Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
The legendary Asa Wright Centre in Trinidad was an early pioneer of eco-tourism. Initially established as a Research Station, the Centre still finances many important environmental studies using revenue generated by simultaneously hosting many hundreds of visitors each year. On this 14-day birdwatching and natural history holiday, we spend eight days at the Centre, undertaking a number of day excursions to places of natural history interest around Trinidad; we also use our lengthy visit to fully explore the forested grounds of the Centre. A stay here is not only hugely enjoyable and extremely comfortable, but also an educational experience – with trained staff constantly available to answer any questions about the ecology of tropical rainforests. Most of the food provided at the Centre is produced locally and the Asa Wright operation is conducted in accordance with their declared and long-established eco-friendly principles.
To complement our stay on Trinidad, we conclude our tour with four days on neighbouring Tobago. Although linked politically, Tobago is very different in character and boasts the oldest nature reserve in the Caribbean, the magnificent Rain Forest Preserve which cloaks the central spine of this small island. As yet, only the south of Tobago has been extensively developed for tourism. The north, where we are based, is free from such large scale developments and the local authorities are keen to ensure that the mistakes made in the south are not repeated in this region. Our hotel occupies a secluded cove near the village of Speyside and from here we visit both the Rain Forest Preserve and the offshore island of Little Tobago where many seabirds nest; a coral reef just a few hundred metres from the hotel beach also offers great snorkelling opportunities. On this specialist wildlife holiday, you will be part of a small group of between 6 and 16, escorted from the UK by an expert British naturalist, and supporting a valuable wildlife tourism initiative, learning from local wildlife guides and researchers.
As a company we have achieved AITO’s top level, 3-star Responsible Tourism accreditation and we have always tried to operate our holidays in an environmentally responsible manner, striving to contribute to wildlife conservation and habitat preservation at all times.
Our policy includes:
- To focus, particularly, on visiting areas which do not benefit from the rewards of mass market tourism.
- To minimise environmental damage by exploring in small groups and, as much as possible, on foot.
- To use, wherever possible, local guides.
- To involve local communities and to ensure that they receive a fair share of the benefits of wildlife tourism.
- To use, wherever possible, small, locally owned accommodations & specialist local agents/ground operators.
- To purchase, where possible, local produce.
- To develop and commit to long-term plans to visit rural areas and support the local communities.
- To contribute financially to projects local to the areas that we visit (ie. schools, hospitals, etc.)
- To educate the local people on the importance and long-term benefits of wildlife tourism.
- To keep our clients well-informed on aspects of wildlife management and conservation.
- To work with British and overseas conservation organisations to develop new wildlife tourism destinations.
- To run our UK office in as energy-efficient a manner as possible.
We also encourage our clients to offset their carbon dioxide emissions.
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!
