Some of us travel to marvel at architectural wonders or climb a challenging mountain. Others travel for relaxation or a culinary experience. Then, there’s those who travel for it all. That’s what you get when you go on a food tour. You combine culture and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with a mouth-watering adventure. Here’s why you need to book a food tour this year.

What is a food tour?

A food tour’s goal is to take you through a particular region or country as you devour some of the destination’s best foods, combined with culture and good times. You discover a place through its local foods as you explore food markets, take cooking classes, eat at the tastiest restaurants, and interact with local foodies and travellers.

Why Book a Food Tour?

You will learn from the pros

A food tour’s priority is their clients and—you guessed it—food. That means it’s going to make sure you get the best of the best on your culinary escapade. That could be as varied as taking a cooking class from a Sri Lankan chef in his home or learning the expertise in pairing wine and cheese in France. Or if you book a food tour in Morocco, you can expect to learn the art of tajine, see Morocco through the eyes of a local, and master a proper Moroccan mint tea. Whatever’s best in the region, a food tour will offer it. It won’t take you to the ‘tourist traps’ and you’ll get the inside scoop on cooking these dishes yourselves.

Try new foods

A food tour’s all about trying and sharing new food. You’ll be taken to the food markets and backstreet stalls to learn how to choose your ingredients and try local fruits and delicacies. You’ll take a step away from the norm, trying stranger local dishes from guinea pig to spiders, from frogs to chicken feet. Share dishes in communal meals, top the evening off with a glass of snake wine and you’re good to go!

You’ll discover the hidden gems

So ‘tourist traps’ are off the table. Your tour guide will take you to where the locals go, you’ll discover the best side street stalls, the best bars in town, and so much more.

Plus, it’s not all about food. You’ll be taken to the main cultural sites but your guide will also take you to the best secret spots, ensuring an authentic experience.

Immerse yourself in culture

Societies revolve around food and eating. Learn about the culture of a country through the history of dishes, how to properly eat them and what to pair them with. Understand the importance of dishes and meals in different cultures. Think coffee culture in Rome or curry and the family meal in India. Food tours are a special experience into a place’s roots and culture.

Meet and mingle with other foodies

Part of travel is to get to know other travellers and locals themselves. A food tour sets you up to do just that, as you meet other like-minded travellers passionate about food.

As you sit around trying dishes in a busy food market with locals and other fellow foodies, you’ll learn insights, tips and tricks, and perhaps discover your next food tour destination.

1. It’s a great alternative to other group tours

Sitting on a bus looking out the window as you tour around Ireland, for example, is not nearly as exciting as navigating its backroads and lush green scenery on a bicycle. You’ll get the fresh Irish air and get a better sense of the place around you when you embark on a cycle tour alternatively.

2. You don’t have to be an avid cyclist

Not all cycle tours are designed for avid cyclists. Many tours have itineraries where cycling is simply the mode of transportation to the next location, meaning you may only be cycling on flat roads on a city bike for only a few hours a day. Not too bad, right? But with that in mind, most tours offer alternative transport if you get tired along the way.

3. It’s a great form of exercise

Great on the legs and glutes, cycling is also beneficial for the entire body. Cycling tours leave you feeling perhaps a bit sore, but you’ll head home feeling fantastic. Plus, it might encourage you to splurge a bit more on a delicious dessert because you know that tomorrow you’ll be burning off that chocolate cake anyhow.

4. You’ll make new friends

Whether you’re a solo traveller or travelling with your partner, on a group cycle tour you’re bound to make connections and new friends along the way. Connecting with others is a major part of travelling and a cycle tour makes it simple. Plus, your tour leader is likely an expert of the region and can share thoughts, tips, and recommendations on the area that you might not find elsewhere.

5. It guarantees a unique experience

Every day is different on a cycle tour, so you know you’re getting a unique experience. Plus, trips like these you’ll look back on fondly because it’s different from the alternative bus routes, making it more of an exciting and rewarding experience.

6. You get closer to nature

Instead of just hopping from city to landmark to site, cycling offers the ability to be a little bit closer to your surroundings. You’ll take in new aromas, breathe in the fresh air, and notice things you wouldn’t have if you were travelling in a car or bus.

7. You can venture off into the mountains

If you are in fact an avid cycler then you can venture into the mountains and take things up a notch. There are tours designed for mountain bikers and those looking for more strenuous adventures. Try out cycling the Tour du Mont Blanc or the Finnish Lapland for an exciting mountain biking adventure in Europe.

Ready to take on a cycling holiday? See here to explore all cycling holiday options.

Here are 6 reasons that you should try a small group tour:

1. Take the stress out of organisation

Organising a trip yourself takes time and effort both before and during a trip. If your time is limited do you really want the hassle of sorting everything out yourself? Each small group tour has a tour leader who has responsibility for ensuring that everything runs smoothly. They organise all your travel and accommodation, organise any included activities or day trips and will be on hand to give recommendations and help you to organise restaurants or further activities. This means that your time is spent enjoying your trip. It also means that if (when!) there’s a problem, there’s someone available to help.

2. See additional sites

While each trip has a set itinerary, the use of both public and private transport gives the tour company greater flexibility in where they go. Often there will be additional stops, for example in remote villages, or activities suggested that wouldn’t have been feasible if organised independently.

3. A more authentic experience

Often you will find that the tour leader will go the extra mile in helping you to have the best possible experience. This could be ordering food for the table for communal eating so you try more, teaching you mahjong on a river cruise in China or even going so far as to invite you to dinner at their home in the walls of Jaipur.

4. Meet new people

A trip is all about the people. Most small group tours are a mixture of people travelling on their own and with others. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people to laugh and share the experience with. There are many long standing friendships that started from a two week small group tour!

5. Additional time at key sites

Normally small group tours includes private guided day trips round key sites. This allows more time to be spent at a location than larger group trips or independent day trips.

6. Flexibility

While there is a set itinerary, most small group tours also include free time to explore and do additional activities. This means that you really can create the holiday that you want.

So if you’re short on time, or confidence, a small group tour could be the answer, so you can do more than you ever thought possible.

Here are our top tips for planning a multi-day hike.

1. Guided vs Self-guided Hiking

The first decision is whether to take a guided trip, where everything is organised for you, or organising it yourself. Guided hikes can be great if you don’t want to spend your time organising or reading the map or you’d like to meet more people. Guided trips range from hiking weekends, where one of the participants leads the hike, to a full trek with professional local guides. If there’s a few of you, you can arrange a more tailored guided experience, although this does come at a higher cost.

2. Accommodation and luggage

Once you’ve decided on the style, you need to determine what you’re doing with your luggage. The main options are: carrying everything including camping equipment; carrying your luggage for the week but using pre-established camps / bed and breakfast accommodation; or carrying a day pack and using porters or luggage transport services. 

Make sure you’re clear on the style of hike you’re doing as this will make a big difference to what you bring, how you train and how you feel on the trip. 

3. Ensure you’re fit enough

Part of the fun of multi-day hikes is that they are a challenge but you won’t enjoy it if you’re struggling. Some training up front will reap huge rewards while you’re away. Try to get out for longer hikes as well as your regular workout, and practice on hills can make all the difference if your trek is going to be mountainous.

4. Break in your walking boots

It might sound obvious, but ensure you have good walking boots and they are well broken in across all terrains. If you’ve only broken them in on flat terrain but your hike is hilly you will get blisters or worse.

5. Pack light – but for all weathers

Packing light, but taking into account weather fluctuations, is probably the hardest challenge. Bring layers of quick dry clothing, don’t expect to have clean clothes every day and make sure that you’ve got enough to keep you warm and dry in the evenings. Once you’ve decided on what to pack take a look at everything you plan to bring and then take as much out as possible. But don’t forget the blister plasters!

6. Invest in a good backpack

A good backpack is comfortable, fits well and doesn’t rub while you’re walking. Get a the smallest rucksack possible for your hike. Invest in a pack with good padding on the shoulders and waist strap and with plenty of pockets.

7. Bring walking poles

Walking poles can make all the difference on a long hike. They spread the effort across your body, not just in your legs, reducing the strain on your ankles, knees and hips. They are also great for helping with balance both on the up- and downhill meaning that you’re less likely to slip. And they pack up and tie easily onto the outside of your backpack when you’re not using them .

8. Bring plenty of water

Have a good waterbottle (or two) and make sure that you fill it regularly when you’re hiking. Staying hydrated is the most important thing you can do to keep healthy while you walk.

9. Stay safe

If you’re hiking independently make sure you have someone to check in with, who will raise the alarm if they haven’t heard from you at the agreed time. Download an app like What3Words which can pinpoint your location to a 3sq metre area in case you do get into trouble. Keep an eye on upcoming weather conditions or potential obstacles and have a contingency plan on place where possible.

So there you have it, a few planning tips to help you get the most out of your multi-day hike. Enjoy!