Shetland wildlife vacation, Scotand

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

To help reduce carbon emissions we include pick-ups and drop-offs at public transport locations in Lerwick or Sumburgh at the tour start and end. This includes an early morning pick-up from the ferry terminal making it an easy and stress-free option for travel.

Food during the tour will almost always include Vegetarian and Vegan options as standard (dietary requirements are requested from guests prior to our tour commencing so this can be planned and catered for).

To help reduce their carbon footprint Sumburgh Hotel utilises a biomass boiler for their hot water.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

We travel in a small group with a maximum of 10 to maintain minimal impact on wildlife, habitats and local communities.

We encourage our guests to steer clear of single-use plastics, instead bringing their own personal reusable water bottles for the tour.

Our ‘no paper’ policy means that all our tour information is sent to guests digitally.

This tour directly supports the Scottish charity Trees for Life, by planting at least one native tree in their woodland for every guest and leader who joins our tour. During the tour itself we also support the RSPB through visiting sites including Sumburgh Head and Mousa and giving a financial donation to the specific reserves we visit. The local ringing group is also supported financially and a number of charities and organisations are supported through data collection during the course of the tour, including, but not limited to the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, iNaturalist, Seaweed Spotter and the Shark Trust.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We stay in independently-owned hotels to support local business rather than chain hotels. This tour involves staying at two bases which not only allows us shorter drives to our wildlife destinations each day but also spreads our support to the wider local economy.

All food for the tour is purchased on the islands and there are also opportunities for guests to visit local business e.g. in Lerwick where crafts, foodstuffs etc. can be purchased.

As well as using two different local boat companies for this tour, we openly utilise a network of local contacts to achieve optimal wildlife sightings, demonstrating our respect of valued local knowledge and promoting the research and work of nature groups on and around Shetland.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Having operated many tours on Shetland we have built up strong relationships with multiple local businesses, suppliers and individuals giving our guests a unique and authentic experience.
We support local businesses and operating partners throughout the tour which contributes to the Shetland Isles’ economy as well as embracing Shetland’s rich culture.

All our tours are LGTBQ+ friendly.