I am a Tour Guide at MaxTour.

There are two types of tour guides, walking tour guides (leading guests on a walking tour), and driving tour guides (drive a van around showing guests different spots). I am a driving tour guide, it is the more demanding yet better paying option of the two.

A typical day looks like this:

Wake up at 5:30, go pick up my tour van from the office. I will then pick up all my guests at a predetermined meeting point, usually their hotel. I will drive them to spots like the Grand Canyon, as I drive I will tell stories, recite facts, and have conversations about the Grand Canyon and the local area. While driving, I will take great care to go slow and drive smoothly, guest comfort and safety is always my number one priority.

When we arrive at the destination, I will point out interesting things to look at, recite more facts, and help them take lots of photos! Being a talented photographer is important, everyone wants an iconic photo with the Grand Canyon in the background. I am always learning about new techniques and filters to make my photo taking skills better.

When we finish touring our destinations, I will drop everyone back off. If I did an outstanding job, the guests will often tip me, on a good day I can make $150 in tips. My day usually ends around 8 pm.

My key responsibilities include keeping guests safe, providing excellent customer service, being knowledgeable, and taking great photos.

Pros

You can get great tips, it is standard to tip your tour guide. I have a flexible work schedule, sometimes I can work 4 days in a row then have 5 days off in a row. I get to meet people from around the world. I also get to see the Grand Canyon every day that I work, which beats a desk job!

Cons

I have to work long days, sometimes up to 16 hours. There is a lot of responsibility involved, if a guest gets lost or hurt, it is on me to get them help. Dealing with group dynamics can be tough, it is my responsibility to make sure everyone is well behaved, on time, and following the rules of the tour.

All in all, I love my job as a tour guide, it is very rewarding to receive heartfelt shows of gratitude after a well-led tour. Add that with the good pay and flexible schedule, and I can’t see myself doing anything else!

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