The trip was an amazing experience. As expected it was physically tough but worth every drop of sweat and mud (no blood fortunately). For me personally, I found the heat hard to adjust to. I expected us to benefit from the shade of the rainforest more than we did and I guess going from a Scottish winter to an equatorial country didn't help. Having said that it didn't detract from my enjoyment, just made it harder work. We were also lucky because all 13 of us got on very well and it was a good mix of people. A special mention has to go to the guides and Danny in particular. I remember when we did the Cycling in the Andes that the guides were good but Danny was excellent. As well as being extraordinarily fit and knowledgeable about adventure stuff he was passionate about Costa Rica, it's environment and future. He had a great sense of humour and as if all that weren't enough he and his team were superb cooks. Although this wasn't everyone's idea of a relaxing holiday I came home envigorated and motivated with stacks of energy - apart from having to negotiate Terminal 5 on it's second day of chaos! I've already been on your website looking for the next potential challenge, if only work didn't get in the way.
Responsible Travel
GIVING SOMETHING BACK ... World Expeditions is committed to responsible travel and true sustainability. It was a commitment formed when the company was established, and today, in the face of a multitude of threats to the environment, our commitment is stronger than ever. We aim to ensure that our destinations retain their natural character and cultural diversity for future generations. This vision can only be achieved with the support of all of our travellers and business partners. Our ‘Responsible Travel Guidebook’ has been written in order to fulfill our vision. The booklet sets out our environmental objectives and practices and how you can play a part in reducing the impact on environments and cultures around the world. Every participant on a World Expeditions adventure receives their own copy of this guidebook.
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>> CLICK HERE to view our award-winning Responsible Travel Guidebook
>> Read about our committment to becoming carbon neutral
Our responsible tourism policy commits us to the following principles:
Environmental Sustainability
| • | True sustainability in all aspects of our business planning and operations. Specifically World Expeditions tour operations should be managed in a way where the natural and cultural values of the host region are undiminished in the long-term. |
| • | Where possible, World Expeditions engages in partnerships with local environmental groups and/or land managers to actively campaign for conservation or promote environmental protection and/or rehabilitation. |
Responsible Travel
| • | World Expeditions’ aims to maximise the positive benefits of tourism for host communities. This includes training and employment of local staff, using local suppliers and assisting in the development of sustainable local businesses. |
| • | We actively minimise the negative effects that tourism can have by ensuring that tourism does not divert resources away from local communities or drive up prices on local resources. World Expeditions provide opportunities for cultural exchange, where locals and visitors alike can share and learn from each other in an environment of mutual respect. |
| • | We contribute to the welfare of the host community. This is epitomised in our Community Project Travel program where we organise for our travellers to spend time in disadvantaged villages upgrading basic facilities such as health, education and water access. World Expeditions strives to educate our travellers about the destination and its local cultures as well as providing guidelines on appropriate behaviour to minimise impact. |
Read about our responsible travel initiatives at work in: Nepal & India ; Africa ; Peru & Bolivia ; Australia
Hear what the following organisations and foundations have to say about our commitment to true environmental and cultural sustainability:
Rainforest Alliance
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World Expeditions and the Rainforest Alliance have established an alliance to support Best Management Practices in Sustainable Tourism. The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour.
World Expeditions currently work with partners in Ecuador and Costa Rica that follow the Rainforest Alliances Best Management Practices and are currently working on more.
For more information on the Rainforest Alliance visit their website.
Responsible Tourism Awards
Winner of the inaugural 2008 Leadership Award at the Responsible and Travel Tourism Forum (RTTF).
World Expeditions also received a Highly Commended Award for Best in a Mountain Environment category in the First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards 2006.
“World Expeditions is a global adventure travel company with over 30 years experience around the planet. Their Nepal trekking operation, run by Nepalis, is notable for its pioneering Porter Protection program that has set the industry benchmark which many companies are starting to follow. All porters are provided with generous insurance, all the protective clothing and footwear needed, all camping and cooking facilities, as well as food” First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards, 2006
And in 2001 World Expeditions won the WWF Environmental Achievement Award for our publication of 'The Responsible Travel Guidebook' which highlights ways to minimise the impact of your travel.
