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United states.

Land of the Free

The United States of America is truly the land of the beautiful from sea to shining sea. With easy access to thousands of miles of beautiful coastline and beaches, mountain ranges on both sides, even residents of its 50 states can’t take it all in in a lifetime. It is the most culturally diverse place on earth and birthplace of modern jazz, rock and blues. So whether you are young or old, a sports enthusiast, foodie, musician, historian or nature lover, the United States of America is right here waiting for you.

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Destination must-see's, west coast:.

Relish the welcoming culture of its laid back cities, some of the world’s finest wines, and landscapes that take your breath away. The west coast has an abundance of sites to see. Home to multiple national parks, get in touch with your adventurous side and do some exploring. Also rich in natural wonders it’s a nature-lovers dream.

Big Cities (Spotlights):

Explore some of the world’s most iconic cities and get to know the sites and culture that make them famous. Whether it is the hustle and bustle of New York City famous for Times Square and all its lights, or glamorous Hollywood filled with celebrities, you are sure to see some sights you will never forget.

Delight in some famed southern hospitality and cultural discovery traveling through America’s southern states. Home to country music, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry, and Bluebird Café where many famous stars have performed. With so much farmland it will be easy to take on the role of a cowboy for a day. After a long day, finish up with an amazing home cooked meal and some sweet ice tea.

New England:

Discover New England and the many things it has to offer. From shorelines to mountain tops you get a little bit of everything. Sandy beaches make for great water sports, sunsets, and of course seafood! And majestic mountains make for great outdoor adventures, and sunsets as well. With its charming towns and vast amount of activities its unique culture is brought to life.

Destination Must-Do's

National parks:.

Travel through America’s National Parks getting to know the hidden gems and jaw-dropping scenery. With many hiking trails at different levels of difficulty there is a path for everyone! Stunning scenery, hidden caves, and lots of wildlife, it might be a hike but the view is worth it from the top!

Music Cities:

Revel in the sounds of the blues, jazz, country, and good old rock‘n’roll in the cities that shaped modern music. With as many as eight music cities all passionate about different styles of music, you are sure to find one that fits your taste.

Alaska Icebergs:

Behold Alaska’s most admired treasures - its ancient glaciers, snow-capped mountains and majestic icebergs. On foot or by boat you are not limited as to how you get to experience these massive glaciers.

Hawaiian Beaches:

Immerse yourself in paradise with a stroll along one of Hawaii’s pristine beaches including Oahu’s famous North Shore. Crystal clear waters, soft sand, and beautiful palm leaves make for a relaxing day at the beach with some beautiful views.

Expert Advice

Wow, it’s hard to give advice for the entire USA. It’s so diverse. I would say wherever you go – think of it as having its own culture and be ready to dive in and experience it, like one of my favorite places, Hawaii!

Always bring extra memory cards and batteries for your camera. It’s been my experience that you can never take enough picture of places like the National Parks or the New York skyline.

With such a diverse climate from Alaska to Arizona and New York to San Francisco, there’s really never a bad time to travel through the U.S. You can always find something amazing.

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Montana: Exploring Big Sky Country featuring Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks

Hawaiian Adventure Three Islands featuring O'ahu, Big Island and Maui

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

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Guided vacations, travel with ease, all the details are covered..

Guided vacations make traveling to a new city or country a breeze. Planned itineraries, group tours, organized transportation, and arranged hotels allow you to really sit back and enjoy your trip without worrying about the details. Create new friendships with travel companions and discover hidden gems with tour features such as private and behind-the-scenes tours with local experts. Dive deep and explore more on a guided vacation.

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9 Reasons to Choose a Guided Tour

A guided trip is a convenient and refreshing way to discover and immerse yourself in a new destination. All the trip details are already organized for you, and there’s a team to support you every step of the way. This allows you to get the most out of your travels without the hassle of planning transport, accommodations, and other logistics leaving you with time and energy to be fully present and appreciate the places and people you are visiting.

First thing first. When you book a tour with us, here’s what’s included:

• Round-trip Airfare – Except for our U.S. and Canada tours, you can book our group flight departing from the U.S. You may also choose to travel on a “tour only” basis to book your own airfare and meet the group at the destination.
• Transportation – Travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned motor coach with a professional driver. In-destination airport transfers (when joining the group flight), additional flights, and other required transportation are always included.
• Accommodations – All overnight stays are reserved in conveniently-located, first-class hotels.
• Many Meals – Enjoy daily breakfasts as well as select lunches and dinners. We often leave a few meals open for you to go out and choose your own culinary adventure.
• Sightseeing Tours – Admissions and reservations to the destination’s top highlights are all taken care of before you depart.
• Tour Director – A professional, English-speaking local tour guide is with you throughout the entire trip. These passionate individuals, a local from the destination you’re visiting, elevate our tours making them truly unforgettable experiences.

There are many reasons why signing up for a guided tour makes more sense than trying to go it alone. It’s helpful to understand what to expect. Read on as we unpack nine reasons you should choose a guided tour!

Convenience

Spend less time planning and more time exploring.

The great thing about a guided tour is that all the work is done for you. Our goal is for you to be whole-heartedly invested in your experience-which means the less you have to worry about, the better your trip will be. That’s where we come in; we combine all the components that make up the perfect trip, from hand-picked accommodations and comfortable transportation to the best sightseeing and experiences. No researching and booking multiple hotels, worrying about check-in times, or concerns about what transportation is best. And no wandering around aimlessly trying to get your bearings or waiting in long lines for tickets. Our well-organized itineraries make sure you see all the best sites and hidden gems with free time mixed in too.

We know what’s best!

Our group of travel experts work hard to put together guided tour packages that tick all the boxes for a perfect vacation. Years of experience and connections around the globe make it possible for us to create itineraries that are well paced, educational, and include the ideal mix of iconic sites, hidden gems, and leisure time to explore independently.

We know how to minimize long travel days, ensure the pacing aligns best with the destination, find special tours you might not find yourself, and so much more. When we do the planning, you won’t waste a single movement of your trip!

Our professional team of local guides and tour leaders enhance your adventure!

The benefits of traveling with an expert guide are arguably the best part of this touring style. The number one thing we hear from our travelers is how much they loved their guide and what they brought to the trip. It’s one of the reasons we see our guests return over and over again because it’s hard to go back to traveling on your own after you’ve experienced it.

It takes a special kind of person to be a tour guide. Ours are friendly, engaging, and passionate individuals who are there for you every step of the way. They speak English as well as the local language and are an invaluable resource that gives advice on everything and anything. They will share tips about what to do in your free time, show you the best restaurants and shopping in the area, and provide other helpful information. Tour guides are a wealth of knowledge and are happy to answer all your questions. They’ll do everything they can to ensure you have the very best experience when in their care.

While your local tour guide is along for the whole trip, you’ll also have the opportunity to interact with local guides throughout the tour. On these occasions, the guides will provide specialized information about the specific city or site you’re visiting.

Don’t forget about your driver! While you’re relaxing in the air-conditioned motorcoach as you travel between cities, your experienced and vetted driver will be at the wheel. They’ll know how to navigate the roads, how to avoid traffic, and where to park to get you to all your sites safely and on time.

Participating in group travel opens up more opportunities!

Guided group tours cover the most exciting and interesting sights in a time-efficient manner. Tickets and visit times are pre-arranged, eliminating long waits or the chance of something selling out. We’re also able to secure entrance to places that can be difficult to confirm on your own, set up immersive interactions that connect you with local communities, and get access to special experiences that might not be offered to everyone.

Cultural Immersion

Get first-hand knowledge of the destination’s customs, traditions, and people.

Many of our itineraries include visits to family homes or small businesses where you can meet and talk with locals beyond the usual traveler interactions with hotel personnel, restaurant servers, and other travelers. On our guided group tour of Italy with Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast , for example, you get the opportunity to stop at local wine and food spots to learn more about the cuisine and culture. This provides a more authentic experience than traveling on your own.

Also, tour guides will often give you personal insights about themselves. How they live, their religion and beliefs, what they do for fun, and other experiences they’ve had. You can learn a lot about the local culture by talking to your tour guide.

Companionship

A great way to meet others.

While we ensure that our group sizes are never too large, there is something special about traveling with other people that have mutual interests. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a spouse, other family members, or with friends, you’ll get to enjoy the company of others that are sharing the same experience as you. Our guests have forged life-long friendships with their groupmates, many even traveling together again on their next trip!

A full team of travel experts with you every step of the way!

From the first time you call to returning home from your trip, we are here to help you through every part of your journey. We’ll answer questions before you book and provide information as your tour is approaching, including visa and other entry requirements. And during your trip, not only do you have a professional guide with you, but we also have partners on the ground and an entire team located in the U.S. that’s ready to assist. The peace of mind you get from having round-the-clock support makes the trip even more enjoyable!

We negotiate the best rates for you to get the most value out of your package!

Some people think guided trips cost more than going on your own, but that’s not the case. Our team is able to secure group deals on flights, lodging, meals, admissions, and more and package them together, creating incredible savings for you! Guided trips save you money and provide the best value for the most inclusions without sacrificing quality. You can see the most incredible sights and have the best time without worrying about breaking the bank- what’s better than that?

Someone always has your back!

Guided tours are a safer way to travel than exploring on your own. We carefully vet our hotels and itineraries with safety in mind. Tour guides are fluent in the local language and are trained to problem-solve in difficult situations, including medical emergencies. Having them around is extremely beneficial should things not go as expected. When you travel with a group, you have peace of mind knowing you’re under the care of people who know what they’re doing.

Ready to join a group tour?

If you want to take the hassle out of planning and stop worrying about the safety and logistics of your trip, then signing up for a guided tour is a great choice. The comfort and ease of having everything organized for you add to the already incredible value a group tour offers. Plus, the extra support and experience of a guide, and the chance to travel with and meet like-minded people, make a guided group tour even more special. Join us and experience it for yourself!

Whenever you’re ready to take a guided tour for your next vacation, reach out to us – we know how to see the world!

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10 benefits of a guided tour vs. independent travel

Of all the ways to get out and see the world, the best way to travel is on a group tour because you can sit back, relax, and soak in the beauty of your destination—while learning more than just a thing or two about the local culture along the way. No figuring out transportation, researching hotels, or booking flights required.

Here at EF Go Ahead Tours (the EF stands for Education First!), we know a thing or two about creating immersive, local-led tours. If you’re wondering what all the hype is around group tours, check out these benefits of guided travel, which you’ll find on all of our more than 175 trips .

1. You get the ease of an all-in-one tour package

Imagine a world where you don’t need to scour the internet for the perfect hotel, diligently monitor flight prices, or scroll through Google to figure out how to spend time in your destination. Good news: That’s one of the main benefits of traveling in groups. You can have the trip of a lifetime without having to research or book any of these travel essentials. Say hello to these advantages of guided tours, and goodbye to travel planning nightmares.

“You have the fear of going someplace and everything falling apart and I felt like from the get-go you guys gave me piece of mind,” said traveler Lydia. “I’m going out of the country and everything is taken care of. I don’t have to worry about the language. I don’t have to worry how I’m going to get from here to there. You get to go on vacation and be stress-free. Sometimes you can’t do that… but I truly, truly got to enjoy the vacation.”

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10 Advantages of Guided Tours

Stress-free vacations with everything arranged for you, not by you.

A guided tour can be a great way to enhance your travel experience and are a convenient way to explore a new place without worrying about any details. Our Travel Directors and local experts share what guidebooks can’t – a true insider’s perspective of each place you visit. You'll learn the stories behind the must-see sights, spend your nights in unique and vetted places, and get a truly authentic taste of a location with unique moments that bring your dream destinations to life, making for a truly unforgettable vacation.

1. You Get All the Fun of a Vacation With None of the Worry

With travel logistics more complicated than ever, everything is taken care of when you go guided, so you never have to manage the details alone. Your GET Travel Specialist, on-trip Travel Director, and Driver handle all your logistics. And our 365-day Global Guest Services Team backs up your dedicated on-the-road team.

2. You're Our #1 Priority

Safety stays top of mind for most travelers, no matter where we go. That's why, when you go guided, we've already vetted all hotels, venues, and suppliers to meet our stringent hygiene and safety standards, so you don’t have to. Our hygiene protocols are evaluated regularly and adapted to meet the highest benchmarks, and our Travel Directors and Drivers constantly monitor and follow established well-being protocols.

3. You Save Time AND Money

Some people like planning trips, and that’s why they work for us. From value to all-inclusive luxury, we're your first stop for access to the best itineraries, lowest prices, and your choice of top experiences all in one place. Along with organizing your trip, GET Travel Specialists have access to exclusive discounts and sale prices across award-winning travel brands owned and operated by The Travel Corporation (TTC). That means you get incredible vacations and extra cash in your wallet. 

4. You'll Make Friends for Life With Like-Minded Explorers

Traveling with a group adds a unique element to your vacation. You’re all there for the same reason: to have fun, relax, experience another culture, and create unforgettable memories. It’s such an enjoyable way to explore the world that it’s no wonder so many guests stay in touch.

5. When in Rome, Go Where the Romans Go

Say you’re traveling independently and looking for an authentic view of your destination. Who would you ask? Someone who lives there, of course. When you go guided, we’ll introduce you to our worldwide network of Local Specialists so you can experience the world’s greatest cities through their eyes. It’s like visiting a friend excited to show off their favorite places in their hometown.

6. More Than a Meal - Enjoy Regional Flavors in Authentic Ways

You can try to find the best places to eat on your own, or you can book a trip with us, and we’ll introduce you to local culinary scenes in ways you can only imagine — family-hosted meals, farm-to-table gems, famous locales, cooking lessons, celebrated chefs, and so much more. No matter your destination, you’ll get an authentic taste of the regional cuisine, enjoyed with locals excited to share it with you.

7. Don't Just See It - Live It. Explore as a Traveler and Go Way Beyond the Guidebooks

Tourists see things. Travelers experience them. With us, you always explore as a traveler and go beyond the guidebooks. You don't just see the top sights - you hear stories, share meals, explore with locals, and more. Learn to shuck oysters on a seafood farm on the Croatian coast. See the Sistine Chapel when it’s closed to the public and enjoy a private dinner amidst the treasures of the Vatican Museum. Have a wee dram of whisky with a master distiller in Scotland. We make that, and plenty more, happen.

8. Sit Back and Relax - We've Got You

Imagine this...staying in great hotels, enjoying unbelievable culinary experiences, seeing iconic sites with a local by your side, going beyond anything you could have planned, and never worrying about a language barrier or directions, PLUS comfortable transportation from one place to the next — all arranged for you, not by you. Unwind, explore, and enjoy the scenery - that's traveling at its finest.

9. Skip the Lines and Avoid the Crowds

We’ve exclusive access to all the big attractions and are not afraid to use it. You’ll visit famous museums without crowds, take the fast lane past long lines, and never have to worry about making a reservation ahead of time. All while your travel team works to ensure you get the best access to all the must-see sites you’ve dreamed of seeing. VIP treatment? Yes, please.

10. We Know Because We Go

Your Travel Director is an expert in their field with their finger on the pulse of your destination. You never have to worry if an attraction is closed, about directions, who or how much to tip, or about checking into a foreign hotel. That means no unpleasant surprises, language barriers, or stress. Simply worry-free travel.

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8 reasons to choose a guided tour

Want to get the most out of your adventure holiday and accomplish things you otherwise wouldn’t have thought possible? Prefer to take the hassle out of planning transport, food and logistics? A guided trip is a convenient and stress-free way to discover a new destination with all the trip details already organised for you, and with a team to support you every step of the way.

This is especially the case when you're looking to explore more remote destinations where food drops are needed, when you prefer an experienced guide on hand to keep you on track, or when carrying a full pack with all your camping gear seems overwhelming and tiring.

The addition of a local guide also allows you to better appreciate and truly immerse in the culture of the place you are visiting. Plus, you'll have the chance to forge life-long friendships with like-minded travellers.

Still unsure? Read on as we unpack eight reasons why you can get more out of a destination when on a guided tour.

1. Local and knowledgeable guides

Secret spots, tips and the best of laughs, it takes a special kind of person to be a guide. In addition to being friendly and engaging, they are skilled at getting groups to interact and become fast and lifelong friends.

Guides have a special knack for making good trips great. From informative daily briefings, funny stories over dinner and pep talks when the going gets tough, guides strive to make sure that things are fun and that you are having the trip of a lifetime. 

If you’re new to the area, don’t speak the local language or just want good advice; tour guides can be an invaluable resource. Our local guides are passionate about their country or region you are exploring and will help bring to life the history, culture, flora and fauna of their homelands. They are often what make your walking, cycling or rafting adventure extra special.

As well as knowing hidden gems, our professional team of local guides and tour leaders can enhance your adventure so you can focus on your outdoor experiences and less about getting lost or what happens should you get into an accident.

Our guides also know about environmental regulations and local customs, so you can rest assured that the correct protocols are being followed. You’ll also be supporting the local economy of the destination you are visiting with your money going back to local businesses and its community.

2. Increased chance of success

Want to reach the prized summit of Kili or have always wanted to trek in the Himalayas but were too worried about altitude sickness? Our guides and tour leaders are highly experienced; they’ve seen it all and can help you overcome the biggest of hurdles.

Think of your tour leader or guide like personal trainers that will help you push your limits and walk that final kilometre or gear up for a long climb with their “can do” attitude.

While our team tries to ensure that travellers are of an adequate fitness level to complete their chosen adventure, we recommend guided trips for people who are nervous about their fitness level and capabilities and may benefit from the support of an experienced guide.

3. Added support

Our tour leaders are with you from the time your trip commences until it concludes and work tirelessly to ensure your holiday runs smoothly. Our team understands our travel style and expectations of an active holiday and can tailor trips to the group’s interests, that way everyone has a great experience.

For cycling trips , even though you’re travelling in a small group, you can still ride at your own pace – as far or as little as you feel comfortable – knowing a support vehicle is close by for you to hop on should you want a break from your cycle.

4. Convenience

You can forget the stress of researching the best walking or cycling routes for hours on end, or where the next town is to find food. Leave the planning and the boring stuff to the experts so you can focus on the exciting adventure ahead. Our guided itineraries are fully supported with plenty of quality inclusions – from comfortable accommodation to hearty, delicious meals.

5. Comfort, value and more inclusions

Enjoy the best hand-picked accommodation and restaurants to make sure you get a high-quality experience and have somewhere comfortable to relax and unwind after a long day on foot or bike. We'll keep you energised for your adventure with most meals and dietary requirements catered for and snacks provided.

The inclusiveness of a guided holiday showcases great value for a quality experience, with the added flexibility of tailoring your experience based on your interests and fitness level.

6. Safety first

The guides are your eyes and ears of a tour and are trained to problem solve in difficult or unsafe situations (including medical emergencies). Having them around definitely takes the edge off should things not go as expected. It's always reassuring to know you are in safe hands with our experienced team.

7. Get access to more of the destination

With all the logistics taken care of and a support team backing you from beginning to end of your trip, you can simply focus on your beautiful surrounds and enjoy the solitude between walks or rides.

World Expeditions have been pioneering remote, "out there" adventures on paths less travelled for over 45 years, crafting itineraries that allow travellers to delve deep into the culture and nature of a destination. So, it definitely helps to choose an experienced adventure specialist for your guided tour to get the chance to explore places you could not easily get to on your own.

8. Reduce your environmental footprint

While the active elements of your adventure by bike, on foot or on water does not emit carbon emissions, World Expeditions have calculated any emissions from your accommodation and have purchased credits in renewable projects so that you can be assured that your adventure tour is 100% carbon offset. This means, by travelling with World Expeditions, you are directly supporting renewable energy and reforestation projects; another reason why your tour has nothing but a positive impact.

The bottom line: Are guided group tours worth it?

If you want to take the hassle out of planning and worrying about the safety and logistics of your trip, then signing up for a guided tour can make more sense than trying to go it alone. You can forget spending nights researching the best accommodation, transfer connections, trying to snatch up limited permits or figuring out a food budget since meals aren’t included. It may end up being cheaper than you think – especially for solo travellers who dread the single supplement surcharges – with additional values and lots of inclusions as part of the package.

The comfort and ease of having everything organised for you takes away the stress when going on an active holiday. Plus, the extra support and experience of a guide and the chance to travel with and meet like-minded people makes a guided group tour much more attractive.

In the end, it will depend on what you want out of your adventure and the conveniences you are after.

Start browsing our range of highly inclusive small group holidays >

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Guided Tours vs Independent Travel

Planning a trip can be fun, but it can also be stressful. There’s a lot to consider – what to see, how much to spend, and the amount of time to stay in one place. So do you choose to do a guided tour and have a fairly relaxed trip knowing that everything has been pre-arranged, or do you elect to plan your own travel – which can be cheaper but take more time to arrange?

Guided tours certainly have their place in the world of backpacking – if you’re short on time, guided tours mean that you can cram in plenty of adventure and culture in just a few days. Tours are also a great way to meet other solo backpackers and spend your time with them.

Independent travel on the other hand can be significantly cheaper, so if you have plenty of time but not much money this might be the better choice for you. Most long-term backpackers are advocates of independent travel but it’s important to note that many backpacker veterans actually started their trips with guided tours, to develop a good foundation in the world of backpacking.

What’s in this Guide

1. The Advantages of a Guided Tour 2. The Disadvantages of Guided Tours 3. The Advantages of Going Alone 4. The Disadvantages of Going Alone 5. What’s Best For Me? 6. How to Pick a Great Tour

1. The Advantages of a Guided Tour

Get the inside scoop.

In general, tour leaders are a knowledgeable, fun bunch who know your destination back to front and are able to help ease you in with plenty of fun facts, top tips, and amusing tales. Your tour leader will most likely have taken this tour before, so you’ll also have a lot of inside scoop on some of the best spots in town.

There is definitely safety in numbers and when it comes to traveling the world it doesn’t get much safer than arranging a guided tour with an experienced tour leader.

Instant friends

You should have a great group of like-minded backpackers to travel with. Particularly if you are backpacking alone, it can be fun to share your experiences with people who are interested in seeing and doing a lot of the same things as you.

Convenience

Having everything arranged for you means you don’t have to worry about bus schedules or which hostel to stay in.

Budgeting & payments

You typically know how much your trip will cost up-front and will pay this prior to leaving. Obviously, you will need to factor in any out-of-pocket costs like meals, souvenirs, or activities that are not included in the price of your tour.

In-country partnerships

Your tour company will have partnered with local specialists to provide the best possible adventures, which takes the headache out of choosing a rafting company at random. Many tour companies emphasize responsible tourism, choosing businesses to support the local economy.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities

There are some places around the world that are logistically impossible to reach without the help of a guided tour. Whether you’re interested in trekking to a remote location or somewhere with travel restrictions, some things are difficult – if not virtually impossible – to be explored independently.

2. The Disadvantages of Guided Tours

There’s no denying it, even budget guided tours are going to cost more than independent travel. Some guided tours can be extremely expensive so be sure to shop around.

Group dynamics

If you don’t like the people in your group, there’s not much you can do about it. If a large group of friends signs up together that you haven’t met before, you could feel like an outsider.

Limited flexibility

Guided tours tend to try and “pack it in,” which means you might feel like you are constantly being rushed from one attraction to the next.

Set activities

The cost of your tour will cover set activities and meals. If you’re not keen to go horse-riding up a mountainside then no problem, you don’t have to do it, but sometimes these expenses can make their way into your tour costs.

You might not leave your comfort zone

One of the best ways to get to the heart of a place is to get lost, screw up a restaurant order, and have a laugh with the locals. On a guided tour, you are less likely to have to take the initiative and may miss out on a truly wonderful self-learning experience.

3. The Advantages of Going Alone

Flexibility.

Independent travel is considerably cheaper than going on a guided tour and will enable you to stretch your budget further and travel longer. Most activities provided on a guided tour can be arranged in-country for cheaper so you won’t necessarily miss out on much by organizing everything yourself.

To make your independent travel even more convenient, find a car hire service in your location like Rental24.co.uk . This will give you the freedom to explore at your own pace and discover hidden gems off the beaten path.

Independent travel is the ultimate freedom. You get up when you want, you go where you want, and you do what you want. If you find somewhere or someone, you like and fancy sticking around for a few weeks then you can; you don’t need to worry about sticking to a timeline.

Pick your travel buddies

It can be relatively easy to make friends while traveling solo and you can meet more people as you make your way through your trip. You’re not stuck with the same people for a set period of time.

Independent travel is a challenge but, like any challenge, it comes with its rewards. Backpackers who hit the road by themselves and dive headfirst into the whirlwind of organizing everything on their own will quickly acquire great time management, haggling, and language skills. Independent travel can be the ultimate confidence booster.

Cultural immersion

Independent travelers have a better chance to meet with locals. Whether it’s haggling with a taxi driver, shopping at the local night markets, or discussing Buddhism with orange-robed monks, your chances of getting a feel for the local culture are greatly improved.

4. The Disadvantages of Going Alone

It can be tiring.

Organizing absolutely everything by yourself can prove exhausting. There are only so many times in one day you are going to have the mental energy to haggle for Tuk Tuks or use your bad Vietnamese to try and order a vegetarian option.

You need to be self-reliant

If you get sick while traveling and you are on your own, it can really suck. People you meet in dorms are likely to be friendly to you but nobody is going to take time out of their day to look after someone they have just met.

It’s more dangerous

Independent travel has an added element of risk – if something does go wrong you are going to have to deal with the consequences yourself.

You may get lonely

You may also find yourself being a bit lonely; sometimes a couple of days can pass where you won’t really meet anybody and if you are a little shy it can sometimes be hard to wander up to new groups of people every day.

5. What’s Best For Me?

Choosing between a guided tour and traveling alone is a very personal choice, so it is a good idea to ask yourself these questions:

• Are you limited in time?
• Do you like spending time alone?
• Is personal space important to you?
• Can you share a room with a stranger?
• How about sharing a dorm with seven strangers?
• Do you have a set weekly budget?
• Is there something you want to see which is only possible with a guided tour?
• Are you worried about arranging transport by yourself?
• Is this your first trip?
• How safe are the destinations you are visiting?

A balanced approach

If you’re a first-time backpacker, consider signing up for a short guided tour followed by some independent travel afterward. Being on a guided tour will give you the confidence and know-how you need to properly explore an area by yourself once the tour has ended. You could also meet people on the guided tour who are in the same situation as you and are keen to find a travel buddy for further adventures once the tour is over.

There are a huge range of tour companies out there, so it’s important to find the right one for you. Tours focus on everything from partying to birdwatching. If you’re a social butterfly, interested in having someone else be in the driver’s seat, consider signing up for a tour from a company aimed specifically at first-time backpackers.

There is no “right” approach as both independent travel and guided tours have their merits. While most seasoned backpackers end up gravitating towards solo travel as it’s ultimately cheaper and more flexible, guided tours are an excellent introduction for first-time backpackers and enable even the most well-trodden adventurers to reach destinations such as the Darien Gap or Antarctica, which would otherwise be impossible to visit.

6. How to Pick a Great Tour

To assure you don’t waste your money or time and have an awesome time on your trip, keep in mind the following details when picking an escorted tour.

Look for sustainability

When picking from the seemingly countless number of tour operators, you should pay close attention to the reputation a company has for supporting sustainable travel. What does this mean? It means the company supports the local community, offers eco-friendly options and provides you with a more realistic view of the destination. Why? This will give you the opportunity to have a more authentic, local experience, which will cut out some of the negatives mentioned above. It also means that you will be a more responsible traveler, less likely to have a negative impact on the place you are only passing through, but where people call home.

Find something that meets your personality

You should also find a company that caters to people just like you! There are options for every personality and every taste. Look around to find something that makes you say “that’s me!” There is definitely that option out there if you just take the time to look!

Look for flexibility

The way to get the best of both worlds, to have a planned trip, but also have some freedom to explore on your own, is to pick a company that does not have a strict set schedule 24 hours a day. Many companies offer a sort of flex deal, which allows you free days, or at least long hours, to explore.

Don’t be limited by geography

Group travel gives you the opportunity to safely travel to parts of the world you may be overwhelmed to go to on your own. Take advantage of this and explore all corners of the world. Look for escorted tours in places where you may feel uncomfortable going by yourself or that may be a bit difficult to get to without the help of professionals.

We recommend you check the guided tour packages that Indus Travel provides. As a reputable travel company, they offer safe and well-organized Israel tours , as well as great tours to India, Morocco, Egypt, and many more destinations that many people feel are not safe to visit on their own.

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The Pros and Cons of Guided Tours

As travel bloggers, we face a very real dilemma: Do we try to see and experience as much as possible during our trip, or do we allow ourselves more time to explore and wander at our leisure?

Both approaches have their own unique benefits and drawbacks – and if you find yourself wondering which is right for you, this blog will help you decide!

The Pros of Guided Tours

1. you get to see all the major points of interest. .

We took a tour bus to Mount Rainier National Park and were able to see all the items on our bucket list:

• Mt. Rainier (of course)
• Grove of the Patriarchs
• Reflection Lake
• Christine, Myrtle and Narada Falls

2. You always have someone to take your photo. 

What’s more annoying than getting home from your trip only to realize all you have on your camera are selfies of your giant face with few recognizable details in the background?

Gone are the days of the selfie stick and, with them, all the semi-decent shots of you and your fellow traveler(s). But fear not! When traveling in a group, you can ask your tourmates to snap a few shots for you.

Disclaimer: OK, so the photos might not always be great, but at least they show more than your right arm and face.

3. [For extroverts only] You get to meet other travelers.

There’s something special about sharing an adventure with a bunch of strangers. During a guided tour to the Loire Valley in France, we ate a private, family-style meal at Château de Nitray with our tourmates, and it ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire trip!

4. You don’t have to worry about transportation.

There are few things more terrifying than navigating public transportation in an unfamiliar destination, especially one in which you don’t know the local language.

We found ourselves in Paris trying to navigate the RER for a trip to Versailles. Though we successfully purchased our train tickets at the kiosks, the digital screens didn’t show any trains going to Versailles. Turns out, the announcements they were playing on the overhead speakers (in French) alerted travelers that there would be no trains to Versailles that day.

When we got back to the land of free wifi (thank you, Hotel Regina!), we booked a coach bus. We were thankful to have reliable – and air conditioned – transportation on this trip and many others!

5. You get the inside scoop. 

With a local tour guide, you get more than just what’s written on the brochure. You get an insider’s perspective and opinion on the locale’s history, impact, people, traditions, celebrations and more. You discover the hidden gems and the funny stories that give each destination its character.

The Cons of Guided Tours

1. it always feels rushed..

No matter what tour you take or how long you’re at your destination, a guided tour always feels rushed. We’ve missed out on photo ops and off-the-beaten-path adventures by taking guided tours during which there’s no time to stop for these last-minute detours.

The photo above was taken through a bus window during a guided tour. We wanted to beg the driver to please pull over and stop so we could capture this beautiful scene, but we were on a time budget and couldn’t afford to do so.

2. There are usually people in your footage.

If you’re traveling with a large group, chances are that some of your tourmates will photobomb you. In Mount Rainier National Park, Mike was carefully setting up a shot of me walking across a bridge, under which was a beautiful waterfall.

As I was “acting” my way to the other side of the bridge, a group of our tourmates thought I was lost and swiftly entered the shot to guide me to a different location. Bye bye, dreamy footage. Hello, photobombers.

3. [For introverts only] You have to spend time with other travelers.

For some travelers, being with a group of strangers all day is a nightmare. It really depends on the crowd – we’ve had wonderful tourmates and we’ve had loud, obnoxious ones (who you can hear in every video we shot).

If you have time, call the tour company in advance and ask about the size of the tour group. This will help you decide which tour to take – or whether to take one at all.

4. Certain tours might not be worth your investment.

Guided tours range in price, but some can be pretty expensive depending on your destination. In some cases, they might not be worth your investment at all.

Consider this: We booked our Mt. Rainier day trip in advance and figured the weather probably wouldn’t be great. What we didn’t know is that when the weather isn’t great, it affects your chances of seeing the mountain at all, which was the main reason we booked the day trip.

When I asked our tour guide what our chances were of seeing Mt. Rainier, he wouldn’t even say. For a tour that cost $130 per person, that was a pretty risky gamble!

Read more about our hunt for Mount Rainier . 

5. Guided tours can be exhausting.

I know, I know – first-world problems. But guided tours can seriously take a toll on you!

Most of our tours have been 12-hour day trips. We get up at the crack of dawn, head to the meet-up spot with nothing but a cup of coffee in our stomachs and set off on a long and often draining tour.

This is usually the trade-off when you decide that you want to see everything on your bucket list.

Whether you’re booking a guided tour or not, we wish you happy travels and hope this blog post helps you plan your next adventure!

We’re going to spend some time roaming on our own during our next vacation in Anaheim, California. Be sure to subscribe for updates and follow us on Instagram at @travtwogether .

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Emily Malott

3 responses to “The Pros and Cons of Guided Tours”

So true about yours. I’ve always felt rushed and exhausted. So I book time a few days before and after your in the country I toured!

[…] Guided tours that are included in packages afford you the opportunity of exploring the surrounding area. As useful as it is to have a local tour guide showing you the sights, it can limit where you can go. Pre-booked excursions are particularly applicable to first-time visitors, as they can experience the best of the local attractions on offer. However, returning visitors may find it rewarding to add a window of flexibility in their itinerary to do some of their own exploring. […]

thanks for the pros and cons about tour .

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In their own words, why our guests choose guided tours over independent travel

Recently updated on August 14th, 2023 at 04:46 pm

Travel with Trafalgar is a completely unique experience that you only truly understand the value of, once you’ve done it for yourself. We’re proud to be the world’s most loved and awarded guided touring company, and we’re even prouder of the fact that so many of our guests choose to travel with us time and time again.

But why do travellers choose to travel with us, and choose guided tours over travelling independently? Well, rather than us telling you, we asked our community to let us know just why they would choose guided touring time, and time again. Here’s what they had to say, in their own words…

1 – The stories you’re told

“A good guide not only tells you the history of a place but weaves a story that ties the whole trip together” – Ray Moore

2 – All your questions, answered

“I love that Trafalgar Travel Directors and Local Guides are so knowledgeable about the destinations. Even when they don’t have a ready answer, they’ll make the effort to find out!” – Susah Toh

3 – Seeing the world with fresh eyes

“We love seeing the world from many different angles. Travel Directors offer these angles plus their knowledge and love of each place.” – Jennifer Phair

4 – Everything you learn

“We have been on three Trafalgar tours now, all with very different Travel Directors. All were amazing, passionate and knowledgeable about the destinations we visited. This is the reason we enjoy touring – we learn so much more than when we travel on our own. My husband loves history, so touring has been wonderful for absorbing all the history that Europe has to offer.” – Joy Young

5 – Worry-free travel

“From picking you up at the airport to never having to drag a suitcase from the bus, to teaching you about the local culture before you arrive and no line-ups waiting to get in anywhere” – Heather Clark

RELATED CONTENT: Why more people are choosing to travel with us as private group tours

6 – Easy solo travel

“I travel on my own so it’s nice to know you can spend months reading the brochures to decide which tour you want and then once booked, knowing you just have to turn up and enjoy – everything is done for you. The Travel Directors are second to none, the coach drivers are superb and you always feel safe. Friends have asked how I do it all on my own, but my answer is that I am only on my own until the tour starts, and then I have a coach load of new friends!” – Tracey Dollman

7 – No hard work

“Tour companies have picked out all the best bits for you! Having someone else do all the hard work for you is so convenient! You can get easy advice on local currency and you don’t have to worry about taking the wrong route” – Janet Green

RELATED CONTENT: Planning for large family holidays? These are our top tour recommendations

8 – …Everything!

“My favorite thing about guided touring is just about everything! All of the planning and arrangements are done for us, which eliminates stress and allows me to relax. Experienced Travel Directors and local specialists ensure an amazing experience and plenty of hidden gems. With Trafalgar my family has had some incredible adventures that would not have been possible if we were traveling on our own! How does a private cruise down the Danube with delicious food sound? Early entrance to attractions before the crowds? Private pub experiences with entertainment just for your group? I could go on and on!” – Laurie Dossett

RELATED CONTENT: Now you know why our guests are choosing guided tours, why not see where they’re heading? 

Why do you prefer guided tours over travelling independently? Let us know in the comments…

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CERN Accelerating science

Tours for families and individual visitors

If you visit on your own, with your family or friends our daily guided tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Connect to our exclusive web app when arriving at Science Gateway to check guided tour availabilites and to register.

Discover CERN’s first accelerator, the synchrocyclotron, installed back in 1957 . Learn about the most important moments of CERN’s history and how the Laboratory became a model for international collaboration. Real objects from a typical workplace reconstruct life at CERN in the late 1950s, when computers and digital cameras didn’t exist.  Wonder at the beautiful 3D video mapping that brings the synchrocyclotron back to life! 

Have you ever heard of the Higgs boson? Its discovery in 2012, at CERN, completed the theory that explains the visible Universe around us, and led to a Nobel prize. Learn more about this fascinating particle, about the research and the people behind its discovery on a guided tour of the control centre of the ATLAS experiment, one of the two experiments at CERN that discovered the Higgs boson . Navigate through an interactive exhibition and look in on physicists who take shifts 24h/7 in the control room. 

For more information on how to book a guided tour for yourself, your family or your friends, read here . 

Deals of the Week   European Long Weekends   Up to 50% OFF

Fully Guided Tours & Trips in Egypt

Find the right fully guided tour for you in Egypt. There are 1268 trips to choose from, that range from one day in length, up to 30 days. The month with the most departures is May, making it the most popular time to visit Egypt.

250+ Fully Guided tour packages in Egypt with 11,477 reviews

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

Immortal Egypt - 9 Days

An wonderfull trip. Like our son said ' In just a week a whole life richer'. The guides Mohammed (Caïro) and Wael (Nile cruise) were proffesional and very friendly. We enjoyed the divers international group. It was good organised from the beginning to the end by the tourmanager Taher. We love Egypt after this tour

• River Cruise

Nile Jewel - 5* Cruise

Whole trip was wonderful, but it was acshock to hear the cost of admission to monuments wasn't already included

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Enchanting Egypt Tours - Internal Flights Included

We had such a fun time in our small group and with our guide Saladino! Everything was excellent, from the organisation of the trips, to the rooms and the food. And Saladino was something else :) Very funny and knowledgable. He taught us a lot, was always helpful and made us feel welcome. It was amazing to see all the important and ancient sites of old egypt in one trip.

Egypt Explorer - Felucca cruise & Red Sea

Highly recommended tour, our tour guide Nabil was very professional and thoroughly explained everything to the tiniest detail. Thank you, definitely an experience I will treasure forever :)

Nile Adventure - Felucca cruise

When I did my research for a tour I felt confident when I choose Timeless Tours however when I met Meena I knew I made the right decision...Meena surpassed my expectations from his knowledge to keeping you interested...his patience and attention to detail. I could not have asked for a better guide or experience. Meena made us feel like family he aided when one person was sick. He is really an exceptional human and I would like to say thank you .

• Coach / Bus

Felucca Odyssey (5 & 4 Star Hotels)

I liked Mo a lot, and his talks at the sites and on the bus were both interesting and balanced in content and in length. I know that a lot of tourists don't really care for any in-depth discussion of what they are seeing, but Mo was able to answer many of my harder questions with good educated answers. Likewise, he was very efficient in his use of time on the bus and at the sites. I felt that the trip was well constructed and managed, and I rarely had to clarify about our arrangements. He did a good job of telling us ahead of time what to expect. Perhaps one of the most crucial arrangements that Mo managed was the seamless embarkation/disembarkation of the sleeper trains in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. There is a LOT going on with that, and I was impressed how he managed to keep all 30+ of us on-target in a busy and chaotic environment. No bags or people were lost! Another case that sticks out is his handling of the myriad of different tour packages, transfers, and hotel arrangements that occurred. I understand that this is all “part of the job”, but I nevertheless think it is a very important part of what makes a good tour guide. Mo handled this very nicely. Yes, I would travel with Mo again, and that's the substance of a good review I think! Thaddeus

• €150 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Wonders of the Pharaohs

Excellent itinerary, excellent guide. George made everything easy. Super flexible about most things (but you do need to pre book flights to Aswan as they run out). I would not do Egypt without a tour guide, and Timeless Tours provided a service that I am not sure everyone offers. We were met off our flights (before baggage collection), and after the tour we’re delivered to the airport. The perfect way to make what could have been quite a challenging visit, easy.

Goddess Hathor - 8 Days (5 stars)

Communication: Excellent. Answered promptly before tour. During tour, we were kept very well informed. Itinerary: Very good. Please take all the optional tours. Dendera Temple was our favorite. Do not miss it. Please add on or do Old Cairo tour. Guides: Anas was great ! Cruise: Was ok. Boat was old. In fact, all other boats we passed through looked better than ours. No entertainment on board except for 15 min of Tanoura dance - which was great. Belly dance was a joke! No consistent wifi. Only one English channel on the TV. A book would have been great - so get one or two to read. Food on the cruise - very few vegetarian options. Hotels: They were ok. More like 3-4 star. Definitely not 5 star. Drivers: All of them were good, on time. Cars/Vans were clean. Tipping system: were told to pay $8 per person per day in advance. This was supposed to cover everything except tips for guides. But everywhere, we went the people on cruise, horse carriage, porters - expected tips from us. On hindsight, I would not pay that optional tip upfront. For 4 of us it was $256. I am sure all the poor people who helped us would have gotten more and we would have spent less, if we did not pay the tip upfront! There is room for improvement but it was well organized trip. They are reliable company.

11-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel, Dendarah, Abydos & Alexandria

Thanks for an amazing tour! We had a blast exploring Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel, Dendarah, Abydos & Alexandria with you. Looking forward to the next adventure!

Egypt Nile Jewel

The itinerary for the trip was jam-packed and we like it that way! We thought it was very good value for money. All the sites that were included were amazing and we loved all the additional add-ons. Our tour guide George was wonderful in providing everything we could have possibly ever needed. He was knowledgeable kind friendly and we felt safe the whole time. Although we disliked waking up at 4:00 in the morning to leave sometimes we appreciated the overall organization of the tour. It meant that we got to see the sites when it wasn't too busy. We loved the sense of adventure trying new food meeting the locals and exploring the culture of Egypt. We would definitely recommend this tour to other people looking for an adventure in Egypt!

Cheap Egypt holiday to Cairo-Luxor-Aswan-Abu Simbel 11 Days with sleeping train,sightseeing & tour guided

Amazing Tour. they were very flexible when we wanted to change what we were doing on the last day. the tour guides, Nasser and Muhammed were excellent. their knowledge was very comprehensive and more importantly, they always put our needs first so they were very empathetic. Nasser was very concerned to make sure that my Mum was happy and looked after. and Muhammed was happy to just chill out with us and share some amazing stories. they are a credit to the tour company.

Egypt Adventure

The itinerary is great and covers a lot of ground. The restaurant or cafes selected for food were fine and no problems with hygiene. Ahmed is an excellent tour guide. The old concern is the accomodation was ordinary. Even though we were on Original class it wasn’t some hotels are poor. If that will be an issue got the Comfort class.

4 Days 3 nights 5 stars Nile Cruise Aswan to Luxor

Our tour guide Hassan Hosny was fabulous made our experience even more enjoyable with his bubbly attitude, highly recommend him.

Cairo-Luxor-Aswan-Abu Simbel 9 Days with tour guided - domestic Flight

I took this tour last March and it was wonderful. I wasn't able to log on to my account so this review is belated but rather late than never. Ahmed was very communicative and is really concerned with giving customer's the best customer experience. I had such a wonderful experience with this company that I felt compelled to write this review although it's been a while. This tour was worth the price. The accommodations were also very nice, especially that in Cairo. We are very thankful for the guides we had, especially Hasan in the Luxor leg of the trip. He was very kind, patient, informative, and communicated very well. We really felt looked after him, and never felt unsafe with him around. When I return to Egypt, I'll be reaching out to Egypt Direct again.

Best of Egypt

One of the best trips I’ve taken in a while! Basic accommodation; focused On the fun, food, and sights to see! Itinerary was amazing. The day on the felucca was so amazing. Would highly recommend!

What people love about Fully Guided Tours in Egypt

Love the service from Nur that brings me the tour to Giza pyramids and museums

A variety of experiences both day and night, cruise up the Nile was great, gravity resort was superb, pyramids awesome, lots of temples

Sehr gut organisierte Reise. Vor Ort ausgezeichnete Reiseführer mit hervorragenden Sprach- und Geschichtskenntnissen. Fahrer und Fahrzeuge sind top, absolut sicher und sehr angenehm.

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Harry Styles' Hometown 'Recruiting' Fans for Tour Guide Position

The singer's native village, Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, England, is looking for 'Harries' to take visitors on guided tours

Kevin Winter/Getty, Nathan Stirk/2024 Getty

Calling all Harry Styles fans – your dream job is waiting!

The singer’s hometown, Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, England, has launched a new job opportunity and is “recruiting Harry Styles fans” specifically. 

In the village’s April newsletter , chairman Peter Whiers announced the Harry's Home Village Tour Guides initiative, which he described as an effort to “elevate our offerings and ensure that visitors have a truly memorable experience” visiting Styles’ hometown.

According to the job description , the village is seeking people with a “flair for storytelling” and a “genuine interest in Holmes Chapel with a good knowledge of its history, including Harry Styles and his roots here.”

The role is perfect for anyone looking to “combine [their] love of Harry Styles with a rewarding job as a tour guide,” and applications are open until April 15. The tours are set to start in June.

Nathan Stirk/2024 Getty

The guided walking tour is a step up from what Holmes Chapel had previously been offering — a Harry Styles Walking Map, which launched in 2023. More than 5,000 people visited the village to follow the map, Whiers wrote in the newsletter, leading to a “significant increase in footfall.”

Two of the most visited destinations in the village were Mandeville’s, the bakery where Styles worked before auditioning for The X Factor in 2010, and the Twemlow Viaduct, which is referred to as “Harry’s Wall.”

“Even during the wet winter months, Harries have continued to visit, braving muddy banks and wet fields to pay homage at Harry's Wall,” Whiers wrote in the newsletter. “Local businesses have seized the opportunity to cater to these visitors, with references to Harry in various locations around the village.”

The village, and the bakery in particular, were highlighted in One Direction 's tour movie, 2013's One Direction: This Is Us , which saw each of the boy band members bring cameras along for a behind-the-scenes look at their lives in their hometowns before their worldwide fame. In one particularly beloved clip from the documentary, Styles made a surprise visit to Mandeville's and some of the older women running the shop were over the moon to see him.

Catherine Ivill/Getty

While it's been quite a few years since the "As It Was" singer resided in his hometown, Styles has been seen out and about in London and its outskirts over the last few months, including with his girlfriend Taylor Russell .

In February, he debuted a new, shorter haircut as he attended a Premier League match between Manchester United and Luton Town at Kenilworth Road Stadium in Bedfordshire. It was the first time he'd been seen since he shocked fans — and the internet — with a buzz cut , which was on display as he attended a U2 concert at The Sphere in Las Vegas with his Bones and All actress girlfriend in November 2023.

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More recently, the pair were seen together in New York City, and the singer looked particularly chic in a brown cashmere sweater from The Row while carrying the brand's viral Margaux bag , which retails for $4,390.

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Masters 2024: You won't believe what Fred Couples has been doing to make sure he's healthy enough to play at Augusta

A UGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Couples refuses to go away. The Masters just means too much to him. And the lengths the 1992 champion will go to for another few tours of Augusta National Golf Club, the outright stubbornness, deserves respect.

One of the most popular players in the annals of the Masters, Couples is preparing to make his 39th start, though “preparing” is a term loosely applied to the 64-year-old Hall of Famer. When he played 18 holes on Sunday with two-time champion Jose Maria Olazabal and two friends, it marked the first time he had touched a club since March 21 when he withdrew after the pro-am at the Galleri Classic in Rancho Mirage, Calif. On Tuesday, he played the front nine with Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas in what has become a traditional outing for the trio.

On Wednesday, he might play in the Par-3 Contest. Or he might not. He might hit balls. Or not. He won’t jeopardize his ability to step on the first tee at 11:54 a.m. Thursday, going so far as to eschew hitting anything more than the four woods he now carries in his bag. No sense bending over, even a little, until he absolutely must.

The most important shots he’s taken the last month were “several” cortisone shots in his back, an attempt to ameliorate a new injury in a decades-long battle with back problems. He brought along Dr. Chad Beauchamp, a noted physical therapist from California, to provide extra assistance to keep loose a portion of his right back that has been nagging him for more than three years.

His lower back, which first blew up in 1994 in Miami, is relatively fine. This new injury is more perplexing, the result of a mishap in the final round of the 2020 Sanford International in Sioux Falls, S.D., that was equally injurious to his pride.

“The first hole is a 4-iron off the tee, and I turned to shake hands with [fellow competitor] Willie Wood because I haven't played with him since college, and I turned and kind of got a little further [leaning forward], and [the tee] built like that [steep on the sides], and I just slipped and went right down and bounced right back up,” Couples said, chuckling slightly at the memory of the ignominious mishap. “Seventy-six shots later, on a course that everyone shoots 67 on, I was done.

“It's just been there forever,” he added. “I don't really understand it. I'm going to get an MRI when I get home next week. I don't like doing those things, but just so they can see if it's a new spot because certainly my [lower] back feels really, really good.”

Fred Couples and Tiger Woods walk together during their Tuesday practice round ahead of the 2024 Masters. (Photo by Ben Walton/Golf Digest)

There have been plenty of older Masters champions who have perhaps hung around too long in terms of taking advantage of a lifetime exemption into the event. Couples, even at less than full strength, has been able to handle the continually lengthened Augusta National exam. He has made 31 cuts, second all-time behind Jack Nicklaus’ 37, breaking a tie with Gary Player after completing 72 holes last year. Last year, Couples struggled to a pair of closing 76s that left him T-50, but he still became the oldest player in tournament history to advance to the weekend.

He and Player also own a share of the record, at least for a few more days, for most consecutive cuts made at 23. They are tied with Woods, who has a chance to break the mark this week.

Couples competed three times on the senior tour early in the season, but then shut it down completely to ensure he could give it a go this week in the 88th Masters. His reasoning was simple and direct. “Because I wanted to play,” he said.

Fred Couples is trying to make his 39th Masters start, having made the cut in 31 previous appearance. (Ben Walton/Golf Digest)

He fully accepts the physical limitations ahead of him. He has to play around the injury and hope he doesn’t aggravate it. And to make another cut, he has to putt well. “I better putt well,” he said.

“You know what, if I drive it somewhere and I've got downhill lies … the hardest shots I have are like with wedges and sand wedges, so I open way up and I hit a wedge 90 yards now. So the [pain] threshold is when it pops,” Couples said. “Then I don't know what's going to happen. But if I can play around it and get it around, I'll be fine. I could go to the range now and look pretty good hitting drivers and 3-woods because I'm so far away, and I won't even warm up with an iron. It's really not painful until I make a bad swing, and then it's toast.

“The last thing I want to do is come out and embarrass myself by a bad score,” he added. “I know I can hit the ball. What is that? I don't know if that's a 73 or a 75, but I'm not shooting 80. There's no way. I'm just not that kind of person. I wouldn't do that. Can I shoot 80? Of course I can. But I'm not planning on it.”

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