The tour is booked and the fundraising machine has sputtered into life.  Now that you know where you’re going, who’s coming and what you need to get there, your next move is to plan the perfect itinerary, offering your students an exceptional educational experience.

There are so many things to consider when selecting a student tour itinerary.  Here’s a brief overview that will serve to guide you, moving forward.

Identifying your logistical needs.

A lot depends on who’s in your group, how they relate to one another and what they’re up to.  If your group is active, you’ll be able to feature much more in the way of strenuous walking tours and perhaps outings with outdoor recreation, for example.

How your group of students relate to one another is an important consideration when assigning rooms with your tour provider.  You don’t want to put people in a room together who don’t get along.  Knowing your students well is your best defense against unfortunate personality conflicts, in this respect.

Under the rubric of “knowing your students”, you’ll also find key logistical considerations like dietary needs, including flood allergies.  Make sure your tour operator is aware of these, so they can make your accommodations provider aware.

Learning goals.

Educators have a clear vision of what they want their students to learn on their tour.  Discussing learning objectives with your operator will provide important information to craft the best itinerary possible with respect to your goals.

Everything on a student tour isn’t about strict programming.  Allowing your student opportunities to experience the culture of your destination (and the language, where appropriate) can provide a rich learning context they’ll benefit from for the rest of their lives.

Make sure your operator is aware of your vision in as much detail as possible and watch your dream itinerary unfold in expert hands.

The road less travelled.

While the beaten track will offer your students the chance to experience iconic sights and historical monuments, the road less travelled is often just as instructive, if not more so.

Consider offering students the chance to see something out of the ordinary.  Your tour operator can fill you in on offbeat locations at your destination that will dazzle your students, making them feel like they’re in on a secret no one else knows.

Making time to take time.

Remember to schedule down time and fun time, as well as educational content.  The more diverse your itinerary is, the more fun your students are going to have.

They’re young people.  While you need to provide them with rich learning experiences, you also want to build fun and rest into your itinerary.

Junior Tours – the itinerary builders.

At Junior Tours, we’ve been building memorable itineraries for student tours since 1967.  This brief overview of things to consider when selecting a student tour itinerary is just the start.

When you go with Junior, you go with the best.  Contact us for a quote and sample itinerary.  We’re the experts who put the world at your feet.