Tag: Argentina

Community homestays in Salta, Argentina

Carolina Canto, of social enterprise and responsible travel company Sumak Travel, reports on a new homestay initiative in Argentina…

rural living in Salta, Argentina (c) Sumak TravelAs a part of a rural travel experience in Argentina, the co-operative ‘Red de Turismo Campesino’ (Rural Tourism Network) in the Calchaquíes valleys of Salta offers a great opportunity to enjoy local culture, share in their daily lives and to be a guest in their homes.

To improve their livelihoods and provide opportunities for authentic cultural exchange, these rural communities decided to offer their homes to tourists. Part of this income benefits the host family directly while the rest is invested in a common fund for the community.

Accommodation: There are various houses along the valleys that offer accommodation to visitors. Each of them has one to three double bedrooms that are especially allocated for visitors. Beds, mattress, blankets and bathrooms have been recently renewed or improved in order to guarantee a comfortable stay. The capacity of each house generally varies between two to four guests, with six being the maximum.

Around Salta (c) Sumak TravelFood: Traditional Andean dishes are cooked by family members as a part of the experience. Guests have the opportunity to either join in preparing the meal or to sit down, relax and observe the cooking process. In addition, visitors are invited to join them during their farming tasks growing several types of seeds, fruits and vegetables. Do try their delicious Andean cuisine made from fresh ingredients from the region and discover their different techniques of organic wine making.

Activities: Visitors can take guided walks along the valleys through the croplands and vineyards enjoying the beautiful landscapes of Salta. From growing onions or cattle breeding to horse riding and ceramic adobe craftsmanship, the community of Salta offer the traveller a great opportunity to enjoy a ‘living’ experience of rural life in the valley.

Recommended for… Those who are looking for a respectful and authentic cultural exchange with the community in Salta, and real interaction with nature. The activities are not physically challenging and distances are short so that anyone is able to join in and enjoy them.

Be aware that… This is a traditional homestay with welcoming hosts – but if you need a hotel-style experience this may not be for you…

Good credentials: mountains of Salta, Argentina (c) Sumak Travel

  • The ‘Red de Turismo Campesino’ of Salta, Argentina is an active member of the Argentinian Network of Rural Community Tourism
  • By winning the contest of the ‘Citizen fund of Argentina’, the community was awarded funds to support their expenses and continue with the strengthening of their touristic offer
  • The co-operative and network are self-managed by 50 rural families from Salta, in the north of Argentina
  • They work under the framework of fair-trade, responsible tourism and cooperative work with local identity
  • They have designed a rotating working system in which each family has the same opportunity to provide services and sell their handcrafts to tourists, so that the benefits from tourism are equally distributed within the network
  • The cooperative aims to make tourism a complementary activity that allows them to improve their livelihoods while preserving their traditional lifestyle

homestays in Salta, Argentina (c) Sumak Travel

About the author: Carolina is a staff member of the recently launched ethical travel company and social enterprise Sumak Sustainable Travel. Sumak offers responsible travel experiences connecting people with local life in Latin America and opening the door for travellers to meet and exchange with inspiring people and projects in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. For more information, including other eco-travel tours, visit www.sumak-travel.org.

 

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Sumak Travel adds Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia to eco trip roster

Uyani Salt Flat, BoliviaSocial enterprise Sumak Travel, the specialist in Latin American community-based ecotourism, has now added three new countries to its itinerary.

Responsible travellers can now join tours of Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia – alongside its existing tours in Argentina and Chile.  The tours, ranging from 7 to 15 days, are a combination of homestays within rural communities (with farmers, fishermen and other indigenous groups) and visits to Latin American cities and sites of special interest or outstanding natural beauty.

 

Transparent pricingChaxa Lagoon, Chile (courtesy of Travolution.org)

Sumak Travel works directly with community-based tour operators in their destination countries to ensure fair agreements (a breakdown of prices and commission fees are fully transparent so tourists can see exactly where their money is going). We like their easy-to-use website – a simple key shows you the ‘Comfort Level’ at a glance (something a surprising number of tour operators neglect to outline!), and what percentage of the overall holiday price goes to the local community (e.g. “at least 50%” of the £1,535 fee for 15 days on ‘Fascinating Brazil’ goes local).

Private groups

All trips are private and they can cater for groups of any size, promising “there won’t be anyone you don’t know travelling within your group” – they can even tailor trips for individuals who are looking for specific experiences. And all homestay hosts are verified by the team or local partners. You could find yourself trying your hand at ceramic crafts with your hosts in rural Argentina; staying with Aymara communities on Sun Island, Lake Titicaca, for a taste of traditional Andean culture; or sleeping in an eco-lodge run by an indigenous community in the Bolivian rainforest.

A sample of trips available:

Fascinating Brazil (15 days, £1,535) – Explore northeastern Brazil including the remote lands of the Tremembe people, the sand dune beaches of Prainha do Canto Verde, and the historical city of Fortezela. (Click for more)

Intrepid Colombia (14 days, £2,125) – Trek through flooded forest and jungle, reach the Colombian borders with Peru and Brazil along the Amazon River, and whale-watch and snorkel around Bahia Solano. (Click for more)

Essential Bolivia (12 day, £1,585) – Visit the Aymara communities of Lake Titicaca, journey to the salt flats of Uyuni, and stay with the Alcaya community, before trekking through Bolivian rainforest. (Click for more)

Other tours available include: ‘Mystic Chile’, two versions of ‘Rural Argentina’, San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), ‘Austral Chile’. View all tours here.

‘Good’ credentials:

  • As a social enterprise, Sumak Travel’s mission is: ‘To contribute to the empowerment of local communities in Latin America by running an ethical business that is also rewarding for responsible tourists.’
  • Partnered with Sustainable Pangea, a multilingual web platform that features community-based ecotourism destinations
  • Half of Sumak Travel’s profits are reinvested back into the social enterprise; the remaining half is invested in community-led projects within the Sustainable Pangea Network
  • The local communities they work with use tourism as a complementary source of income, allowing them to maintain their traditional way of life, while preserving their environment and community

 

Contact Sumak Travel via T: 0044 (0) 2036 424246, E: info@sumak-travel.org, visit the website www.sumak-travel.org, or follow on Twitter via @SumakTravel.

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