Foot Butter.
Looking for green travel beauty products? We’re mountain travelers and have fallen in love with green bath and body products from Rocky Mountain Soap Company.
Refreshing and natural, we’ve found their products soothing after a long mountain hike or city walk.
The company says their products are made using 100% natural ingredients including essential oils, real grains and berries.
Ecocabin in Shropshire, England.
Cabin fever doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you love self-catering holidays, then cabin holidays by One Off Places can be great green options.
“Far more than a campsite, cabins offer you four solid walls, but also tend to be in beautiful settings,” says the company. “What better way to unwind from the whirlwind of life.”
Called one of UK’s top retreats, Natural Retreats – Yorkshire are eco-luxury, countryside getaways.
Situated beside Yorkshire Dales National Park and close to historic Richmond, these eco-escapes are stylish, self-catering residences which sleep up to six.
The holiday also includes a dedicated concierge service which will arrange everything including restaurant reservations, outdoor activities and babysitters. On arrival, all guests receive a luxury welcome hamper and towels, linens and toiletries. » Read more: Eco-Luxury Retreats In England
What is the world’s coolest flower festival? It may be the Wild Flower Festival near Bohinj in Slovenia’s Triglav National Park coming up May 22 to June 5, 2010.
In Slovenia’s alpine region, the festival will feature workshops, photography courses, art and embroidery exhibitions and English-language guided botanical tours on foot, bicycle and horseback. Visitors will learn how to cook using wild flower ingredients from the area’s meadows.
UK travel company Just Slovenia is offering special festival packages including flights, car rental, seven nights’ bed and breakfast or self-catering accommodation and the Edible Wild Flowers workshop.
For more info, check out JustSlovenia online.
Image courtesy of Just Slovenia
Walking holidays come in all shapes and sizes. There are city walks, nature walks, winery walks…and now new barefoot walks.
That’s right, in Europe, you can go on Shacklabank Free Range Barefoot Walking Holidays in the Howgills, Cumbria, with Alison O’Neill.
A shepherdess at her Shacklabank Farm near Sedbergh, O’Neill is a longtime outdoors barefoot walker. She created Barefoot Walks for people to feel a range of textures on the soles of their feet and added barefoot elements into other walks.
Planning your next great camping trip? You’re not alone. Camping and camping blogs seem to be more popular than ever with travelers taking greener, back-to-nature and budget holidays.
“Camping is enjoying a huge surge in popularity all over the world. In fact, I recently read that China is building 180 new campgrounds in Shandong Province,” says Roy Scribner, aka CampingBlogger.
“But it’s the same all over; Indonesia, the Philippines, Europe – families are escaping the pressures of work and school with camping vacations, instead of more expensive holidays.”
traveling greener loves the camping inspiration and information we always find at CampingBlogger. Actually, Scribner shared his insightful 5 Green Camping Tips in a recent post here.
Fisherman at Bishop Creek Canyon. Photo Credit: Charles Phillips
National Geographic has launched its newest online Geotourism MapGuide.
The new MapGuide to the Yosemite Gateway is the first of four within the Sierra Nevada. It moves beyond the Yosemite National Park borders to highlight natural and cultural heritage and include interactive features for custom trip planning.
Says James Dion, associate director of National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations:
“The entire world has heard of Yosemite, and rightly so. However, the magic of this MapGuide is that it includes the surrounding Sierra Nevada, a region that deserves to become a household name, too. Our commitment is to preserving the enormous scenic and cultural assets of both.”
If you’re a fan of photography holidays, Terra Incognita ECOTOURS is now offering a new Photo Expedition to Madagascar.
The adventure travel company specializes in wildlife-focused ecotours that “give travelers the chance to ‘make a difference’ while vacationing”. This 13-day June trip is also available with an optional 4-day, post-trip extension to Anjajavy.
What will be the Top 5 Travel Trends in 2010?
Adventure and luxury travel website iExplore predicts these 5 travel trends:
It’s All About Value. “Bargain hunting will still abound in 2010 as consumers have been trained by the deep discounting of the past two years to seek out the lowest prices—however, in 2010 consumers will be willing to spend if they feel like they are getting a unique experience at a good price.”
Ecotourism Here to Stay. “Not a new trend, but will still continue to play a part in consumer’s travel decisions in 2010—consumers are looking for hotels and resorts that are eco-friendly as well as destinations like Panama, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Belize that offer the opportunity to explore the rainforests, jungles and get back to nature.”
Baby Boomers Taking Experiential Trips. “Over 75 million Baby Boomers in the United States continue to shape trends. This is an active and affluent group and instead of just passing down their money, they are choosing to create lasting memories and spend the inheritance by taking their kids and grandkids on cultural and experiential vacations—hiking the Machu Picchu Trail, African Safari’s and Alaskan Adventures.”
Travel: Not a Game of Risk. “Due to the uncertain economy and insecurity about jobs and investments, many more travelers are taking out trip insurance in advance of big trips.”
Unique and Customized Itineraries. “The customization trend that is so popular and prevalent in other consumer categories has hit travel. Consumers want truly unique and off the beaten path itineraries that cater to their passions and hobbies—for example: trips to Southeast Asia that focus on photography, cooking classes in Italy or fishing in Argentina with a private guide.”
Image courtesy of Gap Adventures
Sustainable adventure travel leader Gap Adventures was recently honored in London at the World Tourism Awards, in conjunction with the World Travel Market.
The 2009 honorees were recognized for their dedication to sustainable tourism and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Gap Adventures was honored for its commitment and vision to giving back to local communities by creating the not-for-profit Planeterra Foundation and supporting the organization. The Planeterra Foundation is dedicated to global community development through sustainable travel and voluntourism.
Said Gap Adventures CEO and founder Bruce Poon Tip:
“On behalf of the Gap Adventures team and our travelers across the globe who are committed to changing travel, we are humbled to be recognized by our peers…Thank you World Tourism Awards for acknowledging our efforts to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people and communities around the world.”
The World Tourism Award recognizes initiatives by individuals, companies, organizations, destinations and attractions for outstanding accomplishments in the travel industry. It is co-sponsored by Corinthia Hotels, American Express, International Herald Tribune and Reed Travel Exhibitions.
