St. Vincent day tour, volcano walk
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
This tour takes guests into areas of diverse geography, even before reaching the starting point of the mountain.
We limit the number of tourists to this environmentally fragile area, and guests are cautioned not to litter or pick the vegetation. A reusable bag it used by our guides to pick up anything left from other groups.
Guides encourage guests not to litter, but will pick up trash from their group and others in reusable bags along the trails and beaches. ‘What you carry in, you carry out’. They also inform visitors of the fragility of coral reefs; no touching or anchoring near them.
We attend workshops and support all government wildlife preservation and conservation policies and are government custodians to Polly, an indigenous and endangered St. Vincent Parrot, (Amazona guildingii), born in captivity.
Community
When available we employ Forestry Department and other local specialists to guide guests into the rainforest. Their extensive knowledge of the volcano’s history, its topography and related vegetation enhances the overall experience for visitors.
In our on-going effort to help the local economy and individual entrepreneurs, lunches (sandwiches or rotis - spices, potatoes, meat and/or vegetables in a flour dough), are made primarily with local products (the bread or dough, meats, etc.), with fresh fruit snacks from our organic orchard or roadside vendors. The water comes from Vincentian springs, and it and the soft drinks are bottled on the island. The rum punch uses alcohol made at local distilleries, along with fresh and bottled tropical fruits, which grow here in abundance.
Additionally, the walking sticks, which we supply to our guests, are made from Vincentian hardwood trees, and are designed by a local craftsperson. As are the reusable coconut bowls and utensils.
Primarily we use locally grown and manufactured products. When not supplied from our own organic orchard, we buy fresh fruits for snacks from roadside vendors. We encourage visitors to buy locally made souvenirs and use locally handcrafted walking sticks for the hiking tours. This season we will implement the use of locally made coconut bowls, forks and spoons.
We aim to give visitors insights into the history and culture of our people and encourage tourists to attend local sporting and cultural events. We provide in-house manual and regionally certified training to local guides.
