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Turn a Transfer Into a Tour

Hey so sometimes when visiting destinations, we’ve had to transfer between two areas or even between two airports. While it’s natural to want to get to the departing point asap, one may consider turning the transfer into something a little more fun.

My husband once booked a trip through London. He had a 6-hour layover but had to change airports. Getting from Heathrow to Gatwick airport would have cost $200 by cab and with 6 hours he had plenty of time to go explore a little bit. So, we created a transfer tour which had him go through central London and exit at some of our favorite sites. He even used the river bus to transfer between stops and enjoyed a scenic boat ride. While doing the trip with a carry-on in tow wasn’t ideal, it sure beat sitting around for hours at the airport!

Another time we were transferring between two safari camps in South Africa, instead of a long and dusty land transfer we organized a helicopter tour of the Blyde River Canyon. We simply asked for them to pick us up at one camp and drop us off at another. Since they did pickups at all the camps, it was no bother and since we only had carry-on bags, the weight of our luggage was not an issue. Further, since the combo transfer/tour was actually faster we didn’t have to miss any of our game drives too. A bonus benefit!

Blyde River Canyon

On another occasion we had booked a post-cruise hotel stay in Barcelona. The cruise ship offered a tour to Monserrat which dropped us off right at the hotel after a great morning of sightseeing. They even kept our luggage in the bus-hold during the tour so no issues dragging luggage or worrying about early check-ins. The tours also dropped off people with late flights at the airport.

Sometimes it pays to be creative to optimize your vacation time. Even on those days when you must travel and transfer, why not make them as enjoyable as possible?

We would love to hear about some of your own experiences with turning a transfer into a tour. Let us know in the comments.

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By Nathalie

Avid Traveler and Master Scuba Diver
Sharing stories, photos and insights about the places I’ve visited. Simply sharing my experience and giving travel tips to help others plan their own dream trip and travel independently.

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