Ethical, inclusive and developmental travel among remote communities

Seeking and travelling deeper

Climate change crisis and international travel: Travel thoughtfully and meaningfully

The climate change crisis that we face is an issue that we at Nomadic Skies are acutely aware of. We don't believe that we should stop international travel - but we believe that we need to travel less often and more meaningfully. There are many areas of the world, particularly rural and remote areas, where tourism is a lifeline for fragile communities. Stopping international travel will have a huge detrimental impact on many communities but we do need to consider carefully how we travel and potentially how often we travel.

At Nomadic Skies, we believe it is essential that when we travel to remote locations that our journeys have a positive economic and social impact on remote people and communities.

Some people are choosing to travel less often but for longer as a response to climate change. All our journeys start and end at the point of arrival in country (Kathmandu, Yerevan or Entebbe) and clients can arrive earlier or stay longer if you would like to make this part of a longer journey. we are happy to advise on local contacts and suggestions for travel to make this possible.

What We are

Off the beaten track
Limited number of destinations
Founded on ethical principles
In-partnership with remote communities
sharing experience with our hosts
Supporting cultural preservation
Supporting sustainable livelihoods
Environmentally conscious

What our expeditions are:

Small number of unique trips per year
Small group
Led by development and local experts
Exploring with local guides
Travelling deeper within communities

What We Are Not

Mainstream destinations
Multi-destination
Paying lip service to ethics
Treating communities as ‘visitor attractions’
Voyeuristic on remote people
Undermining local culture
Using exploitative labour at the lowest costs
Environmentally damaging

What our Journeys are not:

High volume of clients and trips
Large groups
Led by tourist guides
Ignoring local wisdom
Passing through and by local communities

Client Testimonials

Cultural Preservation

Reinforcing the benefit of maintaining unique and distinct cultures

Remote cultures are unique and precious with unique customs, beliefs, music and built structures. We aim for our journeys to assist remote communities to understand and recogonise the value of their own culture, particularly for younger people who can sometimes beleive that western and urban cultures are more attractive. By making the link between vibrant and unique cultures and the economic benefit from culturally sensitive and engaged travel, Nomadic Skies aims to highlight that cultural preservation is a major potential benefit to remote cultures and what helps them to stand out from other locations.

Rural economic development

Contributing to diversification of incomes in remote locations

Tourism is an important potential source of additional income to remote communities many of whom are facing economic change, depopulation and impacts from climate change. The danger of trekking is that the employment and income generation is created before the trek starts with guides and support staff brought in. Treks to remote areas also often bring in all their own food and equipment and benefits to mountain communities are minimal. In Nomadic Skies we endeavour to involve mountain communities in our tours, using locals as guides and buying local wherever possible. We also believe in taking people off the beaten path to villages that have seldom had tourism before, assisting them to recognise the tourism potential of their villages and areas.

Environmental Protection

Valuing remote environments

Our journeys take us into remote and environmentally fragile environments. We have a policy to not only minimise our envirinmental impact but wherever possible support environmental protection. In Armenia we are collaborating with the World Wildlife Fund to pioneer walking with community rangers that will reinforce the connection between preserving the habitat of the rare Caucasian Leopard and local economic benefits from Eco tourism. In Nepal and Uganda we are discussing environmental protection wth local communities and village leaders to highlight the relationship between environmental protection, the local environment and potential for tourism development. Our background in professional rural development gives us a unique opportunity to reinforce the value of environmental protection in remote and fragile areas.