The Balkans holiday

Planet

Waste
We visit areas of natural beauty during this trip and our aim is to leave only footprints. We encourage customers to take a reusable water bottle and to responsibly dispose of all litter during the trip. We have set up a partnership with Water-to-Go to encourage our customers in helping us to reduce the use of single-use plastic.
Suppliers
We have worked with the local team in the Balkans for a very long time and they understand the importance to our customers of eating and shopping locally, as well as conserving the areas we visit over and over again. For souvenirs there is an abundance of choice but leaders will recommend small markets and local handicrafts rather than busy tourist shops, and will advise against buying any unethical produce. As well as the obvious benefits, such as increased enjoyment and ensuring money goes into the local community, there are positive environmental impacts to encouraging local eating because, in many cases, the food isn't being shipped or flown around the world.
As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.
The Carpathian region of Romania is home to an estimated 6,000 brown bears, which is one of the few strong and healthy populations remaining in Europe. On this trip we visit the Libearty Bear Sanctuary, a home for rescued bears. Set in an oak and hazel tree forest, the sanctuary has assisted in rescuing countless bears from zoos and captivity and is helping to educate the local communities on the importance of looking after their native wildlife. There are around 70 bears currently at the sanctuary that roam free in a natural environment of large forested enclosures containing hibernation dens and cooling freshwater pools.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

People

A fair deal
All staff and crew working with our groups during this trip are locally recruited including the leaders and local guides. Our local leaders and ground team have been trained by an Operations Manager from the UK and have a long working relationship with the tour operator. It's important for us to ensure money is going into the local economy and our trips offer a sustainable income where possible.
Local crafts and culture
Our leaders always endeavour to encourage responsible shopping and spending within their countries. They will do everything they can to ensure that customers get a true taste of the region, visiting eateries and restaurants where the locals visit too, trying street food along the way and eating traditional style meals - cheese burek is a must-try!
The leaders will offer recommendations of local restaurants instead of larger chains as well as information about markets and bazaars frequented by the locals rather than shopping centres. On this trip there will be the opportunity to have lunch and tea in the mountains with a local shepherd's family which is a great way to learn about rural life and the more traditional cultures.
As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.
We also use a variety of different small, locally-owned guesthouses during this tour which give us a deeper insight into the rural areas particularly around Transylvania. At the family-run guesthouse in Moieciu, the owners brew and sell their own apple brandy, as well as using local produce to cook traditional food. This is sourced from the farmers in this predominantly agricultural area, giving them an important source of income. Our Tour Leaders have built really good relationships with this family and their hospitality is second to none.
As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.