Canadian Rockies and Alaska cruise

Planet

Any activities undertaken are strictly controlled within the park or region that they take place. ie. hikes and mountain bikes stick to trails so that they don’t disturb the naturally environment that they go through, including Bow Lake and Saskatchewan Falls in Alberta.

Any motorised boat trips stay away from environmentally sensitive areas, and we encourage families to enjoy kayaking and stand-up paddle where possible, which are less harmful to the environment, but allow them to enjoy the fabulous landscape without noise.

This itinerary includes a cruise along the Inside Passage and the route taken is designed with an eye on the local environment and sea life. The cruise company are local (not a multi-national cruise line) and pro-actively engage and support local communities in terms of jobs, but also with designing terminals, including services required down to things like space for bikes and electric vehicles and charging points. So they engage widely from the design phase to ensure any impact is minimalised and enhances the area, as well as benefits locals. They have also introduced hybrid electric ferries on some routes, with the full support of the first nation and indigenous communities.

With our self-drive trips, we always suggest routings and attraction and accommodation ideas that are off the beaten track. This means clients avoid main roads and heavy traffic – and it encourages visitation to less well-known places, away from the crowds, where the tourism dollar is more needed and appreciated.

Wherever possible, we also actively support attractions, accommodation and service providers accommodations that have their own environmental policies in place and encourage our clients to ensure their own environmental footprint is minimised wherever possible.

People

We have taken time to work with our Canadian partners to ensure our clients are encouraged to use accommodation and support products that are authentic and support local businesses and communities. Our partners are Canadian based and comply with all relevant laws that protect the rights of their employees.

Prior to departure, we let our clients know about local customs, specially relating to indigenous communities and their traditions.

The cruise company operate services all around Vancouver and the Inside passage, and they have introduced six battery hybrid electric Island Class ferries , which were named in consultation with Island communities and First Nations. The names honour and celebrate the connection with coastal communities and the original mariners of BC's coastal waters.

Wherever possible, we use locally owned accommodation that supports the communities in the area and provides employment to the local population. We also try to ensure that local produce is used and we suggest restaurants that are unique and used locally sourced ingredients. This includes the Noble Pig in Kamloops and any number of the vegetarian bistros in Banff. Also, take time to peruse the food trucks in Gastown, Vancouver - who pride themselves on the abundance of local ingredients.

In order to promote the overall health of their workforce, one of our first nation accommodation providers has also established the Employee Wellness Programme, which aims to address the holistic health needs of not only their staff, but also of the communities that surround their lodge. In essence, the programme is devoted to reducing the incidence of accident and illness in the workplace, promoting healthy lifestyles, maximizing potential and promoting optimum quality of life.