London to the Baltics and back by train

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This tour is completely flight-free from the UK to the Baltic states and back to the UK making use of the rail and ferry network, therefore reducing the overall carbon footprint of the trip.

Most of the city tours and excursions are done by foot rather than driving from place to place, including in the bigger cities of Cologne, Stockholm, Tallinn and Riga. Also, many of the accommodation are centrally located and also near the train station, removing the requirement of short, unnecessary transfers to and from hotels.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

All the hotels we use on this tour have strong environmental and sustainability initiatives and values within their policies. A couple of the hotels used are part of the Radisson Hotel Group who were one of the first major hotel chains to adopt an environmental policy in 1989. They now have implement Think Planet targets across all their hotels, including automatic carbon offsetting at their hotels.

On this tour we visit several towns and places that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as protected reserves and areas such as Cologne Cathedral and Tallinn’s Old Town, and the stunning Lahemaa National Park. 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. One of the highlights of this trip is visiting a local family in Vilnius, and having dinner with them. 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.