Caring for a partner, loss of confidence, restricted mobility and fear of solo travel are just some of the barriers to travelling in later life.ย
However, fear not intrepid explorers, we might have just found the solution to your wanderlust woes! Thanks to technology, you can now join free virtual tours anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home.ย
Benefits of Virtual Tours for the Elderly
Weโve already mentioned a few of the barriers to travelling in later life and whilst virtual travel is not quite the same, it can help keep the spirit of adventure alive.
Virtual tours can be a great way for older people to explore the world especially if mobility is limited. Travel broadens the mind, and we canโt think of anything better than a daily virtual trip to somewhere new and exciting to keep the cogs whirring.
If you or a relative is living with dementia, virtual travel is a wonderful way of visiting much enjoyed holiday destinations and taking a trip down memory lane. If you struggle for activities, this is a lovely springboard for life story conversations.
Online travel tours for the elderly can also be celebrated for helping to tackle loneliness.ย Heygo has a global community of virtual travellers, many from the 50+ age group, who go on to arrange virtual tours together and create social networks based on similar travel interests. ย
If you have family spread across the country or even the world, how about arranging to ย join the same virtual tour and sharing the experience together? This is a great way for all ages to connect and take part in a fun family activity.
Finally, if youโve not hung up your travel shoes completely but have simply pressed pause as you wait for restrictions to be lifted or health to improve, virtual trips ย are a way of recceing a potential trip location. For the planners amongst us, free virtual tours can give insight into the area, an idea of accessibility, physical requirements, and types of fellow travellers. Whatโs not to love?
Getting Started - How to Explore Paris to La Paz From Your Own Sofa
As weโve already mentioned, one of the easiest platforms to use is Heygo – a live-streaming tour platform with the simple goal of making global travel – in all its glory – accessible to anyone, anytime.
Heygo brings the world closer together around easy virtual travel thatโs as real as it gets. It’s simple, really. Type www.heygo.com into your browser and click the โjoin live tourโ button. With a single click, you’ll be teleported to any corner of the world you feel like exploring. Our one bit of advice is that weโve found the virtual tour experience is much better if you do it on a PC or via a larger screen such as iPad or tablet.
You’ll find thousands of tours and experiences – from Taj Mahal to Madagascar and volcanic eruptions in Iceland – that are broadcast live. This means you can interact with the worldโs best guides sharing their favourite places. You’ll be able to chat and pose questions to the guides while snapping pictures via the postcard function as you enjoy your journey together in real-time. Whether you’re sitting on the couch, the porch, a kitchen stool, or in the garden with your friends – heygo is there to transport you – itโs free to join with everyone encouraged to leave a voluntary tip at the end of their tour.
When Ann (75) discovered Heygo, she was limited in being able to go out or travel anywhere. But through the lens of their guides, she was able to travel and experience the world from home. Today, she’s part of a global community of Heygoers – many from the 50+ age group – that live-stream over 2,800 interactive tours from over 450 locations (and counting).
Some Handpicked Tours from Heygo
But first: Coffee!
Start your day with the ultimate guide to brewing a piping hot Italian cuppa: be it a warm cappuccino, cream coffee, or a double espresso. Micky and Adry will run you through all you need to know about perfecting the Italian coffee from your kitchen.
Grab your brew of choice, and get ready to head to the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater in the world. With Sara, you’ll go back in time to relive almost 2,000 years of history and discover a stadium that saw incredible gladiatorial games, wild animals and hunting festivals, and public executions.
Next up: Barcelona
Josep’s taking you to Park Gรผell, Gaudiโs fantasy world that’s almost like a whimsical dream place (even intrigued Walt Disney himself). This green oasis in the heart of Barcelona is one of the capital’s postcard-perfect spots. You’ll get to snap amazing views of the Mediterranean Sea, the maze of gingerbread houses, and soak in the city from a terraced balcony at the theme park.
Explore Paris with a Local
When in Paris, youโre spoilt for choice. You’ll see the charming Place du Tertre chockablock with artists before you spot the popular coffee shop where Amรฉlie Poulain worked. With Florent, you also get to stroll one of Paris’ best food markets or walk along the Seine (which Florent gallantly swam). You’ll get to stroll along the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-รlysรฉes, and explore iconic Paris by night.
Explore further, and you’ll discover the rustic ambiance of Montmartreโs museum, home to artists like Renoir and Dufy. Or snap the most breathtaking view of Paris atop the Sacrรฉ-Cลur hill, and enjoy some of the cityโs best street entertainment.
โNothing for me beats the white domes of the Sacre Coeur against a bright blue Paris sky. We got to see some of the places where artists used to live like Van Gogh and Picasso, and walk the streets, cafes, restaurants, the vineyard, and see everyone enjoying an evening out in Montmartre during the wine harvest festival. It went from daylight to an evening hue during the tour, which felt magical.,โ Deanne, a Heygoer, says.
Before you hit the bed, give your body a chance to heal with Alex’s guided meditation to the sound of Australian waves. By the end of this session, you’ll feel ready to sleep and wake up feeling refreshed or feel centred and ready to take on more challenges!
Weโll be planning our next virtual trip with Heygo very soon and hope youโll join us.
This content has been created in partnership with Heygo.