Plan a year of impact-conscious adventures with this calendar of where to go when, why, and how for those seeking to travel better in 2024.
January
Admire Corsica with mountain hikes and medieval history
Tom Barber, founder of Original Travel, champions under tourism during winter with a train-and-ferry trip to the iconic French island, off the coast of Italy. “Corsica is best known as a summer destination, but its mountains in winter are at their most beautiful and you’ll be modelling sustainable tourism by heading there off-season. The Mediterranean island is a sight to behold in winter, when the skies are clear and the mountains are sprinkled in snow, the coast is wild and peaceful and the cities are free of the peak-season crowds. An eight-day holiday is a great amount of time to explore between two charming coastal cities, Ajaccio and Bastia, with a stay in the mountainous Castagniccia region in between.”
Trips are bespoke, but a week is from £2,935 per person (based on two sharing), including six nights’ B&B accommodation, return travel by train and ferry, and car hire. originaltravel.co.uk
February
Ski sustainably in French Alps
Phoebe Smith, host of the Wander Woman: A Travel Podcast, champions choosing a French ski resort such as Serre Chevalier because it can be accessed by train as well as for its environmental initiatives. “Skiers love nature — after all, it provides the stage for their favourite winter pastime. And, since we know from 2023 just how precarious snow cover is because of climate change, instead of taking a flight, we have the option of far less emitting train, bus and ferry links. Serre Chevalier is a four-centre, 81-run resort — reached easily by sleeper train from Paris to Briançon — which has invested heavily in hydroelectricity, wind turbines and solar panels, which sit on every ski-lift hut. It generates 30 per cent of its energy from its own renewables and has offered a blueprint free for other resorts to follow suit.”
London to Paris Eurostar, return from £79 and SNCF Paris to Briançon, from €29 for a shared couchette; private options available. Buses run from the station to main ski areas. Gîte Le Rebanchon from about €60 a night; Ski passes from about £60 a day. serre-chevalier.com
March
A flight-free city break to Girona
Chris Wright, managing director of Sunvil Group, gives Girona the green light for nature, history and gastronomy. “Spain is on an impressive sustainability journey with an ever-growing list of adopters, educators, and visionaries. Girona is a delight to visit any time of year, but in March, you will discover this Catalonian city without the crowds and in the early bloom of spring. Travel by train from London via Madrid in nine hours, then allow yourself to get lost in Girona’s maze of medieval alleys. Marvel at the 11th-century cathedral, tour the storied Arab Baths, walk atop the city wall, hire a bike and explore the medieval lanes and surrounding greenways.”
Seven-night trip from £1,293 per person (based on two sharing), bed and breakfast, including optional excursions to Figueres and Barcelona. sunvil.co.uk
April
Recharge with an electric road trip through Estonia
Melissa Tilling, CEO of Charitable Travel, recommends an EV itinerary through this green-minded Baltic land. “A low-carbon circuit free of ‘range anxiety’ lets you pause in small locally owned hotels and guesthouses in the capital of Tallinn and the European City of Culture 2024 Tartu, cruising along the Onion Route, through national parks. Spring is the perfect time to make a positive impact with your tourism spend for the hospitality and tourism communities in less well-known destinations.”
10-night tour from £1,235 per person (based on two sharing), includes car hire, bed and breakfast in locally-owned hotels and guesthouses, cultural and wine-tasting experiences; excludes transport to the Baltics by air or rail. sustainablejourneys.co.uk
May
Connect with Cornwall as a blind or partially-sighted explorer
Amar Latif, founder of Traveleyes, lures travellers to the Cornish coastline with cultural outings and a visit to the Eden Project. “Sustainable travel extends to include accessible holidays too. Traveleyes takes groups of blind and sighted travellers together on excursions with a focus on awakening all the senses. You’ll stay within walking distance of four of St Ives’s beautiful beaches, and embark on boat trips along the Cornish coastline to islands where wildlife thrives. The tour is hosted by local guides and within the group each day a sighted traveller is paired with a different blind traveller.”
May 25 to June 2: from £1,199, includes eight nights’ accommodation, meals, excursions, local guides, and excludes drinks and transport to and from Cornwall. traveleyes-international.com
June
Appreciate art and organic farming in upstate New York
Aditi Mohapatra, VP of Global Social Impact & Sustainability at Expedia Group, signposts us to America’s East Coast at the balmy start of summer. “Hudson Valley stretches up into the Catskills Mountains, and it’s the perfect place this time of year when the days are longest and the region’s bounty of outdoor activities will let you experience natural beauty at its best. There’s also great art to see in the area with both Dia Beacon Museum in Beacon and Storm King Art Center.”
There are lots of eco-friendly Vrbos on vrbo.com, such as Brookmill Cabin. If looking for a hotel, consider using Expedia’s eco-certified filter and when searching an EV with the “electric vehicle” search. Virgin Atlantic offers return flights from £357; virginatlantic.com
July
Salute female empowerment in Sri Lanka’s monsoon
Shivya Nath, travel blogger and consultant, recommends off-season in Sri Lanka for lush landscapes, restored biodiversity and sun-filled beaches. “Beat the crowds in the middle of Sri Lanka’s yala, the southwest monsoon, and soak in the lush landscapes and quiet beauty of the country’s popular Cultural Triangle. Choose Galkadawala Forest Lodge as your base — a female-led passion project built with recycled materials that has restored degraded land into a thriving, biodiverse habitat. Venture out to the ancient Unesco World Heritage recognised Sigiriya Rock, and Buddhist monasteries deep in the tropical forest.”
Rooms at Galkadawala Forest Lodge from about £70, bed and breakfast. galkadawala.com; flights with Sri Lankan airlines from £550
August
Cycle slowly through tranquil Transylvania
Oli Broom, founder of The Slow Cyclist, advocates walking and biking through rural, undeveloped Romania, grazing on farm-to-fork goodness while it’s peak season elsewhere across the continent. “Escape to the little-visited but utterly charming Saxon villages of rural Transylvania and travel by e-bike through a region that is leading the way in slow, sustainable travel. What is more, Wizz Air, Europe’s lowest-emitting airline, offers the best way to get there — unless you take the train via Vienna or Budapest.”
August 11–16, includes five nights’ accommodation, meals, snacks and drinks, two English-speaking guides, e-bicycle and helmet hire. A 1 per cent donation to local causes; £2,895 per person, up to 12 guests; theslowcyclist.com. Wizz Air from Luton to Cluj Napoca from £12.99. wizzair.com
September
Sail, swim and support conservation in Corfu
Jade Brudenell, of the Conservation Collective, proposes citizen science, eco-conscious sailing and a fundraising swim across the 3km channel from Albania to Greece. “Hike the pristine Erimitis wetland and play citizen scientist as you record rare butterflies with Corfu Butterfly Conservation. Swimmers should sign up for the Albania Overboard annual fundraiser, supporting the Ionian Environment Foundation (ionianenvironment.org) and charities such as Save Erimitis.”
In Corfu Town, book a The Storage House at Dr Kavvadia, from about £155 a night, drkavvadia.com; Kontokali Bay from about £230, per room per night; kontokalibay.gr. For a villa near where the swim ends, speak to villacollective.com. Register for Albania Overboard Swim on September 14 for €100 at albaniaoverboard.com. Low-cost airlines fly direct to Corfu from London, April to November, from £110.
October
Toast Canada’s vineyard harvest season
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, grew up in Okanagan and recommends ‘leaf-peeping’ in British Columbia. “Toast harvest-time in vineyard-rich Okanagan Valley during autumn when the foliage in the southern interior of Canada’s British Columbia is brightly coloured. This wine-producing Thompson Okanagan Sustainable Tourism Observatory region was also the first to be recognised as sustainable by the UNWTO.”
Canadian Affair offers a 13-night fly-drive trip with accommodation, car hire, international flights, experiences such as private wine tours, ferry to Vancouver Island, from £2,967 per person (based on two sharing); canadianaffair.com
November
Support local communities and biodiversity in Costa Rica
Heather Magnussen, responsible travel and sustainability manager at Audley Travel, recommends an eco-lodge and time with the Cabécar people in the Talamanca Mountains. “Pacuare Lodge blends in sensitively with its pristine rainforest environment and supports the local community and wildlife. As part of its efforts to conserve the rich biodiversity in Pacuare, the Lodge actively supports the study of the endangered jaguar in collaboration with Costa Rican authorities.”
10-day trip with two nights at Pacuare Lodge from £4,360 per person (based on two sharing), including flights, transfers, accommodation and excursions. audleytravel.com
December
Fund rewilding with a safari in Zimbabwe’s ‘green season’
Jonny Bierman, travel writer and photographer, celebrates this unheralded season in southern Africa for conservation-funding safaris. “Skip dry season’s peak period in favour of a pre-Christmas December escape when there is incredible wildlife viewing which supports conservation projects. Somalisa Camp in Hwange National Park is an African Bush Camp-owned oasis which features a poolside watering hole frequented by elephants and the exceptional service lets you feel like you are part of the family. Lake Kariba is a hilltop safari lodge in Bumi Hills combining floating safari and land-based adventures which supports the Bumi Hills Anti-Poaching Unit. New to Victoria Falls is Wallow Lodge, just across on the Zambia riverside but easy to reach, invites you to see exceptional rewilding and rehabilitation.”
All-inclusive safari staying three nights at Somalisa Expeditions and three at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, including flights from Victoria Falls to Hwange, Manga Airstrip and Bumi Hills Airstrip back to Victoria Falls, from about £3,700 per person (based on two sharing). africanbushcamps.com
Pack this: your planet-friendly kit list
The check-in case: July
Aussie-brand July’s 80L Checked case comes in 12 Instagrammable colourways and features the brand’s clever SilentMove 360-degree spinner wheels, perfect for handling the cobbled streets of Europe. Each one comes with a hidden odour-proof laundry bag, a recycled polycarbonate shell and a lifetime warranty. Any damaged returns are recycled and reused. You can personalise the case with your name or fun word-art for an additional £45.
£275, july.com
The long-haul hero: Db
Award-winning Scandi brand Db’s sleek, lightweight Ramverk case is perfect for those two-week long-hauls when you can’t bring yourself to leave any of your favourite outfits at home. It comes with a telescopic handle, ultra-silent Japanese Hinomoto wheels and an impressive 70L capacity, plus a lifetime warranty.
£449, uk.dbjourney.com
The packing cubes: July
July’s packing cubes come with a five-year warranty and are made from premium soft-touch nylon made to last a lifetime (they’re 100% washable and stain-proof to help them last). Each pack of four comes in four different sizes to cater for everything for your socks to your shirts. There’s a transparent mesh fabric top so you can find what you’re looking for nice and quickly.
£70, july.com
The toiletry bag: Away
Away doesn’t just do planet-friendly, high-performance suitcases and weekender bags but planet-friendly, high-performance accessories, too. Its hanging toiletry bag is a particular bestseller, featuring a spill-proof interior, a hook for hanging on a door or wall and a clear pouch for liquids. All items are shipped in 100% recyclable packaging.
£48, awaytravel.com
The headphones: Sony
Sony’s industry-leading WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones have been specifically designed with sustainability in mind. There’s no plastic in the packaging and the headphones themselves use recycled plastic materials. Users say they’re a game-changer in blocking our airplane noise, boasting 35 hours of battery life so they’ll
survive even the longest of long-hauls.
£279, sony.co.uk
The hand-luggage hero: Monos
Monos is the first luggage brand to join the Climate Neutral certification as a standard for companies achieving net-zero carbon emissions, and its slick Metro Weekender bag is made of the highest-quality vegan leather. The TikTok-famous hand luggage hero features a built-in trolley sleeve that slips over your suitcase handle and doubles up as an extra pocket, and boasts as much capacity as the brand’s carry-on suitcases so there’s plenty of room for shoes, a laptop and multiple outfits.
£295, monos.uk
The waterproof: H&M
H&M might seem an unlikely place for a high-spec rain jacket but its new Move collection features a three-layer shell jacket made from luxury, recycled, functional fabric that’ll keep you dry in those tropical downpours. The polyester is made from recycled bottles or end-of-life textile waste.
£139.99, hm.com
The backpack: Finisterre
Finisterre has long been an industry-leader for sustainable adventure gear and its Nautilus roll-top backpack is made from recycled nylon, with 23L of capacity for a full weekend adventure. It’s been waterproof treated just in case and comes with an external pocket for your bottle.
£145, finisterre.com
The bottle: One Green Bottle
Certified B-corp brand One Green Bottle’s products are 100% recyclable and come in a cardboard bottle box so there’s no plastic packaging. The company reclaims 25 single-use plastic bottles from the ocean for every bottle sold and one per cent of sales are contributed towards carbon removal.
£26, onegreenbottle.com
By Katie Strick
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