Handing your day, and your money, to a stranger in a new country takes trust. Here's how we make sure the people behind every Guidekin experience are the real deal.
Most experiences on Guidekin come from established local operators; some are our own Guidekin Original tours. Whichever it is, it has to clear the same bar before it reaches you, and we're honest about how each is checked.
Anyone listing directly with Guidekin shows us an official credential first. In Portugal that means RNAAT, the national register for activity and tour operators, which also requires liability and accident insurance, or professional guide certification such as SNATTI membership. In Spain that is the official guide licence issued by each region; in France, the guide-conférencier card issued by the prefecture and, for operators, registration with Atout France; in Italy, the regional guide licence or the national register of tourist guides; in the United Kingdom, the Blue Badge or Green Badge guide qualification (Institute of Tourist Guiding or regional guide associations); in Mexico, the federal tourist guide credential issued by SECTUR and, for operators, registration in the national tourism register (RNT); in the Caribbean, locally licensed operators registered with the island's tourism authority; in the United Arab Emirates, a tour guide licence from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism or the tourism authority of the relevant emirate; in Vietnam, a tour guide card issued by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism; in the United States, where guides are licensed by cities or states rather than nationally, the local permit that applies, such as the New York City sightseeing guide licence; in Morocco, the national tour guide licence issued by the Ministry of Tourism; in the Netherlands, where guiding is not licensed nationally, membership of Guidor, the Dutch guides' association, or Chamber of Commerce (KvK) registration for operators; in Iceland, a travel agency or day-tour operator licence from the Icelandic Tourist Board, or certified membership of the Iceland Tourist Guide Association; in Greece, the tourist guide licence issued by the Ministry of Tourism; in Ireland, the Fáilte Ireland approved tourist guide qualification (national or regional badge); in Czechia, the tourist guide card issued through the national guide register of the Ministry of Regional Development. We verify it before anyone publishes. No credential, no listing.
We don't take partner operators at their word. We only list those whose tours are rated 4.5★ or higher with at least 30 verified reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor, and our editorial picks clear 50. Thousands of real travelers are the toughest vetting there is. See how we choose tours →
New tours from direct guides go through manual review: we check the itinerary, what's included, the meeting point and the price for accuracy before approving. Nothing auto-publishes.
Instant confirmation, secure payment and free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start on most tours. Your booking is protected from the moment you reserve.
Vetting isn't one-and-done. We monitor ratings and feedback continuously, and an operator whose tours slip below our standard is removed, not grandfathered in.
If an experience doesn't match its description, email hello@guidekin.com. Real people read every message, and we follow up on every report.
We're straight about what we do and don't do. Direct guides are licence-checked by us; partner operators are vetted by Viator and held to our review bar. We don't run background checks or interview every partner, and we won't pretend otherwise. What we promise is simple: a real licence or a real track record stands behind every experience you book.
Handpicked experiences from licensed guides and top-rated operators across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.