Walking vactation in the German Alps

Planet

Given most of the time is spent exploring on foot, the trip itself is low carbon. it is important that our staff, local partners and customers are aware of the delicate balance which exists in the places we visit, and leave no trace.

Although the water in Germany is safe for customers to drink, on our vacation information sheet we encourage customers to purchase a discounted filter bottle which combines three different technologies to remove over 99.9% of all microbiological contaminants in water. This prevents the need for single use bottles.

We operate a ‘leave no trace’ policy on all snowshoeing or winter walking days to help maintain them for future generations. Our tour leader is trained to promote this message to customers whilst on this trip. Lunches can be purchased from the hotel and we encourage customers to bring a Tupperware container and avoid using plastic bags.

The focus of this trip is primarily snowshoeing however, there is some winter walking involved depending on the amount of snow. We aim to leave minimal impact in all the areas we travel. This includes sticking to the trails to avoid upsetting the delicate balance for plants and animals, as well as not feeding wildlife as they become reliant on tourists, plus maintaining a safe and respectful distance from wildlife.

People

This tour operates during the quieter Bavarian tourism season and in areas typically away from the main ski resorts. It helps to curb the massive decline in visitor numbers which after summer typically declines massively.

We stay in a locally owned family-run hotel that struggle to fill their rooms during winter months. The owner employs German staff, provides equipment for our groups as most meals. It is important that all local staff we employ share our commitment to responsible travel where possible.

We cap this tour at the maximum of 22 customers so as not to impact on the fragile environment of the areas we pass through on foot. On this tour we contract both private and public transport and helps provide economic benefit to the local communities we visit.

We ensure that our staff are equipped with suitable footwear and clothing to cater for the environment in which they are working on.