Pilgrimage Places

For people who are concerned about the costs of travel and want to make sure they get good value for their vacation dollars there is often a conflict between getting a lower priced holiday package or paying more and getting precisely the kind of travel experience they really want.

Generally speaking, you can pay less when you buy a single package that includes air fare, accommodations, transfers, meals and entrance fees to attractions than if you order from an ala carte menu and make each reservation separately.

With deep regrets this reporter is obliged to confess that this question does not have a simple answer. When it comes to travel there is no such thing as one size fits all. For example, if you look at the cheap holiday deals offered to major tour packaging companies and find one that feels custom tailored to satisfy all of your travel desires, then it would quite surely save you money to grab it quickly before it fills up. The reality is that the more adventuresome you are, the less likely you will be happy with buying off the rack.

Nevertheless, package vacations are getting more and more diverse. It used to be you had to settle for spending a week at theme park such as Disneyland or the Mayan Riviera. Lately we are seeing more and more package tours that take travelers on journeys to such destinations as Thailand, South Africa, India, Eqypt, Kenya and Fiji.

A package tour we recently saw to Egypt included not only tours of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx in Giza, but it also had a Nile cruise, excursions to the Valley of the Kings and even the option of a camel ride. Of course it included an English speaking guide and rooms in very nice hotels.

Whether you are purchasing a complete package put together by a tour operator or going the DIY route, is always pays to book your airfare early. In the good old days of air travel there used to be last minute plane fare bargains available but that ship has sailed. If you read the fine print on the terms and conditions published by tour companies you will see that if you book your reservation within a certain number of days before departure, you may be charged an extra fee to compensate for the higher air fares they will likely be forced to pay.