Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
Environment:
The list of ways we help the local environment:
- Providing all travellers with reusable bags and chopsticks in order to avoid waste
- Encouraging use of “tea flasks” for drinking water (or tea, like the locals do!) so as not to purchase multiple plastic bottles. Safe drinking water available in all our accommodation and transport. Any bottles that are purchased are given to the community of waste collectors who rely on this for an income
- All suppliers issued with RT recommendations in their local language and leaders and groups act as “ambassadors” for spreading the RT message beyond just our travellers but also trying to involve the local tourism industry.
- Wherever possible we take local transport. This can mean anything from public bus, trolley bus, tram or subway. We also have the opportunity to explore on bikes and on foot and travel overland on all our basix trips
Community:
The list of ways we help the local community:
- Food left over after group meals is collected and boxed up to be left where homeless/street people might easily find it and take it without them having to go through garbage for a meal
- Include informal local language lessons to give our travellers a head start into understanding the culture and communicating with the people we meet along the way
- When taking trains we travel 2nd or 3rd class (hard sleeper) which is the way the majority of locals travel - this gives us maximum chance to meet and share stories, food, games and the journey with local travellers
- At the end of out journey we encourage our travellers to donate unwanted clothes, toiletries or other goods which we then distribute to local organisations
- Our tour leaders are all Chinese locals.
In Dali while much of the old town is being renovated to improve the living conditions for locals, there are still enough cobblestone streets and original stone buildings lining the alleyways inside the old city walls to make wandering around here a real pleasure. Many have been converted into little shops, cafes and bars so you never have to go far to find a place to chill out with a drink. One of the best places is Sweet Tooth cafe which aside from having amazing coffee and cake provides training and employment for hearing impaired locals.
For a contrast to popular Dali we also visit the tranquil town of Shaxi. We began going to Shaxi as an alternative to Tiger Leaping Gorge when it was closed for road construction in 2010 and it proved such a highlight we have decided to make it a permanent feature of our itinerary! What makes Shaxi so special is that unlike many other ancient towns in Yunnan it has been restored rather than rebuilt and being off the main highways has not seen the rapid development of the tourist industry as other places like Lijiang and Dali have. Here you can still find the Yi and Bai ethnic minorities living their traditional lives, farmhouses lining the country roads, and the original walled town gates and market square proving that Shaxi was once an important stop on the old Tea Horse Trail.
In Shaxi we stay in a local family run guesthouse. The accommodation is very simple and bathroom facilities are basic and shared but the hospitality is one thing our travellers remember most about their time in Shaxi. The majority of our travellers choose to eat their meals (not included) here at the family guest house which not only let us taste the best of regional home cooking but a great chance to chat with and get to know our lovely hosts.
For a day trip that makes a difference and a chance to contribute to preserving the cultural traditions of the area and responsible tourism, Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation can arrange trips to see local sustainable projects such as a bee keeping village if contacted in advance. You can also buy locally made fair trade handicrafts as well as organically grown coffee and honey from their centre. Groups have a chance to join in regular English classes run by the centre and donations of books for their library are always welcome so why not lighten your backpack at this point of the trip or bring something extra from home to donate!
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