4 week Central America tour

Planet

Travelling in a small group enables us to stay in locally-owned and run hotels. We work closely with our accommodation providers to minimise the overuse of linen and towels. Many hotels we stay in display signs asking travellers to reuse their towels and to take short showers to minimise water wastage. Equally, our leaders encourage travellers to turn off electrical appliances like lights and air-conditioning whilst not in their rooms.

In addition, we ask our passengers to take steps to ensure their trip is as environmentally friendly as possible. On this trip you’ll have the chance to snorkel in the pristine waters of Bocas del Toro, stroll the colonial streets of Suchitoto, explore the cloud forests in Monteverde and so much more. Your group leader will be on hand to help you make the most of these incredible destinations in a responsible way. For instance, disposing of rubbish properly, recycling wherever possible and minimising single plastic use by using refillable water bottles.

The most common mode of transport used on this trip is local buses. As well as being the best option environmentally, it also offers a great opportunity for cross-cultural interaction with your fellow bus travellers. Due to safety concerns we do not use the brightly painted “chicken buses”, which are a common sight across Central America, instead we opt for more modern and efficient inner-city coaches. As a company we’re acutely aware of the negative impacts of carbon emissions on the environment and so we operate a carbon neutral policy.

As a company we aim to contribute to the environmental preservation of the destinations we visit and to reduce any negative impacts our operations may have. This translates to actions such as using local transport where safe to do so in order to reduce emissions, observing all national and marine park visitor rules and operating a ‘take in, take back out’ waste management system, to name but a few examples. Through our inhouse foundation we also invest money into environmental initiatives that benefit the planet, including restoring kelp forests to help reverse the effects of global warming and protecting endangered species such as sea turtles and elephants.

People

This epic trip from Guatemala to Panama is designed to have a low but positive impact on the local communities we visit. Travelling through six Central American countries, visiting beaches, ancient ruins and lush rainforests – this trip does much to support local industry and provide employment opportunities as we go.

Most meals on this trip are at your own expense giving you the freedom to choose the places you eat. When dining together, your group will eat in traditional, locally-owned restaurants and during the day you’ll purchase food en route from local venders and small cafes. Your tour leader will also be more than happy to recommend places where the locals eat as well as where to find the best regional specialities.

We put a major emphasis on real-life experiences on this tour and teach travellers to be aware of regional customs when engaging with locals. With the high degree of cross-cultural interaction on this tour, it’s worth noting that Central Americans can be very conscious of appearance so aim to be casual but conservative in your dress. Away from the beach halter tops and very short shorts should not be worn, and when visiting churches or religious sites shoulders and knees should also be covered.