Baltic Republics small group holiday

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

As a two-week in-depth European trip travelling throughout three countries with a combined size similar to that of England and Wales, the relative carbon footprint per day of this trip is very efficient when compared to a short trip.

When staying in the three capital cities, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, we have specifically chosen centrally located hotels so that all explorations can be undertaken on foot. On Saaremaa Island our accommodation rents out bikes so customers can explore this flat and peaceful island with minimal carbon footprint and our Vilnius hotel offers guests the use of free E-scooters!

When coaches are being used for these small group trips, we also keep the size of the coach to a minimum, so rather than using gas guzzling 40-50 seaters we opt for more environmental friendly coaches that use less fuel and therefore admit less carbon.

As a travel company we are acutely aware of our impact on the environment. All of our tours display a carbon footprint, and we strive to reduce our emissions by regularly reviewing our tours and embracing low-impact styles of travel such as trains, public buses or walking – which offer the added benefit of getting a closer connection with the destination and local community.

ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE

The Curonian Spit National Park that we visit on this trip was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a valuable cultural landscape and Nida Beach within the national park has been awarded a Blue Flag. The national park authorities have put in place measures for the sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria in collaboration with the Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and safety providers. Our tour leaders educate our customers about the Park and help promote awareness and understanding of these initiatives.

We have been auditing all of our accommodation to measure the carbon contribution of accommodation to the overall tour footprint. Part of the audit includes the gathering of other information regarding sustainability initiatives at the hotels we use. We are at an early stage of this process but aim to use the information gathered to inform our future hotel choices.

The historical capital cities of Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius are all UNESCO World Heritage Listed, and money spent within them helps to support the local communities and the preservation of the legacy of these distinctive cities.

We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects, and for every customer that travels with us we make a donation to Rewilding Britain and Cool Earth.

We encourage customers to avoid single-use plastic on tour, and our leaders give advice on refill points each day. Where tap water isn't safe to drink we recommend Water-to-Go bottles, a filtration bottle allowing you to drink water from any source.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

As this is a 15 day in-depth trip of the Baltic States, we are able to travel beyond the capital cities and spread the economic impact of our visit into the provincial towns, places such as Kaunas and Tartu.

We only include breakfast on this trip, a conscious decision that means that all other meals can be taken at a variety of locally-owned restaurants where customers can enjoy regional specialties, many of which use locally-produced ingredients. Lunches are often enjoyed picnic-style using items purchased from local stores. All of this helps ensure the economic impact of our visit is spread throughout the communities we travel through.

Our leaders are the heart of tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travellers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY & DIVERSITY

Our trips are led by tour leaders from the Baltic States who know the region intimately and are able to share their knowledge, both of the places visited but they also provide insight into the local culture. Our drivers are also local and the partners we work with are from Lithuania.

Among our tour leaders we have a very equitable balance of male and female tour leaders.