Kefalonia sea turtle holiday in Greece










More info
Included: Transfers from/to airport, local transportation, accommodation in studio/ villa, welcome dinner, turtle volunteering activities, donation to wildlife charity, tour leading services by local naturalist guide, bicycle & liability insurance.
Description of Kefalonia sea turtle holiday in Greece
Price information
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Travel guides
If youre going to travel halfway across the world to spend your days cleaning enclosures, feeding animals, building pathways and shovelling the prove...
Reviews
2 Reviews of Kefalonia sea turtle holiday in Greece
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 29 Aug 2021 by Diane Weston
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing the hatchlings
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't expect to be able to do anything but watch the process
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Lovely relaxed holiday in the sun
Read the operator's response here:
Great to see you enjoyed your stay! It is true that long-term volunteering has a greater impact. However, during this holiday short-term volunteers get to actively support sea turtle conservation and participate in many activities that benefit the turtles, while raising awareness. So we'd like to thank you very much for your support.
Reviewed on 27 Aug 2021 by Fiona French
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We all loved seeing loggerhead hatchlings for the first time and watching them head for the sea - we were able to observe nest excavations, surveys, take part
in night shifts and visit harbour turtles with the group. It was really interesting talking to our guide, who was an expert wildlife photographer and naturalist.
As we are keen swimmers, we really enjoyed staying so close to such lovely beaches.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
An interesting experience and Hotel Ammes staff are lovely - a very friendly vibe and some delicious food available.
With the turtles, there is very little opportunity for hands-on volunteering - although you participate, this is a watch and learn experience (on the one-week
holiday). People looking to be more actively involved should choose a longer volunteering holiday, because on a short break there's minimal time to train a
new group and also deploy them.
There's plenty of time to do other things, such as kayaking, and bikes are provided for site visits and exploring - so you make your own way to and from
nesting sites along a stretch of coast.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The hotel, restaurant, and operators are all run by local people. The environmental organisations are doing a great job, also monitoring impact of plastic pollution and doing beach clean-ups etc. I think our main contribution as short-term volunteering tourists was financial, and also having an opportunity to raise awareness by e.g. sharing on social media.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A great opportunity to visit loggerhead turtles in their natural environment, learn about them, observe them closely and meet wildlife experts and other volunteers. Also doubles up as a relaxing beach holiday in a lovely area on a beautiful island in the Mediterranean!
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
This trip is all about sea turtle conservation! It proves that tourism can be a significantly important tool for conservation, by respecting wildlife and biodiversity in every possible way! Specifically:* You will become a conservationist yourself when participating in this project!
* Included in your travel package is a donation to the sea turtle charity of Kefalonia.. Wildlife species are not harvested, consumed, displayed, sold, or traded. The animals are treated with respect and by following up advice of the conservationists you make sure not to harm the turtles.
* No captive wildlife is held no healthy turtles at least UNLESS the sea turtles are injured or sick
* The trip supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation, including natural protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value.
* Interactions with wildlife, considering cumulative impacts, do not produce adverse effects on the viability and behavior of populations in the wild. Any disturbance of natural ecosystems is minimized. No turtle swimming or turtle petting if this causes harm to the animals.
* Information about and interpretation of the natural surroundings is provided to tourists in the area, as well as explaining appropriate behavior while on the beaches where turtles nest. When you volunteer for the sea turtles YOU will be the one raising public awareness on these issues!
* During this holiday you stay in 1 spot: the coastline South of Argostoli.
* The necessary transfers on Kefalonia are group transfers, either in a minivan or by bicycle this minimizes our CO2 emissions
* When volunteering on the beaches you will mostly just walk.
* For optional excursions possibility to use public transportation (bus) or use your rented bicycle.
* The food on the island is mainly locally sourced, seasonal, and fresh. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian options available.
* Guides are local, thus reducing his/her need to travel.
People
The tour operator of this holiday is Greece-based and independent. Its vision: Tourism as a Tool for Nature Conservation.You support the community in the following ways:
* Information about and interpretation of the local culture, and cultural heritage is provided to travelers by locals
* Your tour leader is local, offering local knowledge and expertise
* Local services and goods are purchased and offered, following fair-trade principles.
* Supporting local small entrepreneurs to develop and sell sustainable products that are based on the areas nature, history, and culture (including food and beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc.). The hotel owners are locals. The hotel is a family-owned, local business.
*Wildlife Sense is the local sea turtle research & conservation organization based on Kefalonia, Greece. Their mission is to protect endangered sea turtles and their natural habitats, offer a unique learning experience to the volunteers and promote public awareness. To achieve the goals, they operate a science-based research and conservation project on the island, in collaboration with local and national authorities.
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