Buenos Aires to Lima by rail and road

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This tour covers three south-American countries of Argentina, Boliva and Peru, and allows clients to explore these countries flight free, by making use of the rail network. This reduces the need to fly between countries, reducing our carbon footprint.

When exploring, the tours and excursions are done by foot rather than driving from place to place. Also, many of the accommodation are centrally located and also near the train station, removing the requirement of short, unnecessary transfers to and from hotels.

Vegetarian food is available in all hotels and restaurants that we use on the tour. We also use many local restaurants which source their food locally, for example when exploring Lake Titicaca, we have a lunch of local lake trout, offering an unforgettable experience and cultural immersion with the locals.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

All the hotels we use on this tour have strong environmental and sustainability initiatives and values within their policies. Some of the hotels used on the tour are part of larger hospitality groups, such as Marriott International and Accor. Accor are working with sustainable certification programmes to gain external and independent recognition of the sustainable practices in place by their hotels. Accor are part of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and also partnered with Green Key and Green Globe which are recognised by the GSTC.

Another accommodation we use is Colca Lodge – a small lodge with hot springs within nature. The hot springs are designed in a way to not interfere or impact on the local environment and wildlife, allowing travellers to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the natural environment. The lodge is also partnered with Preferred by Nature, a global, non-profit organisation which drives sustainable development by implementing a framework to protect the environment, and reduce climate impacts.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We book all tours, excursions and transfers directly with local companies who all use local guides, drivers and vehicles. This means that the money stays within the local economy, benefiting the local people rather than being outsourced to bigger companies or other countries.

We visit a number of important historical sites and areas of natural beauty including several churches, monasteries and buildings, as well as the Salt Flats and Lake Titicaca with indigenous and traditional villages. The entrance fees that we pay at these sites helps fund their preservation and ensure that this aspect of the region’s cultural heritage remains for others to enjoy in years to come – particularly important in a country where finding resources for this can be difficult. In addition to this some of these sites contain ancient and fragile religious frescoes that are very susceptible to damage. We make a point of advising our travellers not to touch these valuable paintings to ensure that they remain as they are.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

We include visits to local villages and communities, where travellers can experience and learn about traditional local culture and customs. This tour includes a visit to Humahuaca, a UNESCO heritage site renowned for its strong local culture and traditions, and home to indigenous communities. WE make a stop in this area to explore and learn about the rich culture and preserved traditions. We also visit Uros Floating Islands on Lake Titicaca, and learn about the unique, traditional lifestyle of the residents. Our local guides will carefully explain the customs and cultures of the communities visited to ensure that our travellers are able to behave sensitively towards fragile communities, and help them gain from tourism while not being affected by some of its more negative aspects. By visiting these communities, many of whom live outside the cash-based economy, you are able to contribute to their ability to trade with mainstream society and gain some of the associated benefits.

Throughout this trip, the walking tours of the cities are done by a local guide who lives in the area, and they show them around on foot, mixing with the locals. Not only does this provide our clients with a more intimate experience but also provides additional income and employment for local people that may not have other opportunities.