Colombia small group holiday

Planet

Environmental thinking isn’t at the forefront of everyday life in Colombia, so we need to keep it at the forefront of ours. We always make sure to take all litter with us, disposing of it responsibly in big cities and towns and mustn’t leave cigarette butts either. Bringing a reusable water bottle is a great idea and if purchasing any snacks, we encourage our travellers to avoid excess packaging.

The high altitude landscapes of the Paramo, despite technically being part of Bogota, is a fragile and sensitive ecosystem. We take great care to only stick to tracks here to avoid damaging the flora that thrives in this particular environment, and in all parts of the countryside including the valleys of the Coffee region we are careful to leave these places as they were found. Likewise, if we see any rubbish, we pick it up when possible.

If our travellers see any wild animals being kept in captivity or being mistreated throughout their time in Colombia, we encourage them to report this to the relevant animal welfare and conservation organisations. We also advise our travellers not to have their photos taken with captive animals as this fuels the illegal wildlife trade and encourages locals to keep taking animals from the wild.

People

Keeping money in local economies and supporting community projects is extremely important. We spend time with local communities, taking the time to learn about their culture, traditions and way of life, helping to keep old traditions alive and making sure that small communities benefit from tourism. Speaking Spanish, or at least learning a few phrases, will surely bring a smile to local people's faces and they will appreciate that we are making an effort.

We also show support of the community by learning about the history of the countries we are visiting and of the people that live there. An example of this would be our visit to San Basilio de Palenque, where we delve into the traditions of the Afro-Colombian population.

Using local guides also ensures money stays within local economies and means we will be treated to such valuable, in-depth and honest knowledge which you perhaps wouldn’t get from a western guide. It also means we are keeping carbon emissions down.

Most people like to take photos on their travels, and it’s sometimes easy to forget that the photogenic person in front of you may not want their picture taken. We always ask if it’s okay, and respect their wishes if they say no.