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4 Common Types of Group Tours

When you’re driving down the highway and see a big motorcoach cruising along, do you ever wonder who’s in there?  The possibilities of who participates in group tours are many.

First, let’s start with answering the question “What exactly are group tours?” A group tour consists of a group of people who want to have a travel experience with others with a common interest. Group travel is an excellent option as the traveler just has to sign up and everything else is taken care of. No worries of finding accommodations, driving, parking, where to eat, or what to do. People who participate in group tours also have the benefit of tour guides and group leaders . There is always someone on the trip who is responsible for making sure everyone is accounted for, takes care of any issues that may arise and knows about the location(s).

While it is true that group travel experienced a significant decline due to the pandemic, today we are seeing the group tour market starting to return as a tried-and-true travel experience. The COVID-19 pandemic had some positive effects on this travel segment. There are more safety and cleanliness protocols that are being followed by tour companies, and hygiene and sanitation features that are being implemented on tour buses. This includes air filtration systems, hand sanitizer stations, deep cleaning and full sanitization policies before each tour commences. The American Bus Association has done a great job of providing current and relevant information as far as CDC requirements for tour busses. 

These travel plans could consist of day trips, multi-day trips, traveling to exotic destinations, historic and cultural sites, concerts, sporting events, etc. Tour packages range from hundreds of travelers to smaller groups as few as 10 people. What does it take to attract a group tour to your destination ? It depends on who is on the tour! Here are 4 common types of group tours and what they’re looking for.

Senior Group Tours

Many retirees enjoy this type of vacation. It’s ideal for people who love to travel but don’t want to travel alone. They want to meet new people with common interests and have free time during the week. As many retirees are on a fixed income, travel during off-peak time is more economical.

What Destinations Need: Tour Operators for senior tours make sure that everywhere they go can accommodate this demographic. This could include handicapped accessibility, minimal walking and places geared toward this age group. Senior tours often visit historic and cultural destinations and unique places. Like Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, NY.

What’s on the Itinerary: Typically, the itinerary will include a slower pace so visitors can enjoy the experiences without being rushed to the next thing. They also have local guides join them on the bus to give them background, interesting stories and information about the places they’re visiting.

Adventure Group Tours

This type of travel is of special interest to people who like to get their adrenaline flowing! The adventure group tour segment is one area that has increased significantly during the pandemic. People want to be outdoors and have unique experiences. Also, these groups are often smaller in nature so there is not the concern of being with a lot of people.

While there could be varied ages, typically these groups include people between 30 – 50. The benefit of group tours for these thrill seekers is that they can go to places they may not know of or be able to go on their own. For those who enjoy being taken out of their comfort zone, what better way than putting your fate in someone else’s hands and allowing them to take you to unfamiliar destinations? This type of travel experience fosters a camaraderie unlike any other. Having an exhilarating experience with others is a bond shared only by those who are living it.

What Destinations Need: These tours could include mountain climbing, white water rafting, or multiple adventure experiences. Like Adventure Calls Outfitters in Letchworth State Park.

What’s on the Itinerary:  They will usually include enjoying local cuisine and amenities to ensure all get free time and plenty of rest.

Sports Group Tours

Sports fans are some of the most passionate and expressive travelers around. These types of tours are great for those who love watching sporting events but don’t want the hassle. Tour companies who offer this type of travel experience will typically have more buying options than a single person would because they are guaranteeing purchase of many tickets. This allows them to have access to highly sought-after seating that may not be available to the general public. These tours may include going to a big game like the Super Bowl or World Series or attending different games over several days. Avid sports fans who want to savor the game without the details will enjoy this type of travel from start to finish.

What Destinations Need:  Sports stadiums and local sports teams and other sporting attractions. Like the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

What’s on the Itinerary:  Besides attending games, sports fans like sport-themed dining and breweries.

Student Group Tours

Performance, sports, educational and recreational are the 4 main types of student tours.

• Performance – This tour is for school performance groups. It typically includes chorus, bands and orchestra students. It combines opportunities for the students to travel to destinations outside of their hometowns and perform at large public venues and also provides some recreational and free time.
• Sports – This tour is for sports teams. It may be through a school or could be an organized group outside of a school. These groups travel to various tournaments around the country. Although the main part of the travel is to play in the tournament, there will also be a component of free time to explore the destination where the tournament is being held.
• Educational – These tours are based around an experience specifically tied to a curriculum. If a group is learning about American History, they may take a multi-day trip traveling to different historical sites. There is always some time for fun and play scheduled as well.
• Recreational – Typically done as a last hurrah, many high school senior classes will embark on these types of tours. They go to a fun destination such as New York City, Disney World, or a beach-side resort. These are typically 3 – 4 day adventures and the planned activities are recreational in nature.

What Destinations Need:  Large public spaces where groups can perform, arenas or sporting complexes. Shopping and entertainment centers are perfect. Like Destiny USA in Syracuse, NY.

What’s on the Itinerary:  Historical sites, educational attractions that coordinate with the curriculum, and other youth-friendly attractions and restaurants.

Are you wondering what lies ahead for the group travel industry post pandemic? Click here to find out!

Rhonda Carges

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You are here: Home » Travel Tips » 10 Ways to Make the Most of Any Tour, Anywhere in the World

10 Ways to Make the Most of Any Tour, Anywhere in the World

Last Updated on November 9, 2017 by

Have you ever been on a tour and felt like it’s just not working for you? Maybe there’s something missing? Or the connection just isn’t there?

What do you do?

When I consider this question, I’m reminded of a conversation with a passenger on a tour we took recently. The conversation with Miranda (I changed her name) went roughly like this:

“I don’t really feel like I’m engaging with [this place] on this tour. I don’t feel like I’ve done [this place],” she said with a look of disappointment. Clearly, Miranda wasn’t getting the depth of engagement she wanted from the trip.

“So what would you like to change?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she responded. “It would be great if maybe we visited a local market or somewhere where we can talk with more local people.”

“Funny you mention that,” I said. “It’s not on the itinerary, but we just heard about a weekly market tomorrow morning that's a short walk. Come with us.”

She never came with us, she never visited the market. And this was one of several opportunities she missed that would have tuned her into the sort of experience she claimed she wanted.

It’s our experience that tours are often subject to the implicit assumption: everything is taken care of, so you should sit back and passively check off the elements of your itinerary as they’re delivered to you.

Not so. If you really wish to make the most of any travel experience, whether you travel independently or in a group, you must take ultimate responsibility for your own satisfaction. Sure, once you’ve booked a group tour, there are certain elements that are out of your hands — the guide, itinerary, and fellow passengers. Beyond that, however, it’s up to you to take control within those constraints. ( Note : We've already discussed the various reasons why people choose to take small group tours here .)

“ Ugh, Dan. You mean I pay this money for someone else to organize my holiday and it’s still up to me? ”

Kind of. During the last few years, as independent travelers who’ve also taken small group tours to places like Iran , Ethiopia and Japan , we’ve discovered that the value we derived from the experience was due in one part to the organization of the tour, and another part to how proactive and engaged we were. If you want to have a great vacation, you must make an effort. You must invest a piece of yourself — to engage and participate in the tour and be a part of the experience. After all, you are ultimate arbiter of your own holiday happiness.

“ OK, you’re making a great argument, Dan. But how do I do actually this? “

So glad you asked. Here are ten pieces of practical, actionable advice you can implement straight away to make the most of any organized tour. The upshot: consider the tour itinerary as a foundation, a basis for you to create ad hoc experiences in the in-between space.

1) Proactively communicate your specific interests to your guide.

Fact: it’s impossible for your guide to read your mind and to know everything about you and your interests. When it comes to travel, passivity does not pay. This goes for independent travel and tours alike.

If you have a specific interest – ancient history, sports, local foods, markets, weaving, ceramics, music, whatever – share that interest with your guide at the beginning of your tour. Then ask your guide nicely if he can direct you to places, experiences or people that will help you learn more about your interest.

This may sound obvious, but we’re surprised by how often it does not happen.

A couple things to keep in mind when applying this approach. Understand that you are a guest – a guest in a place that is likely the guide’s home. It’s best to express your interest in the form of questions, rather than in the form of demands. If you come at your guide combatively with an “ I paid for this ” attitude, forget it. Instead, show your interest and humble curiosity to provide your guide with a platform to share more of his knowledge of his home country and culture with you.

Finally, understand that other people's needs are at work, too. The trick: make your desires known in a good-hearted way, and position it to see if the experiences you seek may also meet the interests of others on your tour. If they don’t, then try to schedule these experiences during your free time.

We’re reminded of: We told our guide on the first day of our Ethiopia tour about our deep interest in learning about Ethiopian food . Over the course of the week he took us to a rural village preparing food for a 500-person wedding, organized an impromptu cooking course at a lodge, introduced us to restaurant owners who explained their cuisine to us, and found food markets along the way that were not on the itinerary. This not only added to our experience, but to that of our fellow passengers and our guide.

2) Perform your own research.

The first time we saw a person on a tour with a guidebook we thought it a bit odd. I mean, you’re paying for the tour and a guide who is a local expert so why bother?

We soon saw the light.

The more research you perform on the place you are visiting – by reading a guidebook, asking friends, doing internet research – the better prepared you’ll be to ask informed questions and go off-itinerary for a bit, either by yourself or with your group. At the very least, this research can help source new restaurants or cafes to explore outside of your hotel (see #6 below).

We’re reminded of: During our visit to Iran , our questions — prompted by advice from an Iranian-American friend — led to an unscheduled visit to the Tomb of Esther and Mordecai in the town of Hamadan. Our thirty-minute visit there was not only interesting for the tombs, including of the fabled Jewish Queen Esther, but for our meeting with the Iranian rabbi caretaker who told us about the lives of the Jewish community (surprising!) still living in town.

3) Ask questions, channel your curiosity.

Unleash your curiosity and leverage your tour guide as the resource he is — or should be — to learn as much as you can about the place you are visiting. This will not only benefit your understanding of the local context and history, but it will also jump-start your guide’s energy and direct his knowledge and explanations more to your interests.

This is especially important to break what I call “tour monotony” where it’s clear that the guide is giving an explanation on auto-pilot. This can get boring for everyone very quickly, the guide included. Asking questions changes the pace and energy and often surfaces stories that you'll take home and remember forever.

We’re reminded of: During our tour to Antarctica we passed a pod of killer whales . Audrey took a bunch of photos and later approached the cetacean expert (i.e., whale and dolphin specialist) with her photos to ask more information about the whales and their behaviors. He was excited — because he was always excited by passengers’ interest in wildlife — but this time he was really excited. It turns out that we’d come across a previously unidentified sub-species called Type D Orcas, and Audrey's photos were just the proof he needed. The photo later appeared in a scientific journal.

4) Take advantage of your free time.

Many tours incorporate free time into the itinerary — either entirely free days or chunks of time before or after scheduled visits to sites. Be sure to use these bits of free time deliberately to go off on your own and explore – perhaps to a café, market, or new street you haven’t walked down. Most often, it’s the ad hoc, unexpected experiences that not only provide real, authentic culture and context, but leave us with the “you wouldn’t believe what happened to us…!” stories that we tell our friends back home.

We’re reminded of: During our Japan tour, we visited the Nishiki market in Kyoto on a free afternoon. We took one of the people on our tour with us, walked through a market flush with local students and sought out freshly-made takoyaki (octopus balls!) from one of the food stalls. It was a simple yet resonant experience. The traveler who came with us told us it was one of her best memories from an already memorable trip to Japan.

5) Realize that you don’t have to do everything.

This is one that I struggle with. When I’m on a tour, I often feel compelled to do everything that’s offered. But sometimes the best decision is to strategically skip an optional activity or do something different so long as my choice doesn’t disrupt the group or their schedule.

We’re reminded of: While in Uganda , most of the group went off on all-day optional tour in the Lake Bunyonyi area. The itinerary sounded a bit hurried to us, and we were at the point where we needed a break. We woke up late, took a walk up the mountain and enjoyed a beautiful plate of crayfish curry at a restaurant with an incredible view. Rather than packing our heads with even more experiences, we needed a sprinkling of reflection. This was exactly what the doctor ordered.

6) Get outside the hotel.

As tempting as it is to stay in your hotel — it’s easy and close — push yourself to get outside to take care of basic necessities like eating, drinking and shopping. And use those journeys to find local restaurants, cafes, bars or shops. This approach forces you to engage with more local people, thereby expanding the nature of your impressions and experiences in a place.

These outings will also allow you to spread your tourism dollars to different businesses and families. Family-run businesses – particularly if you interact with the people that run them – will often provide you with a sense of connection and a handful of stories to take back home.

We’re reminded of: Finding small restaurants and street food stalls in Bali that were much cheaper and served tastier food than the shiny restaurants at the hotel. It took more effort to get out and find these places, but we were rewarded for it with beautiful local food and conversations off the most heavily traveled bits of the tourist trail.

7) Experience the beginning of the day.

Sleep is a precious thing, and it is especially important while traveling. But as much as a good lie-in helps sometimes, so does waking up early. In fact, it's almost always always worth the effort.

Many towns and villages around the world come to life in the early hours of the morning as vendors carry their goods to market. Morning is also a great time to see children going to school and watch the day unfold as cafes and restaurants set up for the day. This time is often less stressful for everyone, so you are more likely to have friendly, focused interactions. For example, you’re more likely to get an answer to your question of a vendor when they are just getting set up than when they are in full swing dealing with a handful of customers.

After getting your fill of activity, you can return to the hotel for breakfast or a coffee to meet the group for the rest of the day.

We’re reminded of: Going to the weekly market at Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda before breakfast. Within a short walk from our campsite we found the market and saw dugout wooden boats transporting sacks of charcoal, fish, bananas, and vegetables from other islands in the lake and even from neighboring Rwanda. Nothing like sensory overload to kick off the day.

8) Extend your time in the country.

A tour is a great way to introduce you to a destination. It can allow you to get your bearings, find your feet, and build confidence traveling around a new country with a different language and culture. Spending some extra time after your tour allows you to explore cities or regions more deeply than might have been allowed by your tour itinerary. Alternatively, you can further explore new areas of the country.

We’re reminded of: Spending an extra week in Iran to see the lesser-visited northwestern part of the country and to take a 60-hour train to Istanbul . As American citizens we were required to have a guide with us, but we were able to ad hoc visit towns where we had Iranian friends and see sites like the Armenian monastery of St. Stephanos and the ancient Tabriz covered market and carpet bazaar .

9) Understand that alone time is OK.

The concept of a tour may make some introverts cringe and wish to crawl into a hole. So much people time! Even if you are extroverted like Audrey, you may still find yourself feeling something similar as your holiday progresses.

Understand that you don’t have to spend all your time with the group; be sure to take care of your needs, including the need to reflect. Don’t feel bad about getting dinner on your own or going solo for your free time or tuning out when the bus is moving. It’s your holiday, after all.

Having said that, you may want to let others know that you are not shunning them, but instead are taking some time to yourself to refresh. Reasonable people will understand and most will nod in approval. In fact, some may realize they need a bit of that themselves.

We’re reminded of: One evening on the safari portion of our Tanzania tour, I left the group early for some quiet time to reflect, take notes and read a book while the rest gathered around the campfire. After all, Audrey and I had only recently summited Mt. Kilimanjaro and had just finished an afternoon of tracking cheetahs. This is a lot to recuperate from and to process. The following morning, I rejoined the group refreshed and rested, and all the better for it.

10) Don’t let negative thoughts simmer to a boil.

Stuff happens. If something bothers you, tell your guide in private. Have an open conversation. His job is to try and make the trip as enjoyable as possible for everyone, within limits. It may be that he can’t solve the problem immediately, but at least he can begin to address the issue. Be sure to also give feedback to your tour provider after the tour is over so they can address issues on future trips.

What you shouldn’t do: Keep it bottled up inside so you’re outwardly angry (yet no one understands exactly why), complain publicly, particularly to everyone on the tour except your guide. There’s nothing that ruins a trip — yours and others — like shared misery.

We’re reminded of: Our tour in New Zealand was (at the time) a very new tour, so there were some inconsistencies between the accommodation description from travel agents and the reality on the tour. The tour leader couldn't change where we were staying, but once he was aware of the concerns, he addressed them as best as he could. And, the trip was pretty remarkable.

The bonus nugget of travel wisdom: Even when we’ve paid for an experience and someone else is responsible for facilitating it, we and our actions help form the bridge to our own travel satisfaction.

The bad news: It takes effort.

The good news: That effort is often rewarded.

About Daniel Noll

35 thoughts on “10 ways to make the most of any tour, anywhere in the world”.

Awesome insight in this post! I really like the emphasis and reminder that these trips are your experiences and you can customized them to your liking while still being on an organized tour. I wholeheartedly agree with you that it is ultimately the responsibility of each person to make the most of a trip. Attitude, curiosity, and reflection are great things to keep in mind for travel. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.

Thanks, Oliver! Great to hear from you. Your comment reminds me that as I was writing this with respect to traveling on a tour, I realized pretty quickly — as you did — that this advice applies rather generally to travel, independent travel and life in general. While there’s stuff that happens outside of our control, there’s still a lot we can do to impact our own experience. Thanks for your feedback.

Organized tours sometimes carry the connotation that they won’t deliver an authentic experience. I’d agree to some extent, but I’ve had a tour enrich my experience in a way nothing else could. I spent several days on a small group tour in Egypt. Spending that much time with one guide allowed us to get to know a local and ask more in depth questions than we would have during short encounters with locals in restaurants or elsewhere. I left the trip with more knowledge and a deeper appreciation because of the guided tour, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We definitely had a custom experience and gained a friend. I also agree that tours can be a great way to get comfortable in a new location before branching out. A tour in Istanbul gave me my footing, and now the city is at the top of my list for returning to and exploring without a tour.

Natalie, great to see you here. I agree that organized tours — particularly to those of us who enjoy or even prefer independent travel — carry connotations of “inauthentic experience”. Some tours and tour companies do their best to counter this while others don’t. Like you, we’ve had excellent guides across the world who have added a dimension to our experiences and understanding that we alone would have been challenged to do. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Fantastic points. I love doing tours but I’ve also found some of these tips really helpful in the past. It’s defnitely up to you to make the most of a tour.

Thanks, Emma. Glad you found this useful. True, whether traveling, touring or whatever — it’s up to each of us to make the most of what’s in front of us.

Great article, Daniel! I agree with each and every point. I’ve also had some great travel experiences when traveling in a small group. As Natalie mentioned before (talking about Egypt), I know much more about the people of Oman, just because I had the chance to spend more time with a local guide. I also had some moments when I did not have time to prepare for a trip and, although it was nice to be surprised and to discover everything on the way, I always had the feeling that I am going to miss something important. So yes, it’s worth the effort to prepare in advance, even if all the details are taken care of.

Thanks, Roxana. Glad this article resonated with your experiences in Oman and elsewhere. Preparation, as you mention, is important. As I read your comment, it occurs to me that having a guide not only provides context and perspective, but can also pick up a little bit of slack if we haven’t fully prepared or researched a destination and its history prior to our arrival.

Not like I’m speaking out of experience 🙂

:)) yes, that’s true.

Great article. I’ve worked as a tour guide for a few years and indeed tourists come with certain expectations that are difficult to fulfil if the guide does not know about it. The expectations of the tourists changed a lot of how I organised the trip. If indeed, people are interested in visiting a local market, we will make a detour. And so on When reading your article, people might look different on taking organised tours and get more satisfaction out of it by thinking of how to make the most of it. Thanks

Thanks for providing your perspective from the other side of the equation, Sabine. I’m actually surprised more guides don’t spend a little more time on setting expectations up front, first thing on the tour. I suspect they are frightened of all those expectations. I probably would be, too. And as you point out, trips evolve and expectations change and need to be continually managed. (Aside: I really respect successful, organized tour guides — this is a difficult job, especially to perform well.)

And to your point that has been echoed in other comments, this article boils down to making the most of whatever we purchase, are given, presented with, etc. in life.

Great post, guys! In places like the Amazon, Galapagos and Antarctica, a group tour really is the best way to see the area if you want to understand the complexities of the balance between mankind and nature. And I love the tip about talking to locals to find things that aren’t on the group itinerary. That’s often how we find the coolest side-trips.

Thanks, Bret! In some of those places, a group tour may be the only way to see the area — unless of course, you have your own private plane. I find guides especially valuable in ecologically sensitive areas because they often not only share the current environmental circumstances, but they are often 10, 20+ year veterans who can tell you how perilous the situation is when compared to fairly recent history. That’s certainly the way it was for us in both Galapagos and Antarctica.

Good point on the side trips: locals often have the best inside knowledge for cool, unusual side trips.

I just came back from leading a tour group through Mexico City – actually, I was as much the participant as I was the leader since I organized the trip but I’ve never been there. I agree with all your points above and I wished I read this before I left last week. I’m an introvert, so leading a tour group and constantly interacting with people is exhausting for me. Thankfully, I’ve traveled places before and I know how to handle my need to be alone. I ended up ditching one dinner and one breakfast to go off and explore the surrounding areas. I asked our guide to take me to a local market when everyone else had gone off shopping. I also went on a morning run around the hotel and ended up passing by the Angel of Independence Monument (the symbol of Mexico City!). Thanks for writing this! 😀

Glad you found this worthwhile, Pauline. You’ll have it for the next tour you lead.

Energy level management is really important. After all, travel — particularly travel of the immersive sort — takes effort. If you are introvert amidst a group, it’s especially true. But you are proving the point that introverts are capable (and are often quite adept) at leading groups and performing activities that seem especially suited to extroverts. The trick is that introverts just need to manage their energy levels a little bit differently in context like this, when surrounded by people all that time.

Glad your choices all worked out in Mexico City!

Great article – thanks very much for sharing, Daniel! I have been brought up in some of the countries you have visited in group tours, i.e. Egypt and Ethiopia, but that was more than 30 years ago. And even though I usually don’t travel in groups, and I find your advice outstanding and very helpful!

Glad you found it useful, Alexander. Like you, we tend to travel independently and believe that similar principles that underpin terrific independent travel experiences can be applied by travelers who take guided or group tours. In any event, it sounds like you’ve had quite a history living and traveling overseas yourself.

All such great points! Too often I think people equate group tours with a lack of freedom or flexibility – but you’re so right: like any other travel experience, a group tour is what YOU make it.

I’ve been on some great small group tours throughout my travels, and have enjoyed myself every single time! I like being able to share the experience with others (since I usually travel solo), but am not afraid to take a day or night off from group activities to go do something on my own.

Thanks for your feedback, Amanda. Regardless of the style of travel (in a group or independently), it’s all what we make it. I’ve seen plenty of independent travelers looking like they are traveling in their own little version of prison 🙂

Sharing with others is definitely a major benefit traveling with others. And if we do it right, we create additional energy that others feed off of.

As a former tour guide, I agree 100% on relaying your interests (though some of this responsibility rests on the guide themselves) to your guide, as they can then tailor the tour to the group’s wants and needs. Also, alone time is a need for many introverts, so thanks for promoting this in this post!

David, I’m glad to highlight the introvert side of travel any chance I get. Also, your point is well-taken. Clearly the guides must take their responsibility — but I’ve seen how much it helps to have an engaged group of travelers. The experience dynamic is totally different.

There are a lot of things to do and see when you are in a tour and usually you don’t have the time for all of them so I really agree with the fifth point. I also think that you should make a list of things that you really want to do during a tour and stick to it.

Glad the “don’t do it” advice resonates, Marcia. Make a list of the things you want to do, but understand that time and circumstances may motivate you to re-adjust.

These are wonderful tips, we’ve done a few tours, some better than others but you couldn’t be more spot on that its your experience and you need to own it! Next time we take a tour we’ll keep these tips in mind.

Though one time a tour guide did tell us that he has had people complain because he deviated off the advertised itinary for a photo op that isn’t often available. Crazy!

Glad you found these useful.

Regarding your anedote: Agreed, a little unreasonable, if not crazy. You can’t satisfy all the people all the time.

Thanks for sharing!

Great article, Daniel. You are right, the travelling is not a movie, we all should be proactive and put some efforts to customize our travel experience to take the most of it.

You’re absolutely right, Dylan. Not a movie, but something to actively take part in. Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Excellent post I must say as it covers all the ingredients to make your tour tasty. Being a travel blogger who also runs small group tours to India, I agree communication with your guide is the key to happy tour. I often face similar situations when people come to my tours with lots of things in their mind but expect me to read their minds and offer them a unique experience. Until unless they show me curiosity over an experience like art or food or culture, how can i give them my insights. I wish all the people read this before they come on tours. Thanks for bringing this topic… 🙂

Am glad this resonated with you, Raj. Communication is the key.

Feel free to share with the travelers on your tours 🙂

Fantastic tips!

I especially agree with tip number 2, it’s a shame not many tourists take advantage of it. We live in the era or information, it’s time we put all these available knowledge to good use 🙂

I would also add, enjoy your experience and take the time to really take it all in. Many are so preoccupied with taking photos or wanting to do everything (as you have also mentioned), they end up missing too much of the whole experience…

Agreed. I suspect the reason that so many travelers do not take advantage of the information that is out there is that it sometimes is a little daunting and not always well organized.

You point regarding experiencing the moment — something we refer to as “getting out from behind the lens” — is essential.

I totally agree that sometimes you just need a little alone time! I went on a sightseeing tour in Alaska with my extended family a few years ago. Even though it was my family, I still felt sometimes that I needed to break away occasionally in order to keep my sanity! It’s not something to feel guilty about, even when you’re with people you know and love. Everyone needs a little time to rest mentally and get back into gear.

Glad these tour and travel tips resonated with you, Georgia. Recharging while traveling — however you need to do it — is essential to keeping yourself in top mental shape to interact with the place you are visiting. Thanks for stopping by!

My wife and I are planning on taking a vacation soon and have been wondering about going on an organized tour. I like that you suggest not feeling pressured to do everything and to strategically skip activities on the tour. This sounds like a great way to prevent burnout on the trip. Thanks for sharing!

You are welcome, Derek. We’re glad our perspective was useful. Let us know how it goes on your trip. Also let us know if you have any additional tips for those considering taking organized tours.

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DO THE SOO WALKING TOURS

Most popular walking tours.

Bawating is the name of the ancient, sacred Anishinaabe meeting place that has exemplified this region for millennia; an eternal epicentre for the diverse communities now extending outwards from the River into the Ontario and Michigan ‘Twin Saults’

Our guides are a collective of award-winning authors, story tellers, and indigenous leaders that share a passion for this place and the fascinating multidimension ‘Soo Story’. Our Tour leaders are certified interpretive guides and fully trained in first aid / CPR. Their enthusiasm will engage, educate, and entertain you as you experience one of North America’s special places.

Featured Tours

Downstream Tour

Upstream tour.

  90 to 120 min (approx 4 km (2.5 miles)  • Roberta Bondar Pavilion - Canada’s first female astronaut • City Hall and the ‘Twin Saults’ • The Park and River walks • Canadian Bush Plane Museum • Northern Superior Brewery • Clergue / Ermatinger National Historic Site • Sault street murals • Art Hub at Spring

Downstream Specialty Tour

Pricing varies, as these Tours may include:

1) a 90 minute Canadian Bush Plane Museum visit, with its interactive exhibits, films and lovingly restored aircraft that tell their own story

2) Northern Superior Brewery and Tap Room tour and tastings

3) other specially arranged Tour events.

  90 to 120 min (approx 4 km (2.5 miles)  • The River Boardwalk / Hub Trail • Parks Canada and the Canadian Sault Locks • Whitefish Island, Batchewana First Nation • Canal District, Millworks and the Algoma Central Railway station • Algoma Conservatory of Music and The Loft • Art Hub at Spring

Our New Articles

  Local Sault and Indigenous community charities receive a portion of all Tour proceeds. We are very proud to work in close association with the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy (Canoes for Conservation) and the Delta Marriott Waterfront Hotel to present these Tour s

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Zgrand capitals of eastern europe by rail.

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Small Group Discoveries for our World Travelers

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Budapest, Hungary

Upon arrival, you’ll be warmly greeted and escorted to the 5-star Sofitel Chain Bridge Hotel , ideally located in the heart of the city near the banks of the Danube River and the historic Chain Bridge. This evening, gather with your fellow travelers and our Hungarian-born Trip Leader Sandor Nagy for a congenial dinner featuring fine regional cuisine and wine.  Meals D

Discover Budapest c

Your guided sightseeing tour of the “Queen of the Danube” shows you the historic landmarks and cultural icons of downtown Pest including Heroes’ Square and the Hungarian State Opera House. Commissioned by Emperor Franz Jose in the 1800’s, this stately theater is hailed as one of the most beautiful Neo-Renaissance buildings in all of Europe. Then cross the river and ascend into the Buda Hills to visit the Matthias Church. Built in the 13th century in the heart of the Castle District, this splendid Gothic church was ravaged during wars with the Turks in 1541 and 1686. In the late 19th century, it was restored to its original splendor including a number of Gothic elements which had been covered for centuries and presumed lost. From the Fishermen’s Bastion, you’ll have inspiring views of the Danube, downtown Budapest and Parliament.  Meals B+L

Out + About in Budapest

Most visitors to Budapest just marvel at the lavish façade and impressive Gothic spires of the Hungarian Parliament. But our specially arranged sightseeing takes you inside this architectural landmark for a guided visit of its sumptuously decorated interior, including the Grand Staircase and a tour of the priceless Hungarian Coronation Jewels. Later, a scenic boat ride brings you to the historic Zwack Distillery for a guided tour and a tasting of their famous Unicum , an herbal liqueur created more than 200 years ago for the Habsburg Royal Court. Enjoy a scenic tram ride back to downtown Budapest where the balance of your day is free to explore at your own pace. Not far from your luxury hotel, the Central Market is a must for culinary enthusiasts. It’s a great place to browse for gifts and souvenirs as you mingle with city residents going about their daily shopping.  Meals B

Across Slovakia to Krakow, Poland

This morning’s scenic journey across Slovakia is enriched by the rich cultural insights and deep knowledge of our Trip Leader Sandor. Make your way through the lovely Tatra Mountains, part of the Carpathian Range, and continue onward into Poland. The day’s journey ends in Krakow where you’ll check in to the deluxe Sheraton Hotel , wonderfully located just a 10-minute stroll from the architectural landmarks of Old Town and Market Square.  Meals B+L

Discover Krakow c

Poland’s former royal capital is a vibrant city filled with glorious architecture. Accompanied by Sandor and our expert Polish guide, your city sightseeing begins at Wawel Castle, a splendid Renaissance palace that was the political and cultural heart of the county in the 16th century. Continue with a guided walking tour through Krakow’s handsome Old Town to see the impressive Market Square, Renaissance-era Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Church. In the Kazimierz district, once home to the city’s vibrant Jewish population, you’ll visit the innovative Schindler Factory Museum where meticulously staged, multi-media exhibits provide a powerful “you are there” experience of life in Krakow during the Nazi occupation. After lunch, you’ll enjoy an excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines  c where, over the course of centuries from medieval times to the late 1900’s, salt miners carved vast subterranean galleries filled with ornamented chapels and statues. Now extensively illuminated, your guided visit offers fascinating insight into industry, spirituality and art across the ages.  Meals B+L

Auschwitz c + First class rail to Warsaw

This morning’s guided visit to Auschwitz is an emotionally powerful experience. This was the largest of the German Nazi concentration camps where more than 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives. The memorial and museum were created in 1947 and include camp relics that offer raw insight into this tragic chapter of history. Then head to the train station for your first class rail journey to Warsaw. Of course, our Trip Leader Sandor is with you to ensure a seamless, comfortable and enriching trip. Upon arrival in the Polish capital, you’ll be escorted to the Hotel Bristol , a luxury landmark in the historic heart of the city.  This evening, you’ll dine at Freta Gallery , a Belle Époque gem in Old Town.  Meals B+D

Warsaw sightseeing + excursion to Lowicz

A morning tour with Sandor and our in-the-know Polish guide takes you through Lazienki Royal Park, which dates back to the 17th century and served as the opulent summer residence of the last king of Poland. Continue your sightseeing in the historic heart of the capital. Heavily damaged during the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944, a citizen-led reconstruction campaign restored much of Old Town  c and today its churches, palaces and town square once again offer an outstanding survey of Warsaw’s architectural development from the 13th through the 20th centuries. You’ll learn more about the events of 1944 at the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising where interactive displays, archival photographs and ingenious video exhibits illuminate this dramatic chapter of Polish history. Later this evening in the charming town of Lowicz, you’ll be greeted by a local family with a traditional bread and salt welcome. Sit down to a congenial dinner prepared by your hosts and delight in this genuine experience of daily Polish life before returning to your hotel back in the city.  Meals B+D

First class rail to Berlin

After breakfast, you’ll be escorted to the station to embark on a scenic first class rail journey across Poland and into eastern Germany. Sandor is onboard once again to ensure a comfortable journey enriched by his insights and knowledge.  Upon arrival in Germany’s cosmopolitan capital, you’ll be escorted to the lavish Regent Hotel , perfectly located in the heart of town near Gendarmenmarkt Square. This evening, you’ll dine à la carte at an elegant restaurant close to your hotel.  Meals B+D

The best of Berlin

Accompanied by Sandor and our native Berlin guide, you’ll enjoy a specially arranged tour of the Reichstag including unique access to the iconic glass dome designed by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster. Enjoy a private cocktail reception as you take in the panoramic 360° views of the city. Set in two innovative wings specifically built for the museum by architect Daniel Libeskind, the outstanding collections of the Jewish Museum trace two millennia of German Jewish history. Enjoy an inspiring visit to the Jewish Museum or spend time with you guide on Museum Island c , home to five outstanding museums that trace the development of human civilizations throughout the ages. This evening, you’ll dine à la carte once again.  Meals B+L+D

Onward to Prague

Sandor is onboard with you once again to ensure seamless travel as you journey by first class rail from Germany to the Czech Republic. Delight in the lovely scenery including the remarkable Elbe Sandstone Mountains as you make your way to Prague. Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted to the deluxe Pariz Hotel, an Art Nouveau landmark close to Old Town.  Meals B+D

Glorious Prague c

Join Sandor and our expert Czech-born guide for a wonderful sightseeing tour beginning at Prague Castle. Founded in the 9th century, it’s one of the largest medieval castles in all of Europe. Among the impressive collection of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings that comprise the Castle are the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral and Lobkowicz Palace. Also on the castle grounds, you’ll stroll along the enchanting Golden Lane; set against one of the Castle’s imposing walls, you’ll discover 11 historic houses that date back more than 500 years. Though diminutive in size, the interiors of these buildings have been restored to depict the daily life of the artisans who lived and worked here centuries ago. Continue to the opposite bank of the Vltava River for a guided walking tour through Old Town, home to splendid Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance landmarks including the medieval Town Hall with its marvelous Astronomical Clock and the Tyn Church with its distinctive twin towers dominating one side of the Old Town Square.  Meals B

A taste of Prague

This morning, you’ll be invited into the home of a city resident for a delightful and congenial hands-on cooking class. Over lively conversation offering rich insight into local life and culture, you’ll learn how to make traditional Kolache, a buttery Czech pastry filled with a dollop of fruit jam or sweet cheese. After this engaging cultural experience and a chance to sample the treats you’ve made, the balance of the day will be yours to enjoy and explore as you wish. This evening, you’ll dine at a charming restaurant inside Prague’s historic Municipal House, one of Europe’s most significant Art Nouveau landmarks.  Meals B+D

Depart Prague

You’ll be escorted to the airport today for your homeward flight.  Meals B

Private Tour Add-Ons

St. Petersburg

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package with a choice of fine city-center hotels, breakfast daily, in-depth private car sightseeing expertly guided by our own resident staff, and chauffeured airport transfers

A Delightful Stay in London

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package includes 3 nights in your choice of city-center hotel, private airport transfers, daily breakfast, Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing with a Thames River Cruise, ticket for the London Eye and 3-day London Travel Card

Our 4-day FreeStyle Travel package includes 3 nights in your choice of city-center hotel, daily breakfast, chauffeured airport transfers and city sightseeing with your own private guide

Prices are per person, land only. We offer air on Lufthansa. Add extra nights.

Family + Friends

Every A+R Journey is carefully crafted with more than 7 decades of expertise helping our guests to experience the world in a more authentic and caring way. Choose from more than 105 Original Journeys With Never More than 16 Guests or book your tour as a Completely Private Experience – whether it’s just the two of you, a small group of friends, or your entire family.

Similar Trips

Gems of Central Europe by Rail

Our engaging guides hail from these cities and will delight you with their knowledge and keen cultural insights into the lands they call home. Private transfers and our signature “to-the-train” luggage service promise carefree rail travel!

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• Panama and Costa Rica by Sea: The Natural Wonders of Central America – with Smithsonian Journeys Colón - Puntarenas

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Panama and Costa Rica by Sea: The Natural Wonders of Central America – with Smithsonian Journeys

Colón - puntarenas, dates: 1/6/2025 to  1/13/2025.

Guest Speaker

Shore excursion or activity in each port of call + transfers included

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

Discover  Panama  and  Costa Rica  with PONANT on this splendid 8-day cruise aboard Le Bellot, which explores the region’s abundant natural splendours, local indigenous communities, and the modern marvel of the Panama Canal.

Your journey in  Central America  will start along the white sands and translucent waters of  Holandes Cayes , one of the coral islets of Panama’s San Blas Islands . Spend a day in this tropical paradise and enjoy the opportunity to swim and snorkel. Members of the Guna community call these islands home, and you may encounter them along the beach.

After a daytime sailing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the world-famous  Panama Canal , your ship calls next in the remote and magnificent  Darién National Park . This little corner of paradise is a  UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a remarkably diverse range of plants and wildlife. Rocky coastlines, mangroves, swamps, and tropical rainforests abound and offer a feast for photographers. Here, meet members of the local  Emberá community.

Le Bellot then continues to Fuerte Amador for an exploration of Panama City’s Old Quarter and of the region’s fantastic biodiversity at the superb Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo .

Here, you will also visit the Punta Culebra Nature Center at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) , a fascinating, open-air museum dedicated to marine science and conservation. On a specially arranged tour guided by Smithsonian staff, hear about the latest studies, observe marine species up close, and explore the unique flora and fauna of the tropical dry forest.

Your final call will be in Quepos, Costa Rica, gateway to the spectacular Manuel Antonio National Park , where you will encounter myriad tropical flora and fantastic fauna, including sloths, the noisy howler monkey, the white-faced capuchin, and the tiny squirrel monkey. The combination of forest and ocean also provides a special opportunity to observe both terrestrial and sea birds—toucans, pelicans, hummingbirds, terns, and more.

The encounters with the wildlife described above illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.

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A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion or activity in each port of call. Engaging...

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Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3  

From $7,204 per person 15% Ponant Bonus

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Privilege Suite Deck 5  

From $18,034 per person 15% Ponant Bonus

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Included in your cruise For more peace of mind, PONANT organizes your trip before or after the cruise. This package is included in the price of your cruise.

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*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

Services provided

• 24-hour room service
• Inclusive Wifi internet access (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
• Individually-controlled air conditioning
• Dressing room with shelves and closet
• Dressing table and hairdryer
• Selection of Clarins top-of-the-line bath products
• Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
• Electronic safe
• Direct line telephone
• Bose Bluetooth speaker
• Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
• 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
• Two ADA staterooms

Select your stateroom category

Stateroom size

• - than 269 ft²
• + than 269 ft²

Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3

15% Ponant Bonus

Prestige Stateroom Deck 4

Prestige Stateroom Deck 5

Prestige Stateroom Deck 6

Deluxe Suite Deck 3

Deluxe Suite Deck 6

Deluxe Suite Deck 4

Deluxe Suite Deck 5

Prestige Suite Deck 5

Prestige Suite Deck 6

Privilege Suite Deck 5

Privilege Suite Deck 6

Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6

Owner's Suite Deck 5

Boarding conditions and passenger travel abilities

We invite you to read our boarding conditions and passenger travel abilities by clicking here . 

Any new reservation implies the acceptance of these conditions.

To guarantee your entry into one or several countries, you must ensure that you comply with the formalities and health requirements specific to each destination. In just a few clicks on our online search engine, find all the formalities you must complete prior to your departure (visas, entry authorisations for each country, vaccinations, etc.).

The international situation can change rapidly, so be sure to check this information regularly prior to your departure. However, please note that we always recommend our guests contact the relevant national immigration and customs and border control authorities directly to find out what rules apply to their specific situation. PONANT is not responsible for any decisions made by guests based on the information provided by the online search engine.

The information below is current but subject to change at any time without advance notice from government authorities. Please consult your respective government agencies for visa and health information.

Passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the completion of your trip. Passport must contain at least two completely clear, blank, unused visa pages for each visa required, not including any amendment pages. Visa pages with stains or ink from other pages in the passport are not usable. Guests who deviate from the scheduled embarkation or disembarkation port should research the foreign entry requirements for the port country. Due to government regulations, regrettably, Ponant will have to deny boarding to any guest who fails to obtain the appropriate travel documentation for this trip.

Costa Rica : entry by sea - proof of yellow fever certification is not required.

Panama : the yellow fever vaccination is recommended for the eastern areas of the Panama Canal (Darien and Kuna communities).

List of items prohibited on board

To guarantee the safety and well-being of our guests, certain items are strictly prohibited on board. Should you have one of these products or objects in your possession, they will be confiscated immediately and will not be transported on the ship. When an item transported aboard is considered illegal, the relevant authorities will be notified systematically.

Click here  for the full list of items prohibited on board. 

Warning about the use of drones : the use of drones aboard PONANT ships, whether they are sailing at sea, at a port of call or anchored, is strictly forbidden. The use of drones on land in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is also strictly forbidden by international polar regulations. In other regions, it may be possible to use drones on land if permission has been obtained from the relevant authorities of each country and each region travelled through, as well as a pilot’s licence that should be obtained from your home country. Passengers are responsible for obtaining these permits; they should be able to present them at all times. Passengers who do not obtain these authorisations expose themselves to the risk of legal proceedings.

Ideal clothes for life on board:

During the days spent on board, you are advised to wear comfortable clothes or casual outfits. The entire ship is air-conditioned, so a light sweater, a light jacket or a shawl may be necessary. When moving about in the public areas of the ship and the decks, light but comfortable shoes are recommended.

Informal evening:

In the evening, you are advised to wear smart-casual attire, especially when dining in our restaurants where wearing shorts and tee-shirts is not allowed.

• Simple dress
• Skirt or trousers
• Pleated trousers or chinos
• Sports jacket

Officer’s evening:

For all cruises longer than 8 nights, an Officer’s Evening with a white dress code may be organized. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a stylish white outfit for the occasion (otherwise black and white).

Gala evening:

During the cruise, two gala evenings will be organised on board. Thus, we recommend that you bring one or two formal outfits.

• Cocktail attire
• Evening dress (if you wish to)
• Tie recommended, possibly bow tie (if you wish to)

A small shop is available on board offering a wide range of outfits, jewellery, leather goods and many accessories.

A laundry service (washing/ironing) is available on board, but unfortunately there are no dry cleaning services. For safety reasons, your cabin is not equipped with an iron.

ACCESSORIES:

• Polarized sunglasses
• Swimsuit (for the Spa on board)
• Gym wear (fitness)
• Battery charger and memory cards for your camera
• Mobile phone charger

HEALTH CARE:

• Sunscreen and after-sun lotion
• Medications and prescriptions

OUTFITS ON BOARD:

• Casual outfits for the day
• Smarter outfits for dinners
• Elegant outfits for Gala evenings
• White or black and white outfit

PRECAUTIONS:

In your hand luggage, remember to bring any medicines that you need, and possibly a small spare bag of toiletries (in case of delay in the delivery of your baggage by the airline). Remember to always have your travel documents with you in case you need them: hotel vouchers, cruise vouchers, return flight tickets... Never leave them in your hold luggage.

All our cabins have a safe. We recommend not to go ashore with valuable jewellery.

PONANT activities

Smithsonian Journeys is the travel program of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, education centers, research facilities, cultural centers, and libraries. Drawing on Smithsonian's resources dating back 175 years, these sailings will feature notable experts and experiences that embrace local cultures and dive deeper into a destination’s history, cuisine, language, environment, and wildlife. For more than 50 years, Smithsonian Journeys has been rooted in and focused on cultural immersion and discovery – with a goal of inspiring guests to become global citizens through travel.

Subject to withdrawal in case of force majeure

• A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion or activity in each port of call.
• Engaging discussions onboard with two Smithsonian Journeys Experts.
• A specially arranged visit to the Punta Culebra Nature Center at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), guided by Smithsonian staff.
• Opportunity to swim and snorkel on beautiful Holandes Cayes, one of the magnificent islets of the San Blas Islands.
• A daytime crossing of the Panama Canal, a true masterpiece of civil engineering.
• The UNESCO World Heritage Darién National Park and its magnificent rainforest.
• An exploration of the region’s rich and myriad tropical flora and fauna in Manuel Antonio National Park.
• Encounters with the local indigenous Guna and Emberá communities.

Ports of Call & Excursions

January 6, 2025 - Colón

Embarkation 1/6/2025 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Departure 1/6/2025 at 8:00 PM

Colón is the second largest city in Panama , at the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal . Colón is today an important port, and the free trade zone created in 1953 contributed greatly to the development of the city. Colón was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts through the isthmus of Panama; the city rapidly overshadowed the older Caribbean ports of Panama when the canal opened.

January 7, 2025 - San Blas Islands

Arrival 1/7/2025 early morning Departure 1/7/2025 late afternoon

Located on the north-east coast of Panama , the San Blas archipelago is a string of coral islands in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. More than 300 islands and cays cover an area of 300 square kilometres offering travellers a multitude of treasures. Sheltered behind a long coral reef, the San Blas Islands are full of enchanting anchorages. The long sandy white beaches bound by crystal-clear waters will allow you to relax and enjoy incredible marine fauna before engaging with the Kunas Indian community . Still subsisting on hunting and fishing, they will welcome you in their villages of bamboo houses gathered near the beaches.

January 8, 2025 - Crossing the Panama Canal

Arrival 1/8/2025 mid afternoon Departure 1/8/2025 mid afternoon

Aboard your ship, experience something unique, that has inspired the imagination of numerous adventurers in the 20th century:  sailing the Panama Canal . Its construction started in 1880 under the direction of  Ferdinand de Lesseps . Abandoned then resumed, this marvel of engineering was completed by the United States and opened in 1914. The canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama and links the Atlantic to the Pacific. Including  three levels of locks  and by raising ships to the level of Lake Gatun, almost as if the water was a lift, it allows them to avoid having to round Cape Horn.

January 9, 2025 - Playa Muerto, Darien National Park

Arrival 1/9/2025 early morning Departure 1/9/2025 late afternoon

The most remote and least developed region of Panama, the province of Darien is an unspoilt land with an extremely rich variety of flora and fauna. Listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, Darien National Park offers its extraordinary scenery of rocky coastlines, mountain ranges, mangroves, rivers and creeks. Discover Playa Muerto , a tiny coastal village home to the Emberas Amerindian community. You will visit the village, attend traditional songs and dances of the locals, and admire beautiful local craft.

January 10, 2025 - Fuerte Amador, Flamenco Island

Arrival 1/10/2025 early morning Departure 1/10/2025 early evening

An artificial peninsula situated at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is the gateway to several noteworthy sites. Right near there, the impressive Miraflores Locks are a shining example of the engineering feats deployed during the construction of the Panama Canal. Further north, in villages nestling amid dense vegetation, lives the Embera tribe, guardian of the forest and of the Chagres River. This proud people have successfully preserved their traditions and their ancestral way of life, which predate the colonisation of the region by the Spanish.

January 11, 2025 - At sea

Arrival 1/11/2025 Departure 1/11/2025

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

January 12, 2025 - Quepos

Arrival 1/12/2025 early morning Departure 1/12/2025 late afternoon

Quepos makes for a charming stop-off on the Pacific coast, just next-door to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park , an untouched tropical natural reserve lined with white sandy beaches. The town's seafront is an opportunity to stroll through market stalls touting pineapples and bananas in the shade of the manchineel trees. In this coastal town criss-crossed with tree-lined streets in bloom , admire the houses and their incredible sculpted balconies. Enjoy a spot of shopping in the many traditional boutiques : pick up some handmade cotton clothing, ceramics embellished with Costa Rican designs and home décor pieces in hand-painted wood.

January 13, 2025 - Puntarenas

Arrival 1/13/2025 early morning Disembarkation 1/13/2025 at 8:00 AM

The capital of the eponymous province, Puntarenas is sometimes called “the pearl of the Pacific”, for its unique charm. It sits on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, along the Gulf of Nicoya , lined with long expanses of wild natural environments. Further inland, among the countless natural wonders to be found in the generous  rainforest  of the  Costa Rica’s national parks ,  Poas and Arena volcanoes  towers up in all their majestic glory. In this luxuriant natural setting,  Costa Rica  protects one of the planet’s richest biodiversity: monkeys, sloths, tropical birds, iguanas, crocodiles, waterfalls, canyons, and more than ten thousand species of tropical plants.

Like the other ships in the PONANT EXPLORERS series, Le Bellot has been designed to provide absolute comfort for its passengers, even at the heart of the world's most remote and isolated regions. Racy lines, state-of-the-art equipment , a refined design, a softly muted and at the same time convivial ambiance together with a deliberately restricted number of cabins all contribute to the modernity of Le Bellot , a unique ship in the world of cruising. 

Find out more about Le Bellot

PONANT has organized the following included program for you, which starts the day of embarkation.

Included Features:

• A program of onboard enrichment provided by two Smithsonian Journeys Experts
• Transfers and luggage handling from the airport in Panama City to the ship on the day of embarkation
• Comprehensive 7-night cruise aboard the deluxe Le Bellot , with all the amenities for which PONANT ships are famous
• One included shore excursion or activity in each port of call (see “Itinerary” for more information and choice of excursions, if applicable)
• A specially arranged visit to the Punta Culebra Nature Center at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), guided by Smithsonian staff
• Gratuities for ship crew and for guides and drivers on excursions
• Transfer from the ship to the airport in San José at the end of the cruise on the morning of disembarkation

Not included:

• Independent meals and beverages ashore
• Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, etc.)
• This voyage is offered on a space available basis
• Program is subject to change without notice

Aboard your ship, an English-speaking lecturer will enlighten you about the culture and history of your destination to deepen your knowledge of the origins of local traditions, the history of emblematic sites, and stories involving famous personalities and those of major historical significance. During on-board lectures or on your shore visits, this expert will be there to share their precious knowledge with you throughout your PONANT cruise.

Private and Group Tours

We are the most trusted and well known helicopter tour company in sedona. let us create a unique experience that your guests will enjoy and remember for a lifetime., we take into consideration your group size, tour itinerary and scheduling needs to provide an exclusive tour created by our team of experts., with careful precision to the tiniest details, our professional sales staff will be there to assist you with your group from beginning to end. start planning your group tour today groups must consist of 20 people or more., group sales desk:   928.204.5939, professional, dedicated staff who deliver a high level of attention to the details of your group, ability to create a customized tour to include a fully catered meal, we offer a variety of tour types in each of our locations, we fly bell helicopters – the safest production helicopter in the industry, our professional team of pilots are highly trained and are committed to your safety, we have maintained a 100% safety record since opening our doors in 1994, we offer a wide range of helicopters. why not fly private for a business meeting or even on a sightseeing trip, specially arranged landing sites can often be organized close to your departure and destination. we offer simple boarding procedures and speedy straight-line flights. charter transfer services are available to and from most major airports worldwide., whatever your requirement, relax in the knowledge that there’s always one of our personal account managers on hand to help you plan every last detail., please call  (928) 204-5939  to inquire today..

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Specially arranged tour - Free Walking Tours Basel

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Thank you for the great casual walking tour. Our guide was very friendly and honest about Basel’s... read more

An excellent tour of the key points of interest in the city centre, or at least some of them! An... read more

Specially arranged tour

We were in Basel for one day when there was no tour listed. I emailed and Free Walking Tours arranged a tour for us on our date and opened it to the public. Rapheala did an amazing job. Full two hour classic tour with just four people. It was informative and relaxed. Highly recommend!!!!

Nina was my guide who briefed about all the places in detail. Tour was very informative. Recommend to do it.

Manuel made the free tour of Basel a fun interesting 2 hours. The city was very crowded due to the Autumn Festival but he was able to bring us to all the most important sites and always had a story we couldn't fine in your standard tour book. I am never disappointed with the free tours I take in all the cities we visit. Keep up the good work. Special thanks to Manuel for the specialty cookies of Basel, we loved them.

I came across this service by accident while coming out of the train station. Stephanie invited me to the group and gave an excellent guided tour of the city. She even above and beyond by going with me after the tour to find the shopping district. She was very sweet and I recommend going on the walking tour for anyone who wants to know about the city of Basel.

The guide, Stephanie, was well prepared and had lots of information. It was a big crowd of nearly thirty people and she was able to keep everyone's attention for over two hours. There may be more history and attractions on the other side of the river, they do a tour there on Sunday, but this was a good insight into local customs, history etc of this area. Well worth doing if you enjoy this type of tour.

I was in Basel this past weekend and took the free tour for the old town with almost 35 other people. It was my first time in Switzerland and this free tour gave me a glimpse to the city - local stories, historical facts, cool things we wouldn't notice otherwise and a great view of Basel. Basel is anyway a gorgeous town in the summer and the day was perfect with lots of sunshine! Walking the city is easy and the guide was very helpful and took us to all the important places in about 1.5 hours Perfect for solo people like me as well as small-groups and also ofcourse the best way to see the city for budget travellers! Highly recommended! :)

Scotland: In the Footsteps of the Picts

Living beyond the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, the people of northern Scotland in the Dark Ages were known as the Picts – a name given by the Romans meaning the ‘painted - tattooed ones'. They were renowned as one of the most warlike of the Celtic barbarian tribes of Europe, successfully attacking the Roman army, and yet few of their homes or forts have ever been found. They did however leave behind some of the finest carved stones and jewellery from anywhere in early medieval Europe, before their culture disappeared around 900AD.

During this tour we will travel through the heartland of the southern Picts in Perthshire and Angus, tracking down these elusive people and coming face-to-face with them through the clues of their everyday life as seen in the incredible artistry of their monumental stone sculpture. We’ll explore a newly excavated fortress of the Pictish kings, and view their exquisite jewellery and symbols of power in important museum collections in Edinburgh and Perth – with unique access to new discoveries.

departures: Select Your Departure Date

• Save $210 on this tour with our current offers.

What to Expect

• Pictish jewellery and sculpture in the National Museum of Scotland
• Magnificent Pictish stones at Aberlemno
• Pictish stone carving demonstration
• Specially-arranged tour of East Lomond Hillfort

Related Tours

BrightWater is part of Specialist Journeys, an award winning UK-based tour operator.

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The team is available Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm (GMT)

Call us: 646 802 1530

Tabasco Tour — An Awesome Experience on Avery Island Louisiana

By: Author Ginny Vail

Posted on Published: 29 Dec 2022  - Last updated: 2 Apr 2023

Spice up your travels with a Tabasco Tour on Louisiana’s Avery Island. Tours include the Tabasco Museum, Tabasco Factory, and Jungle Garden plus options for a great Cajun food experience.

Tabasco is one of the many sauces that enhance the Cajun and Creole dishes that separate Louisiana’s cuisine from the rest of the nation.

There’s a lot to love about visiting Avery Island and taking a Tabasco Tour. The island’s four tour options offer a variety of places to see and experience. Depending on your choices, you can visit the museum and factory, drive or walk through the Jungle Garden, have an Acadiana Culinary Experience, or attend a cooking demonstration.

The McIlhenny Company has been producing Tabasco Sauce on Avery Island since Edmund McIlhenny first perfected the recipe and formed the company in 1868. The sauce is popular worldwide, and all of it is processed here. They produce an astounding 700,000 bottles a day.

The Tabasco Tour is reason enough to visit this part of Louisiana, but there’s more. We were staying in nearby Lafayette and discovered several fun and interesting things to do there . We also took a few swamp tours and absolutely loved them.

What’s in this post?

• Tour Options : Tabasco Museum, Factory, and Jungle Garden and/or add other options like a Culinary Experience or a Cooking Demo
• Tabasco Flavors and Tasting
• Tabasco Peppers

About Avery Island Louisiana

Getting to avery island, best time to visit avery island, mcilhenny family and company history.

Tabasco Tour Options

McIlhenny Company offers four tour options, and you can purchase tickets on their Tabasco website:

• Tabasco — the   Avery Island Experience:  Self-guided tour through the museum and factory and drive or walk through the Jungle Garden (Daily except major holidays — allow about 2-hours)
• Acadiana Culinary Experience:  Sample the food of Acadiana, learn bits of history, and taste test Tabasco mash with a flight of Bloody Mary’s (Mondays and Wednesdays only — 1-hour)
• Cooking Demo Experience:  Experience the demo; then enjoy the food (Tuesdays and Thursdays only — 1-hour)
• Private guided tour  of the factory

We took a specially arranged tour and did a combination of 1, 2, and 4. It was a great tour and a great day.

Tabasco Museum

The museum has displays with artifacts, old photos and lots of interpretive signage covering the evolution of Avery Island, the history of the McIlhenny/Avery family, and the creation of Tabasco Sauce.

Tabasco Factory

There are both guided and self-guided versions of the factory tour. The tour route includes lots of signage explaining the stages, which is very helpful, especially if you take the self guided option. Both options take you through the various stages of sauce production including:

• the mash warehouse where white oak barrels are prepared and filled with pepper mash, and then stacked and left to ferment
• the blending room where enormous wooden vats blend the mash with vinegar
• the bottling operation where the sauce is bottled, labeled, and packed for shipping

Avery Island Jungle Garden

Walk or drive through the wonderfully preserved 170-acre garden sanctuary:

• Flora: We were not there at the right time of year to see it, but the garden has a huge area with camellia plants. They bloom mostly during winter and spring.
• Fauna: Alligators, deer, lots of Snowy Egrets, and more. the McIlhenny family even added a raised platform in one of the island’s lagoons so the egrets could safely nest.
• Chinese Temple: The garden also includes a Statue of Buddha located in a tiny Chinese Temple on top of a small rocky hill. It was a gift to McIlhenny from friends.

Tabasco Flavors and Tasting the Pepper Mash

During the Acadiana Culinary Experience, we were seated at a bar in a private room. We each got a flight of glasses with tomato juice to use to sample the Tabasco flavors, and were offered vodka to add if we wanted to create Bloody Marys. We also tasted two vintages of pepper mash.

Next George, our host, served three different Cajun dishes for us to test the Tabasco flavors on food. We sampled sauces on red beans and rice, crawfish étouffée, and boudin (boo-dahn), a sausage made with seasoned meat and rice. George said just use a small amount of Tabasco to punch up the flavor but not so much that’s it’s hot. The purpose of the sauce is to enhance the flavor of food, not to set your mouth on fire.

Tabasco comes in 7 flavors: Original Red Pepper, Green Pepper, Chipotle, Buffalo Style, Habanero, Garlic, and Sweet & Spicy. We also tasted an additional flavor that is historically reserved for the McIlhenny family. The pepper mash for Tabasco Family Reserve is aged a lot longer and is really smooth. You won’t find it in stores, but it can be ordered from the Tabasco online store.

Does Tabasco Go Bad?

Tabasco Sauce does not need to be refrigerated , and it’s good for 3-years.

Tabasco Pepper Plants

The peppers grown on Avery Island are heirloom and are only used for seed stock. Most of peppers used for the sauce are grown in South America or Africa. After raising the peppers, the growers harvest and mash them and send the mash to the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island where all the rest of the process, from fermentation to shipping, takes place.

The scientific name for the peppers is  capsicum frutescens , but they are commonly called Tabasco. The Workers who pick the peppers carry a red stick to check the color, and they only pick those that are the perfect shade of red. After picking, the growers quickly crush the peppers and send the mash to the factory where it’s mixed with salt and aged for up to 3 years in white oak barrels.

Driving or hiring a car and driver seem to be the only options. Avery Island is 138 miles (222 km) from New Orleans and 29 miles (47 km) from Lafayette. We were attending a travel writers conference in Lafayette and took a specially arranged day tour.

Avery Island is open every day except for major holidays and the museum and factory tours are indoors. You could go anytime, rain or shine. The Jungle Garden would be best in Spring when the flora is greener, the camellias are blooming, and the snowy egrets are nesting. Our October visit to the Jungle Garden was certainly well worth the time, although Spring would have been better, especially for photography.

The Culinary Experience is available on Mondays and Wednesdays. The Cooking Demo is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Can You Eat on Avery Island?

Yes, the onsite Restaurant 1868 serves local Cajun cuisine , and you will get food if you take either the Acadiana Culinary Experience, which we did, or the food demo. You can also sample the sauce at the tasting bar in the Tabasco Country Store.

If you love discovering regional food, checkout our food bucket list post featuring favorite foods from around the country.

Avery is a 2200-acre island in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. The island is actually a large salt dome surrounded by wetlands. The dome is solid rock salt pushed up from the Earth’s interior and is believed to be “deeper than Mt. Everest is high.” The salt used to produce Tabasco Sauce comes from the salt dome. (Source: Island Geology signage in the Museum)

In 2018, Avery Island was added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. The National Register listing acknowledges that the island is worthy of preservation and confirms it’s importance in local, state and national history. ( Source )

Native Americans

The island was an important source of food and salt for Native Americans. They visited the island to hunt and gather food, and also collected briny water from springs and boiled the water off to harvest the salt. They traded the salt for other goods from other tribes. Workers still find Native American pottery shards and arrow and spear heads on the Island.

The evolution from swampy wetlands to a sugar plantation to a world famous pepper sauce company stems from two fortunate marriages. In 1818, John Craig Marsh purchased land on what is now Avery Island and created a sugar plantation. His daughter (Sarah) married a jurist from Baton Rouge named Daniel Dudley Avery. In 1855, Daniel took over as owner and the island became known as Avery Island.

Shortly before the Civil War, Daniel and Sarah’s daughter (Mary Eliza Avery) married Edmund McIlhenny. McIlhenny acquired some very hot peppers from an acquaintance and planted the peppers’ seeds. He began experimenting with the peppers and learned how to make a great pepper sauce. In 1868, he founded McIlhenny Company and began producing Tabasco Sauce. Edmund McIlhenny’s descendants still own and operate the Company. ( Source )

Generations of Families Live and Work on Avery Island

What impressed and surprised me most during our tour was learning that the people working in the factory also live on or near Avery Island, and they and their families have done so for generations. Our tour guide, Keyna Amy, pointed to a large photo on the factory wall with three men and a boy. She explained that it was her great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and brother. Now she and her family work here too; this has been a way of life for five generations.

One More Reason to Admire McIlhenny Company

The McIlhenny Company and family not only produce the world’s most famous pepper sauce and provide good jobs, they also care enough about the island, it’s history, and it’s flora and fauna that that they have both a historian and botanist on the payroll. Both of them conduct portions of the tours, but they do way more than that:

• Shane K. Bernard, Ph.D. has been a historian and curator for McIlhenny for 30 years. He continues to find fossils and artifacts on the island and he’s located and searched through old records, handwritten notes and even recipes to document the history of the McIlhenny family and company. He published a book about it titled: TABASCO: An Illustrated History.
• Garrie Landry is a retired professor and professional botanist who works to identify and catalog the island’s flora and fauna. He discovered and uncovered gardens that were hidden by overgrowth, and he has made major improvements to the gardens and trails. He also has a wonderful blog about the garden with fantastic bird photos.

This is one of my all-time favorite tours because there is such a variety of interesting things to see and learn and do. We learned a bit of history about the island and the McIlhenny family. We toured the factory, sampled the pepper mash, and tested the various Tabasco flavors with great Cajun dishes. Then we walked through parts of the Jungle Garden and nearly stepped on a baby alligator hidden in leaves along the path. It was a great day and a great experience.

If you are interested in Cajun cooking, we also drove a little and took a lesson at Spuddy’s Cajun Cooking. We made gumbo, jambalaya, and we had tons of fun.

We’d love to thank our friends at TBEX and Lafayette Travel for sponsoring us on this incredible Tabasco tour.

About the Author

Ginny Vail is a travel writer who loves travel planning, sightseeing, photography, and videography. She’s visited all 50 states and traveled around the world. Her articles focus on discovering places to go, sights to see, and details about when and how to visit them.

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Pratt County Historical Museum

The Pratt County Historical Society was founded in 1968, and dedicated to the preservation of the history of Pratt County, Kansas and the surrounding area.

This 24,000 square foot museum features the history of Pratt County and takes visitors on an instant time travel to the days when America began building an empire out of a vast prairie.

The Hartman Gallery

John was born October 1, 1940 and the only child of Dwight and Helen Hartman. Dwight was a road engineer with the Pratt County Highway Dept. and Helen was an English teacher. Jon’s mother would read a lot of stories to him and that is where his interest and love for the Indian people bean. Jon started to collect when he was just 8 years old. He was a paper boy and with the money he earned he bought moccasins and the other Indian artifacts. He also discovered Indian artifacts along the Ninnescah River near Pratt. 

Schedule a Tour

Do you have a family reunion coming up, make a donation today.

Due to all of our generous donations, the Pratt County Historical Museum is one of the largest and best curated history museums in Kansas.

There are a variety of ways that you can help continue to keep the history of Pratt County alive! As a non-profit museum all donations are tax deductible.

Donations Can Help Keep our History Alive

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