As travellers, we are presented with a very real problem: Should we make it a priority to go on a guided walking tour and see as much as we possibly can during our trip, or should we give ourselves more time to explore and meander at our own pace?
Both methods come with their own set of advantages as well as drawbacks; if you’re having trouble deciding which method is best for you, this blog post aims to shed some light on the subject for you.
The Pros
You never find yourself without a photographer at your side.
What could be more frustrating than returning home from a trip only to find that the only pictures you took with your camera were selfies of your enormous face with very little in the way of recognisable scenery in the background?
The days of using a selfie stick are over, and together with them go all of the halfway acceptable pictures of you and whatever else was travelling with you. But have no fear! You may always ask your other passengers to take some pictures for you if you are travelling with a group.
You don’t need to be concerned about transportation.
Not many things in the world are more scary than attempting to use the public transit system in an unknown location, particularly if you do not know the language spoken there.
You will be given the lowdown on the situation.
If you hire a local tour guide, you will receive more information in addition to that which is printed in the brochure. You are provided with an insider’s viewpoint and opinion on the history, influence, people, customs, festivities, and other aspects of the location in question. You unearth the buried treasures and hear the entertaining anecdotes that give each location its unique personality.
The Cons
You might feel rushed.
A guided tour always makes you feel like you’re in a hurry, regardless of the type of trip you take or how long you spend at your destination. By going on guided excursions, during which there is no time to stop for these spur-of-the-moment detours, you risk missing out on photo opportunities and off-the-beaten-path activities.
You have to interact with various other travellers.
Being forced to spend the entire day with a bunch of total strangers might be a living nightmare for some tourists. But, on the other hand, it truly is dependent on the crowd; we’ve had tourmates who have been amazing, and we’ve also had tourmates who have been noisy and annoying (who you can hear in every film we’ve recorded).
Call the tour operator ahead of time and inquire about the size of the tour group if you can. This will assist you in determining which tour to go on or even if you should go on a tour at all.