Egypt family holiday, Feluccas & Pharaohs

Environment

Responsible mission: As adventure travellers we relish and celebrate the diversity of the world. We also recognise our obligation to protect the environments that we explore. Our aim is to tread lightly, whilst contributing to maintain the world’s culture and nature, and most importantly to engage the help of all our customers to utilise the potential of tourism as a tool to aid sustainable development. We believe that responsible travellers are welcome in the places that they visit.

On this trip: We travel in small groups (max 16 people) so have a minimal impact on the environment as we go. On this trip we use a local agent from Egypt, locally owned hotels, local leaders. Not only does this mean that more of the money we generate stays within the community, but their local knowledge and expertise helps us to better understand the environment in which we are travelling, whilst reinforcing within the local community that preserving this environment is both important and worthwhile.

During your stay: A trip designed for those who want to explore and have adventure, but not at the expense of the local residents. Many visitors to Egypt do not realise that using luxury cruise boats that are little more than 'floating gin-palaces' creates problems and provides almost no benefit for the ordinary people of Egypt. Cruise ships create river pollution and erosion and affect the livelihood of local fishermen. At the same time very little tourist money actually gets into the hands of local people. We get right down to grass roots level on their trips and travel by traditional forms of transport - sailing by felucca, riding the local train and potentially a camel trek.

Responsible code: Being Responsible is at the heart of everything our company does - full details of our code can be found on our website. The local supplier for this trip will promote our responsible travel code throughout your adventure. You will also receive specific information on this trip’s responsibility in your trip notes.

Helping to minimise negative impact: All of our customers are invited to offset their international flight emissions. Contributions go to the Blue Ventures Carbon Offset program, a non-profit organisation which provides solar stoves for subsistence communities in Madagascar, benefiting the people and protecting the environment. We also contribute £2 per person towards offsetting of your in-country travel. We fully offset all emissions from our staff travel and run an energy efficient office.

Giving something back: We have a foundation that collects the funds that you donate to us to support our projects. All our customers are invited to make a £1 per person contribution to the foundation at the time of booking. We will match every contribution that you make with our own £1. You as a customer choose where these funds are used from a shortlist of nominated projects – so it really is YOUR foundation.

Partnerships: As a company we support The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practises throughout the whole of the travel industry. We also work with a number of charity partners who work in the destinations that we visit; including Friends of Conservation and Born Free Foundation. We partner with many small grassroots projects throughout the destinations that we visit - they all share our responsible vision.

Community

We also eat an evening meal with a local Nubian family in Aswan. Clients are advised on minimising their impact on the environment and culture - our leaders ensure that rubbish is either buried (bio-degradable) or carried out after the river trip, to be disposed of sensitively and that clients are aware of local issues - religion, customs, sensibilities, how to dress etc.

We have also joined forces with the Sunshine International Project, Luxor, to assist in providing education and a home for children in Egypt. You will have the opportunity to visit the home during your stay in Luxor, and meet the 68 residents - aged between two months and 11 years old. You’ll be assured of a cheery welcome! If you would like to give a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; pyjamas, disposable nappies, milk formula & baby shampoo. All of these goods are available to buy cheaply locally (helping the local economy) and your group leader will be able to advise on where to buy things.