Customised Tours vs Fixed Tour Packages

What a fixed package offers

A fixed tour package follows a set route, with set hotels, set timings and a set price. It is simple to compare and quick to book. If the route matches what you want, it can be an efficient choice.

The trade-off is that you adapt to the package, not the other way round. Hotel choices are often limited to pre-selected properties, stops are shared with other groups, and there is little room to slow down or change the plan.

What a customised tour offers

In a customised tour, the route is built from your priorities. You decide the pace, the type of accommodation, the length of each stay and how much free time you want. If you would like three nights somewhere quiet rather than one night in each town, that can be arranged.

Customised journeys usually need more conversation at the start, and the final plan is shaped by your dates, group and interests.

Points to compare

• Pace. Packages tend to cover more places in fewer days. Customised plans can slow down.
• Accommodation. Packages often use fixed property lists. Customised plans can focus on character, location and verified quality.
• Flexibility. Packages are hard to change once booked. Customised plans can be adjusted during planning.
• Group. Packages may mix travellers. Customised trips are private to your group.
• Effort. Packages require less conversation. Customised plans need some input from you.

When a fixed package is sensible

If you have limited time, a simple route, and no strong preference about stays, a straightforward package can be perfectly good. Some travellers also like the clarity of a pre-defined itinerary.

When customisation matters

Customisation tends to matter when you travel with children or older relatives, have a particular interest, want to avoid long daily drives, or are visiting regions where seasons, permits and roads affect the plan.

How we work

The itineraries on this website are samples. They show how a route could look and are meant to be adapted. Browse our journeys, choose one that is close to what you want, and tell us what to change. Or begin with a conversation on the Plan Your Journey page.

For a more detailed look at private planning, see Private Bespoke Holidays.