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A camel trek into India's Thar Desert not only brings travellers into harmony with this desolate landscape, it is also one of the principal sources of income for the camel drivers. Most have never been to school, or travelled much beyond the villages that surround Jaisalmer, the principal town in the region. During the two-day experience you occasionally see local farmers, who sweep past in brilliant orange turbans.
From time to time you pass scattered huts of thatched adobe where families eke out a living by herding livestock or sharecropping on small farms. You camp among the sand dunes, enjoying a fascinating insight into traditional Rajasthani life, food and music – and your local Indian tour leader can let you into the secret of tying a turban! This is a true insight into the region and your visit makes a significant difference to the lives of these people that include the Bishnoi (protectors of trees) and the Meghwa (weavers and potters).
This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people.
We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects.
The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
