and the practicalities of any given travel plan, to make sure that you’re not trying to cram too much in or are going to end up spending interminable hours in the car. What’s more, I’ll be able to recommend the right accommodation to suit you – whether that’s a modest guest house or a bells & whistles lodge.
I hope you’ve found this useful. Please do get in touch, and we can discuss the perfect touring trip for you.
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