Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
1of10
Introduction:
This tour is offers the chance to combine a visit to a major astronomical observatory with some of the great sights of South Africa. Clients will also have time at a remote public observatory where they’ll be able to see stars and planets under a truly dark sky. The tour is guided by our expert astronomer Dr John Mason.
On this trip:
Passengers stay in locally owned and locally run hotels. All guides are local South Africans and trained in responsible travel according to strict policies. The conservation fees paid by our visitors to the various National Parks visited on our trip helps to pay for the running of the parks. The tour also visits locally owned curio shops, restaurants and conservation projects which helps to support the local communities that border the National Parks.
Water canisters are supplied on vehicles and encourage our travellers not to buy bottled water. Before the activities clients are briefed to keep to trails and not to litter. We would endeavour to involve and educate the local guides in astronomy which will in turn help them to introduce other tourists and potentially become guides in this special interest field. Local restaurants are used where possible on trips including Country Bumpkin in Barrydale, Kobus se gat near Oudtshoorn, Kambrokind Guesthouse in Sutherland.
Helping to minimise negative impact:
All of our customers are invited to offset their international flight emissions. Contributions go to the Blue Ventures Carbon Offset program, a non-profit organisation which provides solar stoves for subsistence communities in Madagascar, benefiting the people and protecting the environment. We also contribute £2 per person towards offsetting of your in-country travel. We fully offset all emissions from our staff travel and run an energy efficient office.
Partnerships:
As a company we support The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practises throughout the whole of the travel industry. We also work with a number of charity partners who work in the destinations that we visit; including Friends of Conservation and Born Free Foundation. We partner with many small grassroots projects throughout the destinations that we visit - they all share our responsible vision.
Responsible mission:
As adventure travellers we relish and celebrate the diversity of the world. We also recognise our obligation to protect the environments that we explore. Our aim is to tread lightly, whilst contributing to maintain the world’s culture and nature, and most importantly to engage the help of all our customers to utilise the potential of tourism as a tool to aid sustainable development. We believe that responsible travellers are welcome in the places that they visit.
Responsible code:
Being Responsible is at the heart of everything our company does - full details of our code can be found on our website. The local supplier for this trip will promote our responsible travel code throughout your adventure. You will also receive specific information on this trip’s responsibility in your trip notes.
Giving something back:
We have a foundation that collects the funds that you donate to us to support our projects. All our customers are invited to make a £1 per person contribution to the foundation at the time of booking. We will match every contribution that you make with our own £1. You as a customer choose where these funds are used from a shortlist of nominated projects – so it really is YOUR foundation.
In the office:
We don’t get our energy from a green energy scheme but we do offset our office CO2 emissions. We have signs around the office to help people remember to turn the lights off. We use energy efficient light bulbs & appliances. We monitor water usage, paper usage, & waste. We recycle paper, card, plastic, cans, bottles (and mobile phones!) We try to limit paper usage & all printers settings are set on double-sided printing. Primarily all documents sent to customers are now e-docs. We do use recycled stationary. Staff tea and coffee is all fair-trade. Car sharing is welcomed and a cycle-to-work scheme is available. We offset all staff commutes to work. We do have the option to work from home.
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!
