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Choosing Your Perfect Tour
At CAA Travel, we work with a variety of tour companies offering a wide range of packages - and the sheer number of available options can be overwhelming.
Before you begin collecting and reading brochures to find your perfect tour, there are a few things to consider:
Tour price
Tours come in all prices - from budget-oriented types that cost a few hundred a week to the non-skimping, ultra-luxurious variety that have an asking price of thousands. Examine your travel style and budget: if you like to live lavishly but don't have a matching travel budget, you'll have to to make compromises on the standard of hotel, reduce the amount of inclusions, or opt for a shorter tour.
Tour size
Tour companies have come to realize that one size doesn't fit all. Nowadays, tours are available in all sizes - from a multitude to more intimate groups. The advantages? Larger groups are more affordable and have more people to meet, while smaller groups are more personal and tend to stay at smaller, family-run hotels.
Tour pace
No one knows your own level of energy and sense of adventure better than you. There are enough tours on the market to satisfy your wishes without making a lot of compromises, so determine what you fancy seeing/doing and select the tour that's best for you.
If there are lots of stops and visits in the itinerary, then you'll have a shorter time at each attraction, while a fewer number of visits will give you more free time. Also, watch for the number of one-night stops. More leisurely itineraries offer more two- and three-night stays.
Tour itineraries
Do you want an in-depth exploration?
Regional or one-country tours tend to be more relaxed and travel at a slower pace.
Interested in covering a lot of ground and sampling the sights?
Then you'll want a multi-country tour - but be prepared to spend lots of time on the coach driving from city to city.
Other important questions to consider when comparing itineraries include:
- Are you comfortable with the amount of time spent travelling?
- Is there a great deal of walking involved?
- Is there enough free time for your own explorations, or is there too much leisure time?
(note: if there is a lot of free time, you may prefer hotels that are centrally located.)
Hotels
An integral role in the success of a trip is your accommodations, so study the hotels' descriptions and ratings to determine whether they're what you want. With the exception of top-of-the-line luxury tours that stay in the best hotels, most tours stay in moderate first class properties. Cheaper, budget-style or adventure tours tend to stay in two- and three-star hotels that have less amenities and services.
Foreign hotel ratings may not always reflect North American standards, and every country has its own hotel rating system. For example, a "deluxe" hotel in one country varies in size, amenities and luxury than a similarly rated hotel in another country.
Meals
Understand the terms used in connection with meal information, such as "continental breakfast", "table d'hote", "à la carte", etc. Read the brochure carefully to determine how many and what kinds of meals are included each day. Will you have a choice of the menu, or will you be limited to a smaller group of selections? Some tours don't include many meals so you are free to dine on your own.
Our suggestions
| If you're looking for... |
Take a tour to... |
| Art & history |
Austria, France, Italy, Great Britain, Greece, Russia, Spain, Netherlands |
| Ancient civilization |
China, Egypt, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Turkey, Easter Island |
| Good food |
France, Hong King, Italy, New Orleans, San Francisco/Napa Valley, Thailand |
| Wildlife habitats |
Africa, Alaska, Antarctica, Australia, Belize, Costa Rica, Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, Seychelles, The Amazon, |
| Incredible scenery |
Canada, Chile, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Scandinavia, Switzerland, the U.S., Costa Rica |
| Exotic cultures |
India, Morocco, Nepal, South Pacific, Tibet, Tunisia, Vietnam, Mongolia |
| Golf |
USA, Bermuda, Portugal, Spain, Scotland, Ireland |
| Fascinating Places & Unsolved Mysteries |
England's Stonehenge, Scotland's Loch Ness (Monster), Egypt's Pyramids, Area 51 (Nevada), Itay's Ruins, Belize & Mexico's Mayan Ruins, United States' (Yellowstone National Park) Old Faithful, Australia's Ayers Rock, United States' (Arizona) Grand Canyon, Turkey's (Ephesus) Preserved City, United States' (South Dakota) Mt. Rushmore |
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