What do you think of when you picture a tour? A massive group of people with matching hats following a big umbrella around. Well you couldn’t be more wrong!
Our featured gap year tours are all about immersing yourself in a destination, getting off the beaten track and just having a fantastic time. Lots of “backpacker snobs” will have their own opinions on how they think you should travel a country. But sometimes, particularly if it’s your first trip away, you need the support of a tour.
If you’re feeling a bit unsure about doing one, hopefully by busting these 5 myths, you’ll feel a lot more confident in the fact that a tour will change your trip for the BETTER …
1. It’s so much better to “wing it”
So what are you doing when you get there? Oh we’re just going to “wing it”. The two most deadly words. Don’t get us wrong, going with the flow while travelling is great, but let us remind you that time is precious. More often than not, it will take a few days to figure out where to go and what to do, those days spent planning are wasted days, especially when you could be exploring somewhere. Tours maximize the amount of time you have, you’ll truly get the most out of the place that you’re in.
2. They’re too expensive
The price tag may look a little scary especially if you think of it as one lump sum, but when you break it down by day, you’re covered for all of your accommodation, travel and most of your meals before you’ve even got there! Plus, you’ve got a knowledgeable guide showing you the best places to visit and coolest bars to drink at. Now without sounding cheesy, “travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”, that was a bit cheesy but it’s true. You will probably only go travelling once in your lifetime, if you’re lucky maybe more, therefore don’t be tight with cash and miss out on the best experience possible. Work hard, save up and make it the most memorable trip of your life.
3. You’ll get stuck with annoying people
Well that is just ridiculous. Just because you’re on a tour doesn’t mean you’re going to get stuck with annoying people, there will be loads of brilliant, like-minded people aboard that bus. You are always going to find someone you get along with no matter what. Often travelling alone means you’re more likely to find an annoying tag-along keen to follow you up the East Coast of Australia and crop up in South East Asia – it’s like they appear out of thin air!
4. It’s better to travel with your mates
Don’t get us wrong travelling with your friends is a brilliant thing to do but 100 the best way to see somewhere is to brave it alone. By going on a tour you’ll be independent but have the comfort of people around you. You’ll get chatting to everyone on the bus, meet people from all over the world and learn so many new things! Your friends will always be there waiting for you back home. On a tour you’ll push yourself further than you probably would do with your mates. Or you could always mix it up a bit? Fly out a little earlier, embark on a 3 day welcome city tour or small trek of the Northern Hill tribes for a few days and then meet up with your friends after and travel a bit with them – best of both worlds!
5. Feels like a school trip
If only school trips were like tours; underground nightclubs in French chateaux’s, crazy Vietnamese bars and dinners out every night, that would’ve have been brilliant! Plus, unlike a school trip our tours take you completely off the beaten track, you could spend the night in the misty mountains of Shaolin listening to stories told by Kung Fu monks or cruise across the Arizona desert in a 4X4 or skydive over the biggest lake in New Zealand. Plus, your guide will leave you alone not like your Geography teacher hanging around and cramping your style. More often than not the guides, like “Wazza” on the Vietnam on a Shoestring tour, are the biggest party animals of group!
So there you have it! 5 myths about going on a tour BUSTED. But the proof is in the pudding, try a tour for yourself and see what you think.
If you are looking for companies to book with, we recommend: