AR Tours in the world: Best 20 recommendations for a great virtual experience 

AR travel and AR tours are the real deal for the future, but they are already here to enjoy. Take, for instance, a map with historical details or fun fact popping out of various locations you were pointing at with your phone’s camera. Or get simple orientation guides using travels-directing arrows while filming with your phone camera the streets you are walking through.

Watch this explanation clip f about how Augmented Reality works:

What is AR and how to use it, and what are the differences between AR and VR?

If you ever tried to find Pokémon Go using your smartphone, you have been using AR. While with VR headsets you can find yourself flying with eagles and disconnect of the current room and moment you are in. AR will take your current reality and add something onto, and paint your world with data, while all you need is your phone. 

How are AR travel apps reshaping the travel world?

Let’s walk through a few examples of how AR tours can be used to benefit travelers and touristic businesses;

AR city tour applications can ensure that you would never be lost in a foreign city.

AR can significantly improve local transit. Besides using AR travel apps that provide an interactive map view of roads and traffic, with AR, a metro map can convert into an interactive guide.

When you are in a hotel with signs in a foreign language, things can become a hard task, but not with AR technology! Smartphones can be utilized to identify and translate several foreign languages and signs, making it an engaging experience for travelers. On top of that, various types of accommodations can provide extra details to stand out. They can use AR to show former travelers recommendations and influence your booking decision. 

Related Articles on Travel Trend: Best 100 Virtual Tours in the World and Virtual Tourism

Here are our 20 jaw-dropping AR travel-related experiences recommendations;

NAVIGATION & TRANSLATIONS APPs USING AR;

Google Translate app you can use your camera for instant text translation. Well-known and work wonderfully.

Google Maps has a new cool AR walking directions feature. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work on every device, but on Pixel smartphones. You simply load Maps the way you usually do, type in your destination, choose the right icon for walking, and tap the blue directions icon. If you are a Pixel user, you will see the “Start AR” instead of the “Start” button.

Got an iPhone? You can use Apple Maps It is not just to navigate but to also decides where will be the most exciting locations for you. Over 300 cities in Apple Map are utilizing AR, which allows you to “flyover” the city the exact way she looks in real-life and finds information about sights around the city. All you have to do is choose your city and tap “Flyover” at the bottom of the map. You don’t even have to be physically in that specific city to start to explore.

HoloMaps by Taqtile- Holomaps AR tour app allows you to navigate a place while overlaying real-time data.

World Around Me (WAM) Is a unique way to find useful places, such as ATMs, public toilets etc. When you point the phone’s camera in any direction, you will see overlays of virtual placard onto the camera view in the direction you’ve aimed.

Virtlo This is a navigation app and travel guide to finding all nearby places to eat, shop etc. Just look around with your phone’s camera.

AR TOURS WHILE IN PARIS;

Now and Then – Paris This AR tour App allows you to compare a present scene with an old photo. The app recognizes the place you are at, and if available, you can see the past of this location.

AR TOURS WHILE IN SINGAPORE;

Story of the Forest Made by the national museum of Singapore- you can use it only in Glass Rotunda of National Museum of Singapore. Shows you overlay information about the fauna of the forest, a great way to absorbed knowledge.

Waalkz Singapore Heritage Walking AR Tours is an interactive walking city guide. Using AR this app featuring four of Singapore’s best-known areas.

With our self-guided walking tours, exploring Singapore is easy, fun, and enjoyed at your own pace.

AR TOURS WHILE IN SPAIN;

Senditur will show travelers places of interest in Spain. Using augmented reality, you will discover mountains and cities nearby. It was designed for people who are walking the famous route, Camino de Santiago, but useful also while you are on the roads. This AR travel app overlays all the details that may interest you about the natural and historical heritage of the routs surrounding you.

AR TOURS WHILE IN LONDON;

Bus Times London While in London, you don’t have to guess any longer where is the nearest bus stop to get in real-time to catch the bus you need. Using AR and your camera to help locate the nearest bus stop from your real-life location and shows direct your path towards the bus stop.

FUN AND KNOWLEDGE GAINING WITH AR WHILE TRAVELING;

WallaMe This is a fringe style AR travel app which allows you to hide messages. Take a photo of an interesting wall or a rock while you are on a hike, and write or draw a graffiti on it and share it with the world (you can also share it with your contacts and friends only).

When your traveler-friend reaching that same point with their phone, they can hunt massages and spot yours as well as write back. That app can keep the conversations between travelers alive without ruining the beauty along a hike/ trail/ city walk.

Wikitude World Browser Point your camera on buildings/ prints/ or many other things and discover loads of information layers, powered by Wikipedia.

Cloud Crew This adorable game by Delta Airlines, use augmented reality to let your kids fly their own little jet. They can fly it around the gate while waiting, or anywhere while on a journey.

Lonely Planet AR City Guides.-(Available in the Android Market). Lonely Planet targeted 25 popular cities, using AR functionality. The AR tour app enables users to see their location and nearby points of interests. The app then overlays information on top of the device’s view.

Guideo This fantastic AR tour app is filling your tours with narrations to make it more attractive. Using AR, it allows the user, by pressing the 3D button and activating the camera, focus on specific places. You will find data, for example of an architectural building that is no longer exist, historical and mythological stories about your surrounding.

AR TOURS WHILE IN MUSEUMS;

Smartify An app using AR, and is letting the artwork to tell its story. Using the latest technology and simple design, you will find Smartify succeeded in converting the use of smartphones as an engaging tool instead of a distraction. Simply point your phone to a work of art and discover its history. There are 43 museums, galleries, and libraries featuring in Smartify. Among them are Tate Britain, Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many more.

USE AR FOR HIKING TRAILS;

ViewRanger An AR trail maps- point a mountain with your phone, and you will see names of mountains, information of trails, and elevation details.

UNDER THE STARS WITH AR;

Star Chart This is not a new app what’s unique about it is its AR mode. When you are aiming up your camera to the sky, Star Chart can reveal information about the constellations above your head.

Vortex Planetarium In-direct contact with the Star Chart app. Vortex Planetarium also educates you with knowledge of what above your head. The grand addition here is you can get alerts about upcoming meteor showers.