Turkey small group family tour

Environment

The biggest contribution we make to managing the impact of our transportation on the local environment is to travel on public transport. On this trip we use the train, plane and some private vehicles. When using private transport, we will always ensure that it is an appropriate size to suit the group (i.e. no big tour buses for a small group of 16). We also make sure that our vehicles/fleets are well maintained and fuel efficient.

In an effort to reduce single-use plastic during this trip we provide reusable cloth bags to all of our travelers. It’s easy to use plastic excessively, especially during the warmer months. However, we encourage our travelers to buy large 5-10 litre bottles to refill their smaller water bottles. We have also introduced water refill stations in most of our hotels where you can pay to refill your existing water bottle. A reusable bottle is highly recommended on this trip.

Community

An important part of travel is mixing with the locals and experiencing “real life” in your chosen destination. On this trip, we visit small cafes and restaurants and buy locally produced crafts and fresh produce. This gives locals the opportunity to earn money directly and our travelers the chance to interact with them. We will also visit a local home in Göreme and take part in a cooking class with a local family using organic, local ingredients.
All aspects of this trip (on the ground) are operated by Turkish locals including all our leaders, vehicle drivers, local site guides and accommodation providers.

We encourage our travelers to shop from traditional artisans, helping keep traditional crafts alive, and favour local products over imported items. During this trip our families partake in a marbling workshop. They will learn how to create artwork using traditional materials such as earth dyes, horse hair and rose branch brushes. Understand the history and art of marbling, learning how to hold the brush, how to throw the paint and how to achieve the best results all with a local artisan. Likewise, in Göreme our groups have the opportunity to make ceramics during a pottery class with a local master.

We have a foundation which was set up to empower travelers to give back to the communities they visit. It now supports more than 50 local, grassroots projects around the world. Over the past 15 years, the foundation has distributed over AU $5 million to projects tackling areas such as sustainable development, human rights, child protection, environmental conservation, wildlife protection, education and healthcare.

On this trip we support Small Project Istanbul (SPI), a grassroots NGO operating in Istanbul. They offer 40+ programs a week that aim to improve the skills of women and their children, helping them toward a brighter future in which they will be the decision makers. Children participate in childcare, language and psychosocial support to better cope and integrate into mainstream Turkish schools. Meanwhile, their mothers take part in the Women's Skills Development Program which transfers entrepreneurial, leadership and technical handicraft skills in conjunction with their social enterprise.