Rivers and oceans are not only our workplace, but our playgrounds too, which is why it’s so important, we all do what we can to preserve these stunning environments for future generations. We strive to leave the fragile river and ocean environment better than how we found it. We have a leave only footprints policy on all of our adventures. In addition we bring in a minimal number of international guides, whose primary role is to expand the experience and expertise of the local guides. All food is sourced locally and wherever possible from local suppliers directly, rather than large chains. We support local staff who carve or make gifts for our guests and we have the opportunity to share with our guests, the local culture as many of our trips explore untouched and ‘off the beaten track’ adventures.
In our destinations where rafting is established, we employ local guides and staff and assist them to dramatically improve their skill levels. This is done by us employing the best possible guides in the area, paying a fair guiding wage as in other parts of the world, using very experienced international guides to help train the team, paying for guides to get international qualifications such as IRF guiding qualifications and fascilitating guides travelling to other countries to broaden their experiences both culturally and with river experience.
In countries where rafting is a non established occupation or career path, we train local guides up in guiding, teach English and share the skills needed to take care of guests on an international adventure trip. For example in Morocco, we have trained the first ever Moroccan River guide.
In countries where we use porters, we ask that only a fair weight is carried (25kg) and provide breaks, food and clothing to the teams.
As many items as possible are recycled in the business. From re-using paper at the office and utilising the refilling of printer cartridges to the recycling of cans, and glass on river trips and separating food waste which is either buried or removed and fed to local livestock. All fires are in firepans and the waste is also removed. We are the only company in many of the destinations we operate in, who remove human waste in portable toilets. This is then disposed off at the relevant sewage works when the trip returns to town. Not only is this responsible but showing this is making other companies follow suit. Guests are reminded to bring water bottles, which we refill on the rafts, minimising or reducing the need for any plastic bottles.
On additional activities where our guests partake in safari’s, we only choose operators with a responsible tourism ethos. No elephant rides are allowed, nor are any activities where animals are mistreated or kept in captivity. Guests are provided with relevant ways to protest ecosystems, especially when hiking and protecting the fragile river environment.
On all of our adventures, we take our guests on village visits where we can directly benefit the community. We encourage bringing school supplies to Nepal and Papua New Guinea for example and in the case of Zambia we visit our head porters village, where guests have the opportunity to buy locally made carvings. It is imperative that all of our destinations contain a meaningful cultural experience.
All of our local grocery providers deliver all goods in cardboard boxes and no single use plastics are used.
Our adventures are all about local cultures and customs. This is an important aspect of all of our adventures. On all trips, we actively encourage interaction with the local people, often through either direct communication with the clients, or where necessary through our team of local guides. We stop and investigate temples, Inca Ruins, or other points of cultural or historical significance.
Village visits are included in the trips to give insight into the local cultures. On certain trips as well guests are requested to bring school supplies to help local schools which is incorporated into adventures to Papua New Guinea, Nepal and Zambia.
Travellers are provided with accurate pre-trip information via an app with social and political information on the country they are visiting. In addition, local guides meet the clients at the airport and share their intimate knowledge of the region. We encourage our guests to join us for visits to local communities en route down the river. We are in a priveleged position that when on river journeys, we have such special interactions with often remote communities. Often we will trade fish on the way down the river as well.