Environment

Activity:
As cycling is a self-powered form of transport, we generally have a low impact on the environment. When we do use motor transport we ensure that it is always proportionate to our small group size and never excessive. We are aware that in some places, erosion of popular cycle paths can be an issue, so guides are careful to keep the group on agreed routes. We have also volunteered in the Curonian Spit National Park doing conservation activities in order to protect the environment we see on this trip.

UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Community

Accommodation and Meals:
You will spend 10 nights in locally run hotels, all in good locations and some with sustainability certification (Konventa Seta in Riga). The hotels use locally produced ingredients wherever possible for breakfast and picnic meals- this is usually a combination of fresh bread, cheeses, meats, fruit and vegetables. Where meals are provided, the food will often be typical of the region; however we do encourage clients to use authentic, small restaurants and cafes as well. Your guide will be able to recommend or take you to some traditional restaurants, selling sauerkraut, borsch, veal and fish dishes.

Local Craft and Culture:
We are enthusiastic about exploring the culture of each of the three countries on our route. There are several cultural stops on the trip, like the fisherman’s museum in Kamsu, Trakai Castle and Palanga Botanical Gardens, which benefit from our support. The manor house at the Gardens is now home to an amber museum where clients can purchase handmade souvenirs. There are handcrafted amber products and paintings widely available for sale from many small vendors, particularly in Lithuania. Clients can also locally produced specialties such as smoked fish on the Curonian Spit or kama (milky drink made from grains) in Estonia.

A Fair Deal:
All of our guides are local to the Baltics and in exchange for their insider’s knowledge and passion for the area, we ensure they are paid and treated fairly. You will also find that those working in the hotels and museums are locals as it is a natural requirement for those in the tourist industry to speak all three Baltic languages. Our support of locally staffed businesses helps to provide alternative employment opportunities in areas which are sometimes quite rural. The economy and local community therefore benefits.

Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.