Canary islands small group tour

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

The First Silence has been designed as a slow journey rather than an itinerary that tries to cover as much ground as possible. We stay five nights on La Palma and three nights on El Hierro, reducing repeated accommodation changes and unnecessary transfers.

We deliberately avoid adding an internal flight between the islands. The journey from La Palma to El Hierro is made by sea via Tenerife, making the crossing part of the experience rather than using another flight.

Walking is an important part of the itinerary. Several days include gentle walks through forest, volcanic and coastal landscapes, generally around 3–5 km, alongside time outdoors, meditation and locally led encounters. This keeps much of the daily programme human-powered rather than activity- or vehicle-intensive.

Our departures take place in April/May and November rather than during the busiest summer period. Guests are also encouraged to make the journey to the Canary Islands worthwhile by staying longer where possible rather than treating the islands as a short-break destination.

We use digital journey information rather than printed welcome packs and encourage guests to carry refillable water bottles and minimise unnecessary single-use items.

We recognise that most international guests will need to fly to the Canary Islands and do not describe this journey as carbon-neutral or impact-free. Our approach is instead to reduce avoidable transport within the itinerary and create a longer, slower stay that brings greater value to the destination.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

The group is limited to a maximum of eight guests. This allows us to use smaller-scale accommodation and transport and helps reduce pressure when visiting volcanic, forest and coastal environments.

Our activities are deliberately low impact: gentle walking, forest-based experiences, astronomy, coastal exploration and small locally led encounters rather than motorised recreational activities. Guests are briefed to remain on established paths, avoid disturbing vegetation and wildlife, take waste away with them and respect sensitive volcanic and forest environments.

Where specialist interpretation is required, we work with locally based guides and activity providers who understand the landscapes being visited and the conditions affecting them.

The journey also includes a Local Impact contribution within its operating model. We are currently selecting a locally rooted environmental or community initiative in the Canary Islands that can receive ongoing support from Be Local during the 2027 season. We prefer to establish a continuing relationship with one organisation rather than make a series of small, disconnected donations. Once the partner is confirmed, we will identify the organisation and the work supported here.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Keeping tourism income within La Palma and El Hierro is central to the design of The First Silence.

We prioritise locally rooted rural and small-scale accommodation rather than international resort chains, and use independent restaurants, guides, specialist activity providers and producers wherever practical.

Each departure includes paid Local Encounters with people whose work and knowledge are directly connected to island life. These may include astronomy, agriculture and food production, traditional craft, plant and landscape
knowledge or other locally rooted expertise. The people involved are paid for their time and professional contribution; we do not expect local people to provide experiences for visitors without compensation.

With a maximum of eight guests, these encounters remain conversational rather than becoming performances for a large group. Guests are reminded that they are entering people's workplaces, communities and landscapes and should adapt to local rhythms rather than expecting local people to adapt to tourism.

Our departures also take place outside the peak summer season, helping direct some visitor expenditure towards local businesses during quieter periods.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
Be Local does not operate a permanent local workforce in the Canary Islands. For The First Silence we contract locally based guides, producers and specialist providers directly for the services they contribute to the journey, using their agreed professional rates rather than seeking unpaid participation.

We aim to create a welcoming journey for travelers regardless of nationality, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation, and the experience is LGBTQ+ friendly.

The programme is intentionally gentle rather than performance-driven, but it does include walking on natural and sometimes uneven volcanic or forest terrain. We discuss individual needs with travelers before booking so that we can explain the physical requirements honestly and determine whether reasonable adjustments are possible.