South America tour, coast to coast
This trip is run by a company which specialises in only Central and South America holidays. Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip and how many others are booked on it) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone, with your partner or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places, whilst being led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader.
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
One of the major attractions of the tour is the visit to the Iguazú Falls. The falls lie in both Brazil and Argentina. UNESCO, in association with the WWF works to coordinate both the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the National Park, and make sure that all the money raised from entrance fees is properly distributed to the protection and development of the area.
As well as offsetting carbon emissions on all staff travel, we actively encourage our clients to offset their emissions through our chosen scheme TICOS (Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Scheme). Clients are asked to make a voluntary contribution based on the distance travelled and amount of carbon produced which is then invested in projects which alleviate poverty whilst aiming to reduce carbon emissions. Currently our chosen project replaces diesel generators with solar panels in rural schools and public buildings in Panama, trains the community to install and maintain them and consequently offers a sustainable form of employment and self-sufficiency for local communities.
Community
The trip covers some of the main tourist sites of South America, but additionally we try and visit places more off the beaten track to give an insight into other aspects of this fascinating continent, and provide much needed tourism to countries such as Paraguay that lie off the normal routes.
The tour visits indigenous markets, such as in La Paz and the Sacred Valley, where local ‘Campesinos’ bring their goods to market. Here the local populations benefit greatly from the much needed economic boost that tourism brings to their towns. Local arts and crafts can be purchased, putting money back into the communities.
On this tour we work with small privately owned ground agents who live in the area, have established RT policies in place, and employ local guides and staff. A number of journeys on this tour use public transport, the hotels are small, individual properties often run by the owners and their families, we eat in local restaurants serving locally grown produce – our style of travel ensures that as many local people as possible benefit by our being there. This tour runs with a maximum of 16 people which helps to minimise the impact on delicate environments.
1of10
