- Introduction to Free Walking Tours
- What is GuruWalk?
- Why Choose a GuruWalk Free Walking Tour?
- Our Experience with GuruWalk
- How to Book a GuruWalk Tour
- Tips for Making the Most of a GuruWalk Tour
- Common FAQs About GuruWalk
- Final Thoughts: Is GuruWalk Worth It?
Introduction to Free Walking Tours
Explore the best free walking tours with GuruWalk, offering unique local experiences in many cities worldwide.
Free walking tours are ideal for anyone who enjoys an authentic city walking tour and especially for people on a budget and solo travellers.
We have been using GuruWalk to book free city tours for years and I have recommended them in many of my city guides. Read our review; find out all about GuruWalk, why we recommend them and how to book a free walking tour for your next city trip.
What is a Free Walking Tour?
A free walking tour is when a guide takes you on a tour without a set price or payment upfront. Tourists book the tour for free and then, after the tour, the participants can pay the guide any amount they choose. This is dependent on their satisfaction of the tour and their budget.
The policy of “pay-what-you-want” is great for travellers because they pay the price they think is fair based on their enjoyment and budget. We find this means that the tour guide will do their best to ensure the tour group have a good experience so that they get great tips.
What is GuruWalk?
GuruWalk is a website and app that connects travellers with local tour guides across the world. Their mission is to connect travellers to free walking tours in any place you can imagine.
Why Choose a GuruWalk Free Walking Tour?
If you book a tour with GuruWalk you will benefit from all of the following:
- Authentic local experiences – GuruWalk connect you with local guides that provide first hand, in depth knowledge.
- Budget-friendly – GuruWalk is a budget friendly option for travellers and provides affordable travel experiences for anyone.
- Insider knowledge from passionate guides – GuruWalk guides have fantastic knowledge about every aspect of the city you are exploring, from history to local customs and the best hidden gems.
- Diverse locations and experiences – GuruWalk are connected to hundreds of guides across the world. The choice and variation of tours are incredible.
Our Experience with GuruWalk
We have been using GuruWalk for years and the first thing I do now whenever I book a city trip is to book a free walking tour with them.
I find a walking tour is a great way to get to know a city at the start of my stay. Taking one at the beginning, helps me get my bearings, learn about the history, local customs and gives me ideas for further exploration. GuruWalk guides tend to be very personable and go the extra mile to make the tour educational, fun and useful.
Hidden Gems and Recommendations
During the tours, we find out about hidden gems as well as restaurant and bar recommendations. Some of the best places we have seen are recommendations from GuruWalk guides. These are things we would never have discovered by ourselves.
Plus, the guides give handy insider tips to help you make the most of your stay, including advice about transport, ATMs, safety and general costs. I found it particularly useful in Marrakech to learn about their local customs and even how to haggle.
GuruWalk guides are usually engaging characters and share interesting personal stories and anecdotes about their lives in the city. They often have a great sense of humour too. Most of them have travelled extensively themselves so they really know what is helpful to someone arriving in a new city.
Quite often the guides have some extra treats up their sleeves and take you to local food places to try out samples, or watch demonstrations that you might not normally get the opportunity to see. We enjoyed a sample of a Greek yoghurt in Athens and had a peep to see how a local bakery made bread in Marrakech.
We have booked free walking tours with GuruWalk in Athens, Nice, Bordeaux, Berlin, Marrakech, Prague and Istanbul. You can book tours in cities across the world and I will certainly be booking lots more. Sometimes we book more than one! Our favourite tours were in Prague and Bordeaux. You can read about our experience in Prague in my blog Exploring Prague by Walking Tour.
How to Book a GuruWalk Tour
Booking a tour with GuruWalk is very easy. You can visit their website – GuruWalk and book on there or download the app.
Simply add the city you are searching for, the dates you are available and how many people you want to book for. GuruWalk will give all the options available in that city and you book the tour that most appeals to you. All you need to do next is turn up at the specified meeting point.
When choosing a tour, read the reviews and try to pick tours with smaller group sizes for better engagement.
I have been recommending using GuruWalk for years and only recently discovered that I can be an affiliate for them (a lot of missed opportunities). If you book using my link I will earn £1 per person, as a thank you for linking you to them.
Tips for Making the Most of a GuruWalk Tour
- Arrive on time and be prepared for walking. Most tours last around 2-3 hours. There will be a lot of stops and they usually give you the opportunity to buy a drink and use toilet facilities.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water.
- Engage with the guide and ask questions!
- Be respectful and consider tipping fairly. This will ensure that GuruWalk continues to be able to connect travellers and guides in the future.
- Be sure to pay attention and keep up with the group. One time we were on a tour in Prague and one of the group members went missing. The guide had to make the rest of us all wait while he went back to fetch him!
Common FAQs About GuruWalk
Is GuruWalk really free?
Although booking the tour is free to book, you are expected to pay the guide a fair amount at the end of the tour.
How much should you tip the guide?
You choose how much to give, taking into consideration how happy you were with the tour and what you can afford. We usually give around £20 per person. People generally give from 10-20 Euros per person.
Do you need to book in advance?
You can book in advance or on the day of your tour but bear in mind that there might not be any places available if you book a the last minute. The latest we have ever booked is the day before.
Are walking tours available in every city?
Tours are not available in every city but they are certainly growing and becoming more widespread. There is a list on the website of every city where the tours are available.
Do you go inside attractions?
As it is a free walking tour you will not enter any attractions that cost money to enter but you will see them from the outside and learn about them. This way you can decide whether you would like to pay the entrance fee to explore further later during your trip.
Final Thoughts: Is GuruWalk Worth It?
Taking a free walking tour with GuruWalk is a fun way to get to know a city. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a walking tour and especially travellers on a budget and solo travellers. You get to explore, learn, ask questions and have fun with like minded people.
I encourage you to try out GuruWalk. Take a look at their website and book a tour for your next city adventure.
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