ToursByLocals

What ToursByLocals Is and Where It Operates

ToursByLocals is a marketplace for private tours led by local guides. The guides design and run the tours; the platform lists them, takes the booking and payment, and stands behind the booking with its own cancellation policy and support. Its homepage invites travelers to "Explore cities around the world through the eyes of a local", and the footer dates the business from 2008. Reach is genuinely global, and the homepage menus show it region by region. In Europe the list runs from Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona and Belfast to Krakow, Palermo, Porto and Reykjavik; in the Americas and the Caribbean from Anchorage, Boston and Buenos Aires to Cusco, Easter Island, Oaxaca and Panama City; in Asia from Bangkok, Beijing and Chiang Mai to Hiroshima, Jeju, Kyoto and Phnom Penh; and in Africa, the Middle East and Oceania from Addis Ababa, Amman and Cape Town to Luxor, Marrakech, Riyadh, Sydney and Papeete. The homepage shows tour counts for a few cities, such as 991 tours available in Rome, 199 in Copenhagen and 133 in Vancouver. The site's blog adds regional guides that show where its guides work beyond the big capitals. A piece on North Africa covers Morocco (Marrakech, Fez, Chefchaouen, Essaouira and the Atlas Mountains), Tunisia (Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and El Jem) and Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel), describing Morocco as a way into everyday city rhythms and Tunisia as coastal Mediterranean life layered with history. Another picks 10 standout destinations across Greece and Turkey, from the temples of Athens and the mosques of Istanbul to Cretan villages and the rock formations of Cappadocia. Further posts cover reading European history through architecture with a guide, and active travel on foot, by bike and on the water, from cycling between villages to kayaking a quiet shoreline.

What the Platform Offers

Every tour is private. The homepage is explicit: "All of the tours on ToursByLocals are private. We'll never join groups together, so the tours always remain personalised to you, your pace, and your interests." Featured tours show the guide, a rating, the duration, how the tour moves and the party size it takes. Panos P.'s Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece half-day tour in Athens runs 4 hours on foot for 1 to 8 people, shows 5.0 from 61 reviews and costs a total of $525 USD. Ferdinando B.'s Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour with a professional archaeologist runs 2.5 hours for 1 to 10 people from $874 USD. Rasha H.'s Secrets of the Pyramids tour in Cairo is 8 hours with private transportation for 1 to 4 people at a total of $363 USD. Other examples include a 3 hour Prague walk with an art historian ($339 USD), a 3 hour Gion and geisha culture walk in Kyoto ($364 USD), a 3 hour Murano glass bead workshop tour in Venice ($394 USD), a 7 hour Boston and Cambridge day with private transportation ($1,320 USD) and a 2 hour Louvre visit with an art historian holding a PhD, rated 5.0 from 147 reviews ($578 USD). Because prices are quoted per tour rather than per person, the cost per head falls as the party grows. Beyond city tours, the site sells private shore excursions for cruise passengers and private safaris.

How It Works and What to Expect

The homepage explains the difference from a group tour simply: "there are no strangers on a private tour! It's just you, whoever you are traveling with, and the guide you've chosen." During booking, the traveler connects directly with the guide to share interests and travel style, and the result, the site says, is "a personalized tour with a tailor-made itinerary". Some tours move on foot and others with private transportation, as the listings show. A separate collection of city highlights tours has been designed by ToursByLocals itself; for those, the site says "we'll match you with an expert local guide" after booking. For couples, families and small groups, the site argues that private tours often offer stronger value than group tours, citing dedicated attention, flexibility to change plans, skip-the-line access at attractions and a local looking after the details. Guides, the homepage says, are "Vetted for their expertise and experience". Traveler reviews on the homepage name guides such as Sinisa in Florence, Lais in Rio and Eunji in Tokyo, and one reviewer mentions starting early to beat the crowds, a sign of how much the day can be shaped.

Booking, Payment and Cancellation Policy

The homepage summarizes the cancellation position in one line: "15-Day policy is always included, with option to upgrade". A separate cancellation policy page is linked in the footer for the full terms. For cruise passengers, shore excursions come with what the site calls its Return to Ship Guarantee, which it says gets travelers back to the ship. Support is promised around the clock: "Our team is ready to help you with 24/7 assistance". Payment is accepted by PayPal, Mastercard, Visa and American Express, and prices on the listings are shown in US dollars. The FAQ covers customizing a tour, how guides are vetted, the cancellation policy, shore excursions, whether tours include transportation and how far in advance to book, and there is a contact page. Guides who want to join are invited to apply through the site.

What the Site Leaves Open, and Who It Suits

The homepage names a 15-day policy and an upgrade option but does not spell out what the upgrade costs or exactly how refunds work inside that window, so the linked cancellation policy is worth reading before booking. The listings give the party size and duration but not what is included, such as entrance fees or meals, which is a question to raise with the guide. ToursByLocals suits couples, families and small groups who want a guide to themselves, travelers with a specific interest to build a day around, and cruise passengers who want a private shore day. Solo travelers pay the full tour price alone, so the per-tour pricing works best for groups of 2 or more.