Northern Greece bear conservation tour
Highlights
Learn about field research methods | learn about challenges posed by the co-existence of humans and bears | install camera traps | hike Grammos Mountain | Prespa lake area | learn about water management | boat trip at Psarades | Bear Sanctuary and Wolf Sanctuary in Nymfaio | ThessalonikiDescription of Northern Greece bear conservation tour
If you want to hit some hiking trails, view local wildlife and make a difference all at the same time then this small group Northern Greece bear conservation tour is a good bet. You’ll spend time in the mountains of the Northern Pindos, go on hikes following brown bear trails in the company of a conservationist, walk the shores of Prespa Lake, one of Europe’s most important wetlands, and visit both a bear and a wolf sanctuary. The trip finishes in lively Thessaloniki, a town brimming with history and culture.During the trip you’ll have the opportunity to learn about bear research from local wildlife charity Callisto, including insights into radio tracking, camera traps and recording bear activity. Apart from large mammals there’s also the chance to see birdlife, butterflies and reptiles, as well as native plants and flowers.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
Check dates, prices & availability
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
This trip is all about observation and conservation! You will be supporting a Greek wildlife charity (a NGO) in a time where the country suffers from an unprecedented financial crisis. Environmental organizations in Greece have very few means left to support their work and that is why tourism can be such an important tool for conservation! This holiday respects wildlife and biodiversity in more ways:* Wildlife species are not harvested, consumed, displayed, sold, or traded, except as part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilization is sustainable, and in compliance with local to international laws.
* No captive wildlife is held, except for properly regulated activities, in compliance with local to international law. Living specimens of protected and wildlife species are only kept by those authorized and suitably equipped to house and care for them humanely.
* The trip supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation, including natural protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value. You make a donation to wildlife charity Callisto.
* Interactions with wildlife, taking into account cumulative impacts, do not produce adverse effects on the viability and behaviour of populations in the wild. Any disturbance of natural ecosystems is minimized, rehabilitated, and there is a compensatory contribution to conservation management.
* Information about and interpretation of the natural surroundings is provided to travellers, as well as explaining appropriate behaviour while visiting natural areas.
In order to keep our environmental impact as low as possible we use group transportation (minibus) and walk as much as possible.
-No internal flights, all transportation with full minivan
-Walks within the forest to locate bears
-Family-run local guesthouse
-Offering vegetarian/plant-based and low dairy foods
-Local tour guide, reducing inland and outland travel.
The Impacts of this Trip
One of our core values is to celebrate a Diversity of Place & Culture whilst delivering you rich and authentic experiences at an affordable price. It is done because we are 100% local. You will visit an area that is hardly touched by tourism and thus offer you authentic experiences such as local traditional cuisine and local traditional architecture.
We support the community in the following ways:
* Information about and interpretation of the local culture, and cultural heritage is provided to travellers.
* Local services and goods are purchased and offered, following fair-trade principles.
* Supporting local small entrepreneurs to develop and sell sustainable products that are based on the area’s nature, history and culture (including food and beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc.).
* Purchasing policies favour locally appropriate and ecologically sustainable products, including building materials, capital goods, food, beverages and consumables.
* Use of hotel(s) and other tourist providers with a sustainability certification system: your Thessaloniki hotel is a Green Key Hotel.
This trip is all about observation and conservation! You will be supporting a Greek wildlife charity (a NGO) in a time where the country suffers from an unprecedented financial crisis. Environmental organizations in Greece have very few means left to support their work and that is why tourism can be such an important tool for conservation! This holiday respects wildlife and biodiversity in more ways:* Wildlife species are not harvested, consumed, displayed, sold, or traded, except as part of a regulated activity that ensures that their utilization is sustainable, and in compliance with local to international laws.
* No captive wildlife is held, except for properly regulated activities, in compliance with local to international law. Living specimens of protected and wildlife species are only kept by those authorized and suitably equipped to house and care for them humanely.
* The trip supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation, including natural protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value. You make a donation to wildlife charity Callisto.
* Interactions with wildlife, taking into account cumulative impacts, do not produce adverse effects on the viability and behaviour of populations in the wild. Any disturbance of natural ecosystems is minimized, rehabilitated, and there is a compensatory contribution to conservation management.
* Information about and interpretation of the natural surroundings is provided to travellers, as well as explaining appropriate behaviour while visiting natural areas.
In order to keep our environmental impact as low as possible we use group transportation (minibus) and walk as much as possible.
-No internal flights, all transportation with full minivan
-Walks within the forest to locate bears
-Family-run local guesthouse
-Offering vegetarian/plant-based and low dairy foods
-Local tour guide, reducing inland and outland travel.
The Impacts of this Trip
One of our core values is to celebrate a Diversity of Place & Culture whilst delivering you rich and authentic experiences at an affordable price. It is done because we are 100% local. You will visit an area that is hardly touched by tourism and thus offer you authentic experiences such as local traditional cuisine and local traditional architecture.
We support the community in the following ways:
* Information about and interpretation of the local culture, and cultural heritage is provided to travellers.
* Local services and goods are purchased and offered, following fair-trade principles.
* Supporting local small entrepreneurs to develop and sell sustainable products that are based on the area’s nature, history and culture (including food and beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc.).
* Purchasing policies favour locally appropriate and ecologically sustainable products, including building materials, capital goods, food, beverages and consumables.
* Use of hotel(s) and other tourist providers with a sustainability certification system: your Thessaloniki hotel is a Green Key Hotel.
3 Reviews of Northern Greece bear conservation tour
Reviewed on 17 Oct 2019 by Bob Handley
The most memorable part of the holiday was the selection of dishes ordered for group lunch were always interesting and made for a very social period. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Sep 2019 by Cathryn Symons
It's hard to think of one highlight. Perhaps walking through the mountain forest, through areas of oak, fir, beech, to an alpine meadow with cattle grazing. Read full reviewReviewed on 04 Jun 2015 by Ruairi Benn
Going on a walk with the conservationists up the various mountains and then trying out Greek drinks such as their coffee and "Mountain tea" that was made from local plants. Read full review
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