Walking holiday in Rajasthan

Planet

The way we operate this trip helps to minimise the purchase and waste caused by single-use plastic as much as we can. Before travel we advise customers to take reusable water bottles, preferable with an inbuilt filter, and reusable lunch boxes such as tupperware to use for picnic lunches whilst trekking. In Rajasthan our local ground operator carries 20-litre containers of water on our tour vehicles from which customers can refill their reusable water bottles.

On this walking trip we always explore on foot, thus minimising the carbon footprint of our travel. We explore the cities of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur on walking rather than bus tours and in the winding streets of Old Delhi also use cycle rickshaw. It's a small step but it does mean that we are not contributing to the pollution and congestion in these busy places. In addition, visiting Rajasthan's villages on foot as we trek through these beautiful landscapes helps to minimise the impact on the local environment.

This trip spends 2 days trekking in the Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary in the Aravalli Hills. Our visit helps to promote knowledge of Rajasthan's nature and wildlife and our interest helps to highlight the importance of protecting this special habitat that is home to a variety of endemic fauna and wildlife including panther, wolf, bear, four-horn chinkara, monkey, wild boar and many species of birds.

In the villages of Karauli and Ghanerao we stay in beautiful heritage properties. As well as taking in guests, these historic palaces are still home to the local maharajah and their families. By staying in and thus helping to support the upkeep of these unique properties we are helping to support the cultural heritage of rural Rajasthan.

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

Our Tour Leaders are passionate about Responsible Tourism and brief each group on arrival on how to get the best from each location without causing any damage or offence, and by contributing to the economy. They help to bridge the gap between travellers and locals, ensuring that both parties benefit from the interaction.

Throughout this trip we dine out at family-run and locally-owned restaurants and purchase snacks from street food vendors on our city walking tours. This not only provides us with the experience of purely authentic North Indian meals but also financially supports the local community. This is especially important in the more rural areas we visit.

There are many opportunities throughout this trip to purchase local crafts and other locally produced souvenirs and contribute to the local economy. This is both directly from the artisans whose craft shops will will visit on our walking tours around the bazaars of Agra and Delhi and from small independent shop owners. We purposefully avoid large scale commercial ventures aimed at mass tourism.

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.