Walking Tours – Starting Off On The Right Foot

By guest author Marlene Ellin.

When you travel, wouldn’t you love to view brilliant local flora up close instead of through a smudgy bus window? Inhale the fragrance of a fresh breeze instead of the faint odor of a chemical toilet? Explore winding trails instead of cramming your feet onto a metal footrest?
If so, then consider a walking tour.

If you’re not a gung-ho hiker, don’t worry. Walking tours come in all flavors. You just have to find one that matches your interest and fitness level. Here are some tips:

· Search online for tour providers by including the destination you have in mind. For example, enter €œwalking tours The Cotswolds”. Then click on links that intrigue you

· Find a provider offering travel dates that will work for you. Then read the €œAbout our company” section to see whether they emphasize walking over culture or vice versa. If the latter, then the physical demands should be less rigorous.

· Also scan the site to see whether the company classifies tours by level of difficulty. Many offer specific recommendations for people of varying ages and fitness.

· Notice what kinds of people appear in photos on the site. Are they close to your age? Wearing serious hiking gear? Any singles? These are clues about what sorts of travelers the company caters to.

· Read a sample tour itinerary to estimate how much time you will actually spend walking each day and where. City explorations are likely to include more flat surfaces and refreshment stops than rural rambles or wilderness hikes.

· Click the link to request more information. When it arrives, read the descriptions carefully – as you would for any tour — to see what’s included:

• Does the trip include airfare to the starting destination (many do not)? If not, then how expensive/challenging will it be to get there?
• How many meals will you have to pay for out of pocket?
• If you are single, will you have to pay supplemental costs?
• Go to Tripadvisor.com to find reports on the tours. Look up the hotels to see whether they offer the features you want.

· Call the company to ask more questions:

• What is the maximum number of people for the tour? The minimum? How many people are signed up so far?
• Will the company cancel the tour if not enough people sign up? If so, what options will you have? Will your deposit be refunded?
• Who will be guiding the tour, and what is his or her background?

Once you find a company that you like and trust, you may find that you can’t wait to sign up for a different walking tour each year. Happy trails!

Category: Trip Planning