Tarifa yurt accommodation, Andalucia, Spain
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Water and Energy: We are completely self sufficient in water and electricity, using solar to pump up our water from a well, we are very conscious about how much we use. We have flow restrictors on most taps and direct used water (with biodegradable cleaning products) to the gardens and trees. We encourage people to be conservative with their own water usage but after a good, wet winter there is always plenty to go around! We have several months without rain here in Spain so are always appreciative in the rainy season.
As we are off the grid here we are entirely dependent on renewable energy sources. We have a good solar system and a wind turbine (Tarifa is rarely without either sun or wind) which supplies our home, the yurts and the facilities. We have installed main lights on movement sensors, and LED interior and exterior fairy lights create a lovely atmosphere without using much power. We encourage people to be sensible but have enough power to use laptops, charge phones etc. We have a generator as a back up but only have to use it for the occasional hairdryer!
Yurts are in themselves very low impact structures and we have recycled and reused as much material as possible in the construction of the facilities.
Community
Friends and Neighbours.
Tarifa is an attractive destination for active people, and as a small community, offers a wide range of popular activities such as wind and kite surfing, horse riding, birdwatching, dolphin and whale spotting; but also of lesser publicised activities like rock climbing, mountain biking, diving, yoga etc. Through our contact with local businesses we have compiled a portfolio of things to do and places in the area we love or that are run by trusted and qualified local residents.
There is also an interesting selection of excellent local and international cuisine and several special places to go for live music and nocturnal ambience.
Travelling with respect
Due to our position in the more rustic countryside of Tarifa, our only neighbours are the local farmers that have lived here their whole lives. They have accepted us and our "eccentric" lifestyle and give us support and advice with regards to the land, etc. We have formed an association of neighbours to work together improving our communal access to the valley which has brought us all together. Our guests are encouraged to walk to town and to the secluded beaches within the park which ensures an opportunity to meet local farmers. Tarifa itself is very cosmopolitan and its people are generally very welcoming and accommodating to foreigners, especially if visitors make an effort to speak Spanish. Until now, most of our guests have been Spanish so fit in easily, but we are happy to teach a few useful words and phrases to willing learners.
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