Travelling needn’t be all about the stress. Finding your way around, making sure you don’t miss the best bits, turning up at attractions only to find they’re closed, issues finding good places to eat, booking tickets in a language you can’t understand… all this faffing about vanishes with guided travel. But that doesn’t mean it’s dull. Quite the opposite.
For some of us travel is a gritty affair. Our misadventures and mistakes are some of the experiences we value most, the journey in all its flawed glory being as important as the destination. For others it’s all about the ‘smooth’.
Let’s leave the gritty bit to the experts. You want to turn up, get taken in hand by friendly professionals, and have the time of your life wringing every last drop out of everything you do. It’s great for authentic social experiences, immersing yourself in local culture. You’re right at the heart of your own adventures, building memories you’ll treasure for life. Think safaris, long distance treks, deep-dive-detail city breaks and themed guided holidays to fabulous places.
This is our world. It’s lovely. If you like the sound of guided holidays, here’s some inspiration to send you in the right direction.
Guided travel inspiration
What comes to mind when you think about guided breaks? It basically means the same as any holiday, but the planning and admin is done for you. Choose from classic touring holidays to railway adventures, exotic safaris and so much more, with something for every budget.
Go way beyond the brochure, walk off the edge of the guide book and lose the beaten track. Discover local life, traditions and cuisine in the company of someone who’s a pleasure to be with and knows the score in the places you’re exploring. Because you’re an independent-spirited person, you’ll also get plenty of time to spend doing your own thing.
This is a year-round treat. Take winter, which is pretty miserable in the UK but heavenly high up in the Canadian Rockies, all snowy peaks, frozen waterfalls and jingling sleigh rides. Maybe you fancy India, but not the way gap year travellers do it. Guided adventures are a sensible yet thrilling route to India’s fascinating culture and history. Then there’s majestic South Africa where guided breaks take you into the bush, face to face with some of the planet’s scariest and most beautiful animals.
Croatian island-hopping is a biggie, breathtaking with its picturesque islands and ancient coastal towns. It’s yours thanks to a specially-chartered cruise ship, sailing in the company of like-minded people. Maybe the French Riviera is more your thing, way south and full of glitz and glamour, basing you in Cannes with the entire, glittering Côte d’Azur’s at your fingertips.
Romania is a stunning destination, as is Transylvania. It’s so much simpler and more fun to take a guided break in places like this, relaxing into the vibe, soaking up the legends and dark tales along with famously good beers, lagers and wines. You won’t miss any of the go-to attractions and it’s all pre-booked, well-organised for you to slot into.
How about Mount Vesuvius? If you’re fascinated by Pompeii and Herculaneum these exceptional archaeological sites will be top of your Italian guided tour menu. Then there’s Puglia and neighbouring Basilicata, away from the British tourist hordes and authentic Italian every step of the way. Venice, Florence and Rome await you, too. But that’s just the beginning of the story.
Guided travel in Europe
Europe is so varied, everything from popular, familiar places like France and Spain to exotic eastern European nations where few UK tourists go. Stacked with legendary cities, some dating back thousands of years, this is guided city break heaven where everything from clubbing to shopping, culture to sport is at your fingertips. The continent offers every kind of weather, attraction, ambience and activity, and there are guided holidays to all of them.
Guided travel in North America
How does the Big Apple strike you? New York is the perfect city for guided tours, steering you clear of dodgy areas where tourists aren’t safe and making sure you see all the vital sights as well as NYC’s more obscure, curious quirks.
At the other side of the country and the other end of the cultural scale there’s glorious California, with a climate to die for, astonishing landscapes, and the creative hot spots of San Francisco to get to know. Florida is a must for some. Then there’s the middle bit, the fascinating states in between the east and west coasts where life can be hard, the cities can be harsh, and it sometimes feels like time stopped in the ‘50s. USA road trip, anyone?
Guided travel in South America
Make your way coast to coast from Rio to Lima. Travel from Quito to Rio accompanied by local experts in the know. Visit Machu Picchu, Cusco and Puno, winding your way through spectacular countryside and ancient towns.
Take in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil in one tour. You can trek on foot from Cusco to the Sacred Valley, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Moray, Salkantay Mountain and more. Take an epic hike in Patagonia, one of the world’s least populated and most remote countries, or go to the Galapagos and see exactly why Darwin rated these islands so high.
Guided travel in Asia
Asia offers endless delights, natural and otherwise, with guided active adventures taking in Manila, Manila, Puerto Princesa, Port Barton, Palawan and El Nido. Book one-day guided adventures on Sri Lanka, a jewel of an island off the tip of India. Vietnam, Thailand and the Thai islands are yours on a guided basis, a reliable way to enjoy yourself to the full in completely unfamiliar places.
Bali and Lombok will keep you breathless with their beauty and Bangkok will wow you with its sheer, in-your-face vibrancy. The jungles are lush and dark, the creatures strange and often dangerous. If you have a month spare you can explore south east Asia at your leisure, smoothly taking in one place to the next with everything pre-prepared and pre-booked. Because the boring, stressful bits are done, it’s pure enjoyment.
Guided travel in Africa
Travel Egypt, stitching together the great pyramids, the cities, the sands and the mighty Nile into a memorable patchwork. Sample Southern Africa’s dunes, deltas and waterfalls. Go camping or wildlife spotting on the hot, merciless veldt. Tour Morocco, taking in Casablanca, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Rabat, Volubilis, Fes, Errachidia, Merzouga, Erg Chebbi, Erfoud, Tinghir, Todra Gorge, Boumalne Dades, Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, and Marrakesh. Take a road tour of Botswana. It’s all available on guided tours.
Guided travel in Oceania
See the highlights of Australia and New Zealand. Head for Uluru then explore five more Australian national parks. Book a chilled 14 day trip through Cairns, Cape Tribulation, Airlie Beach and six more cool places, the best of Aus delivered on a plate. Spend 28 days in the South Pacific, way off the tourist path, or land on a collection of unspoiled Pacific islands. If hardcore hikes are your thing, spend ten days trekking in Papua New Guinea. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Check out these guided travel treats
Love the idea? We do really great guided travel. Check these out, see which fires your imagination the most.
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