Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Mar 11

.

The One Life Live show is on in London this weekend, and will be a great place for you to find inspiration and advice for your eco holidays.

Although the actual show is about making that change to get a better work/life balance – there is plenty there to offer the eco traveller!

Many travel and volunteering companies will be there to offer you travel plans, charity treks, responsible tourism advice and to basically make sure that if you want to travel you will get the chance.

The Show:
There are 8 zones for the show offering all sorts of companies up for a chat with you – and if you come well prepared you can get all your eco answers in one sitting.

There are also many free seminars on offer throughout the few days covering topics about volunteering, life changing adventures and advice on planning that grown up gap travel – even some on how to make money while you travel and getting qualified to teach abroad too.

What’s It Like?
Well, I have been several times myself, and it is a great (but tiring) day out as there is so much crammed in!  There were so many companies there that I hadn’t heard of – or some I knew that were offering something different!  There was a whole overland adventure vehicle for you to explore, yurts and canoes – plus the chance to sign up to adventure travel magazines at a massive reduction.

Of course there are also people running the stands that have already done what you are planning, and many who have even lived in the countries you want to go and visit – so make sure you talk to as many people as you can – and make sure you live the only life you have.

This one right now!!

.

posted by Catherine on Feb 10

.

For a great eco adventure – why not consider joining a charity trek or cycle.

Many companies and charity offer great tour holidays to destinations across the globe where you raise some money for your chosen charity and then start training for some tough challenges!

Finding the Right Trip:
Firstly, you need to decide whether you want to do one closer to home, or whether you are prepared to travel by plane to a distant location. Depending on the charity you choose, the type of trip and the impact on the destination, only you can decide whether you think you should travel that far.

Find out about the company that are organising the trip (not the charity that are advertising it). This way you will be able to read up on their eco policies and company ethics regarding tourism. Many companies have been running for years – but their success is no guarantee of their eco savvy! Make sure you are happy with the way they plan to do things.

Choose Your Charity:
Make sure you pick a charity that you believe in. Not only will this make your funds go even further for you, but it will also help you to raise the money in the first place, and make you feel better about the whole trip and your reasons for wanting to do it.

If you find an advertised trip you like, but the charity isn’t one you would support, then find an independent company like Discover Adventure. This company organise trips all the time for large or small groups – and you can choose any charity you want to donate your money to – even a small charity local in your community that isn’t internationally famous. It doesn’t matter to them – it just needs to matter to you.

Raising The Money:
Before committing to anything, make sure that you are prepared to raise the funds and/or chip in yourself. Some tour holidays require you to raise up to £3500 – others will obviously cost less. Can your employer help? Are you friends with a local restaurant/bar manager or can a local school help you?

How much of the raised funds actually go to the charity? What happens if you can’t raise it all in the time given – where does the money go? Can you extend your stay at the destination therefore making the flight less of an impact? Can they suggest any volunteer work out there for you to move on to after the trek?

Preparation:
Does the trek offer you advice about health and training for the trip or do they just assume you will manage to train yourself. Remember that if you aren’t fit enough for the adventure – you may not enjoy the trip at all, and possibly injure yourself.

Do they offer you information about the culture you will be experiencing and tips on learning a few words of the language and some customs of the local people? Make sure they advise on the dos and don’ts for the trip and you have the right equipment for the terrain and weather you will encounter.

The Trip Itself:
Make sure you enquire about the impact that your trip is going to have on the people and the wildlife you are going to encounter. Will the trek be employing local people as guides or porters – if so are they getting a fair deal out of it? Will the hotels or other accommodation be locally run, and the food locally sourced?

Will you have a chance to speak with local people and get to experience their communities and culture? Many offer several days in the location before or after the trek/cycle to taste the country or region. Make sure that you try local dishes and drinks while there as well – using local transport and spending local money.

Enjoy Yourself:
By all means sign yourself up to one of these trips – either a short cycle in your local area, or a full 2 week trek in some far-away destination – but make sure you do your homework first.

Don’t just go for the one that is heavily advertised and accept whatever comes with it – make sure you are happy with their ethics and they practice responsible tourism. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions that concern you – remember their are dozens of companies competing for your attention, so make sure you let them know how you feel by voting with your feet.

By choosing the most ethical trips with the most eco friendly companies, you will be helping to weed out the worst and improve the competition – and of course have the best time on your eco holiday and adventure!