Is GuideMeet free?
Yes, for travelers and for guides. We take no commission and no booking fee. You agree the price with the guide and you pay the guide directly.
Is GuideMeet the same as guidemeet.com?
No. GuideMeet started in 2021 on www.guidemeet.it and is run by GuideMeet LLC: that's our only website, along with our apps on the App Store and Google Play. guidemeet.com is a different service that came along years later, and we have no connection with it. Clearly it's a name people like 😉 But if you're looking for a local guide for an overland trip by 4x4, motorcycle, camper or bicycle, you're in the right place.
Do I need an account to look around?
No. Guide profiles, trips and country pages are public. You need an account to message a guide, publish a trip or ask to join one.
How do I find a guide for one stretch of my route?
Open the country page, filter by vehicle, read the profiles and message the guide directly. If you are not sure who to ask, publish your trip: the guides who can help on that stretch will send you a proposal.
How do I know a guide is real?
GuideMeet does not verify identity documents, so look at what can be checked: the trips the guide has joined, who reviewed them, the photos of the vehicle, and the green "Licence verified" badge where there is one. Before a long trip, do a short video call. The Safety page lists what to ask.
What does the "Licence verified" badge mean?
In some countries the licensing authority publishes an official register of guides or tour operators. When a guide enters a licence number, we look it up there: if the register lists a licence with that number under the same name, the profile shows the green badge. Tap it to see the name, number and expiry found in the register, with a link to check it yourself. It means the licence exists, not that the person you are talking to is its holder or that the service is good. A guide without the badge is not necessarily unlicensed: many countries have no public register. When you meet, ask to see the licence card.
How much does a local overland guide cost?
It depends on the country, the vehicle, the number of days and whether the guide brings a vehicle. There is no price list on GuideMeet. Publishing your trip brings proposals from several guides, which is the fastest way to get a sense of local prices.
How do I pay?
Directly to the guide, as agreed between you, usually in cash and in local currency. Never pay the full amount in advance to someone you have never met.
What is a trip and why should I publish one?
A trip is your plan: route, countries, dates, vehicle, how many people. Once published, guides can send proposals for it and other overlanders can ask to join. An approximate plan is fine.
Can I travel with other overlanders without a guide?
Yes. Many trips on GuideMeet are convoys looking for companions. Ask to join one, or publish yours and accept the join requests you like.
What if a guide does not answer?
Try another one. Guides who do not answer lose visibility over time. If a guide answered and then vanished before the trip, let us know.
Can I write a review?
Only about a guide who joined a trip you created or took part in, and only once the trip is over. That keeps reviews tied to real journeys.
Something went wrong with a guide. What do I do?
Use Report or block on the guide's profile and describe what happened. A person reads it and acts on the account. If you are in danger, call the local authorities first.
How do I delete my account?
From the Delete account page: one email from the address linked to your account.
Which languages does GuideMeet work in?
The site and the apps are in English, Italian, French, Spanish and Arabic. Guides list the languages they speak; check them before you write.