Wine and Landscapes of Argentina holiday

Planet

The northern part of Argentina is relatively little-visited compared to it's neighbour, the famous giant of Patagonia. This can only be a good thing for the curious traveller, and our small vehicles, holding no more than 18 people, allow us to travel in a more sensitive, non-intrusive way than in a large coach group. There are many rural villages in this part of the country, which bear visiting in a more low-key way rather than en masse.

Argentina is a vast country, and as such we do have two domestic flights on this itinerary, in and out of Buenos Aires. While on land we aim to be as low-carbon as possible, travelling over 1000km between San Juan and Salta by road, taking some park shuttle buses in Talampaya and Ischigualasto National Parks, a cable car in Salta and hiking in various national parks along the way.

Our local leaders assist with encouraging to refill reusable water bottles from water refill stations and rest stops at restaurants, as well as advising where tap water is drinkable in this part of northern Argentina. This actively reduces the amount of single-use bottles purchased and distributed.

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, Tour 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 plastic usage.

People

Wherever possible we like to meet the people themselves and get to learn a bit more of their lifestyle, but only where we can be sure that we are not imposing on them. This is particularly important in the small villages that we pass through, such as Belen or Rodeo, where our visits can bring in money through eating at local restaurants or buying snacks and drinks in small shops en route. In Belen, we have the opportunity to visit a weaving co-operative run by a group of local women - weaving from llama or vicuna wool continues to be important in the northwest of Argentina, where the Andean heritage is still particularly strong. The chance to spend money direct with the producers rather than in the big cities is both more economic for us as travellers, and a real boost for these communities where tourism is still low compared to the rest of the country.

We use an Argentinian Tour Leader throughout, and local guides are used in the national parks. We make sure that our staff have a fair wage, good working conditions, and that they are fit and well to work outdoors. This not only ensures again that money remains within the local economy, but also that we're treated to passionate and knowledgeable guiding. We visit different vineyards during the trip, and strive to choose more low-key, locally operated establishments, such as El Porvenir in Cafayate, as opposed to larger commercial properties.

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.