Argentina holiday, Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls

Planet

Making a difference to planet and people underpin our itineraries and travel philosophy, across destinations. Argentina is a particularly good example of this. As a hot spot for nature lovers who are keen to immerse in local culture in a meaningful and informed way, we have gone above and beyond to ensure that we maximise the positive impact of international travel in the locations that we offer.

One of our central USPs is that we work with locally owned, boutique style special stays as opposed to international chain hotels. This works twofold, by providing the traveller with a once in a lifetime experience full of authentic, local flair and also supporting the local community through investment in locally owned ventures and the employment of local staff. Many of these hotels and independent guesthouses also have policies to reduce their environmental impact. For instance our hotel in Ushuaia has an in depth sustainable management policy that promotes the conservation of energy and advocates caring for the environment, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement across economic, social and environmental dimensions.

During this trip you will visit Cafayate where you will enjoy local vineyards on a low emission mode of transport, swapping your hire car for a bike and using your own power to fuel your day as you sip wine in the sunshine. Another low-emission mode of transport you will take is by horse during our gaucho trip in Salta. Here you will ride through tobacco plantations and learn from your local gaucho guide how the tobacco is cultivated in the countryside.

Here in our central Brighton office we work together to recycle the majority of our waste; separating paper, plastic, glass, tins, cardboard and any food waste. All our waste is recycled by the same company we buy our stationery from, creating a closed-loop. Our local suppler in Argentina share our values when it comes to recycling, also separating paper in their offices.
We work in an office space that is b-corp certified, and we are always actively looking to take part in green initiatives in our city. For instance, we regularly partake in beach cleaning activities, and have helped with gardening ventures in local parks in the past.

We encourage our customers to be responsible travellers in Argentina by including a document with their confirmation on topics to think about when they're away. This covers wildlife and fauna, how to prevent destruction through sensible buying of local artefacts made of rare wood or posing for photos with wildlife and interfering with it's nature habitat. Also included is a 'Keeping it Beautiful' and meaningful travel sections, encouraging our customers to not litter, leave rocks and plants where they are and to set a good example for other tourists and locals alike.

People

Our trips aim to put positively impacting local communities at front and centre of our itineraries, as local interactions are what make our trips so fantastic.

In Argentina we give our customers the opportunity to donate to a local project in Buenos Aires who support low income families. They offer support with their basic needs, improving their health, offering education and the chance to better their quality of life.
One of the key aspects of our itineraries is that we work with local partners who are based in country in order to provide the most authentic insight into everyday life in the destination, and divert from the usual tourist trail (which is important when considering the mitigation of environmental degradation in tourist hotspots) but also supports the country's economy even before our customer has touched down as the local partner helps to develop their itinerary.

We maximise local economic opportunities further by using only locally owned excursion companies where you will meet and learn from expert local guides throughout the trip. For instance, when in Buenos Aires you will take a half-day tour of the city with a local guide. They are best-equipped to tell you all about their favourite spots, from shopping districts to cafes, giving you an insider knowledge that you don't get with other, more impersonal city tours.

We work with a local supplier who select their excursions, hotels and transport providers based on morality, honesty and how they can benefit local community. They employ local guides and drivers for their transfers and excursions, which not only benefits the communities and their income potential for their families, but also the added value for our customers to experience Argentina with someone who is passionate and knowledgeable of the area. This also extends to the accommodation we choose, prioritising small-scale locally run hotels. We also use family Estancias during our Gauchos trip where our customers stay on a working ranch which provides additional income to the family, but also allows their culture and way of life to be shared with visitors. After sharing a meal, your guide will play traditional folkloric Argentinean music on his guitar.