Island hopping in the Azores, small group

Planet

The nine volcanic islands that make up the Azores are designated as a Geopark, ensuring the protection of the geographic heritage, fauna and flora and marine areas. On this trip we visit five of the islands allowing us to appreciate their unique natural heritage. We explore each island by public buses, taxis and on foot, keeping to the official walking trails and traveling with respect for the environment. Our Tour Leaders and local guides are trained in how to actively promote responsible tourism and brief our groups on how they can minimise their own impacts, actively encouraging clients to carry all waste with them and use recycling bins that can be found both on the streets and in hotels.

The whale watching company that we use do not cater to mass tourism; the company depends on the whales and as such does everything possible to respect them. This includes keeping the legal distance from the whales and briefing all groups on how they should behave to protect the environment by not littering and keeping noise to a minimum whilst in the boats and out on the water.

As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. CoolEarth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.

People

We experience the different cultures of each island, learning about their traditions. In Furnas on Sao Miguel Island we witness the transportation of the Cozido, a dish unique to the Azores, cooked in a pot under the ground by the geothermal heat and we visit Gorreana, Europe’s oldest and only remaining tea factory which still using traditional processing methods.

The tea plantation has been owned by the same family since 1883. The tea is grown hundreds of miles away from industrial pollution without the use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, dyes or preservatives. It is harvested in the time honoured way between April and September with a traditional festival at the peak of the harvest!

Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the islands of the Azores and helps to maintain traditions, visiting five of the islands and working with locals we help to spread the economic benefits across the Azores.

In addition to the above, 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 UK 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. As well as this, 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 UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.