4.6/5 Excellent
Excellent
218
Great
49
Average
7
Disappointing
2
Terrible
3
Self-Guided & Independent Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
We really enjoyed our trip. The hikes took up a large portion of our day and we would have liked to have more time exploring the towns and villages. Maybe a good ide...
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The hikes were fantastic, the route notes very accurate (we only were confused one time and missed a turn but it didn't take long to ...
The highlights of our trip have been : Gordes, Les Balcons BB with the dinner prepared by Etiennnes, the BB Auberge des Seguins - unique & great spot. Discoverin...
Absolutely fantastic itinerary, the best walking trip I've ever done. Beautiful scenery, fabulous food and perfect distances. We spent the whole week exclaiming how ...
We enjoyed the scenery, all hotels except in Avignon, the food, and the people we met. Yes, I would travel again with your company and would recommend to friends. Th...
The trip was all really well prepared, very detailed and thorough. Good of you to include history and other information as well as restaurant suggestions etc. The in...
Everything was so beautiful yet varied. It’s hard to single out a highlight : so many !! We are planning to do our next walking tour in Portugal with Intura Travel, ...
We loved the trip and only have good things to say about the experience. The only thing we might have changed would be to have put a rest day in the middle of the it...
We wanted to say thanks for the great trip. Everything went smoothly and the last minute "bump" was very nicely smoothed by Thierry and you making a switch which tu...
The walks were absolutely wonderful! They were more challenging than we expected, but that wasn't a problem. What gorgeous countryside! I feel as if I saw a part of ...
The roadbook notes were generally excellent! The Fort De Buoux was fascinating. Should not be missed but needs at least 1 hour for planning purposes. The recommende...
The experience was very good. We did a lot in our time there which is what we wanted.
We went parasailing on the day of arrival! There really was no time to waste while on this tour. It was action-packed, to say the least. I recommend it to any travel...
What I really liked is that we were doing a different thing every single day. It is almost impossible to get bored on this tour. We had a great time for sure, with n...
The Cabo/Baja California tour CharlieTheTraveler offers is diverse in regard to the destinations we visited and the activities we engaged in. The whole tour was grea...
"Well-planned’ is the first thing which comes to my mind when I remember the Cabo/Baja area trip I took with CharlieTheTraveler. We did not have to think about much ...
This tour is perfect for adventure-seekers. Paddle boarding, zip lining, rappelling, ATV riding, parasailing…We were given so much in a relatively short period of ti...
The reason why I chose CharlieTheTraveler’s tour over other tours covering the Cabo San Lucas area is because this company offers a lot more destinations and activit...
What was my favorite activity while on this multiday tour? It was the zip-lining, for sure. I felt an adrenaline rush that day. Also, the scenery in the area was rea...
The tour to Cabo San Lucas was short, but it was packed with more to do than I would have ever expected. The southern tip of the peninsula has so much to offer, and ...
Editor’s Take
Most trip reviews tend to focus on some or all of these 5 key areas, not all of which may be relevant to you: the tour guide, travel company, service level, country or countries traveled in, and the trip itinerary.
Remember, just because you see a 1 star review doesn’t necessarily mean that person disliked the country.
When looking at self-guided tour companies it’s important to remember that many of these tours are not as detailed as fully guided tours. Tour companies provide some bookings, but for many parts of your travels, you are responsible for making your bookings.
Positive reviews for self-guided and independent tours highlight the ability to enjoy attractions and their trip at their own pace. Self-guided tours allow you to move around the country at the pace you are most comfortable with without having to wait for larger groups, worrying about holding other travelers back, or be restricted by a strict itinerary.
Some negative reviews for independent tours revolve around poor local tour guides. While tour companies can create itineraries, on self-guided tours you are usually responsible for booking local tour operators. It is highly recommended to do your own research beforehand if you are booking local tours as these type of tours mostly rely on your own research.
When working with tour companies or travel agents, make sure you find the one that matches your travel style. If you prefer luxury or budget travel or want to incorporate more outdoor activities, communicating that will help create a tailored trip. Working with the agent or company to create the itinerary or bookings that match your comfort and travel style is extremely important to an enjoyable tour.
Many tour operators may provide self-guided booklets or advice about your destination, but some of that advice may need updating or additions. Doing your own research about a destination will help keep down any surprises or issues you may run into.
If you want a professional take on Self Guided travel, see the Stride Independent Travel Guide »
Top Self-Guided & Independent Travel Packages