Slovenia & Croatia multi activity tour

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

The itinerary is concentrated in a relatively small geographic area, with maximum driving times of three hours in a single day. There are no internal flights required, and we avoid traveling long distances over a wide geographic area to keep fuel emissions lower. When we do drive between locations, we use public transportation when possible (such as a shuttle bus in Lake Bohinj and Plitvice Lakes). When shared local transportation is not a viable option, we use a fuel-efficient vehicle that is sized appropriately for the group.

We recognize that some travelers may need to fly into Slovenia or Croatia for the tour. In this case, we recommend they factor in the carbon footprint of their flights when making reservations. When available, we suggest travelers take direct flights to a nearby airport. From there, we can advise clients how to get to the trip starting/ending point using alternative transportation methods, such as a bus, train, or ride-sharing service.

To further limit their personal CO2 footprint, we also encourage travelers to pack light. We send a recommended packing list ahead of the trip to ensure guests have everything they need without bringing unnecessary items. Upon arrival, we advise travelers to be mindful of how much they use air conditioning and hot water and to conserve energy when possible.

We also reduce our carbon footprint on this trip by choosing human-powered activities, including hiking, kayaking, and biking. All six of the activity days on the trip are human-powered. By avoiding fuel-intensive activities and motorsports, we limit the greenhouse gasses produced by this trip. This also keeps noise pollution to a minimum, thereby protecting wildlife in the areas we visit and avoiding disruption to local communities.

Vegetarian and vegan food options are available each day, and we offer meals with locally-sourced food whenever possible. While many traditional Croatian and Slovenian dishes contain meat and/or dairy, modern-day Slovenian cuisine is very vegan and vegetarian friendly.

Croatia is slightly less vegan-friendly, but more and more places are adding locally-sourced vegetarian and vegan options to their menus. We can accommodate all dietary restrictions and preferences and incorporate this into our selection of restaurants that we visit on the tour.

Both Slovenia and Croatia, as well as the restaurants where we have meals, value fresh local produce, grains, and other local products. From traditional pasta and dumplings to wild foraged mushrooms and truffles, vegetarians and vegans will find many great Croatian and Slovenian dishes to try during their holiday.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

We provide all travelers with a pre-departure information packet with tips on minimizing their impact in the places we visit and following the principles of Leave No Trace. Our guides are mindful of the environment on all activities and always advise the group to stay on marked trails and in designated areas. We do not disturb wildlife or take anything from its place in the natural environment. Some of our guides on this are nature experts, having studied forestry, environmental sciences, and related disciplines.

We also strive to be mindful of the environment through careful selection of accommodation partners. We use a variety of small hotels and guesthouses on this trip, and we select lodging facilities that make a clear effort to reduce their environmental impacts. Many of the hotels avoid single-use plastics. For example, instead of providing individual toiletries in small plastic bottles, they have larger, reusable containers in the rooms that are refilled. Hotels also provide travelers with tips and recommendations to reduce environmental impacts, including conserving water, reusing towels during their stay to reduce water consumption from excessive laundering, and being mindful of electricity and air conditioning use.

We support environmental initiatives in Croatia and Slovenia by participating in volunteer projects like beach cleanups, and we donate to NGOs and research institutes including the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation.

The itinerary includes several protected areas that require entry fees, including Plitvice Lakes and Ucka Nature Park. The entry fees support conservation efforts in the areas and contribute to their continued protection.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We support the local economy in several key ways on this trip. All of the guides on this trip are from Croatia or Slovenia. By employing local people, we are keeping tourism income within local communities and providing job opportunities in areas where tourism is a large part of the economy. A majority of our guides are full-time, year-round staff rather than seasonal workers.

We use several different lodging facilities, all of which are small, locally owned hotels, bed and breakfasts, and guesthouses. By avoiding large chains, we keep more income within the communities we visit.

The meals that are included as part of the trip are arranged at locally owned restaurants and feature traditional Croatian and Slovenian cuisine with fresh, local ingredients. This not only supports the local restaurants, but also supports regional agriculture and reduces food miles and related negative environmental impacts.

We stop at local shops and artisan markets, and encourage guests to do any shopping they are planning at these types of places rather than chain stores. For example, the trip starts in Ljubljana, and we encourage travelers to visit the city’s central open-air market to support local farmers, bakers, and food producers. From purchasing homemade bread and pastries to local fruits, honey and cheeses, this is a great way to taste local products and support the local economy.

We also visit a small artisan market in the Plitvice area featuring locally made products, and stop for tastings in small truffle shops in Motovun where travelers can taste this wild-foraged specialty.


EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Both our company and local partners we collaborate with to make the tour possible pay at least the Croatian or Slovenian minimum wage, depending on their location. We promote equal opportunity employment and do not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation.

More than three-quarters of our current staff are women. Outdoor guiding is historically a male dominated industry, and today, there are still more male outdoor guides globally compared to female outdoor guides. We employ local Croatian and Slovenian women as guides on this trip and many of our other tours.

We welcome travelers from all backgrounds, and this trip is LGBTQ+ friendly.