Guided v Self Guided tours – the pros and cons
Guided v Self Guided tours – the pros and cons
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Are you considering guided or self guided tours? This is our guide to help you find out which is the best for you.
Options, options, options. It has never been so convenient to compare all of the travel options out there… it has actually become overwhelming.
Very few of us refer to professional travel agents now. These days we rely on TripAdvisor (take a look at our listing) and the like to help us assess the quality of tour companies, hotels and restaurants. The problem with this approach is that every one has different values.
When deciding on a guided tour v self guided tour, you need to determine what you value and then the pros and cons of each type of tour. Here is our thoughts.
How flexible are you with time? Guided v Self Guided Tours
If you are not flexible with your departure dates, a self guided tour might be the best option for you. You might be lucky and there is a tour departing on the exactly the day you need to travel, but generally speaking, self guided tours offer more flexibility in deciding on the departure date.
Are you travelling solo? Guided v Self Guided Tours
Some people love to walk alone. I find it boring for more than a day or two. In years gone by I thought that I might find some sort of enlightenment walking alone, but nowadays I would just prefer to have a laugh or a decent conversation about my idea to replace half of the politicians with pot plants and see if anyone notices.
If you are travelling alone, guided tours are the way to go. Safer, more fun and most self guided tours are much more expensive if you are travelling alone.
Are you an experienced walker? How remote will you be? Guided v Self Guided Tours
Walking with a group is a great way to get experience. Learn from everyone else and learn from your guides.
Already experienced? Then how remote will you be?
If you are travelling to a built up area like the Camino di Santiago or the Cinque Terra walking self guided is going to be really safe. In fact you are in more danger of being pick pockets than getting lost and falling off a mountain.
Want to walk in the Kimberley, or the Larapinta? That’s a different story all together. A group is essential.
Are you a “fitness walk” who walks fast? Guided v Self Guided Tours
Do you love to stride out and try to smash the day’s walk as fast as possible? Then a guided tour is no good for you. You will be frustrated, the guides will be frustrated and the orchid/bird/photography lovers will want to put an anchor in your backpack.
Are you slow? Tours are usually okay for slow walkers.
Do you like to learn about the environment? Guided v Self Guided Tours
Most self guided tours do offer a bit of commentary but nothing like the guided options. If you are interested in learning about the land through which you will be walking, the tour guides as well as the other walkers can enhance your experience to no end.
Just want to see pretty landscapes and get away from it all? Self guided will suit you down to a “T”.
Are you comfortable navigating? Guided v Self Guided Tours
Most trails in Australia are fairly well marked, but if you are responsible for working out where to go, you are still going to need to refer to maps and trail notes.
Does the thought of keeping you on track turn your knees to mush?? Maybe you are a guided tour kind of person!!
So whether you are into guided or self guided tours really comes down to how you answer the above and which of these questions is most important to you.
Is there something we missed? What do you think the pros and cons of guided v self guided tours. Leave a comment below.
