Ancestral tours include discovering your roots,your family’s ancient history, and the physical exploration of your genealogy research. These trips are not about visiting beaches or hiking mountains, they are focused on learning about your cultural heritage and exploring ancestral roots.
As genealogy tourism experts in Ireland, we have offered some helpful tips to plan your ancestral tour to take it up a notch.
1. Take Your Family With You
If your budget allows, take some of your family members such as siblings or kids with you on this tour. While there’s nothing wrong with travelling solo, going with your family will make it even more special.
Unlike usual tours, ancestral tours are emotional. You never know who you’re going to find, it can be a distant relative, your ancestor’s friends, or a long-lost family member. Having your family with you will offer you strength during these overwhelming times.
2. Do Your Homework
Even if you’re going with professional genealogy tourists, make sure you do some research to fully comprehend everything. Don’t go knocking on doors with a vague plan and no knowledge about the locals. Your ancestral tour must be in a foreign land, with people speaking different languages or dialects, so learning about them will come in handy.
3. Set Realistic Expectations
Although this trip can be life-changing, don’t set unrealistic expectations. Many people believe that ancestry research will connect them to someone famous, or they’ll find something positive. However, sometimes the results aren’t as you expected so be prepared for anything.
This process is long and complex. You’ll have to travel to remote areas and talk to a lot of people to find your answers. Nevertheless, if you hire an experienced local genealogy company like us, things will be smoother and you will have better chances of finding your answers.
If you book our Gold Package, our team will visit the area prior to your arrival to follow up on the research we have conducted as a part of our reconnaissance stage. This allows us to take you to the specific locations that will interest you for your ancestral research.
4. Pack Smart
You’re not going on a family vacation, there’s no need to pack too many outfits. This trip is all about finding your ancestors and traveling to a new location so pack accordingly. Keep the hard and soft copies (on a flash disk) of your important documents, photographs, records, maps, etc. Take a few gifts for people who will help you and for your relatives. Also, ask your genealogist about the things you may need there.
5. Don’t Forget to Have Some Fun
This trip can be full of ups and downs, shocking and shocking revelations, and other unexpected events. No matter where this journey leads you, don’t forget to have some fun. Enjoy food, drinks, culture, music, and all the things that this new country has to offer. Make new friends, create memories and make the most of this tour.
Walk in Your Ancestors’ Footsteps
My Ireland Family Heritage has been offering genealogy research and tours for the past 20 years. Our experienced team will help you plan your trip and ensure you’re not missing anything. Whether you’re planning a usual cultural tour to Ireland or a genealogy tour, we’ve got your back. Contact us to get started.
