Great Smoky Mountains: Self-Driving Discovery Tour
4.0
203 Ratings
Swain County
Embark on a self-driving discovery tour of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited National Park in the country. Learn about Cherokee history, Appalachian life, and more!
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The sprawling landscape encompasses lush forests and an abundance of wildflowers that bloom year-round. Streams, rivers, and waterfalls appear along hiking routes that include a segment of the Appalachian Trail. An observation tower tops Clingmans Dome, the highest peak, offering scenic views of the mist-covered mountains.
What's Included
  • Hands-free, automatic story playback via GPS
  • Comprehensive package: Full itinerary, travel tips, narration, video, and hidden spots
  • Offline access: No need for cell signal/wifi with offline GPS Map & directions
  • Private, customizable experience in your own car
  • Easy app setup with provided download link and password
  • Flexible timing: Tours can be used any day, anytime, and they never expire
  • Cost-effective: One purchase covers the entire car, more affordable than bus tours
What's Not Included
  • Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations
Additional Information

Buy one tour for each car, not for each individual. Everybody can enjoy the tour together!

Take a voyage through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and understand why it’s the most popular National Park in the US! Explore these renowned mountains whilst learning about the Cherokee traditions and narratives, the Appalachian lifestyle, and much more. There’s simply no better way to experience Clingman’s Dome, Cades Cove, or Rainbow Falls. In addition, receive a complimentary bonus tour of Roaring Forks Motor Trail!

After your purchase, please check your email to download the Tour Guide App by Action, use your specific password provided, and commence your tour. The earlier procedures necessitate reliable internet/wifi access. Simply follow the voiced directions and the mapped route.

Please note, this deal does not include an entry ticket. Ensure to verify opening hours prior to your visit.

No expiry – Your tour possesses lifetime validity!

  • How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and an instructions email. Follow the instructions right away: • Download the app • Enter the password • Download the tour • MUST DO while in strong wifi/cellular
  • How to start the tour: Once onsite, open the Action’s Tour Guide App: • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If there are multiple tour versions, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction. • Go to the starting point. (Note: no one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided). • The audio will begin automatically at the starting point. If you face audio issues, visit the FAQ. • Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
  • Amazing savings: • Driving Tours: Save money by purchasing a single tour for the entire vehicle, avoiding individual fees per person like on a bus tour. Connect your phone to the car speakers to share the audio.
  • Flexibility and Convenience: • Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. It’s perfect for tailoring your exploration and revisiting your favorite spots on future trips. • Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace, free from the constraints of a group.
  • Comprehensive Tour Experience: •The app provides a full itinerary, travel tips, narrated audio stories, scripts, images, videos, and recommendations for additional activities. • Enjoy a private experience without the crowds, ideal for personalized stops and photo opportunities.
  • Ease of Use and Accessibility: • The app is hands-free and activates stories via GPS, offering support through call, chat, or email. • There is no need for a continuous cell or Wi-Fi connection as the GPS map works offline.
  • Memorable Keepsakes: • Utilize the app’s images to create a photo book or share on social media, ensuring you have high-quality, crowd-free memories from your trip.
  • Preparation: • After booking, download the app and the tour using a strong Wi-Fi connection. • Review the tour at home before your trip for a better experience.
  • Starting the Tour: • Open the app upon arrival at your destination. • Select the appropriate tour based on your starting point. • Head to the starting location; the audio will begin automatically. • Follow the suggested route and adhere to the speed limit for an optimal experience. • By following these instructions and taking advantage of the app’s features, users can enjoy a personalized, flexible, and in-depth exploration of their destination at their own pace and convenience.
Location
Oconaluftee Visitor Center Parking C
Newfound Gap Road
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.0
(203 Ratings)
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Gracekw2678ok
Mar 30, 2024
First time Smokies experience - The guided tour made it even more special and it was great knowing where to stop and where to proceed to next. Since we lost connection in the mountains, having the tour offline was great. For those of is traveling with kids, not knowing where bathrooms were located along the tour was challenging. I'd suggest adding that as an enhancement to the app. Maybe just little dots on the map for bathrooms. Also, we drove around looking for bears to no success and being offline, we couldn't search for where to find bears. Suggest also considering adding those details
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dustin_k
Mar 28, 2024
Just like a bus tour but... - Just like a bus tour but at my pace. Loved the flexibility and cost. It’s difficult to keep the speed down so the audio sections don’t get cut off as the next audio section starts.
Review provided by Viator
Passenger02836789601
Mar 18, 2024
Great experience - We had too little time to do more than drive and take a few short walks. We drove from Gatlinburg to the other side and back in about 3 hours. Totally worth it. We will be back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flyer01864776415
Mar 13, 2024
Amazing Tour and we would highly recommend it! - Amazing tour, great information on the history. Beautiful views just Wish I had done more research and been better prepared for hiking options. Wish the clingman Dome was open but I understand it is seasonal.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
B1015ahpaulad
Feb 23, 2024
Wonderful experience - It was the most WONDERFUL experience, my partner and I had a great time doing this self-guide tour from Gatlinburg, it was magical and we enjoyed it so much. I can’t wait to do another one, now we are going to do all the planning for new adventures thinking about the Travel with Action Tours
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scott
Feb 21, 2024
Smoky Mountain Success - Excellent experience and a thorough account of the nature and history of the park. Very user friendly even when offline. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richardsx5511jd
Apr 17, 2024
Good self guided tour - Lots of gorgeous views of the mountains. Excellent narratives of the history of the region, and of the Indian tribes that lived there.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rahulsumi2204
Mar 31, 2024
Self guided tour review - The trip was really good. Explanations and stories were good. The sense of direction was good. But at and after the highest point the GPS signal gets lost and so does the GPS coordinated trip guidance. We came down the mountain twice to reconnect but the same thing happened.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bev_d
Apr 7, 2024
We could not get the app to download for our tour of the Smokey Mountains. - No. We drove by ourselves with a book from the Park service since the app would not download correctly. We would like a refund please.
Review provided by Viator
Sonyab208
Mar 22, 2024
A bust! - We could not find where to start. Went into visitor's center. They said it just doesn't work. So we drove around, saw a lot of visitor's centers. Even with a map we couldn't figure out which way to go. But did enjoy the drive and happened upon a few nice views.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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