Newsletter Issue 6, December 2009

Happy New Year!

Many festive greetings to you all from us here at The Responsible Travellers. We hope you have enjoyed the Christmas holidays and now as the year draws to a close we have been reflecting on our achievements of 2009.

The business is 100% CARBON NEUTRAL – which means that all your travel with us has been balanced through investments which we have made in renewable energy in the Himalayas.
Our donations to CHANCE have led to over £10,000 worth of project funds being generated – which will help provide quality education to children at risk, low caste and rural poor populations
Our donations to BSP has led to Biogas technology being available in ALL 75 districts of Nepal – our funds are helping the most remote villages access this life changing technology

When you travel with The Responsible Travellers, you not only have a fabulous experience, but you also help change lives. THANK YOU to all our customers in 2009 who helped make this happen

FREE fleece top with every booking for trips below

Just when you thought it was over we’d like to bring you one last Christmas present.
For every booking on the trips highlighted below we are giving away a fabulous FREE fleece top!

And now for some of our trips

Tibetan New Year Celebrated in the Himalayas!

Our exclusive Tamang Heritage trail itinerary gives you superb Himalayan mountain vistas as well as a unique opportunity to stay with Nepali families and have an authentic and culturally enriching experience. Really get to know the people as you explore the remote culture of the Tamang and Tibetan borderland area. Come on the February festival departure to shake off the winter blues and enjoy the Tibetan New Year celebrations.

Departure Date: 6th February 2010 & Cost: £575

Tibetan New Year Celebrated in the Himalayas!

Will you see Everest this year?

Join the classic trek through Sherpa heartland to Everest Base Camp. This exclusive itinerary gives you maximum acclimatisation with time to explore Chukung valley and climb Nangershang Peak as well as Kala Patthar! With the dream goal of trekking to Base Camp you will surely have the trip of a lifetime.

Departure Date: 19th March & Cost: £725

Or, if you want to follow the footsteps of Sir Edmund, but maybe not all the way, you can join an Everest View & Sherpa Culture trip. Flying to the mountain airstrip of Lukla and Trekking to Tengboche Monastery with views of Everest, you’re bound to be spell bound by the Himalaya.

Departure Date: 2nd April & Cost: £645

Mustang – Special Tiji Festival Departure

The forbidden city of Lo Manthang, the capital of the Forbidden Lands of Mustang is of the great must see places of the Himalayas. This mystical Kingdom of the Himalayas comes alive for the Tiji Festival when the King gives his blessing. How can you resist? If this is on your list of places to visit make this year the one to come to Mustang, with the Chinese intent on road building in this last remote Kingdom of Nepal, you should come before the area changes forever.

Departure Date: May 2010 & Cost: £1495

Mustang - Special Tiji Festival Departure

A Discovery tour that gives you more..

A tour of Nepal across the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan National Park and Bandipur old town you will enjoy the ultimate highlights of Nepal. With ancient temples, culture, wildlife and mountains you will be mystified at this Himalayan land. Staying in quality resorts and hotels which have authentic Nepali architecture, you’ll enjoy the welcoming hospitality of the Nepali People. Searching for Rhino on elephant back safari’s, mountain gazing from view points, and absorbing the atmosphere of UNESCO cultural sites you’ll be constantly amazed by Nepal.

Departure Date: 10th October & Cost: £795

Conserving Nepal’s Endangered Vulture Population

Nepal has 8 species of Vulture resident across it’s varied landscapes and habitats, and unknown to many 4 of these are endangered species. One major impact on the populations of these birds has been the use of diclofenic acid to treat domestic livestock. This drug is lethal to the scavengers who then come to eat on the carcasses of the dead livestock.

Bird Conservation Nepal are working on species conservation. They have developed community awareness schemes aimed at local farmers, developed safe eating zones, and through these programmes integrated income generation opportunities for the local people. They already achieved a great deal; with diclofenic acid now banned for use on domestic livestock in Nepal and nesting counts are increasing in areas around the safe eating zones.

The Responsible Travellers
are the only corporate members of BCN and Siling Ghale visited the Vulture Restaurant in Kapilvastu this December to see how the contributions are being spent. "It’s very impressive. By providing safe eating zones the organisation is providing areas for the vultures to live and breed, which is vital for these endangered species. I was lucky to see 3 of the endangered species all together sharing the same carcass. It was an amazing experience." With the centres purchasing ailing livestock to feed to the vultures they have a large production of by-products. The skins and bones are sold for making utensils and handicrafts, and of course there is alot of animal dung! Siling immediately initiated for The Responsible Travellers to be provide the funding to set up a demonstration biogas unit at the restaurant to educate the local population and encourage this technology across
the area.