DESTINATIONS BUDGET ALTERNATIVES | SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
LIKE THIS? GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
The original wildlife destination – just ask Charles Darwin – Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands are 97% national park and a bucket- list favourite for sustainably minded travellers. The islands are a hotspot for expedition cruises, but boat trips are strictly regulated so as not to overwhelm the population (both human and animal). Excursions visit sanctuaries and conservation projects, and many operators encourage tourists to patronise local businesses.
THE AMAZON
The largest rainforest on Earth is a precious resource, and tours that kayak along its winding rivers, trek through its dense vegetation and connect with Indigenous communities can help to preserve this awe-inspiring natural environment. G Adventures has a community-focused non-profit, Planeterra, which features a week-long adventure in Ecuador that starts and ends in the vibrant capital, Quito. The small group then travels by public bus into the Amazon, where they stay in comfortable wooden huts owned by a Quechua family and get to know what life is like in the region. Activities include canoe tours to animal rescue centres, medicinal herb walks in the rainforest and a cacao tasting. Indigenous cultures are paid the utmost respect, with travellers encouraged to participate in their traditions, from blowgun contests to biking with a Quechua guide. BOOK IT: The seven-day G Adventures Local Living Ecuador – Amazon Jungle trip starts from £619 per person. Includes breakfast and most lunches and dinners, experiences listed on the itinerary and local transport, but excludes flights.
gadventures.com
TRY THIS NORWAY
With around 1,200 spectacular fjords cutting into the Nordic nation’s coastline, water is omnipresent in Norway. Cruises are a popular way to explore the fjords, but starting from 2026, only ships powered by alternative fuels will be able to enter these green-blue valleys – which will make environmentally friendly travel a no-brainer. In cities such as Oslo and Bergen, fascinating and eclectic museums provide cultural stimulation.
NORTHERN IRELAND
With a rugged coastline of sheer cliffs, interlocking basalt columns and castles that overlook sandy coves, this UK region packs a big punch. Plus, it’s hot on Scandinavia’s green heels, with capital city Belfast placed 10th in Tripadvisor’s most sustainable destinations in the world for 2024 – Oslo is eighth. Besides being an affordable place to visit, getting here doesn’t require flying. Shearings sells a coach trip that takes in the best of Belfast and Northern Ireland; clients are picked up from their local coach station, before crossing the Irish Sea on a short two-hour ferry from Cairnryan. Guests explore Belfast using the greenest transport of
all – walking. A highlight is Titanic Belfast, which is both a fascinating museum and an eco-friendly feat of engineering. Coach journeys then wind around the coast road to the Giant’s Causeway, before the last day is spent at leisure in Belfast. BOOK IT: Shearings’ four-night Titanic Belfast and Giant’s Causeway leads in from £529 per person, based on two sharing. Includes breakfast and dinner, local pick-up, ferry fare and select excursions.
shearings.com
TRY THIS
LIKE THIS?
travelweekly.co.uk
11 APRIL 2024
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PICTURES: Shutterstock/Georgios Tsichlis, Fotogrin, Smit, Photo Spirit; Andy Burt
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