London to Singapore by train vacation

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

We are committed to positive environmental impacts through our Responsible Travel Policy. As an overland company we have extremely low carbon emissions throughout all our journeys. This journey travels for 60 days and 19,500 kilometres overland from Singapore and London, and over 90% of the distance travelled is by train.

Choosing to travel by train is the most carbon reducing travel decision you can make. While there are many nuances about exactly how much less CO2 trains emit it is broadly accepted that train travel is the most eco-friendly form of travel. On the Paris to London journey alone, Eurostar claims it emits 96% emissions than flying (2.4kg of CO2 v 66kg if flying the same sector).

There are no internal flights used during this journey, and our Caspian Sea crossing will use one of the many commercial sea freighters crossing between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Further, by choosing to travel for an extended period you significantly reduce the impact of your flights to/from the journey start/finish compared with taking 3 or 4 shorter vacations.

Where possible vegetarian meals will be available for the group. We also take group members to markets to source local produce before boarding their train sectors.


ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Local Partners we work with to design our journeys seek the optimal way to limit our impact on the environment. We make certain to reduce plastic waste by promoting reusing drink bottles instead of buying bottled water. Where possible our clients stay in smaller-scale accommodation, such as locally owned guesthouses which have a lower carbon impact due to limited use of daytime lighting and air conditioning in common areas. We also choose smaller, local restaurants where produce is more commonly seasonal and locally sourced.

For all clients on this journey we commit to making a $50 donation to the WWF to contribute to their project of reintroducing tigers into the Ili-Balkash region of Kazakhstan. Whilst Caspian tigers became extinct in Kazakhstan over 70 years ago after falling victim to habitat loss, systematic hunting by military personnel and reduction of prey – mainly boar and Bukhara deer. If successful it could mark the first international tiger reintroduction in history and will be an invaluable opportunity to secure the future of this big cat.

Two areas were proposed for potential reintroduction based on an initial analysis of lands in Central Asia using materials from the “Econet Central Asia” project. It will take at least 15 years and will include three key stages: First – habitat preparation. This started in 2018 and will last until 2024. The release phase will last another nine years, until 2033. In the programme we speak about the translocation of at least ten tigers in this period, starting with three individuals: two females and one male. Finally, the programme monitoring will start in 2033 and continue for at least 15 years.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We have a very clear mandate to support the countries and local communities we travel through, and we best achieve this by utilising the services of Local Partners, without whom our on-ground experiences wouldn’t be the same. These Local Partners provide employment opportunities, training, and exposure to both the local and real impacts of tourism on their environment, and the needs for more responsible travel action.

Their local knowledge will also assist with securing high quality locally owned and managed services such as accommodation & restaurants, local guides, local artisans, and other authentic local experiences (cultural performances and family/home-based meals).

We have been operating journeys throughout Asia for 60 years and strive to build on our long-established reputation for demonstrating respect for the places and communities that we visit. These ‘on ground’ interactions not only enhance the overall experience for our clients but allows us to understand local traditions and create sound relationships between our travelers and local communities.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All in-country guides, drivers and staff are residents of that country, with many guides being residents of the specific region or city we are visiting bringing a deep local knowledge and cultural understanding.

Further, many of the local people involved in and benefiting from employment in tourism are women.

In addition, many of our Local Guides have progressed to being National Guides on our journeys and even Tour Leaders on our multi-destination tours. Our Operations Manager was once a Local Guide on one of our journeys in Kyrgyzstan.

We require our Local Partners to ensure their guides and drivers are not dependant on income from commissions earned at shops and other outlets by not allowing unauthorised stops at such establishments.