To Plan or Not to Plan? That is the Question. We all know someone that is super detail-oriented and has their entire trip planned before they even get on the plane. Whatever works for you, there isn't necessarily a 'right' way.
To Plan or Not to Plan? That is the Question.
We all know someone that is super detail-oriented and has their entire trip planned before they even get on the plane. While this works for some, others may desire a more spontaneous and open-ended adventure. Whatever works for you, there isn't necessarily a "right" way. However, it's important to highlight the need for preparation and planning for any trip in order to ensure an enjoyable experience.
Hotels fill up, popular tours sell out, and reward tickets often require advanced bookings. Last minute flights are also known for every penny coach seat that was often not available to use for those bookings as well. A little planning can go a long way to save time, stress, and money.
D-I-Y vs Guided Tours: Choose your own adventure!
There are many factors when considering a D-I-Y "Do it Yourself" itinerary vs the pre-built/pre-planned/"tourist" approach. Larger travel companies, tour buses, and hotel chains are just that, convenient. But there is often a price to pay for accessibility that can be better spent on yourself instead of donated to larger businesses. Choosing to be your own guide and utilizing local transportation (including Uber/Lyft equivalents, trains, public transit) are efficient ways to save money.
I have done this quite often in my travels and this offers the benefit of not having to be anywhere at a specific time, being on anyone else's schedule, etc. However, you may find that tours are often scheduled at the same time as others, which can lead to "boatloads" of tourists all heading to one location at the same time. More on that soon...
I encountered this while planning a hike for the famously known Mt. Sinai (now known as Mt. Catherine) in Egypt.
For those of you who aren't familiar, Mt. Sinai is the biblically renowned historical site where it is believed that Moses' received the ten commandments (also the Red Sea Crossing) through the famed "burning bush" while leading his people out of Egypt through the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Admittedly not his far too far, as you'll see the famous Burning Bush (the Burning Bush God used to speak to Moses) is available to be seen at the base of the mountain, in the bush monastery, where the priests will inform you that the bush is never watered and yet never dies.
All the main restaurants and other people I met were pushing for me to hike up at midnight to watch the sunrise with those who have the same idea. While I'm sure this would also have been a wonderful experience too, it wasn't what I wanted.
I decided to listen to my gut. Having waited to hike the mountain in the afternoon (yes it was a tad toasty but hey that's what water and a scarf around your head and neck are for), I had it all to myself which I wasn't expecting.
For those of you who can relate, any alone time in these special places makes the adventure that much more magical. With the exception of my guide with me at the summit (which allows me the benefit of photos), I was the only person at Mt. Sinai. I hiked to the top completely uninterrupted and it was all I had hoped it would be.
Conversely, when I went on a Nile river cruise, I was encouraged to take a tour of Abu Simbel (one of the most famous and recognizable Egyptian landmarks) which was a pre-planned excursion and found out soon after, that so did the rest of the boat. And I mean it, there were literal "boatloads" of people, all there, all at the same time.
Despite all the people, it was a good time and the good news is you can always find that "instagrammable" photo (as you can see the photo on the right where it looks like no one is there versus what was really happening).
It was a considerable learning opportunity for me. I later encouraged a friend to see the temple. They went solo (outside of group tour hours) and upon their return, I was surprised to hear that they had had the entire place to themselves. They actually showed it to me via stunning videos, without another human in sight. I was thrilled for them, and not at all envious or jealous (hah, I'm kidding, it was both). It reminded me again of the trade-offs of group versus solo travel planning. Pros and cons to everything.
My take home?
Learn from trial and find my own off peak hours to go rather than the "convenient" or "recommended" route that is often designed by agencies for their most optimal economic benefit.
Getting back to my solo touring, at Mt. Sinai I grabbed a taxi nearby where I was staying and found my own local guide at the base of the mountain. If any of you have traveled to tourist rich spots, you may understand the additional challenges, but the cost savings are worth it.
If you do decide to go the tour guide route, which can provide a lot of benefits (organized times, less stress managing transit and itinerary, space to ensure "hot spots" are not missed, and usually a semi-professional photographer to take photos), I always suggest looking online for reviews and ratings. I also always consult well-established travel blogs to help you find the perfect guide.
Besides, finding a local guide not only saves you money but helps to support small and local community businesses and feed their families.
The Choice is Yours ???
When considering a D-I-Y vs a tour guide structure, it's important to ask yourself, "what is your time worth?"
It really boils down to how much time you want to spend planning versus paying for someone else to do that for you.
Would you rather spend more time with your significant other and/or kids, or on planning your trip?
Or perhaps you and your partner enjoy planning together, in which case that's awesome!
In either scenario, unless you're going down the road to a local beach for a quick getaway, there has to be some degree of organization, and it costs time or money, or both.
For me, if I know it will save me money, I more often than not will make the time to do my own planning. I have found that a lot of what I've chosen over the time explore turns out to be better than what was proposed by a hired guide anyway.
That said, it's always nice to have options in case you find yourself needing help along the way. For example, here in India, I use Torotravels.
I knew I wanted to cover a lot of ground and was potentially stuck due to a tight timeline. Toro was incredibly helpful in finding me a driver who was not only a guide, but a great one, and it's usually going to be the small business types which I love to support who will be happiest to see you and most excited to have you! Toro even made me a new friend!
I balanced between planning my time while minimizing my stress, which was also a nice break after having planned so much travel on my own the for the past year. And to be honest, I'm so glad I did because I would have missed the true iconic beauty. In two weeks I was able to see sights and have experiences in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Varanasi, Pushkar, and Udaipur that I will never forget.
The choice is ultimately yours to weigh out the pros and cons. Find what works best for you and heck, if you decide you don't like something (think my Abu Simbel experience) at least personal stories with locals will be up for grabs! Having a seat at the table with someone, even a guide, is always better than being somewhere else; you're out seeing the world and cheers to you for doing so!
Here are a few other tips!
I had a great experience calling an expedition company while researching in Iceland and trying to make sense of the island (per se to flying out). After 15 minutes of chatting even the guide himself shared that I could save money doing the driveway myself if I was renting a car (which I was).
And so I did.
Yay adventures!
It ended up being awesome, I saved a lot of money, and I was able to operate on my own timeline.
Don't ever worry about reaching out to guide companies and doing your own research for thoughtful preparation. If it helps, think of it as calling a restaurant to ask about a special on the menu, or to make a reservation. There's no harm. You're simply getting more information to make the best decision for YOU!
Doing some of your own research can save you a ton of time, improve your experience, and save you money!
I'll write more on this later in a separate blog: Best Ways to Plan a Trip (Stay tuned for the link) as I could spend hours sharing everything I've learned.
I love sharing on this subject because ultimately, I have found that a balance between my own planning and utilizing a local guide works best for me.
Sometimes I want to be by myself completely and other times it's nice to have someone to talk to about the local culture, take over the planning, help me get a few photos, and heck maybe even enjoy some A/C in a car from time to time.
The choice is always going to be yours my friends.
I can assure you, as long as you are enjoying the experience, you are doing it right.
Stay tuned and read more in my next blog for organization and planning based on your specific location of choice (link to come soon!)
The World is Open my friends, Safe Travels!
Want more info on sober travel? Reach out to me directly here, or find me on Instagram.
I've been sober for nearly 2 decades and have traveled to over 50 countries sober and solo. I have Master's level training in alcohol and drug counseling and offer custom individualized treatment plans, sober counseling, sober guiding, and sober companionship depending on your specific needs.
Looking forward to hearing from you and wishing you safe and sober travels!