18 of 21

Solo

Write now Article Tools

I have always taken, and will continue, to take independent vacations. I know that most group tours include your airfare, transportation, hotels, transfers, meals, sightseeing, and so forth; but to me, they are way too structured and don't give you that balance of free time and scheduled activities.

I've been doing some research on these escorted tours, and I wanted to find out what an escorted tour is like. The people who take these tours have to get up at the crack of dawn, (there is ususally a wake-up call at the hotel)have their bags packed and outside their hotel rooms for pick up, go down to breakfast, leave at either 7:30 or 8 o'clock, and they have to stick to a very strict schedule.

With one particular tour operator, the tour bus leaves the airport "one hour after the arrival of our selected flights." If you miss the bus, you have to travel on your own and at your own expense to the first hotel on the tour. For example, on one of their tours of Italy, after you land in Rome, the tour bus will meet you outside the airport and then go directly to Sorrento, which is a 3/2-hour drive from Rome. If you miss that bus, it'll cost you an arm and a leg to get there. Ditto for some of their tours of France, especially if your plane gets into Paris and you're not spending your first night there.

There is a lot of walking involved on these tours and you have to be able to keep up with the group. I have difficulty walking due to arthritis in my knees, I am extremely overweight, and I have to sit down periodically, practically every few seconds. I know that in Europe, they visit centuries-old castles and buildings and they have to walk on cobbled streets and some of them don't even have steps and elevators.

Some of them also offer tours to the Copper Canyon in Mexico, but they will tell them what to expect on this tour; especially walking on uneven surfaces and spending the night in rustic facilities. In case of an emergency, you have to leave your contact information with the tour operator.

The hotel stays are usually two nights here, two nights there, and so forth. How are you going to get to see everything if you're only going to be staying there for two nights? That's rediculous! Depending on where you go, you need a much longer stay than two nights just to see what you want to see.

And speaking of hotels, they will either put you up in hotels that may or may not have good locations. A couple of tour operators to Europe will put their tour

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Are guided or solo tours better when traveling??
We want to hear your view. Write now!