Booking a tour can be the ideal way to explore a new city. It’s seamless and solves transportation logistics. But, if you’ve been put off by the idea of being trapped on a motorcoach as a new city’s sights pass you by, know this: Today’s best tours are truly immersive experiences. The best tours, for example, will trade a bus for tuk-tuks and go off the beaten path to sample global cuisine. Others will help you navigate busy city centers like a pro, whisk you away to see monkeys in their natural habitat or give you a new perspective of a place from a boat.
To help guide you in the right direction, travel website TripAdvisor used an algorithm to determine which bookable travel experiences are the best of the best. To make the determination, they factored in guest reviews, opinions and popularity of tours.
Here are 10 tours that TripAdvisor users are loving the most. Get ready to get inspired!
10. Kaituna River White Water Rafting in Rotorua, New Zealand
This is no lazy river. The three-hour Kaituna River rafting excursion with Rotorua Rafting will push those adrenal glands into overdrive as your raft churns through whitewater and descends over a waterfall. For the double-dog dare, try jumping from cliffs when the raft is parked. The subtropical rainforest lends a beautiful scene.
Prices start at $58 per person.
9. Xi’an Evening Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk in Xi’an, China
Two words: Unlimited samples. This food tour via tuk-tuk explores some of the off-the-beaten-path street-food eateries in Xi’an, China that are favored by locals. In all, you’ll make five stops in this ancient city where a melting pot of culture has created a cosmopolitan food scene. Both daytime and evening tours are available year-round.
Prices start at $65 per person.
8. Best of Ubud Tour with a Jungle Swing in Ubud, Indonesia
Strike Instagram gold on a jungle swing that spoils tourists with sweeping views of the verdant landscape. But, that’s just one highlight of the beloved Ubud tour. Travelers will also see monkeys at the Sacred Monkey Forest, explore Ubud’s rice terraces, visit the Tirta Empul water temple and swim in a waterfall.
Prices start at $50 per person.
7. One-Hour Luxury Canal Tour starting at Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
The luxury, open-air boat takes tourists through Amsterdam’s canals for a sightseeing tour. With comfortable, cushioned seats, a cash bar and blankets for chilly days, the hour-long cruise has become a favorite in the Netherlands. Multiple departures make it an easy itinerary addition. Guests also appreciate the electric engines because it makes for a quiet ride, according to the TripAdvisor reviews.
Prices start at $18.50 per person.
6. Private Guided Tour on a Vintage Sidecar
For a unique spin on Parisian sightseeing, hop aboard a vintage motorcycle sidecar. The excursions, which are led by Retro Tours Paris, range from one to seven hours, with the longer ones taking travelers beyond Paris to Versailles. Some of the tours include hotel pick up or champagne served at the Eiffel Tower.
Prices start at $103.
5. Red Rock Canyon Electric Bike Tour in Las Vegas
Been to the strip, seen the neon lights. For a fresh take on Vegas, explore the crimson rocks, petroglyphs and groves of Joshua trees that make up Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This 13-mile loop led by Red Electric Bike Tours is a fun way to traverse over the desert landscape, and the bikes are electric to help you conquer the climbs. The canyon is a bit cooler than the cityscape, and trips are doable in the summer months.
Prices start at $119 per person.
4. Snorkeling Silfra Tour With Pickup in Reykjavik, Iceland
This year-round (brr!) snorkeling tour comes with cool bragging rights: You’ll get to snorkel between two continental plates, while also admiring the fluorescent greens and blues of the waters and rocks. In all, you’ll need to block out five hours for the tour that takes visitors to Silfra, the water-filled fissure that’s between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates within a national park. Dry suits are provided.
Prices start at $193 per person.
3. Tuscany in One Day Sightseeing in Florence, Italy
If you’ve got just a day in Florence, this tour led by Walkabout Florence Tours will give you a good highlight reel of Tuscany’s must-see sights. (Despite the name of the tour company, you’ll be moving around the region in an air-conditioned motorcoach, making plenty of stops.) Tourists get to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, sample wine from the Chianti region, explore medieval sites like San Gimignano and enjoy a quintessential Tuscan lunch, with pasta of course, in a vineyard.
Prices start at $104 per person.
2. Chicago Architecture River Tour
Marvel at Chicago’s famed architecture via the Chicago River while aboard a boat ride with Shoreline Sightseeing. The narrated tour will give you views of photo-worthy buildings include the Willis Tower, Wrigley Building and the Old Post Office.
Prices start under $42 per person.
1. Faster Than Skip-the-Line: Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour in Rome
Rome is a bustling tourist destination, packed with many must-see museums. This City Wonders tour allows tourists to skip the lines and see the Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms and St. Peter’s Basilica. To really get this right, book an early morning or evening tour, which tend to be the least busy.
Prices start under $66 per person.
Will any of these tours end up on your travel bucket list?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
