Walking in Patagonia - Glaciers & Torres del Paine

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Patagonia offers a huge expanse of wilderness, with some of the world's greatest trekking opportunities - the best way to explore the area is on foot, and we have minimised our use of transport as much as possible throughout the tour. On two nights, we will not be using any transport, and instead we travel on foot between refuges and a campsite, carrying only what we need for these three days. Our maximum group size on this trip is 12 passengers, so where we do need necessary coach transport to get around, this is all in small minibuses that use much less fuel than 40-seater coaches.
In Torres del Paine, we stay for two nights at the Hotel del Paine, right in the heart of the national park. Here we have dinners included, and the restaurant uses vegetables, fruits and smoked meats from the hotel's very own (huge) garden, organic greenhouses and smoke-house. The hotel also has its own water purification plant, which allows it to use rainwater for consumption.

As a travel company we're acutely aware of our impact on the environment. Each one of our tours displays a carbon footprint, and we're working to reduce our emissions by regularly reviewing our itineraries and embracing lower-impact styles of travel such as trains, public buses or walking – which aren't just better for the planet, but we believe offer a more enjoyable and authentic travel experience too. We're a Certified B Corp that's committed to creating unforgettable adventures while protecting our planet for future generations.

ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

On this trip we trek in two of the region's most spectacular national parks - the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, as well as the private reserve of Los Huemules. Our entrance and camping fees will contribute towards the maintenance and protection of these beautiful wilderness areas.

Our leaders take time to advise customers about looking after the environments they are exploring. In the parks flora and wildlife are protected, so leaders will educate groups about what they can see and the importance of sticking to footpaths, not leaving litter and having minimal impact. We stay at one designated campsite during the trip and leave no waste behind, including minimising our use of plastic water bottles. In Los Glaciares a large water container is supplied at the campsite to refill bottles and in Torres del Paine, water can be drunk from the tap at the hotel.

Our Patagonia trips concentrate on the outdoors, and on this tour we see 8 different glaciers. This in-depth view of nature, in particular the locally-guided excursion at the Perito Moreno Glacier, is incredibly educational in promoting environmental awareness. The receding glaciers are a stark reminder of the importance of practising sustainability both at home and abroad, and the Tour Leaders highlight this point while with their groups - this sparks off some interesting discussions over the dinner table.

We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects, and for every customer that travels with us we make a donation to Rewilding Britain and Cool Earth. We encourage customers to avoid single-use plastic on tour, and our leaders give advice on refill points each day. Where tap water isn't safe to drink we recommend Water-to-Go bottles, a filtration bottle allowing you to drink water from any source.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We use an Argentinian partner, and book small hotels that are run by local communities rather than large chains. This is especially true of the Hosteria Punta Sur and Refugio Cagliero, as these are very small refuges for the hiking community, where we find people from the surrounding area working in the kitchens and on the reception. We also encourage our Tour Leaders to ensure that we eat in local restaurants, which means that the money our groups bring remains within these small communities. Included lunches are enjoyed picnic-style using items purchased from local stores. All of this helps ensure the economic impact of our visit is spread throughout the communities we travel through.

Our leaders are the heart of tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travellers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

On this trip we partner with a local Argentinian company, and we hire local Argentinian staff. During the stay we'll come into contact with a variety of different trained and licenced guides and campsite crew who are local to that country (whether Chile or Argentina), and, usually, local to the specific region. Our partner is really committed to playing their part in making a positive impact in the destination, and all of our staff get at least the minimum wage in the country, but generally more.

We believe that diversity is to be celebrated and as a Certified B Corp we're committed to championing equity and inclusion throughout our entire supply chain. We believe that an inclusive approach is essential, and that the best results occur when contributors have different opinions, experiences and backgrounds to bring to the table.