THE
REOPENING
OFF THE GROUND ADVENTURE
July 20, 2021
Where now?
I strongly believe that the desire to explore unites us all, and that is why each one of us, as a host or a guest, as a contributor to the global society we all have the responsibility to take care of each other.
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After over 100 days of lockdown, borders have started to slowly reopen to international travel, all with different restrictions and requirements. I know many of you are eager to get out into the world as soon as possible and will undoubtedly have questions about when, how and where to take on your next adventure.
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I've done my best to answer those questions below, so you can get on with planning your next outdoors experience. I couldn't be more excited to get you out on your adventures soon.
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See you in the wild!
WHEN WILL YOUR TRIPS START RUNNIG?
I will start running trips as soon as the following criteria is met entirely:
1. Origin and destination borders are open without any quarantine restrictions on arrival or departure.
2. The destination country's government formally approves and endorses tourism activities operating.
3. The local suppliers included in the trip (ie. hotels, restaurants) are able to run whilst fully complying with all local Covid-19 safeguarding measures and the Safe Travels protocols set out by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
4. These safeguarding measures do not detract or alter the trip from the fundamental quality and experience.
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WHAT IS THE TRAVEL STATUS TO OTG DESTINATIONS?
Trips to Patagonia have not yet met the 4 criteria listed above. A ban on commercial flights is in place until 25 July, and this date may be extended further.
As of 15 July Ecuador and Galapagos are cleared of quarantine restrictions, entry requirements are: a vaccination certificate of completed doses dated at least 14 days before flight or a PCR test in the country of origin within the 72 hours prior the travel date. Trips are currently running with optimal Safe Travel Protocols set out by the World Travel & Tourism Council.. .
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WHAT CAN I EXPECT IN TERMS OF SAFETY MEASURES IN MY TRIP?
Into the wild and far from crowds is certainly the signature in all of our trips, which is exactly where you want to be when you think of social distancing. However, there is more to the management of world exploration in a Covid-19 era.
Off The Ground Adventure is compliant to the Safe Travels protocols set out by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and implemented the health & safety guidelines for adventure activities recommended by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), you can read here.
In addition this are some of the things you can expect in all listed trips:
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Expert Guide: It has to be said, I am an expert in my field, with medical training and certified by US Wilderness Medicine Institute as a WFR (Wilderness First Responder), and I’m closely monitoring the situation in the specific locations where I will run your adventures to apply appropriate safety measures.
Fresh air: All itineraries get you off the beaten track and into wilderness areas, never at packed campgrounds or crowded photo spots.
Small groups: The max group size is 8 people, as a matter of fact trips don’t require a minimum number of participants to open, so you can chose to have a private group trip with your friends or a private solo trip without having the price increased.
Excellent hygiene standards: Enhanced sanitation, disinfection, and deep cleaning practices for all equipment, gear and facilities used as part of a trip, including transportation, with a specific focus on high-frequency touch points.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A SECOND SPIKE AND MY TRIP IS SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELLED ?
In the unfortunate event your trip is cancelled, you will be contacted immediately and be able to select one of the following options: ​
1. Request a new date: If none of the dates loaded work for you, let us know your ideal future dates and we’ll do our best to set it up for you.
2. Convert your booking to a gift card: If you know you can’t travel this year or for the foreseeable future, you can convert your booking into a gift card to give to a friend, family member or loved one.
3. Convert your booking to account credit: If you know you’re going to book this trip or another adventure again in the future, we can convert your booking to account credit.
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