Ivory Coast small group tour

Environment

Our guides will brief travellers on appropriate behaviour, both cultural and environmental and when exploring places of beauty such as the lagoon in Yamoussokro, the Gbepleu Rainforest and Ebiné Lagoon delta, and we make a point of ensuring that we leave no permanent traces of our stay behind taking all rubbish with us. We work with our local suppliers to highlight best practice in terms of environmental issues. This trip spends time visiting some of the most remote communities on our planet and we place a great emphasis on treading sensitively. Where possible we buy supplies along the way, and although our groups are small this can make a significant input into the local economy of villages which otherwise have little opportunity to trade.

When exploring the Savannah in Boundiali and in the Gbepleu Rainforest, we ensure that we stick to the marked footpaths and follow the advice of the local guide, as to not disturb any local habitats, flora or fauna.

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures - usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we hope to avoid as much as possible the phenomenon whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to tourism.

Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.

Community

On this tour we visit several ethnic villages, to gain an insight into local life. We may be invited into the homes of the Fulani Nomads, and will only enter when invited to do so. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.

We visit local villages as well as a local market, and both our clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc) and behave appropriately to ensure no disrespect is given to the local people. We will not provide travel plans for individuals who are not prepared to travel in a courteous and responsible manner and we ensure our guides and clients are sensitive to local attitudes and act responsibly in their interaction with local people.

Travellers also have the opportunity to support local communities by purchasing local handicrafts.

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops and encourage our clients to interact both financially and socially with the communities that they are passing through. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services.