Highlights of Romania AWB

Planet

Environment
Clients can opt to visit the Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary where rescued bears are taken care of which once belonged to circuses, zoos or private owners. This reserve is now home to 75 bears where guests can visit and see the animals in their natural habitat. By visiting, guests would be supporting the invaluable work taking place here by contributing to the care of these bears.

In addition, we enforce a ‘leave no trace’ policy, whereby we ensure no rubbish including plastic has been left behind throughout our trip in the places we visit. Guests are also encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottle to reduce our dependency on single-use plastic bottles. Our local operator on the ground provides and works in the field of eco-tourism and actively encourages such trips.

UK Office:
It all starts at home where we work towards reducing our carbon footprint in our offices through energy conservation measures, recycling policies and the promotion of cycling and walking as a means for our staff to commute. Our head office has become a plastic-free zone with the use of plastic bottles being banned in our head office and we distributed reusable water bottles and tote bags to every staff member. We also support a large number of community and environmental projects in different parts of the world and try to give something back to the places we visit.

People

Accommodation and Meals:
During this trip we stay in a combination of family-run guesthouses, 3-star hotels and the Evangelical Parish house from Vulcan village, all of which provide employment opportunities for local residents in Romania. Meals are a mixture of fresh local produce and Romanian specialties including smoked meats, cabbage dishes and vegetable soups.

When lunches are included, these are either packed picnics prepared by the guide or guests will be taken to unique and locally run locations such as a monastery and a family-run café in Viscri. Where meals are not included, the leader will encourage clients to dine in and support family-run restaurants and establishments as well as purchasing supplies in local markets in the towns we visit. This ensures local communities are benefitting from our tourism.

Community and Culture:
Throughout the tour we contribute to the local economy by paying for local guides and entrance fees to the People’s Palace, monasteries, and churches. There will be several opportunities to buy local handicrafts and regional produce on the tour, as well as enjoy typical meals with a local family. This trip is designed to allow a high degree of economic benefit to all the local communities that we visit.

We get an insight into the rural, agricultural and cultural traditions and lifestyles of many communities in Romania. During our visit to Maramures we visit wood craftsmen that buold traditional gates and help restore the UNESCO wooden churches famous in the region, as well as other local artisans. In Transylvania, we visit the Saxon towns and villages of Sighisoara, Biertan and Viscri, all UNESCO World Heritage listed and known for their fortified churches and mediaeval architecture. Here, clients are encouraged to buy local crafts, agricultural produce and learn about the traditional Saxon culture. In Viscri we also enjoy a traditional lunch at a local café in a family’s home. The village was saved from deterioration through the initiative of the Prince’s Trust, after the Prince of Wales first visited in 1998. It’s one of the leading examples of how tourism can benefit the inhabitants of remote areas. We may also have the opportunity to visit a tile and brick maker and a blacksmith who help with the restoration of the village.