London to Istanbul by rail holiday

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This tour is flight-free from the UK to Istanbul making use of the rail network, therefore reducing the overall carbon footprint of the trip.

We also use hotels that are close to the railway stations, allowing us to walk the short distance to the hotel rather than taking short journeys in taxis or private-hired transfers.

Most of the city tours and excursions are done by foot rather than driving from place to place. This is particularly present in the main cities of Vienna, Budapest and around Transylvania. By doing these tours by foot, it allows a more immersive experience, and reduces our overall carbon footprint and reducing emissions for not using vehicles for these shorter journeys.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

All the hotels we use on this tour have strong environmental and sustainability initiatives and values within their policies. The hotels used in Vienna and Bucharest are all owned and managed by Accor who are working with sustainable certification programmes to gain external and independent recognition of the sustainable practices in place by their hotels. Accor are part of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and also partnered with Green Key and Green Globe which are recognised by the GSTC.

The other hotels on used on this tour, including the Hilton and Intercity Hotel all have sustainable practices in place, which can all be viewed in their CSR guidelines on their website.

On this tour we visit landmarks and monuments that are historically important, for example Bran Castle and Alba Carolina Citadel with its 300-year-old wine cellars and catacombs, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Sighisoara and the rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo. Our visits to these places help to support local projects to conserve the area's cultural and geographical heritage.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We book directly with the local companies for excursions and transfers on this tour, who all use local guides, drivers and vehicles. This means that the money stays within the local economy, benefiting the local people rather than being outsourced to bigger companies or other countries.

We visit a number of important historical sites on this tour. The entrance fees that we pay at these sites helps fund their preservation and ensure that this aspect of the region’s cultural heritage remains for others to enjoy in years to come – particularly important in a country where finding resources for this can be difficult. In addition to this some of these sites contain ancient and fragile religious frescoes that are very susceptible to damage. We make a point of advising our travellers not to touch these valuable paintings to ensure that they remain as they are.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

On our trips we like to include experiences and interactions with the local people. Throughout this trip, the walking tours of the cities are done by a local guide who lives in the area, and they show them around on foot, mixing with the locals. Not only does this provide our clients with a more intimate experience but also provides additional income and employment for local people that may not have other opportunities. Our local guides will carefully explain the customs and cultures of the communities visited to ensure that our travellers are able to behave sensitively towards fragile communities, and help them gain from tourism while not being affected by some of its more negative aspects. By visiting these communities, many of whom live outside the cash-based economy, you are able to contribute to their ability to trade with mainstream society and gain some of the associated benefits.

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced. We also try to engage with our suppliers on an equal basis – getting the lowest possible price usually isn’t the best outcome for local communities and is ultimately unsustainable. We aim to always treat our suppliers fairly and with respect; they are after all part of the key to our success and to us working together is much more than just a business arrangement, but an ongoing relationship that we aim to ensure truly benefits everyone involved.