We love the planet and the people in it, hence we want out traveling to be as sustainable as possible and support the communities we visit. For this blogpost we are so pleased to partner with G Adventures, a small-group adventure travel company and social enterprise that offers more than 700 different tours in more than 100 countries. G Adventures believes in giving back and has designed a number of their tours around specifically supporting women in the communities visited. These are 5 of them.
1) Sri Lanka
Tea plantations that stretch as far as the eye can see, rolling hills sprawled with lush forest, ancient temples and pristine beaches are among the many wonders that draw travellers to Sri Lanka. This tour takes travellers on a two week adventure, offering the opportunity to wander the streets of Nuwara Eliya, exploring the green valleys around Ella and spending two night in AMBA estate, an organic farm and guest house. From the rolling valleys to the southern beaches, you will spend time in the ancient fort town of Galle, before travelling to Mirissa to set foot on a small catamaran – your home for the next week. Spending days exploring beaches and fishing towns, you can swim in the clear waters, and even have the chance to spot blue whales as they feed off the southern coast.
We all know that travel, when done responsibly can change so much more than just the traveller’s life. As part of G Adventures commitment to support local communities and empowering women, travellers on this trip will visit the in Kandy, a social enterprise which employs and offers opportunities for women and youths with disabilities. Here you can enjoy a tasty breakfast or lunch, meet with the ladies and visit the craft shop where local artisans can sell their handicrafts.
2) Belize
In western Belize lies the community of San Antonio. Here, the 3,500 locals are sustained by agriculture, despite having a rich Mayan history. Family sizes are often seven or more and, like many resource poor communities, education for women is, sadly not a priority.
This nine day trip is part of the National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures collection and will see you immersing yourself in the culture, and history of Belize. From visits to Lamanai ruins, a renowned Mayan ceremonial site surrounded by lush jungle and a visit to the Community Baboon Sanctuary, co-founded by five-times National Geographic grantee Dr Robert Horwich, there will be plenty of opportunity to learn on the trip. Butterfly gardens, tubing and canoeing through natural limestone caves are also on the agenda as well as a visit to the , a project where you can roll up your sleeves and try your hand at ancient pottery making techniques, taught by local women. The project offers employment and training to women in San Antonio while conserving their ancient Mayan heritage.
3) India
For many travellers, solo female travellers in particular, the idea of going to India alone can be a daunting prospect. When you touch down in Delhi airport and walk through the airport doors to the bustle of city life, being greeted by a smiling female driver ready to take you safely to your hotel is a huge relief. All travellers with G Adventures are collected by , a project set up to offer jobs with dignity for women. Training Delhi’s first fleet of female-only chauffeurs, Women on Wheels has generated employment for over 650 women in India.
This week long tour is a great introduction into India’s northern regions, taking in three very different cities; Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. While it may be the most iconic of India’s landmarks, the trip will offer so much more than the Taj Mahal, showing the backstreets of Delhi, led by former street children, exploring the deserted former capital of the Mughals, Fatehpur Sikri, getting a taste of local life with time to cycle through rural villages, and spend the night in rural Dhula where you’ll meet shepherds and have tea with villagers. In Jaipur you can visit the Amber Fort, which is famous for its mix of Hindu and Muslim architecture, or sit down and enjoy a Bollywood film at the famous Art Deco theatre of Raj Mandir. When travelling in a group, you can have the security and expertise of a local guide, meaning you can focus on exploring all India has to offer!
4) Tanzania
Watching the sun set over the plains of the Serengeti is an experience high on most travellers bucket lists. But, wouldn’t it be great if you knew that your trip to spot the world’s most amazing wildlife was also doing good for the local community and for the women that live there? This two week trip takes travellers to the Serengeti National Park in search of the Big Five but also with a higher purpose. Here, travellers can visit an authentic Maasai village where an incredible group of women, as part of initiatives, are being trained as engineers to install clean cooking options in to the Maasai community homes. With the current stoves creating toxic fumes, which is a big issue for the health of the Maasai community, each traveller taking this trip will pay for a clean cookstove to be installed in a Maasai home.
Early mornings take you into the national park where you’ll watch the wildlife that live on the Serengeti plains and explore the Ngorongoro Crater, home to many species of wildlife. Heading over to Zanzibar, you can lose yourself in the cobbled streets of Stone Town, visit spice plantations and spend afternoons with a great book under a tree on the white sand beaches.
Sounds good? It’s so important to include sustainability and impact in your thoughts when you select a destination or a way of traveling, and we hope this post was able to give you some input with regard to those issues. Happy travels!
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by G Adventures, a travel group provider we are happy to endorse!
