Rally tours

[5Times]

There seems to be some confusion here about the types of tours on offer by the Rally Tour companies (particularly Rally Travel).

There are 2 types of tour on offer from Rally Travel.

The Escorted Tour where as some have mentioned you have to adhere to a strict itenerary set out by the tour company.

However, there is also the Self-Drive tour option designed for those who want to do their own thing.

Having sorted out all my own arrangements (Monte-Carlo), and been on a Self-Drive tour (Catalunya) with Rally Travel, I have to admit that the Self-Drive Rally Travel option was a lot easier, and not any more expensive.

There are also a number of advantages with the Self-Drive tour option that you simply wouldn't get if you sorted out you own things.

Based from my experiences in Catalunya 2007 I found the following:-

Apart from Rally Travel handling the Hire-Car and Hotel bookings and advising on flights these are:-

1 - The Rally Travel information pack provided in advance of our departure contained detailed directions to from our hotel to every single one of the specatator access points on the rally route. As the info pack was only produced in the month prior to the rally is also contained details of any roadworks or any potential traffic blackspots noted from previous years.

2 - Each of the spectator points had a viewing description. Which said what type of view was on offer (e.g. fast straight, hairpin etc.), what the view was like (e.g. restricted, open etc.), plus any other information (e.g. if there was a bridge that needed to be crossed to access the viewpoint and departure wouldn't be allowed until stage had been fully run).

3 - A map book (of an OS Equivalent standard) with far more detailed maps than those published in the official program.

4 - Photographs of all the spectator areas so you could see for yourself exactly what was in store when you reached the stage.

5 - A pre-event specatator briefing to go through all the above and answer any questions.

6 - On event staff with previous experience of the event that were available all weekend to answer any further questions. We had pre-planned our route before our departure, but it was really good to get a second opinion on it.

7 - A fantastic pre-event Welcome Show & Charity Auction exlusive to Rally Travel guests where all the top (Ford, Subaru etc.) drivers were interviewed on stage in front of the audience.

8 - The opportunity to visit the Ford or Subaru teams hospitality areas during the event.

9 - A 10% merchandise discount card.

10 - A free complimentary copy of the programme.

But as for where we went and spectated each day, well that was left entirely up to ourselves. We chose our own itinerary and went where we wanted to, when we wanted to.

I short I found all of the above to be plus points and more than benficial in organising our trip.

[Daniel]

In Sweden this year it was not J4MIE but Pino.

Well Pino did teach J4mie how to make pizza's so perhaps J4mie taught Pino how to take people on death marches.

[Tomi]

Well Pino did teach J4mie how to make pizza's so perhaps J4mie taught Pino how to take people on death marches.

wonder how J4mies's Haggish pizza tastes like

[J4MIE]

I agree. A lot more freedom. Unless that is of course J4mie is in charge and he forces you to go on a death march through the forests of Finland

Yes but the fact is we got to a jump with hardly anybody around, could stand where we wanted and we also got lucky and managed to find Finland's friendly marshal after we had avoided normal ones

However, there is also the Self-Drive tour option designed for those who want to do their own thing.

Having sorted out all my own arrangements (Monte-Carlo), and been on a Self-Drive tour (Catalunya) with Rally Travel, I have to admit that the Self-Drive Rally Travel option was a lot easier, and not any more expensive.

But as for where we went and spectated each day, well that was left entirely up to ourselves. We chose our own itinerary and went where we wanted to, when we wanted to.

I short I found all of the above to be plus points and more than benficial in organising our trip.

Sure, there are bound to be people that like that kind of thing and glad you have had good experiences. I just think that for me it's not what I would want to do, as I say part of what I enjoy is finding your own place to stay, places to eat, finding your own places to spectate from and finding your own way into the stages and dealing with any problems/cancellations etc as they come. Again there have been times when we've ended up at not so good places, but when you get to a great place it is a lot more satisfying

Well Pino did teach J4mie how to make pizza's so perhaps J4mie taught Pino how to take people on death marches.

No I learned it from Pino as well, and even getting cramp halfway up an alp with him "just want to see the next corner" didn't put me off (much).

wonder how J4mies's Haggish pizza tastes like

You're welcome to come and have a taste anytime

[jonas_mcrae]

There seems to be some confusion here about the types of tours on offer by the Rally Tour companies (particularly Rally Travel).

There are 2 types of tour on offer from Rally Travel.

The Escorted Tour where as some have mentioned you have to adhere to a strict itenerary set out by the tour company.

However, there is also the Self-Drive tour option designed for those who want to do their own thing.

Having sorted out all my own arrangements (Monte-Carlo), and been on a Self-Drive tour (Catalunya) with Rally Travel, I have to admit that the Self-Drive Rally Travel option was a lot easier, and not any more expensive.

There are also a number of advantages with the Self-Drive tour option that you simply wouldn't get if you sorted out you own things.

Based from my experiences in Catalunya 2007 I found the following:-

Apart from Rally Travel handling the Hire-Car and Hotel bookings and advising on flights these are:-

1 - The Rally Travel information pack provided in advance of our departure contained detailed directions to from our hotel to every single one of the specatator access points on the rally route. As the info pack was only produced in the month prior to the rally is also contained details of any roadworks or any potential traffic blackspots noted from previous years.

2 - Each of the spectator points had a viewing description. Which said what type of view was on offer (e.g. fast straight, hairpin etc.), what the view was like (e.g. restricted, open etc.), plus any other information (e.g. if there was a bridge that needed to be crossed to access the viewpoint and departure wouldn't be allowed until stage had been fully run).

3 - A map book (of an OS Equivalent standard) with far more detailed maps than those published in the official program.

4 - Photographs of all the spectator areas so you could see for yourself exactly what was in store when you reached the stage.

5 - A pre-event specatator briefing to go through all the above and answer any questions.

6 - On event staff with previous experience of the event that were available all weekend to answer any further questions. We had pre-planned our route before our departure, but it was really good to get a second opinion on it.

7 - A fantastic pre-event Welcome Show & Charity Auction exlusive to Rally Travel guests where all the top (Ford, Subaru etc.) drivers were interviewed on stage in front of the audience.

8 - The opportunity to visit the Ford or Subaru teams hospitality areas during the event.

9 - A 10% merchandise discount card.

10 - A free complimentary copy of the programme.

But as for where we went and spectated each day, well that was left entirely up to ourselves. We chose our own itinerary and went where we wanted to, when we wanted to.

I short I found all of the above to be plus points and more than benficial in organising our trip.

I did exactly the same trip last year!
And yes it was really good, had never been in a rally outside America so I though it was going to be difficult to find places and get there, but with the rally travel guide it was really easy, of course we got lost or missed a turn a couple of times but overall it was really good. Even we had the chance to drive back with the car to barcelona and spend some time there, would recomend them to everyone who likes rallying.
Im planning to go with them to some rally this year but im not sure yet which, GB sounds ok but i think its too expensive for whats on offer (in relation to the same kind of thing I did in Spain..)

[Daniel]

Don't go to Rally GB. I'd much rather see a continental round than GB if you're travelling from overseas.

[Sami]

Interesting rally travellers here. For all of us it seems the fascination is somehow different.

Rally spectating differs a lot of cirquit racing, and in my opinion the biggest difference from spectators point of view is the route. The route is 350kms, not 5 kms repeated 70 times.

That is the fascination.

That is why I won't be on a bus trip, never.

I won't go to a spectating spot according to a travel guide.

I want to drive the stages through and choose the best places to watch. And the best places are the trickiest ones, there you can spot the real talents from ordinary drivers. I drive the stages and look for the surprising factors, wierd lines over crests, confusing tree lines, tightening corners..

I visit about 30 rallies a year (since a long long time ago). I wittness 30-40 rolls every year. And really calculate them as a meter to my success in choosing the best places.

Still I enjoy most seeing the great saves, not destroying cars. One of the greatest saves I have seen was one Sebastien Loeb in San Remo 1999 in a Saxo. 99,9 of 100 would have ended up on the bottom of the ravine there, but mr Loeb from nowhere amazingly flicked the car sideways on dry tarmac, and accelerated it away from trouble even though on tyre was already hanging over the cliff... It was easy to predict some future for him.

[Tomi]

I want to drive the stages through and choose the best places to watch. And the best places are the trickiest ones, there you can spot the real talents from ordinary drivers.

Does this mean that you are not so interested in pathetic waterspashes?

[Sami]

Exactly,

I meant that I want to spot talent, but didn't mean swimming skills.

[Daniel]

Exactly,

I meant that I want to spot talent, but didn't mean swimming skills.

Good for photos if that's your sort of thing (I gather it isn't) and not much else