Nepal, Bhutan and India holiday, tailor made

Planet

When travelling in a country such as Bhutan and remote areas in Nepal that has few if any tourists, there is an additional responsibility on us as a company and on our clients visiting the country to do everything possible to minimise our impact on the fragile environment, particularly when trekking in the Himalayas.

We do everything possible to reduce our waste while travelling; clients are advised to bring their own water bottles rather than purchase plastic for example. We use only locally run cafes and restaurants and we work extremely closely with our locally owned suppliers to inform and educate their staff about a range of issues, including litter and waste disposal, and the recycling of material.

Wherever possible we use environmentally friendly local accommodation. If this is not possible we make every effort to alert the management of the accommodation in question to ways of improving their service with the environment in mind. Many of the hotels and lodges we use are in extremely remote areas and are therefore almost entirely self-sufficient, using local sources of food, labour and construction materials.

On this tour we also use the local train from Mirik to Calcutta, which is a beautiful journey, instead of flying.

People

This tour is for tailormade private departures only, meaning that our impact – both cultural and environmental – on the areas that we visit is small and truly sustainable. We are investing in the future, in the belief that along with our local colleagues we can create sustainable social benefits. All of the drivers and guides we use are local, and most have been working with our local team in a full time role for a number of years, rather than just as seasonal jobs.

All of our trips include visits to local markets, craft shops and fairs. As well as being good for the local economy this gives travellers to the country a real feel for the life and culture of the countries visited.

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced.

Clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc) and behave appropriately, particularly important in Nepal and its temples, which hold religious and social significance to the local people.