If you’re planning a tour of Switzerland and want to make the most of your trip, booking a private guided holiday is an option worth considering. Unlike group tours, with private touring you can choose who will join you on your tour; you’ll be able to travel with family, friends or just yourself. This makes private tours ideal for special celebratory trips like honeymoons, wedding anniversaries or birthdays.
As the name suggests, private tours are guided by a personal guide who takes care of everything for you. They’ll plan your itinerary around the attractions you’d like to see and do, and often, will have pre-made itineraries that are designed to fit a wide range of travellers’ needs.
Using local knowledge to craft an itinerary for you, they’ll be able to give you insight into the areas that you’re visiting, as well as recommend restaurants and activities that aren’t on the tourist trail. As a result, you’ll have the best possible experience that will be tailored to your own individual desires and preferences.
Private tours are also great for people travelling with family, young children or those with medical and mobility issues who may find it difficult to explore independently. It’s also an ideal choice if you have a specific reason to visit a place, for example, if you’re keen to visit the Jungfraujoch railway or enjoy a fine dining experience in a castle. Private tours allow you to have that special attention from your guide, who can also help with other specialised requests that are outside of the usual parameters of what’s on offer on their regular tours.
The other benefit of private tours is that they’re usually more flexible than large group tours. Private tours will provide you with a full itinerary in advance and are designed to fit your exact requirements. Unlike many small group tours, you can choose your accommodation and if you’re travelling with family or friends you can choose your own rooms too. The flexibility that you have with private tours means that it’s easy to incorporate a variety of extra experiences that would otherwise be expensive or simply not available, for instance, a hot air balloon ride in Switzerland or dinner in an impressive castle.
Another perk of private tours is that you’ll have the undivided attention of your guide throughout your trip. If you’re keen to sample the finest wine in the region, for example, a good private tour guide will know which vineyards to recommend and where to go to get the best value.
With both small group and private tours on offer from the major operators, you can be sure that whatever your preference is there’s a tour out there for you. Trafalgar, for instance, offers a number of small group tours and can pair you with someone of the same sex in a twin room to avoid solo supplement charges. Meanwhile, Flash Pack and Saga have a number of small-group tours that are specifically aimed at those in their thirties and forties.