Our Iceland tour has 2 “free days” where there are no organized activities. I’m excited about the flexibility but also slightly panicking because I don’t know the country at all and don’t want to waste the day.
For those who’ve had free days on a guided tour: did the guide give you suggestions? Did you just wander on your own or did some of the group organize something together? I’m a solo traveler (67F) and I like the idea of free time but I’m also not great at planning activities in a foreign country on the fly.
I used to work for a large tour operator (Trafalgar) and the guides DO have a ton of suggestions for activities on free afternoons- also a lot of optional experiences to sign up for. Sometimes smaller operators have less optional experiences they can set up, but a good guide will always have suggestions. Plus someone else in the group might be a researcher and have something planned you can join!
Plus free days give you a chance to check out things very specific to your interests!
Oh, I mostly book tours that have leisure days. Especially when the itinerary is already packed with activities! I think at some point you’d want to discover the places in your own pace . In the past I’ve gotten amazing tips from the guide and just went and explore on my own!
. In the past I’ve gotten amazing tips from the guide and just went and explore on my own!