OTW / About us

Travel beyond the obvious

Who we are, what we believe in and how OTW started.

Who we are

We try to avoid ‘popular’ travel

We design journeys that take you beyond the obvious tourist sights and into the places, stories, and homes that most travellers never get to see. Every itinerary is intentionally designed to support local people, minimise pressure on overcrowded sites, and help you explore in a way that’s responsible, authentic, and meaningful.

You’ll share moments with local people, gain fresh perspectives and experience each destination with a small group of curious, like-minded travellers.

If you’re confident and up for the challenge, you can lead our trips to new destinations if you join our trip leader network. We’ll cover the costs of the trip for you. It’s our way of keeping meaningful travel affordable.

Our values

What every trip is built on

01

Promoting underrepresented destinations

We take you to places most travellers skip, so the communities there benefit from tourism too.

02

Responsible, purposeful travel

Local guides, homestays and locally owned stays, with small groups that tread lightly.

03

Two-way cultural understanding

Real conversations and shared meals with local people, where both sides learn something.

Note from the founder

Hey, I’m Fiona

My best memories through travelling 60+ countries were always the random conversations, unexpected detours and spontaneous moments with local people, not the tourist hotspots or the big must-see sites.

Before I started OTW, I worked in the corporate world, learning a lot but always thinking about the next trip abroad. I realised I wanted to share travel that feels real and authentic, fun and full of connection and discovery with more people, to make this kind of travel easier to do.

OTW stands for Off The Wall, a throwback to a travel blog I used to run (mostly for friends and family to keep them updated on my travels) and now a pretty fitting description of the adventures we’re all about. If you want to know more about the places, the culture and the people you’re visiting, you’re in the right place.

Hope to travel with you soon,

Fiona