How to Take Special Tours in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one of the most exciting parts of settling your island is being able to explore new places. After you’ve started making your island more habitable, Tom Nook offers you the chance to take Special Tours to other islands. These tours are a great way to gather new resources, meet new NPCs, and find rare items, making them a must-do as you progress in the game. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to take Special Tours, including how to earn the Nook Miles for tickets and what you can expect from your trips.

Become a Member of the Nook Miles+ Club

Before you can embark on these exciting Special Tours, there’s a bit of groundwork you need to lay. First, you’ll need to pay off the initial move-in debt of 5,000 Nook Miles. You can earn Nook Miles by completing a variety of tasks, like catching fish, finding fossils, and completing daily objectives. Once you’ve earned enough, head over to Tom Nook and pay off the debt. Once this is done, Tom Nook will offer you a loan to build a new house.

When you take on this new loan, you’ll be promoted to the Nook Miles+ Club. This club gives you access to purchase a variety of items using Nook Miles at the Nook Stop, including the Nook Miles Tickets required to take Special Tours.

How to Get the Nook Miles Ticket

To go on a Special Tour, you’ll need a Nook Miles Ticket. You can either purchase one from the Nook Stop or receive a free one when you get Blathers (the museum curator) to move to your island. Each Nook Miles Ticket costs 2,000 Nook Miles and can be purchased by interacting with the Nook Stop machine and selecting “Redeem Nook Miles.”

Note: Each ticket is one-time use, so you will need to buy additional tickets if you want to go on more tours. If you’re starting out, be sure to save up your Nook Miles by completing tasks to purchase additional tickets for future trips.

How to Take a Special Tour to Another Island

Once you’ve obtained a Nook Miles Ticket, head over to the Dodo Airport on your island. Speak with Orville, the Dodo bird behind the counter, and choose the option: “I wanna fly” followed by “Use Nook Miles Ticket”. Orville will confirm that you want to use the ticket and, soon after, you’ll be whisked away to a mystery island.

What to Expect on Your Special Tour

Each Special Tour takes you to a randomly generated mystery island, offering you the opportunity to gather resources, meet new NPCs, and sometimes even encounter surprises that aren’t available on your main island. Here’s what you can expect from these tours:

1. Gather Rare Resources

Mystery islands can have different resources than your home island, including rarer items like flowers, fruits, and materials. You can gather these resources to bring back to your island. Some islands even feature rare materials like hybrid flowers or hardwood trees that are invaluable for decorating your island.

2. Meet New NPCs

During your tour, you may encounter special NPCs that you can invite to live on your island. For example, you might meet Kapp’n, who can offer boat rides, or Redd, who sells rare art pieces. These NPCs can add new interactions to your island and increase the variety of your gameplay.

3. Villager Hunting

If you’re looking to expand your island’s population, mystery islands are great for villager hunting. Villagers you find on these islands might be looking for a new place to live, and you can invite them back to your island. Be sure to visit several mystery islands if you’re in search of the perfect new resident!

4. Find Special Items and Secrets

Mystery islands often feature hidden surprises like fossils, rare fish, and even secret gifts. Sometimes, the island might also have a special theme — like a bamboo forest or a winter wonderland — which can be great for collecting themed items or getting inspiration for decorating your island.

Returning Home After Your Tour

Once you’ve finished exploring the mystery island, head back to the Dodo Airport and speak to Wilbur (Orville’s brother). Let him know you’re ready to return home, and he will fly you back to your island. You’ll then be free to deposit your newly gathered resources, meet any new villagers, or plan your next adventure.

Tips for Special Tours

• Stock Up on Tools: Before embarking on a Special Tour, be sure to bring tools like a shovel, axe, and fishing rod. This will allow you to fully take advantage of what each mystery island offers.
• Prepare for Villagers: If you’re specifically looking for a new villager, remember that you can only invite one new villager per Special Tour. So, if you don’t find someone you like, you’ll have to go back for another tour.
• Bring Some Bells: While the tours are free, you might find items that are for sale by NPCs or on the islands themselves, so be sure to bring some Bells to buy anything special you find.

Special Tours are a fantastic way to break up the routine of island life and add some adventure to your Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience. From gathering rare resources to meeting new villagers, these tours provide a great way to further customize your island and meet new friends. Be sure to stock up on Nook Miles and use your tickets wisely, as the rewards are worth the trip!

If you’re looking to make your island adventures smoother, be sure to check out our guides on how to get the Tool Ring for faster tool switching, how to make a Vaulting Pole to cross rivers, and how to complete the Greedy Weeder challenge to keep your island in tip-top shape. These essential guides will help you save time and make your island life much easier!

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