Austria walking vacations, walk the lake district

Planet

Activity:
The Salzkammergut area (Austria's Lake District) is one of the most impressive regions in the heart of the country. Boasting 76 lakes and with a beautiful mountain backdrop, it's a perfect place to relax and let the calming atmosphere envelop you. Walking has minimal impact on the environment as you provide most of the energy yourself and, when you’re cycling from village to village, you can enjoy a relationship with locals in a way motorists passing through never can. You get off the beaten track, and you’ll find that people treat you as a visitor rather than a tourist. Also, by walking independently, and not having to worry about keeping up with a group, you set the pace so you can soak up the sights, sounds and scents of your surrounds and really get under the skin of the place you’re visiting.

We proactively encourage walking clients to think about traveling responsibly too: packing light, saving water, buying locally and re-cycling all maps and route notes at the end of their trip.

The walks are relaxed, following mainly well-marked routes, and you can extend them on most days. Allowing minimal disturbance to the environment.

UK Office:
We are aware of the impact tourism has at home and abroad, and we make every effort to balance the environmental impact of traveling with the immense benefits sustainable tourism can bring to destinations and the people who live there. We are signatories of Tourism Declares an Emergency and as such we have a plan of action on reducing our carbon emissions. We will work towards improving life through travel - for the places we visit on our adventures, the people we meet when there, and the planet which hosts us. Our cycling and walking vacations for example are designed to be low carbon - giving you the tools to explore under your own steam rather than in a vehicle.

In the office: we turn off all electrical equipment every night; we use energy-efficient bulbs; we measure print and paper consumption, and re-cycle wherever possible; we print our brochures on paper from sustainable sources, and send them out in bio-degradable packaging.

People

Leaders & local suppliers:
This 7-night self-guided walking vacation offers a selection of activities, where you'll enjoy a mix of spectacular scenic views, gentle shoreline routes, wooded forest trails and 'chocolate box' villages. There are also some great spots to stop off for a swim or dip your toes after a day's walking.

On this trip you are able to travel round using public transport; by doing this you are able to support the local economy.

As with all our vacations, we encourage visitors to buy from independently-run shops & establishments where possible, supporting the local people and their families.