Poland & Slovakia self guided hiking vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This self-guided walking vacation in Poland and Slovakia, is by its very nature a sustainable way to travel, with guests walking 5-20km per day. To contribute to lower carbon footprint, we offer advice for our guests who might like to travel to and from the start and end point of this vacation by train or bus as an alternative to flying, if they are coming from a different part of Poland.
ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE


During this walking vacation our guests travel through a variety of different environments, such as The Tatras National Park, which are home to important wildlife such as the Tatra chamois and marmot, two of the highly protected species of the park and Babia Góra National Park listed by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve, covering an area of 3,395 hectares, in order to contribute on the preservation of this area three types of protection take place.


Our tour team reminds guests to always practise Leave No Trace throughout their vacation. Routes on this vacation have been waymarked and are regularly maintained; an important measure taken in order to prevent people from straying from the intended routes, therefore reducing any damage to the immediate surroundings of the trails. Many of the routes used in this tour have been either developed (or existing trails selected) in collaboration with local authorities and local communities.

We have an in-house responsible tourism expert, who shares tips and advice with our guests in trip notes, blogs and newsletters. For example, on how to practise responsible hiking with regards to the environment and wildlife, giving tips on environmental charities they can support, practising responsible wildlife watching and taking care to protect the marine environment when hiking or swimming.

With regards to drinking water, we ask guests to bring refillable water bottles and a reusable shopping bag to avoid single-use plastic during their trip. We also ask guests to take any packaging away with them on their daily hikes and be mindful of not dropping litter. The concept of Leave No Trace is important to us and our guests.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of 3* locally owned hotels and a guesthouse. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, good local food or commitment to responsible tourism.

All breakfasts are included on this walking vacation so we encourage our guests to buy lunches and snacks in local shops, and also recommend small, local eateries en route, or the accommodation provider will also provide dinner if requested. All contributing to the local food economy.

Overnight in Zdiar immerse guests in the Goral culture of this village, present in the gastronomy, crafts and people.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners in Poland live locally and play an important role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with vacation entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.