Tibet wildlife holiday, Tibet Plateau mammals

Environment

As this is just about as remote as it is possible to get in the world, most of the local towns and villages do not have environmentally sound refuse management systems. As a result whenever we are here in the wilds of Tibet (as elsewhere) our local guides and foreign escorts provide information on how to protect the environment and circulate sustainable management policies etc. We also lead by example and do not bringing excess plastics and other waste products with us and of course bringing everything back with us. We encourage you to protect the environment by not littering and by taking all non disposable items back home with you, including bringing your rubbish with you and disposing of it properly in the larger towns or cities.

As we camp in many places there are not permanent toilets, so we dig a hole at least 25cm deep and bury human waste a long way away from any water courses. We also burn or bury toilet paper and are careful to never buy products made from endangered wildlife or endangered plants and avoid bathing or washing clothes in bodies of water. We also make sure that all of the accommodation that we use minimises there impact on the environment by using kerosene/gas fuel instead of fire wood (in the more remote areas this is not always possible and we aim to provide alternative means to burning wood where and when possible.

As with all of our tours all over the world we only take small groups with a maximum of 10 people (most tours run with 2-4 people) which reduces our impact on the environment. It is important to be aware of the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem, by travelling with a zoologist as well as local guides, the impact on the environment is a minimum. As many things are recycled as possible and we make sure that all signs of our camp are taken back with us to the town and disposed of responsibly. Every person booking on this tour will receive a comprehensive pre-departure pack which will outline the do’s and don’ts when on the tour, these guidelines help to increase your chances of seeing wildlife as well as protecting the environment and conserving the area for future generations. All these points are common sense and by following them will increase the enjoyment of the entire tour.

At the end of each we offset our carbon footprint (based on the number of tours we have completed and the number of passengers we have taken with us), with the Carbon Trust.

Wildlife Promise:

The wildlife is of course of the upmost importance to us on this tour and all other tours run by us. We donate money to various conservation and research groups that help to protect the endangered species of the Tibetan Plateau, including George Schaller’s conservation organisations as it was through his pioneering work that there are any protected areas in the Tibetan Plateau. We also actively campaign against poaching and the illegal fur trade worldwide; we are also keen to report any abuse of the environment or wildlife that we see to the local authorities (this includes reporting marketers and shops that still continue to sell Shashtoosh, which is the wool of the critically endangered and heavily protected Tibetan antelope, in India, Nepal and Tibet).

Community

As with all of our tours we employ local guides, drivers, porters, cooks and camping assistances. We also make sure that all the food and resources that we use on the tour are sourced locally, thus helping the local economies and enforcing sustainable farming and resource management. We also encourage all of our guests to interact as much as possible with local people so that they gain an amazing insight in local life.

As we believe that part of being a responsible traveller is one that is willing to learn and respect other cultures; as well as being a great way for our guests to learn about the different backgrounds, nationalities, and religions to interact and learn from each other, fostering peace and understanding. We make sure that all of our local guides are well paid for their expert services and this has led to guiding becoming a genuine career prospect which has helped to keep the current generation of men in the villages (as opposed to the migration out of the mountains and into the towns and cities).

The other major impact is that when staying at the homestays in the remote rural villages, the money from the homestay is split to fund many projects in the village as well as some being given direct the host families. All our guests are encouraged to embrace and understand Buddhism and the daily lives of the local people, we find that this is the best way for the local ethos and culture to embed itself into foreigners and as a result the awareness of the area and its people becomes more ingrained in the mindset of tourists.