THE ADVANTAGES OF TRAVELLING WITH BOTH A GUIDE AND A DRIVER!

Stays in small groups of 10 to 17 people offer great flexibility. Those trips offer both intimacy and a high degree of personalization. Add to this the expertise and availability of a private guide, and you have the perfect formula.

Here’s proof.

A guide entirely dedicated to the group

The major advantage of doing an itinerary with a guide, independently of a driver, is to be able to have one person with the customers, at all times. The person behind the wheel is primarily responsible for the vehicle, i.e. driving, maintenance and parking. A driver-guide alone must drop off the group in front of the restaurant or at the scheduled activity, before parking the minivan in the dedicated spot and returning to accompany the travelers. It’s exactly the same logistical ballet when it’s time to leave.

Thanks to the presence of a guide, travelers are never “left to their own devices”. They receive the guidance and information they need as soon as they arrive. In a crowded place like Niagara Falls, through which many of our tours pass. What’s more, the driver’s return trips to take care of the vehicle’s parking represent about 15 minutes lost each time. All in all, 4 hours of service on a 10-day tour – enough time to organize an extra activity for the group!

Guide + driver: a winning and complementary combo

In addition to saving time and providing the best possible supervision, traveling with a driver and an accompanying guide means benefiting from the best of both worlds. The two participants can each focus on their own area of expertise, complementing each other perfectly. Behind the wheel, the driver ensures the safety and smooth running of the trip, whether short or long. He concentrates on driving, while his colleague communicates with the group.

The accompanying guide not only provides information, but also leads and facilitates. On the long trips between two stops, he’s there to share information with customers who’ve come to discover Canada, and to regale them with anecdotes of all kinds. Whether it’s history, politics, music or even geology, Jean La Haye, Receptour’s historical guide, is a favorite subject. Welcoming strangers and seeing a close-knit group leave is also thanks to the accompanying guide, who encourages lively exchanges and facilitates interaction. Providing our customers with an unforgettable experience is a promise we’ve been keeping since 1977!

Two attendants for twice the flexibility

Labor laws concerning driver guides are particularly strict. Typically, they cannot work more than 16 hours in a row, including driving and other services. As a result, his working hours are less flexible than those of his companion-guide colleague. Combining the two contracts allows greater flexibility when it comes to tour logistics. Working with two guides on our itineraries gives us the opportunity to meet our customers’ expectations as closely as possible.

Indeed, the advantage of leaving in a small group with one guide and one driver also lies in the opportunity this creates in terms of customizing the tour for travelers. The ability to include both early-morning departures and relatively late-night activities means that our customers can make the most of their vacations on Canadian soil. Greater flexibility in terms of service providers and participants means greater organizational flexibility!

In conclusion, traveling with a driver-guide and an accompanying guide has many advantages. It’s a formula that doesn’t have a monopoly on coach travel for large groups – far from it. On the contrary, it’s the best way to ensure the smoothest possible trip for travelers, with an accompanying guide 100% dedicated to customers. In short, two is better than one!