Photo by Valentin Antonucci

Mass tours are gradually becoming a thing of the past, giving way to exclusive tourism arrangements. It can now be confidently said that the most interesting and unusual tours are organized by local travel guides. This is due to their high mobility and flexibility, as well as their willingness to tailor the itinerary to their clients' interests. A colorful story about a place of interest, told by a local guide who is truly passionate about his/her work, is a once in a lifetime experience worth having.

How to find local tour guides?

Allow us to give you a piece of advice from our own experience.

1. What do you personally expect?

Determine your expectations and match them with your capabilities. Be as honest as possible when answering the following questions.

What exactly interests you? Do you need a historical tour, a cultural tour, or a wine tour? Maybe a gastronomic tour with the opportunity to taste new dishes? Or do you seek adventure? Well-planned in advance, of course, which is fundamentally important.

Language is a key factor if you want to get the most out of your interaction with a personal tour guide. Let's be honest, you probably don't want to strain your memory trying to recall the German you never quite mastered at school, especially if you are fluent in Spanish, for example. You get the point.

“How far am I willing to go in search of the unknown?” This is an important question that hints at your level of physical fitness. Of course, a personal travel guide is very attentive to their guests' wishes and will take them into account, but there are objective factors such as the length of the route, elevation gain, and so on. Your honest answer to this question will help avoid many unpleasant situations.

2. How can I find my guides?

So, the main and, believe me, not the easiest part is done: you've determined your desires. Now it will be much easier to find your guide since you already know exactly what you want.

On the GuidesFinder website, you can easily find tourist guides that best match your requirements. Thanks to our convenient filter system on the homepage, based on geography, age, experience, and language, you will have no trouble finding a guide that is perfect for you. Try it right now - find your guide on GuidesFinder and send him/her a message by clicking on the envelope icon. That's it! All that's left is to wait for a swift response from a guide to discuss all the details.

Social networks are another good option for finding a private guide. Of course, it will take much more time than the previous option. You will need to subscribe to various travel communities and then explore many different options. But why not, if you have plenty of time and patience?

Good old reviews from friends, acquaintances, relatives, and humanity in general can be effective if your tastes, expectations, and preferences (see the first point of the article) fully match the impressions of, for example, your friend's cousin. What he liked may not necessarily appeal to you.

Of course, we can't overlook Google. It's very simple to type “find a guide” into the search bar and be flooded with information. The downside is that you'll have to sift through this flood on your own, trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. But, as with the previous option, with enough time, effort, and patience, anything is possible.

3. Checking documents and discussing details

Once you leave behind the second step, there is just a little left to do. But this “little” does not mean “unimportant.” Quite the opposite. You need to check the chosen candidate's documents and make sure he/she has the necessary permits and certifications, especially if activities as a private tour guide require licensing in your chosen destination.

Congratulations! You are on the home stretch. Now you just need to discuss all the details with your chosen private guide, get answers to your organizational questions, make payment or prepayment as agreed, and start packing your bags.

We hope that this simple system of just a few steps will significantly ease your search for a perfect tour guide. Remember to take advantage of our convenient filters on GuidesFinder convenient filter on GuidesFinder to get a tour guide that suits you best, whether it’s a personal city guide, a gastronomic tour, a wine tour, or an excursion to national parks.

The world is certainly wider than you think—time to find it out for yourself!