Is Investing in a private tour right for you?

There are tours…and then there are tours! At Daiquiri, we offer a variety of tour options to enable our travelers to really soak in the essence of each destination.  I have often come across clients that were not fans of taking tours as they don’t like to be herded through historical monuments or cities.  Though after they have experience one of our tours, they return with a change of mind!

Touring has come a very long way and there are so many options out there. But what is the difference between the various types of tours and which one is best for you? Let’s start with the different tour types and then I’ll explain why private tours are ideal!

Group Multi-Day Tours:

These types of programs are for groups of people that will be traveling together for an entire program.  These are often pre-selected itineraries that are sold through large tour operators and are cookie-cutter type programs that have multiple departure dates throughout the year for the same program.  They are not typically customizable and will have most activities predetermined on the itinerary with some options to explore on your own during free time.

These are easy vacations that require little effort on the part of the clients and there is almost always a tour director that travels with you from start to finish and provides assistance and commentary for the entire trip. Groups can be anywhere between 10 travelers and 50 travelers, depending on the company, destination, and season. Daiquiri Tours offers these types of trips for private groups at the moment and on request.

Shared Group Day (museum/attraction/city) Tours:

On a shared group tour, there are generally scheduled departures on a daily basis or throughout the week at predetermined times.  The local company will have these for sale to the general public and anyone can join in on any given tour.  These guided tours generally can be for specific museums or attractions or even for city tours or a daily excursion to visit nearby places or attractions.

For example, you may have a tour of the Vatican Museums where you will have a guide and will visit with 20 other people (or maybe 40). Another example is visiting Normandy and the D-Day Landing Beaches as a day trip from Paris and you may only have another 8 people in a small van with a driver/guide. These types of tours are becoming very popular and can be quite affordable.  At Daiquiri we use these on our value-minded programs to allow for a guided experience at affordable prices.

Private Multi-Day Tours:

 

This is by-far the best way to truly experience a destination exactly how you want to!  Private multi-day tours can be fully customized and offer extreme flexibility for your vacation. These fully guided itineraries can be designed with your interests in mind and can range from just a few days to several weeks. Essentially all services included in these packages are for you and your travel companions. Though these programs can be the most expensive, they can truly offer the most unique of experiences.

The guide accompanying you is there to ensure you are well taken care of.  If the package includes private transportation, you will also be able to have more improvised experiences if the contracted services allow for it. These tours can be deluxe programs offering the best accommodations and inclusions.  There is however the option of splurging on the guided tour services portion of a trip while incorporating more budget-conscious accommodations and activities.

Private day (museum/attractions/city) tours:

Similar to the private multi-day trips, these private tours are intended for a single day or a few hours in the destination. Here you can either sign up for a pre-designed trip where you will have your own guide for the time allotted, or you can fully customize the experience to create your very own program. Private tours can last an entire day in a city or can simply be for a few hours to visit an attraction or a museum with the assistance of a private guide.

Transportation may or may not be included. These can also be to nearby destinations as day trips.  The possibilities of private tours are endless and also provide a very personalized way to experience your destination or attraction of choice.

Experiences (both private and shared):

Experiences have become the biggest thing these days.  Instead of just doing a standard historical tour, people want to become part of a destination by embarking on an adventure while there.  Examples of this can be cooking classes, wine tastings, hot-air balloon rides, pub crawls, cigar tastings, and even driving a Ferrari in the countryside. Experiences can be both private or shared and are available just about everywhere these days.

If private, the experience can be customized. Most often you will have either a guide or a host to assist with the entire process and help bring that experience to life. Though similar to guided tours, generally these involve more hands-on activities!

So why are private tours so special?

If you are going to splurge in something while you travel, invest in having a private guide for at least a portion of your trip.  It is difficult o have one-on-one time with a local that understands you as a traveler and is able to truly bring their destination to life.  It isn’t always possible for that guide to connect with you one-on-one if you are part of a group. But you will have their full attention if you hire them on a private basis.

Think of all the useful tidbits you could gain from picking their brain. Where is the best place to eat?  How do I best get around the city? What museums are worth visiting? What do people do for fun in that city? What are some hidden places we should not miss? What are the local specialties to try? And so many more!

The truth is that spending time with a local makes that vacation so much more enjoyable and rewarding.  You can leave your guidebook behind and experience that destination like a local! And you don’t have to spend hours and hours researching those things on your own. You’ll return home with so many more magical memories, too!

It may be difficult to find that perfect private guide before getting to your destination, but that’s where we come in! We have carefully selected guides to all the destinations we service, so we’ve done the work for you!

Ask us how we can incorporate a private tour guide into your program. Experience the difference!