Western Australia walking holiday, Cape to Cape
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We donate money to the Friends of the Cape to Cape– these funds are used to assist with regeneration work in the area. The Friends of the Cape to Cape utilize the natural surroundings to provide track signage with minimal impact on the environment. They use volunteeers to help keep the track in tip top condition. Our office is environmentally friendly with double glazing, rainwater tanks, solar hot water, evaporative cooling, green power and a worm farm for sewerage waste. We adopt a reduce, reuse then recycle policy wherever possible.
Our latest initiative was the installation of a solar power system that feeds into the main. With our walks we encourage minimal impact walking: We lead by example and encourage others to follow. We believe that we are doing our job well when our customers leave a tour having had a fabulous, fun filled holiday but also come away with a broader appreciation of and respect for the natural environment. Ideally they come to walk and leave as ambassadors for the environment.
We stay on formed tracks, avoid trampling vegetation, insist that all rubbish is carried out, pick up rubbish left by others. Group sizes on self-guided trips are usually only two. On group guided trips the maximum size is 15 but there are two guides so we can split into smaller parties, limiting our impact.
We encourage people to only take photos of plants and animals, they must look after the environment wherever possible. We plan our walks to utilise toilets wherever possible and if not available, we provide clear instruction on burying waste and carrying out any sanitary items. We view wildlife from a distance and never feed native animals. We do not light fires in the bush and we do not allow people to smoke on walks. Our motto is “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos and a piece of someone else’s rubbish”.
Community
On our Cape to Cape walk we stay in comfortable local properties with lots of character. Each one has been personally selected by the owners. We stay in motels, B & B's, historic guesthouses and eco lodges. Occasionally, remote locations mean that the only accommodation available is simple in nature, but the ones we select have character and ambience that more than compensate for star ratings.
Good food is an important aspect of all our trips. Meals are plentiful, nutritious, wholesome and wherever possible offer local ingredients or specialties. The Cape to Cape tour is a great example of experiencing the local industry. We are right in the heart of the Margaret River area well known for its food and wine. Our clients will get to try lots of different foods and wines while on this walk. We incorporate quality local tourism experiences into our walking holidays. On this walk we visit two historic lightstation precincts, Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, both well preserved and displaying lots of knowledge about the areas. We use local restaurants and encourage clients to stay longer and make the most of the Margaret River area and what it has to offer. We recommend that our clients do one of the day trips that this area has to offer, like visit the caves or experience the wineries.
On the Cape to Cape Walk, we employ local taxis and drivers where possible. As we are a small company, in some areas the guiding is done by Phil and Monica, the owners of the company. All guides undergo our comprehensive training program and this is tailored to each individual’s needs. It covers areas such as safety, first aid, group management, minimal impact techniques, environmental interpretation, cultural considerations.
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