Discover Adventure has received a 5 Star accolade from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) for its commitment to Responsible Tourism. The award recognises the work it does supporting the communities they travel to, the responsible methods used to conduct their tours and the environmental practices of the business generally.  Only 20 or so AITO members out of 140 have achieved this standard.

Discover Adventure works with a conservation NGO (non-governmental organisation) in Peru supporting a tree-planting project on a grand scale. In December 2010 Discover Adventure purchased and planted 16,000 trees in the Lares Valley, in the Andes.  It has pledged to plant a minimum of 10,000 trees each year for the next 5 years.

The project also puts money directly into the local economy; the saplings are brought from a local village nursery and around 250 local people get involved in the annual planting and are paid for their efforts.

Discover Adventure trekkers can see the plantations first-hand and, on the last Peru trek-date to Machu Picchu each year, participants can get directly involved by staying on to help in the annual community planting days.

In Africa, meanwhile, Discover Adventure supports a community project near Moshi, at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. Light in Africa is a children’s home which provides disadvantaged children with a safe, loving home and an education. Sadly, many of the children have been mistreated or simply suffered through poverty.  Often they are abandoned or orphaned because of parental AIDS.

Discover Adventure provides funds to assist in the development plans of the project and offers a 3-day volunteering opportunity to any of its participants taking part in a Kilimanjaro Trek.

The Company also operates a ‘Leave no Trace’ tourism policy and takes time to brief all participants on what this means and how to travel responsibly.

 “Long before the phrase ‘responsible tourism’ was coined we were planning and operating all of our trips conscientiously, trying to help the economy of the local communities at the same time as minimising any negative impact on the places we trek or cycle through,” says Jonathan Bryan, Managing Director.  “Our style of travel, often to very remote, un-touristed parts of the world, generates employment and incomes in rural communities which often have no firm source of revenue. Without the employment we offer to porters and local guides these communities might find it difficult to sustain their way of life”.  He concludes: “Receiving the 5 Star award for our project work simply encourages us to do more”.

Discover Adventure, experienced tour operator of challenge events, is excited to announce its new Charity Etape Cycle Challenge, which offers any cyclist the chance to ride a stage of the Tour de France. Whether beginners or seasoned cyclists, riders can take part and raise money for their chosen charity to secure their place, or simply pay their own costs.

Discover Adventure’s 2011 Charity Etape will take place in September (1st – 4th), just a few weeks after the pros have completed the race; the stage chosen is a demanding, 208km-long route through the mountainous terrain of the volcanic Massif Central region.

Riders will be almost continually climbing and descending from the start at Issoire, near Clermont-Ferrand in central France, to the hilltop town of Saint-Flour. The mountains may not reach the heights of the Alps or Pyrenees, but the climbs are very taxing, with gradients of over 8%. To make the challenge more achievable for cyclists of all experience levels, the Charity Etape route is split into two days.

The support provided is a key attraction: as well as ensuring there is plenty of food, water, vehicle support and mechanic assistance for all participants, the personal level of encouragement and support from its experienced staff will ensure that every cyclist capable of completing the challenge will be given the chance to do so.

This will especially appeal to cyclists who are not confident they are fit enough to complete the more competitive Etape du Tour, which imposes a strict time limit on all cyclists; this means that many with lower fitness or less experience – or simply a mechanical problem that holds them up – are not able to finish the event. The Charity Etape gives all cyclists peace of mind that they can complete the event; this is especially important for those raising money for charity.

Discover Adventure organises adventurous challenges all over the world. Managing Director Jonathan Bryan says, “There are many people who want to push their limits for a good cause, or for their own personal challenge. Cycling a stage of the Tour de France appeals to a wide range of people, and our different payment options and experienced, personal support gives more individuals the chance to achieve it.”

The Charity Etape is open to any individual over 18; teams of friends or colleagues are welcome. Training guidance is provided on registration.