Jordan and Israel vacation

Planet

During this trip we spend 1 night in traditional kibbutz accommodation in Israel and 1 night in a desert camp in Wadi Rum, Jordan, both of which have far less impact on the environment than a standard hotel. The Middle East struggles with regular droughts and water shortages, so by staying in these alternative smaller properties we are supporting a local community and their responsible water usage. In both accommodations, the food is cooked for the group specifically, avoiding large amounts of food waste. Our leaders will also encourage the use of small restaurants where the locals can be found eating, which avoids the large all-you-can-east tourist restaurants and helps towards preventing food waste.

In Petra, we stay for two nights, which is a little longer than some operators offer because we want our groups to have the chance to visit the ancient site of Petra early in the morning ahead of the crowds to experience the true magic. We also offer an optional activity to see Petra by night when many of the day-trippers and coaches have left the area which helps to manage tourist numbers to the area and reduce our collective impact.

As a travel company 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 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.

People

We work closely with our Jordanian operator to run this trip in a way to give as much back as possible to the local communities. Part of this is employing local leaders, who are committed to responsible tourism. The leaders are trained by us and will give a briefing on responsible tourism and how you can help reduce your impact and maximise the benefits to the local community from your visit. This will include how to dress respectfully and act respectfully at holy sites.

This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people.

As a company 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 the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.