Taking tours is a great way to get to know the country to which you’re traveling. However, tours can be very regimented, and you may only get to see much of the countryside by bus. A great way to tour a country in which you’re traveling is to take a walking tour. Use these tips to find the best tours for you and your party to go on.
Select a Destination
Walking tours are offered all over the world, including throughout Europe. The first decision you will need to make is where to go on your tour. If you are already visiting a country, then you can take tours that only last for a couple of days or you can select tours lasting a week. It depends on how much time you wish to spend hiking an area.
Consider Everyone’s Abilities
Before selecting a tour, consider the physical abilities of everyone in your party. Although some in your party may enjoy strenuous activities, older people or young children may not be able to keep a quick pace. Most walking tours are only moderately strenuous, and the tour companies have a legend that depicts the difficulty of each tour so you can select one to fit your group’s fitness abilities.
Select an Interest
Many walking tours give you the chance to try certain activities such as wine tasting, cooking, or visiting historic sites. Find a tour you know will pique the interests of those in your party so everyone enjoys the trip. If you’re visiting Scotland, perhaps you wish to visit the ruins of ancient castles, while wine connoisseurs may want to visit the vineyards in France. There are many different places you can visit on a walking tour.
Look for Experience
As you consider various tours, check the experience of the tour company. A good company will have been in business for a few years and have a good reputation. They may also offer a better variety of walking tours, such as those found at http://www.walking-europe.co.uk/.
Guided or Self-Guided
Many companies offer self-guided tours, which allow you to travel at your own pace and go off the route if you want to explore a village, have some food at a café you’ve stumbled across, or just take extra rest breaks. A guided tour can be fun as well because you will have someone local who speaks the language and can show you other sights you may not see on your own. However, the pace may be too quick for some in your party. As long as you get to your appointed stop for the evening, it doesn’t matter how quickly you get there.
A walking tour is a great way to see areas or sites in a country that you cannot experience from a tour bus or with a group of strangers. You and your party can set a pace that everyone is comfortable with and spend more time gaining a more intimate knowledge of the country you’re visiting.