eco tours - Goodtrippers

Discover eco adventures on Long Point, Canada

Ontario, Canada hosts the world’s largest freshwater sand-spit – Long Point Eco Adventures and Zodiac Boat Tours invite you to this eco playground of birdwatching, nature safaris and camping.

Over 390 different songbird species migrate through Long Point each spring and autumn rivalling that of the world-renowned birding hotspot Point Pelee National Park. Long Point is situated along the north shore of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada. It’s the world’s largest freshwater sand-spit and reaches 42km into the middle of the lake.

“The only difference between Long Point and Pelee is accessibility to the public,” explains Zodiac boat captain Garrett Reid. “Most of Long Point is restricted access and in the past birding opportunities were limited because of this. Now we can take people right out to the tip where they can do bird banding. It’s a real authentic experience.”

During this 6-hour expedition guests are provided with lunch, plenty of time for birdwatching, time to explore the trails and an opportunity to see a demonstration on migration monitoring (bird branding and surveying) from the volunteers and biologists at the Long Point Bird Observatory Tip Research Station.

‘Trip the the Tip’ Expedition

You can go where the roads can’t take you and experience the legends and lore of Long Point on this 4-hour expedition. A number of stops include a look at Bait Island, the Long Point Company, the Old Cut, Pottahawk Point, Courtwright Ridge, the Bluffs, the Pratt Shipwreak, Gravelly Bay, and the south shore (where you can see the giant sand shoals). Guests can explore the ‘Tip’ before heading back to port.

Long Point – a world-class environment

Long Point is the largest freshwater sand-spit in the world – at approximately 64,865 acres, it holds a unique blend of long sandy beaches, grassy ridges, sand dunes, wet meadows, diverse Carolinian forests, marshes and ponds. In fact, it is so diverse that it holds more endangered species per capita than the rest of Canada! Its long and colourful history, and incredible beauty, are just a couple of reasons the locals have been trying to keep it a secret for years…

Designated as a National Wildlife Area, human access is restricted to only a few locations which are reachable by boat.

Long Point is internationally recognised as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. It was one of the first of 16 to be named in Canada. UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme has over 600 World Biosphere Reserves worldwide – this puts Long Point in the same league as the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos Islands, the Sahara Desert, the Brazilian rainforest and many other special locations. To learn more about the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve click here.

Activities

Alongside the boat tours and birding, Long Point Eco Adventures offers a range of different activities including zip-lining, canopy tours, stargazing sessions at the observatory, wine tasting at the Burning Kiln winery directly across the road, guided kayaking and canoeing, and mountain biking. At the end of a hard day of outdoor pursuits, you can ‘glamp’ in the 4-star wilderness suites on site!

For more information including booking accommodation and activities, visit Long Point Eco Adventures and Zodiac Boat Tours via www.lpfun.ca

Watch the Long Point video to see what’s in store

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Natural Habitat Adventures named world’s best outfitter

US magazine ‘Outside‘ has named wildlife tour specialists Natural Habitat Adventures the ‘World’s Best Outfitter’ in its annual travel awards.

Natural Habitat Adventures (NHA) has been a leader in responsible tourism since 1984, organising world-class tours to some of the most adventurous and wildlife-rich places on earth. Whether it be small-group tours to the Galapogas, trips to view polar bears in Churchill, or secluded safaris in Botswana, NHA ensure their tours are sensitive to the local wildlife and environment (they’re also the world’s first 100% carbon neutral travel company!).

We’re impressed with their partnership with WWF – by sharing the same conservation and education values, the charity’s support ensures that NHA continues to offer the best holidays for tourists while respecting the local wildlife.

On awarding the accolade, Outside magazine explained, “Natural Habitat Adventures rose above the rest…Much of the world’s wildlife is going the way of the brontosaurus, and NHA is making valiant efforts to do something about it: it’s the official travel partner of the World Wildlife Fund, and since 2003 it has donated more than $1.4 million to the non-profit. In 2006, NHA started paying to offset its trips’ carbon emissions.”

Reacting to the win, Ben Bressler, Founder and President of NHA, said, “I am so proud of this award! It means we have been successful in our mission: to share the wild wonders of our planet with travellers who are as passionate about nature as we are, and to do it in the very best way possible — in small groups, led by the world’s best naturalist expedition leaders, in a low-impact manner that helps to protect the planet we all care so much about.

“I believe deeply in the value of travel. And when people travel to see wildlife — whether it’s the polar bears of Churchill, the whales of Baja or India’s threatened tigers — their lives are changed and so too may be the welfare of those animals.”

Worthy winners – congratulations NHA!

To find out more about Natural Habitat Adventures, and the trips on offer, visit www.nathab.com

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

Social 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 pricing

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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