In the world of frugal travel, the hiring of a personal tour guide probably seems like the first thing to strike from the planning list.
Certainly, this is luxury reserved for the wealthy, who swagger into a given locale and find someone to answer their every question and attend to each detail of the visit.
If that's your view of hiring a guide, you're not seeing the entire picture.
There are many places in the world where students or retired life-long residents make modest incomes showing people their cities and villages. Their clients are not wealthy. In fact, many are simply trying to see and understand as much as possible about the place they've spent so much money to visit.
They are budget travelers in search of value and an authentic, memorable experience.
These are usually not the type of tours in which 40 people board a bus for the day to drive by 14 top attractions. Personalized tours (often on foot) cater more to individual interests. Guides are often paid by the hour or work for gratuities. They seldom advertise, depending upon favorable word-of-mouth messages to generate new leads.
Be certain to define what you want in a guide. Independent travelers don't want to be herded in a large group, where asking questions can be difficult and your personal interests will not be a top priority. Walking tours of a city led by a knowledgable native can be experiences to remember for a lifetime.
A personal guide who will lead you through the unfamiliar and daunting traffic rush in a city is also very valuable. Time is saved, because you do not get lost.
The practice of matching guides with travelers and their budgets has blossomed with the growth of the Internet. It's possible to get leads, prices and recommendations with a few clicks.
In September 2007, the Web site VIAmigo.com launched a service that will link guides and travelers, then provide a forum for the travelers to rate their experiences for the benefit of other users.
"We're going to open up the concept of tour guide, to everything from abacus factories to zoo tours given by zoologists," says founder Jeff Goldsmith. "We expect to have tens of thousands of tours on the site in the very near future."
In theory, a site like this should allow you to shop for an affordable rate, and weed out guides who don't put forth much effort or don't seem suited to your interests.
Travelers can sign up on the site, and guides are encouraged to enter that burgeoning data base Goldsmith envisions.
Cost for these services varies a great deal. Goldsmith cites one guide in Kyoto who charges the equivalent of $25 USD/hour. Others could charge less. Much depends upon the location, the guide's needs and perhaps the size of your group.
There are other places on the Web where budget travelers can find guide recommendations. Here are a few:
Private-Guides.com
This well-established site offers both "tours" (larger groups with buses) and "guides" who will walk you through the sites of a city. Prices vary, but you have the opportunity to shop for something that meets your individual needs.
TripAdvisor
This is the place where people find information about hotels and restaurants, but they also allow visitors to rate guides. Do a search there (for example, type "Boston" and "guides") and see if others have posted recommendations or warnings.
Fodors.com
The excellent Fodors.com site does not necessarily cater to tours, but the Talk section includes message boards where a search could turn up recommendations for given destinations. Many of the people who post on the Fodors forums are experienced and helpful travelers who make good recommendations.
Your favorite travel agent
This is the type of local knowledge a good travel agent will have at the ready. Be sure to ask for a personal guide or walking tour as opposed to a group tour.
Consider adding a personally guided tour or walking tour to your itinerary. If you connect with the right guide, the money you spend will be an investment saving and enhancing the minutes and hours of your visit.
