Q: I wish to send my parents—65 and 60 years old—for a foreign tour, which would be their first… I’d prefer to send them to a developed nation with a well-established package tour operator so that we don’t have to worry about their stay, transit and meals. Both my parents suffer from leg ailments and cannot stand for long or walk long distances. I need a destination where local attractions do not involve long queues. My budget is ₹3.5 lakh for a tour of about 10 nights, and my preference is Europe (Switzerland, Paris and Austria), Australia and South-East Asia. What do you suggest?

Marco Says:

The most obvious idea for seniors travelling abroad for the first time is to go on a cruise. They’d be able to visit multiple destinations, take guided trips into various ports of call, and have plenty to do as they sail, especially on sea cruises. Alaska is a popular cruise with seniors, as are river cruises on the Rhine or the Danube in Europe. However, I do see what you mean when you say you don’t want to be worrying about transit or meals, because a cruise is fun when you’re settled in, but getting on it can be a confusing and daunting business.

If it’s an escorted tour you’re looking for, there are quite a few Indian operators who cater specifically to seniors and conduct international tours. Thomas Cook (thomascook.in) has a few tours packaged as Silver Breaks, and Veena World (veenaworld.com) and Kesari (kesari.in) have packages especially for Indian seniors, planned to include porterage, any special dietary needs, on-trip medical assistance and elder friendly hotels. You are right to consider Europe, for instance, Switzerland, Germany or Austria, where the mobility is easy, transportation is sturdily reliable and there is a greater likelihood of finding English speakers.