Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
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Community:
Festivals express the very soul of a community, rooted as they are in local history and folklore. They’ll engage all your senses, with their din, colours, scents, tastes – the sheer rawness and spontaneity of the whole experience. This is a fabulous way to learn about the local customs and traditions and get an authentic view of the country you are travelling to in an unpackaged way. The Festival on the Niger keeps traditional music and dance alive and it is a delight to be able to participate in the event.
Travel to West Africa is very much about the people and their culture. We don’t want to go as voyeurs though; we want to really learn about the local people and respect their traditions so their heritage is preserved on their terms. We include a variety of activities on this trip give many opportunities to learn about local life and customs and foster positive communication between ourselves and the host communities. This is greatly helped by using local guides at key points as they can bridge the gap between our different worlds.
Employing local guides also generates employment in a region where there are limited opportunities. Our tour also supports a variety of local businesses such as hotels, boat operators, craftspeople, transport operators and small tourism initiatives, meaning that we really do bring an economic benefit to a wide range of people in the region. The visits to Dogon country are completely on the local people’s terms as tourism to the area is managed and operated by the people themselves. They derive employment and an income and the pride that they can preserve and share their culture without diluting it.
Environment:
As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.
This small group operator is just celebrating its 30th year and was originally set up to enrich people’s lives through adventure travel. The directors have roots in overland trucking and are determined to keep a pioneering spirit alive. They believe what sets them apart is the strong relationships they’ve developed with local suppliers and tour guides over the years. A tour leader who thinks creatively can turn a good experience into a fantastic one and open up a place so that travellers gain insight into a completely different way of life. They operate in many different countries and try to avoid a blanket approach – their aim is to get customers involved in the projects they visit and to forge lifelong friendships.
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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!
