Had a very busy week and the internet has been even more challenging than normal. So I have spent my time researching various ideas to showcase Brazilian cities in a new way. I have come across a tour company, personally I've never liked organised tours but this company is doing things a bit differently, no matter where in the world you wish to visit they have many experienced guides, the have some wonderful people in South America offering incredible tours. What appealed to me was how I could be involved in organizing my tour, to do the things I really wanted to do, now that’s a tour I can book.
ToursBy Locals team.
ToursByLocals is made up of a group of dedicated professionals based out of Vancouver, Canada, who are committed to changing the relationship between travelers and the local people who deliver travel services. So what’s that got to do with Brazil you may ask, actually a lot, they saw a need for the service they now provide. Imagine you could organize your tour exactly how you want it, sounds good. This past couple of weeks I have got to know their Communications Manager, Sara Cooke, a lovely lady who is passionate about the company she represents, I’ll let her tell you their story.
What does ToursByLocals do?
In a nutshell, we connect travelers with local guides all over the world. The company was founded on the belief that no one knows a city better than the people who live there, and there’s no better way to experience a new place – to really get under its skin – than with a local. We call this philosophy “travelling locally” and it’s a two way street that benefits both the traveler and the local guide. Travelers get a richer experience of a new place in the company of a local expert, while their travel dollars go straight to the guide, ensuring tourism is directly benefiting the local economy. We currently have almost 1500 guides offering tours in 119 countries.
What prompted the development of ToursByLocals?
The idea for ToursByLocals was born on the Great Wall of China. The company’s founders, Paul and Dave, were traveling in Beijing, and wanted to visit the Wall, but not as part of a large bus tour. They felt frustrated at the lack of a reliable service to connect travelers with local guides, and decided upon their return to Canada that they would build just that: a secure online platform that makes it simple for travelers to find and book local guides for private tours in any part of the world.
What unique aspect to travel do you bring?
ToursByLocals is all about moving away from mass experiences towards more customizable, “authentic” and socially responsible travel. For example, our guides offer tours that take you right into a local’s kitchen for a cooking lesson in Hanoi, or to tour a world-class gallery like the Hermitage in St. Petersburg with your own art historian. Our travellers love the personal attention they get with a private guide, the flexibility and spontaneity that comes with designing their own itinerary and seeing a new place at their own pace. And traveling around in a small group with a local expert allows them to access more intimate, out of the way spots – the kind of atmospheric cafes and private art galleries that just don’t accommodate a busload full of tourists, for example. They appreciate that their travel dollars are going directly to their guide, and so contributing to social entrepreneurship in the places they travel. Ultimately, though, I think what most of our travellers come away with is the sense of forging a new friendship and a stronger bond with the places they travel.
How can users get the most out of ToursByLocals to suit their specific requirements?
ToursByLocals offers travelers the chance to design a private, customized, unique travel experience with a local guide. All of the guides on our site are thoroughly vetted, so travelers know they are going to see a new place in the company of a local person who is friendly, knowledgeable and professional – and someone who is willing to accommodate their requests. Unlike larger bus-tours, a ToursByLocals tour is just about you, your family or friends and the guide, which means you can orchestrate the day based on your activity-level, personal interests and time available. The tours are flexible and open to spontaneity, should you wish to stay longer in one place, or cut something out of the itinerary. They’re also great for people traveling with children or the elderly who might have a harder time adhering to a fast-paced fixed group schedule – or simply for travelers who wish for a more spontaneous, personal tour experience.
Do you have any special tips for travellers new to the experience?
We have over 1500 guides in the ToursByLocals network, which means you usually have more than one to choose from in any given destination. Don’t be shy! Get in touch with multiple guides and figure out who will be the best match for your personal travel style. Your tour options are not limited to the guide’s published suggestions – all of our guides are happy to design custom itineraries, so start a conversation and watch it lead to your own unique travel experience.
What about South America?
Our guides in South America are some of the busiest and creative anywhere. Some examples of unique tours that have been popular with travelers:
· A cooking class in Lima – but not in a cooking school. This tour is led by our guide Aaron. He’s passionate about Peruvian gastronomy, and will take travelers on a tour of the local markets to purchase ingredients needed to cook a typical Peruvian meal. Then he opens the door to his mother’s house and invites travelers to learn how to cook with him and his mother in their kitchen, then share the meal. A great glimpse into local life!
· Andres lives as a gaucho in the Delta near Buenos Aires, where his family has lived for generations. With Andres as a guide, travelers learn firsthand about the gaucho lifestyle in Argentina. They get to ride criolo horses on Andres’ ranch and cook steak in the traditional way. Andres is also a passionate tango dancer, and will take travelers to a private studio to learn the steps, then out for a night of dancing at local milongas – not the typical tourist shows.
· In Manaus, Brazil our local guide Tiago is of European and indigenous descent and grew up amidst the flora and fauna of the Amazon. He’s passionate about eco-tourism, and helps visitors interact in a sensitive and respectful way with the people and wildlife who live in the Amazon Basin – even pink dolphins.
Jungle Lodge on the Amazon
· Carlos, one of our guides in Rio, will give travelers a real taste of the city’s nightlife at the local clubs in Lapa, where you can dance to Brazilian black rhythms like Samba, Pagode, Funk, Hip Hope and Charme. By day he takes travelers to the city’s tourist hotspots, but also the north-side favelas to gain an understanding of the hardships many who live in this city face.
Visit Rio’s Favelas with a personal guide.
· For serious adventurers, Luis in southern Patagonia is the man to meet. He will take travelers on an easy day hike through Tierra del Fuego Park, or on a 12-day expedition through the galciers of the Darwin Range , including a summit attempt on Mt Shipton.
On a serious note, that often gets overlooked is what’s available to the disabled traveller who may be wheelchair bound, I discuss my personal experiences in
Brazil welcomes the disabled
So Sara what options for the disabled traveller?
If a traveler tells a guide he/she has mobility issues, our guides are great at doing some on-the-ground research before the traveler arrives. They can find restaurants with enough space to accommodate chairs, and choose short walking routes through cities that don’t involve stairs or tricky cobbled streets. It can certainly be a challenge, especially in older parts of the world. Vancouver (where I live) is a very accessible city, so I’m used to all the public transportation and buildings being accommodating of disabilities. It’s always a bit of a shock to see that most of the world has far more barriers!
Brazil is improving its disabled facilities and I noted on my trip to the MAR in Rio that it was fully accessible to wheelchairs and every toilet was disable friendly, so well done Rio.
Sounds a lot different then your run of the mill city tour. Visiting South America is an adventure and should be exciting. Meet the real people and get a feel of this wonderful part of the world, it will change your life forever if you let it. I will be showcasing some of the guides and their more unusual tours and requests from ToursByLocal.
