MINI Tour Guide Boot Camp

A weekend of intensive guide skills training, plus friendship and fun!

  • 2 Full, Intense Days: Saturday and Sunday
    (We have 5-day classes, too)

  • Interactive small groups, held in cities around the world

  • Tuition
    $249 per person

  • Next Class
    New York City 7/18-19

TripSchool comes to you! Mini Boot Camps are two-day intensive tour guide training courses designed to put your skills to the test, and raise them to the next level.

100% In-Field Practice

No classrooms for this one, you’ll receive assignments to prepare in advance, and take turns leading the tour and receiving constructive feedback.

Designed for New and Experienced Guides

Guiding is a lifelong journey of learning and improvement. You grow with each tour. Whether you’ve been working 1 or 10 years, Mini Boot Camp is for you.

Constructive Workshop Environment

You’ll try new technologies, new ways of delivering commentary, using foods, incorporating wow moments, all in a feedback-based workshop environment.

Networking & Friendship

Meet new faces, connect with old friends, and grow together. Meet new tour companies looking to hire, and join the incredible TripSchool family.

New Guiding Skills

The industry has changed. We focus on storytelling craft, incorporating technology, creating wow moments, and being an engaging presence.

Meet Tour Operators

In each city we’ll invite local tour operators who might be looking for guides, to come and meet you at an included cocktail mixer.

A new way to learn tour guiding skills.

Two days of a skills workout + meals & drinks with new friends + opportunity to get hired by operators.

Whether you’re brand new to the travel industry, or a seasoned pro, we’re here to support you as you continue to learn and grow. We help you become a tour director or guide, start your own tour business, or grow an existing one!

We believe tour  guiding is about continuing to push yourself in new ways, and grow your knowledge and bag of tricks throughout your career. We designed this class to be a unique chance to immerse yourself in a tour environment, receive helpful feedback from industry veterans and colleagues, and learn from each other. And you don’t need to worry about tips or tour guest reviews!

Don’t worry, the work comes with a good dose of fun, too!

Come For the Learning, Stay for the Community

Once you finish Boot Camp, you become part of the TripSchool family, and it’s truly a bond that’s hard to explain.

If you’re just entering the industry, we help you get work. We help your new tour business continue grow. We pair you with a mentor to help you continue to make progress. And we have so much fun at regular live and virtual events!

“You can’t get a better education anywhere on the planet than from TripSchool, hands down. There’s simply no comparison with TripSchool, none!”

“Thank you for your wisdom and support. TripSchool is the best decision I’ve ever made (and you can make if you are trying to get into the travel industry). The information received left me excited, some left me scared, some made me cry, but we always had laughs. You guys are beyond amazing!”

“TripSchool is unique, a life & career changer and I can’t thank Mitch and Alan enough for sharing their knowledge, providing amazing support and giving us tools, tips and confidence to dazzle our guests.”

We are trusted by travel companies around the world.

We’re known in the industry for our creativity and innovation when it comes to reinventing tourism training for this quickly-changing world, and our tour directing and guiding graduates work around the world with leading tour operators. In addition, TripSchool has been invited by some of the largest tour companies and organizations in the world to lead trainings for their guides.

“I cannot begin to adequately express my appreciation. The rumors are true, and I have experienced it first hand: TripSchool is the definitive training experience. No contest. You have imbued me with confidence and I am eternally grateful!

-Denise Swain

“I just wanted to stop and say a big THANK YOU to each of you. You have helped me get adjusted to this new world; one week after my graduation from TripSchool, I booked two NYC tours! And now, I’m doing performance and Broadway tours, and then three tours of southern England. Then in June, I’ll do a couple of DC-NYC tours…I don’t have any more days left between now and the end of June! Thanks so much for helping me get prepared for this life. It’s just so exciting to see what is opening up before me.”

-Greg Cleveland

mitch bach and alan armijo tripschool founders

Meet Mitch & Alan, your instructors.

Mitch Bach and Alan Armijo have been guides for nearly 20 years, and have developed a reputation for our creativity and innovation when it comes to designing and leading tours.

We pride ourselves on offering instruction on the best storytelling techniques, the latest technology tricks, and a passion for delivering memorable wow moments for your guests.

Is this class for me?

  • Mini Boot Camp is meant for people with previous guide training or experience. If you’re looking for a beginner tour guide course, you should start with our Online Tour Guide Training Course.

  • This course is relevant no matter how long you’ve been in the industry!

  • Mini-Boot Camp is NOT a basic destination training. It’s focused on guiding skills, and uses city neighborhoods and sights as teach grounds. Explore our destination training courses if you want to learn the ins and outs of a city or region.

Reasons to take this training

  • Show tour operators you’re serious about learning

  • Meet new and old colleagues, network, connect and build new friendships

  • Network with local operators at our cocktail mixer.

  • So much fun! We know how to have a good time while learning!

  • Put your online training into action.

The TripSchool Difference

  • TripSchool is a tight-knit, supportive community that takes care of each other. Coming into the family will create a support network for your guiding career.

  • Our courses are immersive. We don’t waste a minute of your valuable time with a classroom; guiding should be learned out in the wild, through practice!

  • We believe the travel industry has changed dramatically. Guiding is no longer about only delivering information, but also making a real connection with your guests. TripSchool teaches a new style of guiding, focused on wow moments, phenomenal storytelling, and being an engaging presence.

Inclusions

  • Two full days of instruction, from 8:30am-6:30pm

  • Paid wow moments, snacks, tastings and surprises

  • Cocktail Mixer with possible invited tour operators looking to meet guides

Details

  • The program fee is $249

  • Loding is not included.

  • Traveling during covid-19
    The global pandemic is far from being finished, and we will follow all current federal, local and tribal land rules wherever we go. As the trip draws closer and we have a clearer picture of the current state of the country, we will communicate our final policies.

Choose your Mini Boot Camp now!

We’re always adding new cities. Explore our full 6-day Boot Camp, too!

New York City

July 17-18, 2021

Frequently Asked Questions

Details for each specific class are outlined on the specific class page above.

In general, classes run as full days on Saturday and Sunday, from 8:30am to 6:30pm local time.

Each class is slightly different, but in general, we’ll start at the class meeting location at 8:30am.

Energy! And a fully-charged phone, plus battery pack. Layers of clothes since we’re out all day. A pen. A pair of headphones (with a 1/8th-inch jack) to plug into our wireless transmitters. A positive attitude.

Leave early, arrive late, it’s fine. We understand that everyone’s schedules are complex. Please do let us know, preferably in advance.

Please read our booking terms and conditions.

A Certified TripSchool Experience

Certified by TripSchool Badge

Our Promise to you

Completing this program will elevate your guiding skills, integrate you into a community of supportive tour guides, connect you with tour operators and work opportunities, and make you a better guide.

You become part of the TripSchool family.

Our community is awesome. The bond from the trip doesn’t stop at the end; you’ll be part of our private community groups, and also be able to reach out to Mitch and Alan any time, with any questions. We promise we’re accessible. We want to be a bridge between you and tour operators, and help you along in your careers!