Today is the final day that you can nominate your favourite company for The Responsible Tourism Awards. In 2008 we won the 5* Responsible Tourism Award from AITO and our whole philosophy is based around the idea of ‘treading lightly’ low volume, low impact holidays. An increasing number of our trips are now organised in conjunction with local community projects. These special holidays bring clients as close as possible to the local people and maximise the benefit each holiday brings to their community. We have picked the best six below: 1. Nabji Trail – Bhutan Each day a different village provides the guide, porters and campsites for the trek. We pay the villages direct for these services, ensuring the money goes back to the community. 2. Tibetan & Tamang Villages Trek - Nepal Spend a few days living in a Himalayan village. Take part in everyday activities in the local homes and fields, or simply observe Nepali life. The price of this holiday includes a £130 donation to a charity supporting education, healthcare, and cultural heritage in the village where you stay. 3. Mekong and Minorities – Laos Staying in simple lodges or village houses, walkers on this trek enjoy meals prepared by local families. Porters, guides, food and accommodation are all organised by the villages. 4. Cardamom Mountains – Cambodia Our trek is organised by the local community of Chi Phat. On trek you will be led, your food cooked, baggage carried and accommodation provided all by local villages. A pioneering trip to what Wanderlust magazine called “South East Asia’s next big trekking destination”. 5. Ausangate – Peru A stunning Eco Trek, with no other trekkers in sight. Enjoy the comfort of cosy lodges, knowing at the same time that the local people have been trained and employed to support the eco credentials of the trek. 6. Zanskar Bridge Project – India Zanskar is a small Tibetan Buddhist kingdom, lying just north of the main Himalayan range, and about 120 miles long. Mountain Kingdoms’ Managing Director, Steve Berry, has had a long association with the Kingdom of Zanskar. In 1946 his father, Major Roy Berry, went exploring up to the Kingdom of Zanskar. In 1981 Steve Berry retraced his father’s steps returning to remote Zanskar and becoming friends with one of the Kings of the small kingdom, Gyalpo (precious ruler) Punchok Dawa. With the advent of a summer jeep track into the kingdom, and the introduction of electricity, slowly but surely some of the old traditional ways began to be affected. Many of the traditional twig bridges were replaced by steel cable suspension bridges, or even metal girder bridges. It has now reached a point where only three of these traditional bridges are still in existence. Steve Berry came up with the idea of raising money to build a new bridge with the support of Punchok Dawa. After years of fundraising the new twig bridge has been built. The work could only take place in winter when the river below is frozen. The restoration of the bridge has kept traditional skills alive in the region and is keeping traditional mountain paths open to locals and trekkers alike. Steve is leading a trek to Zanskar this September to celebrate the official opening of the new twig bridge.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:22:33 +0000
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