China holiday

On this trip: We take most of our meals in local restaurants whilst our monastery stay on Mt. Emei provides an important source of income for the monks. Local guides provide an historical framework for us and, although standards of guiding are sometimes not comparable with those one would expect in the West, it does provide vital employment and contact with foreigners. Our visit to see the pandas in Chengdu generates important revenue for the project as does many of the included / optional trips we offer. All this again ensures that our money is spread far and wide amongst the people who need it most - the locals. You may also have the opportunity to visit the Moon Bear Rescue Centre near Chengdu. Operated by Animals Asia, it provides a home for bears rescued from the cruel trade in bear bile extraction.

We have developed a programme of school visits with our local agent in China. You will have the opportunity to visit a school during your stay in Yangshuo, which provides education for about 50 pupils aged from 6 – 11. These schools would benefit greatly from your support so if you would like to offer your assistance by taking a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; clothes (remember Chinese children are smaller than those in the UK), exercise books, schoolbags, pencils and crayons, erasers and similar stationary. Although you can take things out with you, goods are available cheaply locally and your Group Leader will be able to advise on where to buy things.

Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us.

Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.

Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full.

Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book.