FAQ Downloadable Audio Walking Tours

1. What are Audio Tours?

Audio tours are downloadable MP3 files that allow you to see a city at your own pace and according to your schedule. They make it easy to sightsee without a guidebook and get an informative and interesting tour using your iPod or MP3 player.

2. What are GPS-Enabled Tours?

Trek Exchange sells downloadable GPS-Enabled tours. These tours create a rich multimedia experience designed to run on Windows Mobile devices. The tours show points of interest (POI) on a map. By clicking on a POI, you will have the option of listening to an audio clip, reading about the site or looking at photos of the sight. These tours are an excellent way to learn about a destination before you visit it. The tours can run on Windows Mobile devices with GPS or without GPS receivers, as you will be given a choice when you start the tour.

3. What are Downloadable City Guides?

Trek Exchange sells downloadable city guides. These are useful, cool applications that are sent directly to your mobile phone. They are full of information about sightseeing, clubs, restaurants, shops and local markets. It's like having a guidebook in your phone. Because these city guides are downloaded onto your smartphone, you will not have to pay expensive roaming charges as you use them in a foreign country.

4. How are the Audio Tours Organized?

On most audio tours, there are a series of stops, or chapters. Each stop will tell you about a noteworthy place. Once you're done with each stop, you'll be instructed to either keep your player running for some introductory information on the next stop, or, pause your player until you reach the next stop, where you'll start your player again.

5. What do I Receive When I Order a Audio Tour Download?

Our audio tour downloads come as a compressed .zip file. Most are designed to be used with the PDF map showing all the sights listed. We strongly recommend that you print out the map and use while listing the sights covered. Please check that the files work to your satisfaction before going on your journey and contact us immediately if you have any problems.

6. How Do I Download My Order?

After a payment is made, an e-mail is sent to the e-mail address that you used during the checkout process. Please be patient, as it can take up to 20 minutes for the e-mail to arrive depending on network traffic. This email will contain the location of the download page. By clicking on the link in the email, you will be taken to a download page:

1. Right click on the download link:

2. Choose "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" from the menu that pops up on your computer:

3. Choose a location on your computer to save the file to and click "Save":

* Mac Users: Simply click the link below to save the file to your computer. If you have problems, try Option + Click and the "Save to Disk" command to save the file to your computer.

7. I did not receive my confirmation e-mail. What is wrong?

You may have typed in your email address incorrectly. If so, and you have not yet downloaded your purchase, please send us your name, correct email address and the date and time of your purchase and we will do our best to help you.

8. What does it mean when it says the tour comes in a zip file?

Most of our tours (the tour files and .pdf map) will be downloaded onto your computer in a zip file. Remember the folder where you downloaded them. You'll have to "unzip" the files. For PCs with Windows XP or Vista operating systems, your computers will prompt you to do it. For some other operating systems, you can right click on the zip file and then click on "unzip". Mac operating systems automatically unzip these files.

9. How do I transfer my downloaded tour into iTunes?

Make a note of where on your hard drive you've downloaded your tour. Open iTunes, and create a new playlist for the tour. We suggest creating a playlist with the name of the tour you bought so you can find it easily when you take the tour. Then drag the files from your hard drive into the new playlist. If you're using the Windows version of iTunes, be sure that the tracks are listed in numerical order so that when you take the tour, the stops appear in the correct order.

10. What is the difference between MP3 and MP4 and M4A file extensions?

MP3 files are used for MP3 players (i.e. non-iPods).  MP4 and M4A files are used for iPods and iTunes.  However, iTunes can accept all three file types (MP3, MP4 and M4A).  MP3 files are audio only.  MP4 and M4A files can contain both audio and video.  If you have an iPod and you download a file that has both MP3 and M4A files, use the M4A files.  The MP4 and M4A may contain video information that can be seen on your iPod.

11. What if I forget my map?

It is not a problem. The maps are meant to help you, but they are not essential. Most tours will give you detailed instructions during the tour to each stop at the end of the previous one.

12. What is your return policy?

In the unlikely event that you have technical problems downloading your purchase, please contact us (info@trekexchange.com) and, if we are unable to resolve the issue, we will be glad to refund your money. However, because of the digital nature of this product, we are unable to accept requests for refund after download.