Kerala hiking holiday in India

Environment

On three days of this trip we trek through and camp among the fragile ecosystem of Kerala's Western Ghats so it's extremely important that we strive to ensure we make as little impact as possible. Our trip leaders have been trained by us to ensure that they and our groups follow a 'leave no trace' policy and work to our detailed responsible tourism policy. Customers are encouraged to take reusable filter bottles, minimising the purchase of plastic bottles and to take all waste out with them.

This trip visits Periyar National Park, a wildlife haven that is particularly important for its elephant and last tiger population. We explore the park on foot to be the least disruptive to its wildlife. Our visit helps to support the important conservation work carried out in the National Park and encourages local people to recognise the importance of preserving these precious sanctuaries.
As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, trip leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our use of plastic.

Community

During our time in the beautiful Backwaters we enjoy lunch with a local family at their home. As well as providing a great opportunity to interact with and learn all about the lives of the people who live here, occasions like this provide a valuable source of income to the small villages far from the beach resorts of Kerala.
Other than during the three nights of camping, we are accommodated on a bed and breakfast basis, and our trip leaders facilitate eating out in variety of locally owned restaurants. This help distribute the economic benefit of our visit beyond the hotels we stay in as well as being a great opportunity to discover authentic Keralan specialties.
This trip is led by a local Keralan leader, trained by us. Using local guides and crew is consistent with our policy to generate local employment and deliver direct economic benefits to the areas we are travelling in.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.