Walking holiday in Crete

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Throughout this tour to Crete we stay in locally owned accommodation in which you experience excellent hospitality and seasonal food, most of which is sourced locally, as well as some great wine! Minimising our impact by exploring on foot means that this tour operates in a very eco-friendly way.

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.

ENVIRONMNET & WILDLIFE

Donations given on optional sightseeing visits to the monasteries around Zaros means that we are helping maintain these local churches. There is also entrance fee to Samari gorge (5 Euros 2024) the income from the tickets is used by the Samari National Park to maintain the gorge. Samaria gorge is Natura area, so wildlife is protected in the area of the park. 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

Our local Tour Leaders are trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference. Minimising our impact by exploring on foot means that this tour operates in a very eco-friendly way. Donations given on optional sightseeing visits to the monasteries around Zaros means that we are helping maintain these local churches. Taking the optional sea-kayaking at Loutro supports this community situated in a very much out-of-the-way location, the residents of which depend upon tourism.

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

Our experienced tour leaders are locals, trained mountain guides and most of them live on the island. We estimate that 90 % of persons employed by our providers are local. In Greece there is minimum wage legislation and it is against the law to pay less, so we expect all our partners to pay at least the minimum wage. Due to lack of employees in the tourism industry on Crete wages are usually higher than minimum.

This trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility or vision. The trip is LGBTQ+ friendly. 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.