Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
We recognise the environmental and social responsibilities that come with being a tour operator in developing countries and national parks. We will continually strive to reduce any negative environmental and cultural impacts of our trips on the regions we visit. Furthermore we will strive to bring positive benefits to communities and ensure that benefits of tourism are more equitably distributed amongst those who need them most.
We hope to improve our environmental performance through a series of achievable targets and aim to make our trips environmentally and socially positive in their impacts wherever possible. We believe in pro-poor tourism and strive to ensure that the suppliers we deal with are treated equitably and paid a fair price for their services.
Community
All produce is sourced locally and money put into the local economy though employment of local guides. Wherever possible we patronize small hotels, locally owned businesses and suppliers. Profits are retained in local communities and not shipped overseas by a multi-national. Our leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices. We use local services and guides that mirror our values on cultural connection and environmental awareness. We foster ethnic and gender diversity in our guides. We eat in small local restaurants that offer an authentic taste of the region’s cuisine and avoid tourist restaurants and traps.
We donate to causes that we believe in and help support grass roots projects by including visits to them and raising awareness, fostering ongoing links between our travellers and good causes. Our Charity trips and fundraisers have helped raise millions of dollars for effective projects alleviating poverty and promoting education. Our Challenges have brought countless benefits to local communities from building bridges in rural Laos, to micro-finance businesses in Vietnam, orphanages in Mongolia, houses in Sri Lanka, clean water in Nepal and Vietnam through to community libraries, health and education in Indigenous Australia.
Environment
Minimizing the environmental impact from the way we travel, the places we visit and the cultures we experience, is an absolute priority in everything we do. It’s that simple.
Transport is efficient/sustainable: we use non-motorized transportation as as the primary mode of travel. Wherever needed we use smaller, less polluting vehicles and keep the impact of support vehicles to a minimum. We refuse to use wasteful polystyrene lunch boxes, cups etc and giving out multiple plastic bottles. Our Trekkers and Cyclists are encouraged to avoid buying plastic bottlles and we give out water from large dispensing bottles, which are refilled. We were one of the first to start using compulsory carbon offsets on our group flights. As Kermit the frog said ”it’s not easy being green!”, so we appreciate your ideas and feedback on how we can improve our operations further.
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!
