Our travels are made with responsible tourism in mind. Cristina, on her first guided trip (Mali, 1999), was immediately confronted in a very direct way, as many things in Africa are, with the big theme of responsible tourism.
In Africa, the contradictions and paradoxes related to tourism are much more evident because extreme poverty exacerbates the economic gap. But even for trips in Italy, Europe, and wealthier areas of the world, we believe that it is necessary to pay attention to the organization and implementation of the trip so that our actions have a positive impact. Although we are not (yet) officially members of AITR (Italian Association for Responsible Tourism), we draw inspiration from various ethical charters and guidelines produced, to which Cristina contributed during her work for NGOs.
"Responsible tourism is a kind of tourism implemented according to principles of social and economic justice and in full respect of the environment and cultures. Responsible tourism recognizes the centrality of the local host community and its right to be a protagonist in the sustainable and socially responsible tourism development of its territory. It operates by fostering positive interaction between the tourism industry, local communities, and travelers."
Our travels are sustainable, an intrinsic characteristic of traveling on foot, slowly. The philosophy of walking slowly is applied to all our travel proposals, even the “adrenaline-filled” ones such as skiing, mountaineering, or climbing. Environmental sustainability is our priority, manifested through specific proposals for outdoor education and Citizen Science, both for adults and children. Our guides all have specific training and personal attention to respect, preservation for future generations, and enhancement of nature, and together, we fight every day for policies that prioritize the environment.
All our travels focus on responsible tourism, and therefore you will not find any specific labels.
How does our responsibility and sustainability manifest itself in daily operations?
The itinerary: In areas where excessive tourist presence is creating social, economic, and environmental issues, we choose itineraries that mitigate this effect, or we propose them out of season or during low-traffic hours or even with unusual means. Travelling to the Cinque Terre has put us in front of this situation; the solutions we have found include, for example, proposing trekking in the month of March or admiring the villages from the sea aboard a kayak.
The places where we sleep and eat: All chosen with care and, needless to say, verified, tested, and personally experienced; most of the time, they are our favorite places. We avoid large multinational chains, whose profits feed the exploitation chain, and prefer small family-run or cooperative structures, places where we can meet the people who live, sometimes in a revolutionary way, in the territories we visit. One of these places is where our Tour Operator is based; the same place where Cristina lives, Lucia cooks with the products we grow, and where all together we manage the agriturismo Cascina Fogona. This is the base camp from which some of our trips along the Western Ligurian Riviera and lower Piedmont depart; it is the place where you can relax in summer after visiting the marine protected area of Bergeggi Island by kayak or where you can come for a yoga or mindfulness retreat.
Transport: Those who love to travel and are responsible towards the planet are in crisis when it is necessary, for example, to take a plane to reach a destination. This is the case of Elisa who loves to accompany people to the Azores but who wonders about transportation alternatives between one island and another. Our experiences and travels are by definition slow and with low-impact as we move on foot, in a kayak, by bike. For transfers, we prefer public transportation, even if sometimes in remote or mountainous areas, could be difficult. Public transport is an opportunity for a slower journey, to meet people in their daily lives, or to simply get an authentic look at the place we are visiting. Our commitment in reducing CO2 emissions is the biggest, in all our trips.