Central America vacation

Environment

Festivals express the very soul of a community, rooted as they are in local history and folklore. They’ll engage all your senses, with their din, colours, scents, tastes – the sheer rawness and spontaneity of the whole experience. This is a fabulous way to learn about the local customs and traditions and get an authentic view of the country you are traveling to in an unpackaged way.

Certain departure dates for this tour offer a unique opportunity to witness the traditions of the Day of the Dead Festival which dates back centuries. As well as our tour leader, we use local guides at points on this tour, so we’ll be able to get a real insight into not only the background to the festival but also the daily life of local people in Mexico – traditional and modern.

Wherever possible we like to meet the people themselves and get to learn a bit more of their lifestyle, but only where we can be sure we that we are not imposing on them. This is particularly important in the indigenous Tzotil villages of Zinacantan and San Juan, where the Tzotil people share their customs with our groups.

In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators. We acknowledge that air travel has a negative impact on our environment, so we work together with Cool Earth to offset carbon and protect our important rainforests.

Community

We believe that learning about and respecting local people is an integral part of the travel experience and particularly important during a festival which celebrates the lives of people’s nearest and dearest. Why not brush up on your Spanish before you travel as being able to chat with local people, even just a few phrases, shows great respect for local people, is great fun and will really enhance your experience! Employing local guides also generates employment. We also support a variety of other local businesses such as restaurants and cantinas, locally owned hotels and transport businesses, ensuring our visit benefits a wide range of people.