Lake Como walking vaction

Planet

As part of our Responsible Travel policy, we advise customers to take reusable water bottles with them on tour. Our tour leaders actively do not distribute single-use plastic water bottles and encourage customers to refill their bottles at our hotel in Gravedona and at village drinking fountains throughout the trip. Tap water here is completely safe to drink. Another way to reduce unnecessary waste is through advising customers to bring lunch boxes and cutlery for the picnic lunches which we enjoy each day.

This trek by its very nature has a very low carbon footprint and uses no private vehicles other than for the airport to hotel transfer between Milan Airport and our hotel in Gravedona on the north west shore of Lake Como. Some of our walks are direct from our hotel while other transfers to and from our day walks are on the local public buses and we also make use of the network of public ferries across the lake.

Hotel Regina is committed to reducing it's impact on the planet. In 2009 more than 70 square metres of solar panels were installed providing much of the heating for the hotel and its swimming pool. Lights with automatic switch off have been installed in bedrooms along with energy efficient light bulbs.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

People

This trip stays at the welcoming Hotel Regina which opened in 1998 and is now run by the second generation of the Rasella family. Using a locally owned establishment such as this helps to ensure that part of the economic benefit of our visit goes directly to the community in which we stay

We purposely do not include evening meals on this trip allowing the opportunity for you to spread your custom among some of the other restaurants in Gravedona where you can experience the traditional cuisine and specialities of the area such as risotto made with fish freshly caught in Lake Como.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.