Cape to Cape guided walking vacation in Australia

Planet

Minimal impact walking: We lead by example and encourage others to follow. We believe that we are doing our job well when our customers leave a tour having had a fabulous, fun-filled vacation but also come away with a broader appreciation of and respect for the natural environment. Ideally, they come to walk and leave as ambassadors for the environment. We stay on formed tracks, avoid trampling vegetation, insist that all rubbish is carried out, and pick up rubbish left by others. Group sizes on self-guided trips are usually only two. On group-guided trips, the maximum size is 15 but there are two guides so we can split into smaller parties, limiting our impact.

We encourage people to only take photos of plants and animals, they must look after the environment wherever possible. We plan our walks to utilize toilets wherever possible and if not available, we provide clear instructions on burying waste and carrying out any sanitary items. We view wildlife from a distance and never feed native animals. We do not light fires in the bush and we do not allow people to smoke on walks. Our motto is “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos and a piece of someone else’s rubbish”.

We donate money to the Friends of the Cape to Cape – these funds are used to assist with regeneration work in the area. The Friends of the Cape to Cape utilize the natural surroundings to provide track signage with minimal impact on the environment. They use volunteers to help keep the track in tip-top condition. Our office is environmentally friendly with double glazing, solar panels, evaporative cooling, green power. We adopt a reduce, reuse then recycle policy wherever possible.

We have advanced Eco Tourism accreditation. We have led the conversation with regard to the environment and tourism for nearly 30 years.

People

On this tour, we employ local guides and drivers. As we are a medium-sized company. All guides undergo our comprehensive training program and this is tailored to each individual’s needs. It covers areas such as safety, first aid, group management, minimal impact techniques, environmental interpretation, cultural considerations.

On our trips, we stay in comfortable local accommodation properties with lots of character. Each one has been personally selected by the owners. It could be an historic guesthouse, a comfortable B&B, a cosy homestay, a seaside cottage,, a resort hotel, a luxurious Ecolodge or a country motel. When we use motels, we look for small, family-run places in attractive locations.

Good food is an important aspect of all our trips. Meals are plentiful, nutritious, wholesome and, wherever possible, offer local ingredients or specialties. No matter which vacation you choose, the accommodation and meals will add an interesting local flavour to your experience. We use local restaurants and encourage clients to stay longer and make the most of the area and what it has to offer. We recommend that our clients do one of the day trips that this area has to offer, like visit the caves or experience the wineries.

Wherever possible, we incorporate quality local tourism experiences into our walking vacations. Examples include bush tucker walks with indigenous people, tours of historic lightstation precincts, lake or river cruises, snorkelling with marine biologists etc. On this walk, we incorporate local attractions and tours en route such as a boat cruise and an option of exploring the limestone caves. This helps the local community, the grass roots of tourism. Money going to where it is most needed.