Douro Valley e-bike vacation, Portugal

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION
At our head office in the UK we recycle paper, card, plastic and metal cans and we always try to use fully recyclable materials for our printed travel documents and marketing communications. We encourage all our staff to cycle when they can and are part of the Cycle to Work scheme. We also like to take part in charity bike rides together each year.

The main components of our vacations are already relatively low emitters of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, but we feel strongly that there is always room for improvement in this area.

The Douro Valley is a brilliant destination with sustainability in mind, thanks to the investment into renewable energy seen throughout the country. Many of the hotels and restaurants on this tour are powered by the wind, such as Casa de São Domingos, so you can responsibly travel.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
Our partners in the Douro Valley provide all cyclists with a refillable water bottle and share some top tips on how to support the local environment. Ideas such as turning off lights when leaving a room, considering if you need clean towels and bedding regularly and taking no more than one shower daily when possible. We also encourage our clients to stick to marked trails and to take away any waste when stopping off for a picnic or to explore the local area.
We've been organising cycling for over 30 years, encouraging this environmentally friendly activity is at the absolute core of our business.

People

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
Each year when we purchase new equipment, we will donate our previous bikes and accessories to local businesses and charities in the local area. We also work with World Bicycle Relief to support bike-led charity projects in developing nations. This fantastic charity provides Buffalo bikes to those in remote communities, offering freedom of movement for the first time. This in turn helps the education, economy, and healthcare of that region, allowing people to travel safely and pursue their goals.


LOCAL ECONOMY
All our tours encourage cyclists to get off the beaten track and discover the lesser-known parts of the Douro Valley, visit small wine producers and eat in local restaurants. We also work with local suppliers to organise activities that support the local economy wherever possible and offer advice on bartering to offer a fair price for both the client and the vendor.

Our cycle experts and partners will also advise our clients to respect local cultures and traditions when visiting the area and its historic or religious sites, for example the Santuário de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, including appropriate dress. They will also discuss other ways you can consider your impact on the community such as asking for permission before taking someone’s photograph and learning a few words in the local language – often hello, goodbye and thanks is a good place to start.