Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania small group tour

Planet

On this tour we spend time visiting and walking in protected environments such as Guaja National Park in Latvia and Lahemaa National Park in Estonia, and our guides are careful to brief travellers on appropriate behaviour and the importance of taking all rubbish with us.

Our visit to the Curonian Spit, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the 'dancing forest' help to support local projects to conserve the areas' cultural and geographical heritage. Clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc.) and behave appropriately.

Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.

We do not send a tour leader from the UK to accompany our tours. We believe that to send a foreign tour leader along to accompany the group is unnecessary and increases the carbon footprint.

we use smaller locally owned properties and avoid larger chain hotels. In our experience, we believe that most properties rely on locally sourced food which helps to cut down on transport miles.

Most of our tours include daily breakfast and one main meal only, normally lunch. For dinner we encourage clients to choose their own places to eat and the guide will always be happy to suggest local restaurants which specialize in local dishes.

If you would like to avoid taking flight, we are happy to book trains for you - reaching the start point by train is an enjoyable option and a real alternative to flying.

People

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced. We also try to engage with our suppliers on an equal basis – getting the lowest possible price usually isn’t the best outcome for local communities and is ultimately unsustainable. We aim to always treat our suppliers fairly and with respect; they are after all part of the key to our success and to us working together is much more than just a business arrangement, but an ongoing relationship that we aim to ensure truly benefits everyone involved.

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures – usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we hope to avoid as much as possible the phenomenon whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to tourism. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops and encourage our clients to interact both financially and socially with the communities that they are passing through. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services.

We only work with operators who are as committed as we are to putting something back into the communities we visit. Whilst in Riga we visit amber craftsmen who teach clients about the local craft. By doing this we are supporting the local workers and their livelihood. Clients also have the opportunity to purchase local souvenirs.

Furthermore, in order to allow our clients to make an informed decision on where a greater proportion of their money should be spent, we avoid including pre-paid full board meals where possible. Local restaurants and cafes then benefit.