Safari operator, guide, cook, mechanic, raconteur and adventurer Thomas Holden has been smitten by Africa since childhood when his grandfather first ignited his passion for the continent. Thomas now runs a safari company in Tanzania and shares with us his enthusiasm, experiences and top tips for his adopted homeland.
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Articles in the 'Responsible Travel' Category
This special feature aims to shine a spotlight on South America as we launch our brand new brochure for the continent.
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We support a number of charities across the world and it is always thrilling to hear back from them with news of successes or future projects.
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Audley’s Marketing Manager, Jim Millward, discusses a dilemma facing many travellers.
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It was back in 2000 that Lizzie Corke and Shayne Neal first considered opening an ecolodge in the Cape Otway National Park; their dream was an environmentally sustainable guesthouse and ecological research centre in the Otways where people could learn about and observe native animals. In 2004 this dream became reality and here we look at what a stay at the Great Ocean Ecolodge entails.
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I do not believe it is an overstatement to describe a visit to a polar region as a trip of a lifetime. And I believe that if you visit one end of the earth you will feel an inexorable pull to visit the other. Well, that is what I, a couple of my colleagues, and many of our clients have discovered over the last few years, and this has led to the development of our dedicated team of Polar cruising specialists.
The easiest way to visit a polar region is on a cruise, in our summer time to the Arctic and in our winter time to Antarctica, but these cruises are unlike any other. They are journeys of generally between 7 and 21 days on boats specially designed for navigating these waters.
If you are unsure which to visit first, then I would say where better to start than with a simple question: polar bears or penguins?
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In October 2008, 21 people struggled over mountains and dried river basins on a five day trek to the historic site of Petra in Jordan. £7890 was raised by the trek through sponsorship which is being divided between two charities: Friends of Conservation’s project in Costa Rica and the Al-Hussein Society in Jordan.
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There aren’t that many UK companies with their own staff vegetable plot and flock of office chickens. Jim Millward explains how Audley are trying to minimise the impact of running their operations.
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Southeast Asia is home to many minority groups and tribes, but visiting them can make westerners feel uncomfortable. The difference between the material wealth of the traveller and the poverty of the villagers is on stark display, and it can be difficult to come to terms with the disparity of living standards. The last thing you want is to feel like a voyeur, so we have found some ways for you to get involved with the local people, allowing you to feel more like a guest. Here some of our Southeast Asia specialists talk about their own experiences and how you can ensure that your visit gives something back to the areas that you spend time in.
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Age commands respect in Africa, and the Governors’ Safari Camps in the Masai Mara are amongst the longest-established in East Africa. Best-known in the UK as home to the BBC’s ‘Big Cat Diaries’, their relationship with the local community goes back generations. Silver Level Safari Guide Leonard Sadera talks to Sarah Read, Audley’s East Africa Regional Manager, about how Governors’ has helped his family.
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Several recent harsh winters have threatened Mongolia’s nomadic way of life. Jo Hoban explains that the first step to preserving the culture is to spend some time in a family ger.
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Buying ready-made souvenirs is very “last year”. In New Zealand an initiative gives travellers the chance to learn regional craft skills. Helen Richards reports on a project that lets visitors make their own memories.
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Craig Burkinshaw, MD of Audley, argues that effective carbon offsetting should be an obligatory part of the ticket price for all air passengers around the world. The issues, however, are complex and, in some cases, controversial.
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India is changing fast. In the south of the country a range of hotels are pioneering standards for social, cultural and environmental responsibility. Here our specialists choose some of their favourites.
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Sometimes the Land of the Rising Sun seems to focus too hard on the future. Claire Barnes finds a dedicated American trying to seed life back into a remote corner of rural Japan and save a taste of the past for future generations.
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The mountain nomads of Kyrgyzstan can become much more than just part of a traveller’s view. North & Central Asia Regional Manager Huw Owen samples their lifestyle at first hand, uncovering a programme that lets visitors contribute directly to local families by staying in their homes.
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When home is a remote island off the coast of one of the world’s poorest countries, low-tech tourism is often your best hope of change. Madagascar specialist Aisha Battersby focuses on Tsara Komba, a small island resort that is fully integrated with the local community.
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Australia represents the very definition of long haul travel. The perception that such a trip generates a significant carbon footprint cannot be disputed but as a destination, Australia is environmentally forward thinking and offers a variety of sustainable travel experiences to satisfy the responsible traveller. The cost to the environment therefore can be limited through planning an itinerary that takes advantage of such experiences, ultimately proving that a trip to this part of the world can be considered at least as, if not more, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable as destinations much closer to home.
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The Canadians are proud of their country and have been something of pioneers in responsible travel. Aaron Cork visits Gaspésie Peninsula, a fine example of this ethos.
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Regular readers of Audley Traveller and those who have travelled with us to Jordan will already have heard about the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. Andrew Hunt, North Africa & Arabia Programme Manager, offers background and history to help explain why we are so vocal in our support of the organisation.
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Running a lodge in Africa is always a responsibility. Even more so when you are the only property on a remote island reached only by chartered light plane or a weekly tramp steamer. Matt Vlemmiks finds a lodge on Lake Malawi that is certainly doing its share.
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Fair Trade food showed the way but it’s taking the travel industry time to catch up. A new initiative in South Africa links environmental stewardship with responsible employment practices.
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Peru and Ecuador might not control the largest part of the Amazon rainforest. But the western Amazon has been showing the way in conserving the natural environment and indigenous communities.
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Emma Skelton, our Responsible Travel Co-ordinator, attempts to pin down this term that, although now widely used in the travel industry, remains relatively undefined.
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Responsible travel is not only about minimising the environmental impact of travel, but also about improving the social and economic infrastructures of host destinations. Ultimately, we strive to ensure that a visit from Audley clients leaves a destination better rather than worse off. The nature of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of responsible travel – we use, wherever possible, locally owned accommodation options, locally managed grounds agents and local guides and drivers. One of the vital parts of our country specialists’ research trips is to unearth new initiatives. Here are a few of our favourites.
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Our second fundraising trip in support of the Audley Charity Portfolio is a five-day trek through Jordan’s wilderness to Petra.
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Climbing Mount Toubkal for charity, supporting eco-tourism in Laos and Travel Operators for Tigers.
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The vital efforts of Friends of Conservation to protect the black rhino in Tanzania
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Rachel Wood invites you to help save the dwindling turtle population of the Western Cape of Australia
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Natalie Lewis discusses the plight of the Asian Elephant.
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We consider the issues surrounding travel to the Galapagos with Graham Watkins of the Charles Darwin Foundation.
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Update on Responsible Travel issues.
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Mount Toubkal charity climb in aid of the Audley Charity Portfolio.
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Friends of Conservation update and Audley Travel sponsors a baby elephant. Community Based Tourism project offers homestays .
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Our Southeast Asia specialists look at responsible travel in the region.
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Responsible Tourism updates from around the world.
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Update of Responsible Travel issues.
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Not only getting the most of your trip, but putting something back too.
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Responsible travel doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.
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Sustainable tourism is thriving in the rainforests of Borneo.
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How Audley, and you, can help a very special school in Saigon.
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