Walking Tours for Seniors

Walking Tours for Seniors can be a simple tour of a city, town, an attraction or a guided walking tour with local guides or a group vacation tour as short as a day or much longer.

You might discover the history of the architecture of your home town or visit faraway places.

On the small group tours, a qualified tour guide will take senior travelers on the guided tours of their choice.

Older travelers have found that walking or hiking at a slower pace often enables them to witness the natural beauty and spectacular views of a destination.

The good news is that these tour companies take care of all the planning.

Solo travelers can relax and enjoy a walking vacation in many of the best places.

Older adults might worry about walking off the beaten path alone.

These tour groups offer the chance to enjoy the companionship and added safety of like-minded senior travellers. 

We have hand-picked several of the Best Walking Tours specifically suited for senior citizens.

20 Best Benefits of Walking Groups for Seniors

1. It is healthy to stay active during our senior years and walking is considered one of the best forms of exercise and with good reasons. 

2. Walking lowers risk of disease, it is a great way for cardiovascular health, bone health, muscle health, and even brain health.

3. You might spend more time outdoors which is an additional benefit for good health.
There are great walking tours at our National Parks, especially in North America.

4. On walking tours for seniors, you can make new friends and share the fun.

5. You don’t need to plan. The guides are knowledgeable and helpful

6. There is greater safety in traveling with a group if you are a solo traveler. Tourists, especially senior travelers can be viewed as vulnerable, when walking alone.

7. There can be more value for your money in a walking tour compared to more expensive bus tours or boat tours. 

8. Many cities have walking tours at a low cost and some are even free for older travelers.  

9. A package tour deal might be less expensive because of reduced travel cost for the company or tour operators.

10. Walking slows us down enabling all of our senses to be involved in the experience.

11. We can get close and personal with the location which will allow for more chances to take amazing photographs.

12. We will see things that we never would otherwise such as architecture, local birds or trees.

13. Using our legs and feet can be more eco-friendly if we would like to consider the future of our children and grandchildren.

14. Avoiding some tourist traps can mean less crowds and congestion.

15. Living more like a native is more educational, enabling us to learn about the culture and history of the location.

16. Chances of meeting locals are improved especially if you speak the language. It can be really enjoyable to meet new people in this way. 

17. The locals living in another town or country can portray a different perspective than ours and opens our horizons.

18. Guides usually have more in-depth knowledge of locations and you might be introduced to “off the beaten path” destinations.

19. Surprises along the way might enliven your adventurous spirit.

20. A slower pace can keep you focused and organized instead of over-whelmed by all the new sights and sounds.

Trips like this can be extremely satisfying. We have increased our health and well-being, while having the time of our lives.

Best Walking Tour Vacations for Seniors

Here are the best Walking Tours for Seniors that we have found and reviewed.

These walking vacations/tours are especially customized for seniors and offered with a choice of  activity levels.

Walking Tours on the West coast

Walking Adventures International Group

Walking Adventures International

Walking Adventures International is a wonderful travel group/club for seniors located in Washington State for travelers over the age of 50.

We like that the group size is small with a maximum of 22 people.

Often, it can be easier for older adults to travel in smaller groups. 

We love that this reliable Walking Tour Company is family owned and operated.

For that reason, they can offer flexibility in trip planning. “Safe but not Scripted” is their travel philosophy.

Although, not technically a travel club, travelers can add personal input as to preferences for destinations by voting with refundable Early Bird Discounts.

That is, an interested traveler votes with an “Early Bird Deposit” and if not enough travelers are interested the trip isn’t available.

As a result each trip is different and unrepeated.

Nonetheless, the company does the research, finds the walking trails, finds town or city walks, books hotels, transportation and activities the region has to offer.

Walking Adventures International Website.

Walking Tours on the East Coast

Country Walkers Tour

Country Walkers

Country Walkers is an East Coast Walking Travel Company that has trips suitable for mature adults.

Located near us in Vermont, it offers tours in countries around the world.

By the way, Country Walkers offers some great Vermont Tours, such as the Autumn Foliage Tour, a favorite with seniors. 

Tours are rated by activity level which are:

1) Easy Walking:

• Daily Hours: Up to 4
• Daily Distance (in miles): 2-6
  
• Walking Surfaces: Gentle with some uneven terrain
  
• Daily Elevation (in feet): Up to 750
  
• Personal Fitness: Light exercise weekly, active lifestyle

 2) Easy to Moderate Walking:

• Daily Hours: Up to 5
• Daily Distance (in miles) :4-8
  
• Walking Surfaces: Gentle to rolling with some uneven terrain
  
• Daily Elevation (in feet): Up to 1,200
  
• Personal Fitness: Cardio exercise 2-3 times weekly, active lifestyle
  

 3) Moderate Walking: 

• Daily Hours: Up to 6
• Daily Distance (in miles): 4-10
  
• Walking Surfaces: Hilly with some steep/uneven terrain
  
• Daily Elevation (in feet): Up to 2,200
  
• Personal Fitness: Cardio exercise 3-4 times weekly, active lifestyle
  

4) Moderate to Challenging Walking: 

• Daily Hours: Up to 7
• Daily Distance (in miles): 6-12
  
• Walking Surfaces: Hilly to mountainous with some steep/uneven terrain
  
• Daily Elevation (in feet): Up to 3,000
  
• Personal Fitness: Excellent physical condition, cardio exercise 4-5 times weekly
  

5) Challenging Walking: 

• Daily Hours: Up to 7
• Daily Distance (in miles): 6-14
  
• Walking Surfaces: Rugged, uneven, mountainous terrain with some sustained ascents and descents
  
• Daily Elevation (in feet): Up to 4,000
  
• Personal Fitness: Excellent physical condition, vigorous cardio exercise 4-5 times weekly, no ortho/cardio problems
  

You yourself can judge your fitness level.

You can select a completely guided tour or travel in a self-guided fashion.

The guided tours are small with a maximum of 18 people, a benefit to seniors.

The self-guided tour option allows for 1 to 12 travelers. Although it is self-guided, there are guides available 24/7.

They supply detailed maps and routes.

Country Walkers Website.

Walking Tours Anywhere

Road Scholar

Road Scholar Walking/Hiking Tour

Road Scholar is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1975.

It has a mission to inspire older adults to learn while traveling.

The simple acts of walking and hiking become a great adventure with Road Scholar.

Wouldn’t you love to take a walking or hiking tour in Switzerland, Italy, France, Portugal ,or  Croatia.

Wouldn’t you enjoy exploring the National Parks of Europe and North America?

These are only a few examples of the variety of trips available.

While exercising, you will visit timeless villages with ancient trails and savor the cuisine.

Let’s not forget learning. Every trip is led by experts who will provide lectures and in depth learning about your destinations.

There are many hands on-learning experiences. We all know that hands-on learning is best.

All lodgings and most meals are included.

Don’t worry seniors because the activity level of each trip is rated by endurance level:

• Easy Going
• On Your Feet
• Keep The Pace
• Let's Go
• Outdoor: No Sweat
• Outdoor: Spirited
• Outdoor: Challenging

To make this company even more enticing, you will always receive the Road Scholar Assurance Plan.

They aim to keep their customers happy and this has given them their solid and long-lasting reputation for excellence.

Adventures Abroad

Adventures Abroad offers Senior Walking Tours in small-group senior travel packages to 120 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and beyond for three decades.

They have expert tour leaders and over 350 unique itineraries.

The seniors tours are designed to feature the major sightseeing highlights of destinations, as well as comprehensive "off-the-beaten-path" exploration.

The Tours are created for over 50 age group and include a degree of leisure time.

Tours vary from 7 to 45 days in length and are considered "soft adventure" trips that concentrate on the culture, history and natural attributes of destinations.

Each tour is limited to a maximum of 18 participants per tour, which makes for a far more intimate, interactive and social learning environment.

Adventures Abroad's signature guided tours for seniors are designed for travelers who want to see the world with like-minded friends of the same generation.

They are crafted for those who like to travel in comfort, but without sacrificing the "adventure" experience.

You will meet locals in tribal villages and be able to try the variety of culinary experiences possible while dining in local restaurants and eateries.

Their trips for senior travel groups are graded by level of physical activity, which means you can choose the group tour that fits your needs.

They combine their walking tours with engaging city or nature tours while experiencing the destination at a decidedly slower and more intimate pace.

With over 30 years of industry experience, Adventures Abroad has become an industry leader in tours for seniors

Walking Tours in Europe

UTracks

UTracks offers a walking holiday in Europe providing gorgeous scenery, fascinating culture and easy activity levels for senior travellers.

Both Guided and Self-guided walking tours are available. The Self-guided tours have flexible itineraries that can be customized for your needs.

They provide extended itineraries of popular routes with shorter distances between the explorations of museums, galleries and historical sites.

The shorter walks each day allows more time for rest and recover each day. 

Their “Rambler Walking Tours” feature extended itineraries which are perfect for the senior travelers who wish to explore at a slower pace.

Here are the best walking tours for senior walkers that we found to be offered by UTracks:

United Kingdom Walking Tours for Seniors

Hadrian's Wall Walk (10 days, self-guided)

Hadrian’s Wall was built by Romans as a barrier from barbarians of the north.

The route is 83 miles/133 km long through towns, forests and moorland. (Don’t worry! You need not cover the whole 83 miles!

See what you like with the distance you choose.)

Coast to Coast Rambler (18 days, self-guided)

This tour is self-guided over 18 days of walking and exploration of the UK’s most popular hiking trails.

This trail is 190 miles long through three national parks, beautiful landscapes, old towns and public houses.

The trail starts in the resort of St. Bees on the Irish Sea and ends at Robin Hoods Bay.

There will be small hotels, guesthouses and pubs along the way to rest and enjoy the rich culture.

Coast to Coast Explorer (17 days, guided)

This is a small group trip that is guided and traverses from coast to coast.

They make this hike 17 days long which is 2 days longer than the classic tour. This is ideal for senior hikers allowing for a slower pace and schedule.

Scotland Coast to Coast Rambler (guided, hike and barge)

This is a hike and cruise tour of Scotland; a unique feature of this particular scenic walking/hiking opportunity.

The walking trail stretches 75 miles (120 km) from Fort William in the western Scottish highlands to Inverness, the capital of the Scottish highlands.

The highlights of this amazing tour are the impressive views of the mystical Loch Ness to glimpses of Scotland's highest peak, Ben Nevis.

You board a hotel barge to make the voyage which stops at various points to access sections of the trail.

The stops are planned to suit the walking stages at an easy pace, breaking them into manageable day walks between 5 – 11 miles (8 – 17km).

At night you’re back onboard in the comfortable cabins of the hotel barge to share stories of your day with like-minded travellers.

Alpine Walking Tours for Seniors

Mont Blanc Self-Guided Rambler (7 days)

This tour is a relaxed walk around Mont Blanc especially designed for seniors.

You will see mountain refuges and stunning vistas that Mont Blanc is famous for.

The walk traverses high passes, meadows of alpine flowers and mountain villages.

Introduction of the Comino de Santiago

What is the Comino de Santiago?

The Comino de Santiago (the way of St. James) is a remarkable system of pilgrimage routes in Europe ending at the The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galacia in the north west of Spain.

It is said that a shepherd discovered that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Great was buried at the cathedral.

Santiago is named after St. James, thus, Santiago de Compostela which means St. James of the Field of Stars.

In medieval times, pilgrims would walk on these routes from their homes to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and back.

The pilgrimages started from villages all over Europe.

Most routes are located in Spain but there are routes in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Portuguese, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and the Benelux countries.

If you ever get a chance to go, I think it would be a memory of a lifetime!

Camino Walking Tours for Seniors

Guided Camino Walking Tour for Senior Travellers (12 days, guided)

This trip is the perfect option for those seniors who want a guided walk at a relaxed pace between 10 to 18km per day.

The Camino de Santiago or “the Way of St. James” is a network of ancient pilgrim routes across Europe leading to the shrine of St. James.

The tour offers opportunities within the itinerary for honey and cheese tasting, guided visits to churches and concludes with a visit to the Camino Fisterra on the Atlantic coast.

A small group is guided by a local guide and at night stays are accommodated in local hotels and guesthouses.

Camino de Santiago: Sarria to Santiago Rambler (11 days, self-guided)

This trip is a walk between 10 to 18km per day on the last stage of the pilgrimage route.

The walk will pass through mixed landscapes where there are many signs of the past pilgrims such as crosses, statues and silos.

Camino de Santiago: Leon to Santiago Rambler (20 days, self-guided)

This tour has the same features as the “Sarria to Santiago Rambler” tour but this one starts in the magnificent city of Leon.

Food Lovers & Local Culture Walking Tours

Food Lovers Spanish Camino

This classic pilgrimage route is unique with a supply of good food and produce along with the incredible history of the trail in northern Spain.

The best sections of the trail are chosen for supported day walks.

Cooking demonstrations are combined with the walking and also numerous samplings of the local modern Spanish cuisine in the Basque region along with samplings of the small rural villages on the Camino.

Two Michelin Guide Star restaurant dining experiences are included.

Food Lovers French Way of St James (12 days, guided)

This tour is a “Food Lover’s” walk along the Camino in France guided by a tour leader.

The tour begins in Le Puy and ends in St. Jean Pied de Port.

The daily walks are 10 to 15km and at night you will stay in restored convents, countryside inns, and family run hotels.

The journey incorporates delicious tastings of cheeses, truffles and wine tasting along with the rustic cooking style of the region.

You will enjoy lunch at a very old family restaurant, wine and Armagnac tasting, market visits, truffle hunting demonstrations and fine dining.

Walking & Sightseeing  for Senior Tours

Anyone can easily find guided sightseeing walking tours for seniors in a specific location, city,  town, or an attraction.

For example, there are guided tours of large cities such a San Francisco or small towns just about anywhere. They can be free or charge a fee.

You can find walking sightseeing tours anywhere by doing a search in your specific destination.