Sustainability tour in Hawaii

Hawaii Permaculture & Sustainability Tour
During this sustainable cycling adventure, we'll be contributing to some of Hawaii's most established permaculture farms. Riders will have the opportunity to engage in a diversity of educational hands-on activities, getting their hands dirty with some of the island's most progressive groups. This trip is sure to be an experiential learning intensive for all those who participate!

During this tour we will:
Be a part of the permaculture transformation. Our hosts feature rainwater catchment systems, organic gardening, permaculture landscaping, photovoltaic electric systems, passive solar hot water systems, composting, integrated animal systems, compact fluorescent lighting, and green building practices (bamboo, passive solar design, and use of local resources).

Experience the island that is home to the tallest and most massive mountains, the most active volcano, and the cleanest and clearest air on the planet. Hike through tropical rain forests. Camp near the summit of Kilauea and watch its lava flowing into the ocean or across newly formed lava fields. Explore lava-heated steam caves or relax in a lava-heated warm pool. Breathe the sweet tropical air at dolphin and whale-visited blacksand beaches and breath-taking mossy waterfalls. Breathe the sweet tropical air. See stars like you've never seen before.

Taste tropical fruits, nuts, and vegetables such as abiu, jackfruit, durian, mangosteen, mango, lilikoi, mamae sapote, champodek, lychee, rhombutan, pineapple, noni, ulu, papaya, apple banana, macadamia, taro, and purple sweet potato. Learn about applied permaculture, organic farming, GMO testing in Hawaii, ancient Hawaiian culture and land-use principles, and the growth of diversified agriculture in Hawaii. Be inspired by innovative intentional communities, farms, and businesses such as La'akea Gardens Community, Pangaia, and Uluwehi, Yoga Oasis, Surya Nagar, the thriving Hilo Farmer's Market, organic gardening at Hawaiian language immersion schools and the University of Hawaii.

Included with your tour package: A comprehensive training preceding the trip which covers bike maintenance, safety, the areas we'll be visiting as well as basic group dynamics. Service projects with hosts working on sustainability & progressive thinking.

Three balanced & nutritious meals daily that are mostly locally-sourced, organic and vegan. A Support-and-Gear (SAG) vehicle that carries all group and individual gear except that needed on the road with riders (snacks, water, camera, patch kits, etc.) Comprehensive directions and maps of the route. Our sustainability tour is unlike any other - the people, the places we visit, and the things we talk about. Intrinsically political, it nourishes a fire of hope, inspiring riders to work towards making their own communities thrive. Many of our past riders have called the experience 'sacred'. Each tour starts out with a full-day training, that gets riders introduced, covers basic bike mechanic and touring safety skills, and provides other bits needed to make a successful tour. Bright and early the next morning, we hit the road, supported by a gear van that carries most of the riders' gear.

Our riders quickly form an impromptu on-the-road intentional community, with the facilitators provide very minimal group facilitation, letting things flow naturally. With the usual diversity, an incredible dynamic usually ensues together with campfire discussions where one is just as likely to hear about permaculture as a chat about situation in middle east or about the advantages of solar and wind energy.

On this tour, roughly a third to half the time is spent cycling, the other time spent at host sites, doing service projects, in discussions, and simply chilling out. We also offer a number of extra options on our tours, such as kayaking and various activities. The group quickly comes to function as a self-sustaining pod on wheels seeking higher meaning, authenticity and community, as the ropes are learned.