Shompole Eco Lodge

Shompole eco lodge is located in Southern Kenya on the Tanzania border near Lake Natron, overlooking the Great Rift Valley. Much of the incredible landscape was shaped by volcanic movement. The lodge, situated on a private conservancy, is surrounded by 140,000 acres of Shompole Group Ranch, including a diverse area for wildlife and a buffer zone for human settlement. The lodge was constructed to enhance the natural beauty of the area with flowing water, smooth white walls, and mostly open air.

Tiger Mountain Properties, our in country partner in Nepal, has demonstrated a commitment to sustainable travel and ecoturism. They support a wide range of local programs, in addition to creating their own community projects throughout the country. These focus on health, education, and conservation, and illustrate Tiger Mountain’s concern for the environmental and human needs that exist where its lodges, camps and trekking routes are located. Global Basecamps is happy to be contributing to the Tiger Mountain Properties’ school programs.

Inca Trail, Peru

Inca Trail Tours are one of the most famous treks in South America. The 26 mile hike offers travelers natural beauty, culture, and adventure. Hikers will experience beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, subtropical jungle, and of course an incredible mix of Inca ruins. Culminating the challenging trek is the arrival at the ancient Inca site, Machu Picchu. Travelers should anticipate spending at least 2 full days in Cusco prior to the hike in order to adjust to the altitude. The best time of year to hike the Inca Trail is during the dry season, which lasts from May to October or November. The rainy season is from December to April, and the trail is closed in February due to heavy rains. However, light rain at Machu Picchu is not uncommon year round. Day time temperatures can range anywhere from 50-82ºF, with night time temperatures from around 32-50ºF. 

Egypt tourism has experienced a major lull in the recent months following the country’s turmoil. However, as we recently wrote about on our blog, Egypt is Back and Even Better. Now is a great time to visit the unique country. As mentioned in our previous Know Before You Go blogs, researching cultural norms and practices of your host country is an essential part of trip planning. Whether you are already planning Egypt tours or just hoping to someday visit the Pyramids of Giza here are a few tips for being culturally responsible in Egypt.

Whether you are traveling this Fourth of July or spending time with friends in your home town here a few tips to make your holiday celebration more eco-friendly!

1. Enjoy the Outdoors

Hopefully you will be enjoying this holiday celebration outside. By taking the party outdoors you can reduce the amount of energy used and cut the energy costs of utilizing indoor facilities.

2. Eat Local

Consider hitting the farmer’s market this weekend and purchasing locally grown organic food to cook on the Fourth. Locally grown and organic foods are not only good for you but the environment too, as they help reduce chemicals used in processed foods and pollution caused by transportation that is necessary to ship non-local food products.

3. Avoid Using at Home Fireworks

Fireworks are definitely not environmentally friendly. They contain hazardous chemicals that pollute the atmosphere. Avoid doing fireworks at home this Fourth of July and head to your local beach or park to enjoy a nearby fireworks show. You may want to consider talking to your local officials about more eco-friendly fireworks, or fireworks alternatives.