While independent travelers tend to shun organized tour companies, they are often hard to avoid. The truth is that we all take an organized tour at some point. Whether it’s just for a day or a week or our whole holiday, organized trips are usually in our travel plans at some point. I’ve taken them in the past, and will probably take plenty more in the future. They are often hard to avoid, and many destinations (like Halong Bay, the Galapagos Islands, the Serengeti, Machu Picchu) are inaccessible without them.
Usually synonymous with big buses and camera-clicking holiday makers, organized tours can actually be quite good. They can be especially great for first-time travelers unsure about setting out on their own. Tours can give people the time to adjust to the travel lifestyle. And anything that gets people up and on the road is something that I support.
If you decide to take a tour, here are some things to look for in a good tour company:
Reputation - Look on travel message boards to see what a company’s reputation is. It might not always be what they claim, and it’s important to find out the truth before you book. The biggest, most expensive companies might not always have the best reputations. Sometimes the little ones are just as good. After you find a few companies you like, find out what people thought of them.