FAQs

The very nature of our off-the-beaten-path small-group experiences require a minimum number of people for the trip to depart. Most group Walking, EASY EXPLORING or FOOD & WINE tours require a minimum of eight to ten travelers. Private yacht charters may have a higher minimum. If you’re one of the first people to deposit on a trip, we’ll notify you by e-mail as soon as we have the minimum number. Aside from a few rare exceptions, we seldom cancel a group trip due to low enrollment. As soon as we have the minimum number of travelers you can finalize your airline arrangements. Please do not purchase any non-refundable airline tickets before your trip is confirmed.

Go Get Lost® is not responsible for the purchase of nonrefundable, advance purchase airline tickets.

Go Get Lost® tours are usually “land only” packages; airfare is not included in the pricing of a tour. Do not book any flights or order non-refundable airline tickets until you have verified that you are accepted on the Go Get Lost® tour and that the tour has the minimum number of people to insure its departure, (if there is a minimum). We will notify all travelers by e-mail when a trip and the dates are confirmed. When arranging your flights, remember to allow for plenty of time between connecting flights for airline delays due to weather, etc.

Call us to discuss the best travel options for you BEFORE you book your airfare to review your arrival and departure dates and strategies. This way you will be better informed when you research your options.

Go Get Lost® is not responsible for the purchase of nonrefundable, advance purchase airline tickets.

Maybe: Depending on the trip, we may have blocked extra rooms before your trip at the group hotel.  This will be explained in the Travel Planner that is sent to you when you deposit.  On some tours Go Get Lost® does not block rooms and does not offer special rates for pre- and post-trip stays. On these tours if you plan on extending your stay at our first night’s hotel before the trip starts or our last night’s hotel when the trip ends, we have instructions for doing so in the Travel Planner.  We recommend booking your rooms as early as possible, especially during peak travel season.

In the unlikely event that unforeseen flight delays cause you to miss your arrival timetable…don’t worry, all is not lost, (with the exception of private yacht charters). You can call our office, or our group leader in-country and we will advise you on the best route to rejoin the tour. This will usually be a combination of taxi, bus, train, mule, camel, hot air balloon, motorcycle sidecar or raft transportation (at your expense). When you join the group, you can entertain us with stories of your great adventure!

Please note that on many private yacht charters, due to logistical considerations and/or visa and customs requirements, it may be impossible to rejoin the group if you miss the initial boat departure. Therefore, it is critical that you plan to arrive at the predetermined departure point on time. It is your responsibility to board the boat at the assigned departure date and time. We strongly advise you to arrive in-country at THE BOARDING CITY at least one day in advance of boarding.

It’s always a good strategy is to arrive in-country the day before your tour starting date. Your tour leader can advise you on a fun destination to spend the first night before you arrive at the starting point for your tour. For example, for travelers on our Italian Lakes and Mountains tour, the city of Verona has an excellent airport and is a great place to spend the first night in Italy before your tour starts. Greece private yacht travelers have long opted to spend an extra day in Athens or Rhodes before the tour starts. We have suggestions for all of our tours.

Although there are exceptions, generally speaking, as a U.S. citizen you will need a valid passport if you want to travel the world. A lost passport or airline ticket can be frustrating for any traveler. In case of problems, it is important to bring a photocopy your airline tickets and of the front pages of your passport showing your personal details, passport number, date of issue, etc. In case of loss or theft, these copies may expedite the replacement of new documents. You should also make a copy of these important documents and leave them with someone at home that can be contacted reached in case your documents are lost or stolen. Some countries (like Indonesia) require a number of adjoining, blank pages in order for your passport to be considered valid. Some countries (like Turkey) also require you to have a Visa in addition to your valid passport in order to enter the country. It is your responsibility to have these documents. Remember that your passport is not valid until you sign it, and a passport can be considered invalid if it expires less than 6 months from your return date. 

The day counts listed on the website and catalog represent the number of days, full or partial, that you are on a Go Get Lost® tour, whether or not there are any tour activities involved.

There are MANY different variations of tours, and each one is a different animal. To find the exact details on any particular tour, you need to read the “What’s Included” and “What’s Not Included” section of each tour itinerary. In general, though, most Go Get Lost® tours include all lodging, some or all meals, transportation during the tour, skilled and knowledgeable leaders, most entry fees for sites, and anything else that’s noted in the tour itinerary. Usually, you are on your own for international airfare, any extra beverages not provided by the tour leaders, personal expenses and the cost of transfers to and from tour starting and ending points.

All tour deposits and payments are non-refundable. At Go Get Lost®, we strongly recommend that you purchase tour cancellation insurance as protection against this eventuality, and be familiar with what is covered, and what is not.

We highly recommend that you sign up for travel insurance when you make your initial deposit, and if you sign up within two weeks of making your initial deposit all pre-existing medical conditions are covered. After you make your initial deposit, you will receive an email from us with a link to a policy. All you have to do is click on the link and follow the instructions. If you add additional items to your trip in the future (air tickets, extensions, upgrades, etc.) you must modify your insurance coverage online within 14 days in order to maintain the pre-existing conditions medical coverage. You must also insure 100% of your trip costs. Partial coverage may result in loss of benefits.  Seasoned travelers know that travel insurance not only covers the cost of your tour if you need to cancel, but it often covers a variety of other things such as emergency medical expenses, emergency medical transfers, baggage delay or loss, travel delay, missed connections, etc. In the last five years over 90% of our travelers protected themselves with a travel policy! These policies are an excellent and affordable way to protect yourself and your investment. Of course, travel insurance doesn’t cover every possible situation that crops up, so you need to familiarize yourself with what is covered and what is not, before you purchase it.

Most of our tours fall into three categories: Walking & Hiking, Easy Exploring, or Food and Wine Tours.

WALKING & HIKING: These tours are designed to accommodate people who are moderately fit, active, and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Depending on the nature of the tour, we often alternate days of activities with days of exploring the local area. When possible, we can advise about options for alternate independent activities.  On just about any day on a group trip you can opt to “do your own thing” and laze around with the locals instead of participating in the days planned schedule. We know that active people have different levels of fitness, so we design our daily itineraries with options for folks with varying abilities. People who travel with Go Get Lost tours live life at their own pace, and realize that only on foot (or bike, or boat, or horseback, etc.) can you encounter the local people and truly experience the culture. Our trips are not athletic events, but the more active you are, the more you’ll enjoy your experience. With this in mind, a program of regular physical activity, including activities like walking, swimming and hiking, is excellent preparation.  Some of the tours may require a slightly higher level of fitness…for example our Italian Lakes and Mountains tour in the Italian Alps would require that have a fairly good level of physical fitness, although on most days you can opt to relax and explore the town instead of participating in the hike.

EASY EXPLORING:  Easy Exploring journeys are just what they sound like…easy-going exploring in some of the world’s most fascinating places. We stay true to our Go Get Lost® philosophy of immersing you in the culture, introducing you to plenty of the fun local characters, indulging in the superb regional cuisine, and veering off the beaten path quite often to find the hidden gems we love. Best of all, we give you plenty of quality free time to wander, get lost, and soak up the ambiance of an area. On Easy Exploring trips we rely on private transfers, easy strolling, and the occasional local train to explore the cities, towns, and countryside, returning each evening to our charming inn. You can join one of our scheduled small groups, or we can organize a private tour for your group.

FOOD AND WINE: If you’re someone that appreciates fine cuisine and world-class wines and likes to combine that with exploring the region and meeting lots of fun local people, you’ll feel right at home on one of our Food and Wine tours. You’ll enjoy private cellar tours and tastings at a variety of local wineries, from well-known icons down to some small, unknown (but excellent) regional producers. You’ll also be introduced to amazing local cuisine and often end up at a cooking class taught by a resident chef. Accommodations are upscale, usually in the 4- and 5-star range. For your entire tour you’ll have expert local guides to introduce you to the area and lead you to some of the best off-the-beaten-path experiences!

Look at the trip activity level on the first page of every tour, you’ll find our ratings:

REALLY EASY

1-EASY

#2 EASY/MODERATE

#3 MODERATE

#4 MODERATE/CHALLENGING

#5 CHALLENGING

Click HERE to see a more detailed description of what that rating means, and how it might apply to you.

This is your vacation, you can sleep in, explore the area, shop all day…whatever you want. Your group leaders can even help you plan your day’s activities.

It is important to appreciate that local conditions occasionally force us to make changes. The tour leaders will do their best to organize alternate activities, such as exploring the local towns and indoor establishments. Severe delays are unusual but can occur; our adventures usually take place in all but the worst weather.

On most of our tours, with the exception of private groups, you must be at least 16 years old to be accepted on a Go Get Lost® tour. All minors (under 18 years) must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times. There are occasionally some exceptions, give us a call and we can advise you on any particular trip.

We totally understand, we’re not really into the traditional “group thing” either. In fact, we pride ourselves on being the “anti-group” group. No name tags or seat numbers. The very thought of waving a “group leader flag” or speaking into a megaphone makes us shudder! We’re more like a group of friends traveling together rather than an organized group. We think our trips are flexible enough to have the perfect balance of free time to “do your own thing” combined with the fun of hanging out with a group and meeting fascinating people from all over. It’s the best of both worlds!

PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS: Want to do some great hiking, wine tasting or go on safari, but JUST with your own family or friends? No problem, Go Get Lost offers private guided tours for groups of 8-20 people.

Trip members are assigned to rooms or yacht cabins based on the bed type they request and the order in which they sign up. Since the class of accommodation is the same on any given group trip, the rooms are generally very similar.  If there are different types of rooms (often due to the small size of some of the boutique hotels we use), rooms are assigned by the hotel randomly.

On most tours, a limited number of single rooms are available for an extra charge. Our prices are based on double occupancy. Standard accommodations are two people per room with a private bath. If you are traveling as a single, we can try to find you a roommate of the same gender, or you may choose to room alone. Please note there will be a single occupancy surcharge. Even if you desire us to match you with a roommate rather than staying in a private room, you need to be prepared to pay the single supplement in the event there are no other singles to match you with.

Typically, some foreign hotels are long on charm but short on space in rooms designated for singles, even though you are charged more than those with double occupancy. However, we usually (but not guaranteed) use normal double rooms for single travelers, so you’ll often enjoy the same room as the couples in the group.

Part of the distinctive Go Get Lost® experience is staying at a variety of accommodations, from charming inns and small family hotels to impressive upscale properties in great locations. However, with the charm sometimes come limited bed configurations. Twin rooms may consist of one double bed and one single bed. On tours that feature 4- and 5-Star luxury accommodations, you will usually find equal beds in a twin room.

Check individual tour descriptions for specifics. Unless we’re at a remote location, at Go Get Lost® we don’t believe in pre-planning all of your meals. We have lots of great places we’ll take you, but we think you should have a fair amount of free time to “Get Lost”, make your own experiences, create your own magic, and have dinner with just your traveling companion at a special little place you stumbled upon. Even if we don’t provide 3 meals daily, most previous travelers would agree that we feed you VERY WELL…you won’t go hungry! Depending on the trip, we probably provide you with the majority of the meals you’ll need.

Some meals are included with the itinerary, and you can choose to sit as a group or individually, depending on the seating at the restaurant, farm, castle, beach, BBQ pit, or wherever we happen to be.  As you are out “getting lost” you might discover the perfect spot for a quiet dinner for two or ask your tour guide for their recommendation, they usually know the best places to enjoy a good meal and a fine bottle of wine.

The amount of motorcoach or van support on walking trips depends on the remoteness of the routes – the more remote, the less the opportunity for support. The trip leaders carry cell phones to stay in close contact with the driver and will advise you about the daily schedule during each morning’s route.

Your pack will be fairly light; you need only carry whatever you need for that day’s outing…perhaps lunch, rain gear, extra shirt or jacket, and personal items, (camera, etc.).

There is some variance on average tour size and maximum participants. Here are some general guidelines: Our Walking Tour groups average around 14, with a maximum of 18. Easy Exploring tours may have a couple more. Our yachting and boating adventures are limited by the cabins on the vessel, usually 12-20 people.

If you have a group interested in your own private unique tour of any of our destinations, we can usually “build” a custom itinerary to meet your needs and schedule. We can take you to any destination, organize any type of activity, stay in any level of accommodation, and handle any size group. Types of Groups: Families, Youth/School Organizations, Running Clubs, Biking Groups, Car Enthusiast Groups, Church Groups, Hiking Clubs, Ski Clubs, Food and Wine Clubs, Singles Groups, Italian Heritage Societies, Irish Heritage Societies, and Groups of Friends. Let us put together the “perfect” custom vacation for your group!

We are unique in that we are a very small “boutique” travel company, and we want to keep it that way! We celebrate our smallness! It keeps us agile, personal, and responsive to our travelers. We only run a limited number of trips per year, that way they stay special for both the travelers and us. This also gives us the flexibility to change the daily plans at a moment’s notice, depending on local conditions and what the group may want. Every other company out there is owned by someone on another continent, run by employees who can’t deviate from the schedule written months ago. In contrast, we literally fine-tune our plans each night for the next day’s activities! Our staff tour leaders are often partnered with local guides to provide the best combination of talents to give you a fantastic travel experience.

Depending on local customs, on many Go Get Lost® tours all tips are already paid for waiters, drivers, local guides, etc. You won’t have to dig into your pocket five times a day! The only tip not included is for your local tour leader, (the primary local guide that is with you for the entirety of your tour). Of course, tipping is always left up to your discretion. If you feel that your local tour leader has truly enhanced your experience and you would like to reward them with a gratuity, then of course it is appropriate. Please consult your Travel Planner for more information about the tipping customs and expectations on your particular tour. 

We lead a wide variety of adventures all over the world, and the suggested clothing and gear lists can vary dramatically. We will send you a customized packing list a few months before your tour.

On most trips everything for a 6–9-day tour should fit into a medium sized suitcase. Be aware that the airlines are sticking to their requirements for checked and carry-on baggage, contact your airline for details on their restrictions. Either an easy-to-carry backpack or luggage with wheels and a handle are recommended for traveling to most destinations. On many tours you will have to manage your own luggage throughout the tour, (with the exception of luggage that is being transported while you are on walking on a trail). Often, we are staying in a historic district, which means everyone will need to carry their own bags from the bus to the hotel at some point during the trip. NOTE: Some tours have porterage included, refer to individual trip details. Traveling with a backpack or wheeling your bag is much easier than struggling to carry everything in your hands. Luggage suggestions can vary depending on the destination, we will advise you of any special restrictions or bag requirements.

The monetary exchange rate between the US and foreign countries fluctuates constantly. We try to take this into account when we organize tours, but since the tour prices are often announced 6-24 months before the departure date, the rate can sometimes vary quite dramatically when the departure date arrives. Normally we absorb any differences, but we reserve the right to adjust the trip price before the final payment date. Historically, since 1995 we have only had to do this twice. If there is ever a price adjustment, we anticipate that the most the price will vary is just a few percent. Of course, if you were organizing your own tour, you would have to deal with the same rate fluctuations and wouldn’t have the advantage of a tour company absorbing the majority of the change.

Maybe…IF you had LOTS of time to do all the research and planning. IF, like us, you could walk dozens upon dozens of trails, check out a zillion hotels,  ride on a flotilla of yachts, talk to an army of local guides, get leads on local places by endlessly chatting to locals all over the planet, get really, really lost in all kinds of remote and sometimes inhospitable places…and visit hundreds of sites (like we have over the years) to find the best combination for your trip. IF you spoke the language and could make connections with local experts and fun characters who truly bring the flavor of all manner of exotic faraway destinations to life. IF you could schmooze your way into restricted places and unique sites. IF you wouldn’t miss the specialized knowledge and support of Steve, Jeff, the Go Get Lost tour leaders and our local guides as they look after you during your stay.

I think you’ll agree that a Go Get Lost® trip is not a great value, but an unforgettable experience that you couldn’t possibly duplicate on your own.