Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Feb 17

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Instead of visiting a jungle to help plant trees – why not learn how to live there and survive using it’s natural resources?

There is an ethical company that can offer the opportunity to venture deep into jungles, learn a second language, teach children and adults, and even learn to dive. Their motto is ‘tread lightly…. go far’ and they have a great reputation – even training up Bruce Parry and employing him for years!

Who Are They?
Since starting in 1990, TrekForce have offered expeditions and adventures into some of the most remote locations in the world, helping local communities along the way.

They have also been responsible for setting up over 100 new national parks, carried out biodiversity studies, completed hundreds of separate local projects, planted a quarter of a million trees (they are running as a carbon neutral company now) and placed over 600 teaching assistants in over 300 community schools overseas.

They also run packages for charities and CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – which can boost big company profiles and help to attract future employees.

What Do They Offer?
As part of their packages – and depending on how long you can travel with them – they offer a whole host of skills and experiences. These include the following:

Jungle Training – Instructors will help train you to set up camp, how to navigate, find food and water and basically make it through the night in the jungle.

Explore New Locations- They will set you on a challenge in some remote location at the request of the country you are visiting. This could include cataloging and mapping new areas or archaeological sites – never before visited. It could include building or repairing important structures for research and community support – and supporting local wildlife and conservation.

Living With Host Families- While traveling into these areas you will live with families across the region, learning the language and the culture. You can travel independently during this time, or spend more time with the local community.

Teaching – You have the opportunity to be placed as a teaching assistant within local schools within small or large communities. You may well be involved with field trips, helping to practice your leadership and language skills along the way.

Diving Lessons – Some courses end in a dive party having learnt PADI basics in location, then you can enjoy the clear waters to refresh your mind after all the hard work of the previous months!

Where And When?
Eco holiday destinations include Guatemala and Belize, Ecuador and Peru, Borneo, Papau New Guinea, Nepal, Morocco and Australia.

The adventures range from as little as 2 weeks (basic jungle skills) for around £1200, all the way up to 5 months (the full package) for up to £4100 – that’s less than £30 a day!!!!  Cheaper than a night in a Bed and Breakfast!

And don’t forget that that price includes a pre departure meeting, all meals and accommodation, transfers, training and emergency back-up – and a meet-up reunion afterwards. Not bad in my book.

The trips to Ecuador and Australia include the long term possibility of working there for up to a year from as little as £900 fully supported, and there is also an extended course where you can train to be a qualified expedition leader for over £6000 – this is real serious stuff and could lead you on a whole new career! Just ask Mr Parry about that!!!!!

Are you up for the challenge?

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posted by Catherine on Feb 10

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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!