Adventure

Our small group guided tours are open to anyone with a sense of adventure, there are no age limits and no prior experience or qualifications are necessary. We will take you from the glaciers of Iceland to the gorges of Crete; from the Danube Delta of Romania to the jungles of Vietnam; from the Cairngorm mountains to the snow of Norway. In order to enjoy beautiful landscapes, wildlife and flora, our programmes involve walking and even some trekking, sometimes a bicycle or boat trip.

The walking involved will not be too arduous, nothing that couldn’t be accomplished by the average person with a few weeks of preparation. A typical trek would be 5-10 miles over sometimes uneven terrain. Other activities such as boat excursions, snorkeling, animal tracking and birdwatching are designed to help you enjoy the environment of the different areas visited.

Whilst we normally use comfortable hotels, on occasions we will stay in places rarely visited by tourist groups - small villages, farms, even mountain huts or ready-pitched campsites. The goal is to explore more fully matters of cultural, natural or social interest that would not otherwise be accessible.

Culture

As part of a company with almost 50 years’ experience arranging cultural tours, we have witnessed an increasing demand for authentic adventure travel: to explore the places of the world as they really are. Whether in Crete or Vietnam, Extremadura or Kenya, or you will see how the local people live, and examine their artistic and cultural traditions. We are not just interested in the achievements of the past but also in contemporary culture and economics. We may take the opportunity to sample the local wines or culinary specialities. Where possible, we will participate in a local festival or gathering.

Environment

All of our Explorations will be actively concerned with ecology. This may involve visiting a conservation area, animal or bird sanctuary with a naturalist. Several of our programmes will visit FFI conservation projects, such as at Sweetwaters Safari Lodge in Kenya, where we can share the knowledge of FFI experts who have hands-on experience preserving some of the world’s most threatened species and eco-systems.

We are fully aware of the potentially adverse impact of tourism on the environmental and social systems of the places we visit. By working with partners such as FFI, and with careful planning, we believe it is still possible to experience the unique places of the earth in a responsible and positive way.

Explorers Wanted!

We anticipate that these unique and active programmes will appeal mostly to people aged between 45 and 75 with a good level of fitness, although exceptions will be made for those over 75 whose walking boots are still in regular use! Each programme has been designed to provide a unique combination of challenges and indulgences, natural wonders and cultural insights.

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is delighted to be able to extend its long-standing relationship with the Association for Cultural Exchange by collaborating with ACE on the design of their new Explorers nature tours. By joining one of these adventure holidays you will have the opportunity to support our work to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, as well as a unique opportunity to visit several FFI projects, such as Flower Valley in South Africa and Ol Pejeta in Kenya, in as socially and environmentally responsible way as possible. ACE’s concern for ecology and experience in wildlife conservation education means that these explorations will be of benefit, not only to those undertaking them, but also to the local communities in which they are based.

Mark Rose
CEO, Fauna & Flora International