Guided or self-guided tours – which is the option for you? Just as there are a number of different walks to choose from, there are also a number of different ways to walk! Whether you want the convenience, security and knowledge that a guided trek provides, or the independence, flexibility and freedom of a self guided trip, there are a number of benefits to both guided and self guided tours. 

But what is the best type of trip for you? 

We’ve listed the benefits of both, depending on your level of experience or what you want to get from your trip! 

There’s something comforting about being on a guided tour. Maybe it’s knowing that you have highly experienced guides there to provide expertise, balance and security on your trip, or knowing that guided tours combine minimum stress with maximum enjoyment. Whatever the case, guided tours come with a number of benefits that can transform your experience of a destination.

Gain access to guide knowledge and expertise

When you travel with a guide, you’re automatically guaranteed expertise, security and minimal stress. This is especially useful when you are travelling to a remote destination you haven’t been to before, as guides are well acquainted with the terrain, area and routes. Thinking about trekking the South Coast Track? Travelling on a guided trek not only allows you to gain insight into the history, geography, wildlife and culture along the way to ensure you get the most out of your trip, but also gives you the comfort of knowing you are travelling with well equipped, experienced guides who can support you throughout the trek. Additionally, a professional guide ensures that you have seen the top sights in an area (and the best-kept secrets!), and the itinerary is planned to ensure you have enough time to see each of them. On guided tours you’re assured maximum sightseeing every day, with rest breaks, snacks and meals also planned for. 

Experience it! Jump on the Overland Track and hear from the guides first hand about the glaciated landscape, and the native flora and fauna that exists within the national park.

Make new friends and meet likeminded people

What better way to make lasting new friendships than to share experiences and memories together! Guided trips give you a wonderful opportunity to create lasting friendships with other travellers on the trip, where you often find a great combination of active people with similar interests in travel, fitness and experiences. Whether it’s being encouraged your team members to keep on going when you’re feeling tired, or discussing the day’s trials and tribulations in the evening over dinner, guided trips are the perfect chance to turn fellow travellers into life-long friends. 

Experience it! What better way to bond than on the challenging but immensely rewarding South Coast Track, a 9 day full pack adventure along one of the world’s greatest treks!

Have everything organized for you

No clue about how to organize a trek? No worries! Guided trips are one of the most stress-free ways to discover a new destination as all the details of the trip have been organized for you. Concerns about accommodation, food or permits will be left by the wayside as every aspect of the journey is carefully planned by a team of experienced staff who know the ins and outs of the destination and logistics. You’ll get a planned itinerary that explores some of the most remote destinations in Tasmania, and while our guides orgainse the nitty gritty logistics, you get to spend more time enjoying the scenery and surrounds. 

More so, the entire itinerary is planned in advance so you don’t need worry about where you’ll start or which step to take next! Our experienced operational team makes it their aim to ensure travellers have peace of mind on their adventure, so we will pick travellers up from their hotel at the start of the trip, organize park permits, entry fees, meals, snacks, accommodation, and troubleshoot any obstacles that are encountered along the way. One of the key benefits of a guided tour is having the 24 hour back up and support in case anything goes wrong. If you injure yourself on the trip, there is nothing more comforting than having experienced guides there to ensure you receive the medical attention you require. 

Feeling a little more adventurous, or keen to explore a destination in your own time, at your own pace, and without a group? Self-guided adventures are an exceptional way to explore a place; and with all of the logistics organized for you, including transfers, meals, equipment, directions, permits, fees and the like, independent trekkers can enjoy the scenery and surrounds on their own terms! It’s flexibility at its finest; you get to decide how many rest breaks you want to have, how fast you want to walk, when you want to eat, and what side trips you want to take, unlike guided tours which follow a specific itinerary where these details are often planned for you.

24/7 Support and Safety

Just because you’re on a self-guided trip, it doesn’t mean you’re on your own! Each of our self guided trips begin with an orientation session, your chance to ask our expert staff as many questions as you want about the route, destination, logistics and more. Once you’re off and away on your journey, you can take comfort in that the detailed maps and route notes will get you from A to B in ease. Feeling stuck? Our support staff are only a call away! 

Experience it! The East Coast Self Guided Cycle is an 8 day cycling adventure that ventures from Launceston to Maria Island. Travel under your own steam, at your own pace, while the logistics are all organized for you!

Flexible departures

One of the best things about self-guided adventures is that you can choose when to depart, rather than having to wait until a guided tour departure is guaranteed. And since you have control over your travel companions, you can travel in a group size that suits you!

See what matters most to you!

The best part about self-guided tours is their flexible nature: compared to guided adventures, they offer you a chance to discover a destination on your terms. We provide you with all the information you need to enjoy an insiders perspective of a destination – including information on all of the accessible side trips, lookouts and points of interest along the way. 

Experience it! The Walls of Jerusalem Self Guided Walk is a 3 day adventure that lets you choose from a number of day walks on days 2 and 3, so whether you want to summit King David’s peak, Mount Jerusalem, or venture to remote outer regions such as the Golden Gate or Zion Vale, the choice is yours!   

The Bottom Line! If you’re wanting to trek or travel in a destination that you may find too daunting to explore on your own, whether it be because you’re not familiar with the landscape, have had limited trekking experience, or simply prefer to travel with other people, a guided tour can be the perfect solution. Enjoy having all of the logistics organized for you, with a perfected itinerary, chance to make friends, security and accountability and guarantee you will see the best sites. Check out our range of guided treks here. However, if you are feeling more adventurous and want to have more freedom in your departure dates, travel companions, flexibility, whilst still having the nitty gritty logistics organized for you, jump on one of our self-guided trips that explore Tasmania’s exceptional Overland Track and East Coast cycle routes.