Tigray trekking tour in Ethiopia

Planet

The sites are part of wholly community-owned enterprises, run for and by the local community in which they are situated. Environmental considerations are an integral part of the enterprises.

Ecotourism is a fundamental part of the work we do in each area we operate. For each site we limit the amount of tourists that can visit at any one time to a maximum of 8, to reduce pressure on resources of the area, the environment and the communities that also live there. We use eco-toilets (dry composting urine separating toilet), which reduces water use and avoids creating septic tank issues which can seriously harm the environment. The water that is made available to tourists is a limited resource, and we therefore remind our guests to treat it as such. Showers using jerrycans heated by the sun is available, and the runoff water is diverted to promote tree growth.
We plant indigenous trees around the guesthouse, and this is supported by the local communities. We also encourage the local community to see the flora and fauna of the area as a resource, and therefore to protect it for the future.

We have been supporting this community tourism initiative and are helping the communities realise how important it is to conserve and improve their environment and are planting indigenous trees and the like.

People

These community tourism guest houses are owned and run by the communities themselves, with our support.

The tourism generates incomes for some community members and the profit goes in to a fund for the whole community. Their fund will be held by the community to be used as they decide. The communities have received training on management and running of a business as part of the setting up process. They also gain confidence from running the community tourism to work together for joint benefit.

The communities are your hosts. Fifty-five percent of your payment goes directly to them(48% to the hosting communities and 7% for the provision of lunch which is mostly from the community), twenty five percent goes to the guides and their business (which supports the community run trekking sites) and twenty percent goes to cover marketing costs and coordinate the bookings.

In addition every drink you have puts more money into the local communities, and as much of the produce as possible is sourced by the communities from themselves and their neighbours. We encourage guests to buy local souvenirs to provide a unique gift, and to help the local economy.