Cambodia culture & wildlife tour

Planet

In Cambodia we (as with everywhere we go in South East Asia) we carefully choose accommodation, suppliers and transportation that either minimise their effect on the environment or that help to contribute to its sustainable development. By choosing small, privately owned accommodation where possible we also look to only stay in truly eco-lodges and where possible we stay inside the national parks and make sure that most of the money makes its way back to the national park itself; by doing this we make sure that nearly everywhere we stay on this trip the management abide by basic and also pioneering methods of ecological sustainability.

As part of this trip we visit a conservation area which is relatively new and we are key in contributing to its ongoing work and success. We are also one of the few people to offer the dolphin watching in Kampi Lake, which is another local ecotourism practice which is relative new also. These are examples of small scale sustainable ecotourism which are working to take the local people out of poverty and exploitation of the environment and into sustainable forms of income.

Wildlife Promise:

By bringing people here with a professional zoologist/naturalist as well as professional local guides we aim to showcase the environment in full but also to allow you to learn about the problems facing the ecosystems here and highlight the ways that continued development and human exploitation are affect the species and how cutting edge research is countering the problems as well as showing you examples of success stories. We also keep a record of all the great sightings we see on each tour and record the environmental factors, this data is used by ourselves but also given to the researchers who are working on many of these species. All the information collected in invaluable as the knowledge of some of the animals that live here are little understood. We also donate our pictures to the researchers to aid in their photo identification studies.

When visiting the gibbons and Irrawady dolphins in Cambodia we are contributing direct to their ongoing research and conservation, these activities are much needed sources of revenue to stop the deforestation within the regions we visit as well as other areas within the wildlife's range.

Throughout this trip we use as many locally produced and sourced foods as possible, by doing so we minimize waste as most of these locally produced products have less packaging that mass produced products. All waste we do create during the trek is taken back with us to the city so they can be recycled effectively. In fact nearly everything we consume along the way is locally produced in the villages around the parks and reserves we visit. Leaving next to no waste from packaging.

For water conservation we reduce washing of bedding and towels by encouraging our clients to use the same towel for the duration of their trip, so to reduce water usage in cleaning them regularly.

Solar power is an important in rural South East Asia, it is how water is heated for showers.

We only use one vehicle on this trip, we minimize the amount of driving on the trip, most of the movement on the trip is walking.

People

As with any of our tours throughout Asia or elsewhere in the world we always employ local guides and drivers. They have a much better local knowledge and also helps to bring in revenue sources to the local community.

All of the hotels and lodges that we stay in make sure that all our resources such as food, drink and equipment is locally sourced. We also try and make sure that all the local guides that we hire and who work for the lodges, camps and guesthouses that we visit are from the local area. Some of the conservation areas visited and wildlife watching locations are run by the local communities and they have established small scale sustainable ecotourism which contributes direct to the animals ongoing research and conservation as well as providing a much needed revenue stream for the rural communities which is not centered around the exploitation of wildlife and the environment. We think that by employing local guides we have encouraging a future generation to follow this career.

Many of the accommodations that we use are involved in community based projects and schools in particular as well as conservation projects such as reforestation and cultural programs which are helping to keep alive key components of the local heritage.

Many of the projects that are funded by people staying here are geared towards helping children in townships get better education and enhance their career opportunities in the future. We also encourage the purchasing of local handicrafts which are all created in a sustainable way and provide great unique souvenirs.

By using accommodation that is near the park and also local villages the lodges we use are actively encouraged to employ local village people as staff.

When visiting Vuen Sai Seam Conservation Area you will have opportunities to purchase local crafts as well as seeing how they are produced, either at the lodge (which often have women initiatives producing handicrafts), or in the local villages that surround the conservation area. We also offer the chance for our clients to visit the local villages in between safari activities and during these village visits you can be involved in handicraft making and also purchase direct from the artisans.

Throughout this trip, as with our other tours in Asia we give all of our clients the opportunity to contribute and participate in local traditions and activities. We are at the mercy of local people and the local communities when off the beaten track in Cambodia. So it is crucial we make sure that we have a great relationships between our clients, guides, suppliers and the local communities. By bringing supplies (such as medication, school supplies and solar chargers) from the towns to these rural communities we help to secure a strong relationship through eco tourism.