At OTS Adventures, we understand that the start of your journey is just as important as the adventure itself. Most of our trips begin at our designated arrival hotel on the official tour start date, with guests flying in from various countries and often opting for extra nights to recover from jet lag before or after the main tour. Over the years, I've found that empowering guests with the information to make their own way to the hotel, at their own pace and when they're truly ready, is a far superior option to pre-arranged group transfers. Waiting for delayed flights, coordinating multiple arrivals, and shuffling people back and forth can be problematic, create unnecessary stress, and delay everyone's start to the adventure. We believe your arrival should be as smooth and flexible as possible.
Connecting with Fellow Travelers To foster connection and convenience, approximately two weeks before your trip begins, we will create a dedicated WhatsApp group for our tour. We encourage everyone to post their arrival date, airline, and estimated arrival time. This allows you to easily see if anyone else is on the same flight or arriving around the same time, giving you the option to meet up and share a taxi or other transfer, making your journey more social and potentially more cost-effective.
Your Transfer, Your Control Being in direct control of your airport transfer offers significant advantages. It gives you immediate agency when unexpected delays happen, and it often proves to be more economical. While building a transfer into the tour cost might seem convenient, a direct taxi or a pre-booked pickup is generally more convenient and a better value, giving you the flexibility to depart the airport the moment you're ready, without waiting for others.
Your Three Main Airport Transfer Options Most international arrival airports typically offer three primary and reliable options for reaching your hotel:
Official Airport Taxis: Readily available upon arrival, these are a safe and straightforward choice. Simply follow the signs for official airport taxis, usually found outside the arrivals hall. You can arrange your ride directly at the airport when you're ready, eliminating any time pressure.
Ride-Sharing Apps (like Uber): If popular ride-sharing services like Uber are readily available and operate easily from your arrival airport (we will provide specific instructions if this is a recommended option for your destination), this can be a convenient and often cost-effective choice. You simply request your ride via the app once you've collected your luggage and are ready to go.
Pre-Booked Meet & Greet Services (Recommended for Convenience): If you prefer the reassurance of having someone waiting for you with a sign bearing your name, we highly recommend services like Welcome Pickups. This option allows you to Pre-Pay using a credit card and provides a designated driver who tracks your flight, waits for you, and helps with your luggage, offering a seamless and stress-free start to your trip.
Our Recommendation: Stress-Free Start For ultimate peace of mind and convenience, I personally recommend either using a pre-booked service like Welcome Pickups (if you appreciate someone waiting with your name on a board) or simply taking one of the official airport taxis when you're ready, allowing you to avoid any time constraints or stress to meet a specific driver. Welcome Pickups is particularly excellent for its reliable service and personalized meet-and-greet experience. As a special offer, if it's your first time using their service, the referral link below will give you $5 off your booking:
Welcome Pickups link We want your arrival to be as relaxed and enjoyable as the rest of your OTS adventure!
Staying Connected with e-SIMs: Your Seamless Connection Abroad One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, "How do we stay connected while traveling?" The great news is that most newer smartphones now have e-SIM capability, which is a wonderful technological advancement! Gone are the days of having to queue up at the airport for a physical SIM card. Now, you can set everything up before you even leave home, and hey presto – you'll be connected the moment you land. Here are two top recommendations for staying connected, and your best choice will depend on how frequently you travel:
1. Airalo: Ideal for Single-Country or Regional Adventures Airalo is an excellent choice for travelers focusing on a specific country or a particular region. It's often the best option for most people embarking on a single-country, 14-day adventure like many of ours.
Why it's great: They offer country-specific and regional data plans that are easy to purchase and activate. You simply choose the plan that suits your destination and data needs, download it to your phone, and you're ready to go. It's straightforward and reliable for focused trips.
2. Staff Traveler e-SIM: Perfect for Frequent, Light Data Users This option is less widely known as it was initially created specifically for flight attendants, but it's a fantastic solution for the frequent traveler. The Staff Traveler e-SIM works in a huge number of countries – 122 to be exact – and remains valid for a full 365 days.
Why it's great: If you travel a lot throughout the year across multiple destinations and don't require massive amounts of data, this is an incredibly convenient e-SIM to have loaded onto your phone. You simply activate it when you're in a supported country and turn it off when it's not needed, making it a very flexible and cost-effective solution for ongoing connectivity.
With either of these options, you'll enjoy the freedom of staying connected without the hassle of physical SIM cards or unexpected roaming charges. stafftraveler.com Use referral code X67DPMB4 to receive $3 discount on your first purchase