Article Travel Leisure Tip

When traveling on a budget
one of the most often asked questions is whether it is best to travel independently
reserving your own airfare
hotel stay and sightseeing reservations
or choose a package tour where everything is set up for you in advance.

Unfortunately
there is no easy answer to this question. It is largely dependent on the location you have selected and dates of travel. For instance
travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own
especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off-season.

On the other hand
travel to many exotic locations
like Egypt
Morocco
Kenya
South Africa
Thailand
and India
are often much less expensive when booked through a vacation package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies
and with very nice resort hotels
to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.

For instance
with a little bit of shopping
you can book a vacation package from New York to Egypt for a grand total of $1
100
including airfare
an excellent hotel
daily breakfast
airport transfers
and daily sightseeing tours
including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than you would have paid if you had booked this trip independently.

Similar deals exist for other locations
notably India
China
and Taiwan. So be sure to check on the availability of these package deals when shopping for a budget travel deal.

Of course
some great deals can be had on your own as well
and this is often a great way to go
especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals
since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal.

It is also important to find out exactly what is
and what is not included
in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in
and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optional. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions
including full descriptions and prices
and then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.

If you are traveling on your own
be sure to start shopping early
especially if you are traveling by air. The important thing to remember is that airlines allocate only so many seats for those advertised low fares
and if you fail to act quickly
you may be out of luck. It is important to book the airfare
and the hotel
as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.

Ultimately
the decision of whether to choose a vacation package deal or independent travel is up to each individual traveler. It is important to carefully compare package prices with those for independent travel to the same location. It is also important to consider your own personal travel style. Some people are more comfortable with a packaged tour
particularly to an unfamiliar location
while others relish the freedom from schedules that independent travel provides.