Self-guided hiking vacation in Crete

Planet

This trip spends time exploring the beautiful sierras of southern Spain. This remote landscapes contain a rich wealth of fauna and flora, many of which are endemic to the area, particularly its raptors and mountain birds. The Tejeda and Almijara ranges are also renowned for large numbers of indigenous mountain goats that only a century ago were on the verge of extinction. To help leave a low carbon footprint the trip has been designed cycling from hotel to hotel with only one transfer at the end of the last days ride to Cadiz.

As most of the accommodation that we use on this trip are locally owned properties, we ask our customers to be conscious of their water use when showering. Our local agent is working on ways of engaging their suppliers such as hotels, restaurants, and transport companies to be more environmentally friendly by explaining our values and our customers’ expectations to them.

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

We stay in three authentic white villages including medieval Medina Sidonia, providing a wonderful opportunity to experience Spanish life. The hotels we use are run by local families with a blend of Moorish architecture, local craftsmanship and traditional decoration, giving each room an authentic Spanish character. The hotel owner, welcomes you to eat at the restaurant, with Mediterranean and regional food with Arabic influences. Alternatively, in the evenings you can try local tapas dishes and wine in the small selection of restaurants and bars helping to boost the local economy.

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.