Once there, should you book a tour with an agency, contact a local guide directly or do everything yourself? Each option has its advantages. Here is how to choose depending on your trip.
Exploring on your own
Ideal for easy-to-explore cities and well-signposted sites. It is the cheapest and most flexible option, but you miss the history, the stories and the places only locals know.
Agencies and large group tours
Convenient when you don’t want to organize anything, with fixed departures. On the other hand, groups are often large, the programme is rigid, and part of the price goes to intermediaries rather than to the people guiding you.
A local guide contacted directly
- A programme tailored to your wishes, pace and budget.
- A real encounter with someone who lives there.
- An often fairer price, without intermediaries, and income that stays local.
- Especially worthwhile as a group: the price of a private guide is shared.
How to choose the right guide
- Read other travelers’ reviews and check how long they have been guiding.
- Check the language of the tour and what is included (transport, tickets, meals).
- Ask for the total price in advance and what happens in bad weather.
- In some countries guides must be licensed: don’t hesitate to ask.
- Exchange a few messages first: a good guide replies quickly and clearly.
And on Globamigo?
Globamigo is not an agency: you contact local guides, Travel Planners and places to stay directly, with no commission, and messages are translated automatically. You can also find other travelers to share the cost of a private guide.