Easter Island adventure vacation

Planet

In order to ensure we protect the environment and minimise our ecological footprint we recycle in our UK office and use recycled ink cartridges. We also minimise our waste by limiting the number of vacation brochures we print. Instead, we refer potential customers to our online resources and send most of our vacation information via email.

We always recommend overland travel using local transportation as opposed to short domestic flights where possible. In this case, the only way to reach Easter Island is by air, so we recommend a minimum of 3 nights there. This ensures tourists spend more time on the island, supporting the economy by purchasing meals and souvenirs from local businesses.

We use hotels on Easter Island that are committed to sustaining the environment, by using local stone in their construction and respecting the architectural style of the island, such as the Puku Vai hotel, and by focusing on sustainability and self-sufficiency, such as the Hanga Roa Eco-Village hotel.

Waste is a big problem on Easter Island, as there are no waste management facilities on the island so most garbage has to be carried back to the mainland by cargo plane. In a bid to improve things, our suppliers recommend visitors take re-usable drinks bottles with them to Easter Island, and use the recycling bins provided wherever possible. If it's not possible to dispose of something safely on the island we recommend visitors take the litter with them until it can be disposed of correctly.

Our guides understand the fragile nature of the sites of interest on Easter Island, and help visitors understand how to respect these sites. Whether that be to stay on the designated paths or not to touch the statues. In special cases guides may change the tour itinerary in order to protect the sites, for example, if weather conditions cause paths to become flooded or unsafe. We may also suggest sunset or sunrise tours, to limit the number of tourists at a site at any one time.

We are a member of Sustainable Travel International, a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting awareness, appreciation and respect for local people and the environment through education and outreach programmes.

People

In order to ensure we have a positive impact on local economies and provide socially responsible vacations we only use local suppliers, which helps keep the money generated through tourism within local communities through employment of local guides, drivers and reps.

We always recommend locally-owned restaurants and hotels where possible, aiming to support local communities and give customers the opportunity to ‘travel like a local’. We also provide customers with a list of recommended restaurants tailor-made to their destination and dietary requirements but with a focus on family-run restaurants.

We include day trips in all our vacations, and try to offer a variety of tours to ensure tourists visit the popular sights as well some off-the-beaten-track places which don't benefit as much from tourism. Some of these tours involve transport by horseback rather than motor vehicle.

We regularly provide customers with alternative tour options, for those particularly interested in learning more about the cultural history of the island, its religious history, or ways in which communities carry on these cultural practices. Tours include a 'Umu' dinner party, with locals of the island who will demonstrate ancient cooking techniques and traditional meals.

We work with hotels with similar ethical beliefs, including the Hanga Roa Eco-Village, which supports local charities, working closely with and donating to educational programmes.