Responsible Travel 

Responsible travel and sustainable tourism is an ethos Wild Frontiers has been committed to since our birth. Our adventures are designed with the local people, culture and eco-system in mind. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our clients, but that it also benefits the peoples whose lands we are privileged to visit.

The Wild Frontiers Foundation

In order to facilitate an enduring support structure for the communities we visit, and to show a commitment to these values, in January 2009 Wild Frontiers set up a charitable foundation through which we can channel funds to both existing NGOs and our own development projects. In addition to organising ethically sensitive tours, having our own charitable foundation allows us to raise money – through the cost of our tours, charity trips and fund raising events – which can then be used to fund various projects in education, sanitation, reforestations and a number of other important issues facing developing communities. Wherever possible we are happy for our clients to visit these projects to see for themselves where and how this money is being spent. This is a very exciting development for us and something we hope in time will become a major part of our organisation.

To see a list of our affiliated NGO aid agencies, please click the A-CET logo on the right. And if you would like to donate to the Wild Frontiers Foundation, please click here

K2 Charity Trek 2010

Education in the remote northern region of Pakistan is haphazard at best. Government funding is often unforthcoming; hamlets, villages and entire regions can have little in the way of educational facilities leaving thousands of children unable to gain even a basic level of tuition. Thankfully there are a number of excellent international charities who bridge the gap by building schools and financing their overheads, and we aim to help them.

As an inaugural fund raising trip we thought we would head back to our routes and travel deep into Northern Pakistan, and trek to K2 in September 2010.

Wild Frontiers founder Jonny Bealby will be leading this amazing charity trek.  Working with local charities we aim to give half the money raised to a particular school in the region, with the other half going to the new foundation.

For more information about this trek and how you might join it, please click here

Charity Information

Wild Frontiers Foundation (part of the Melanie Akroyd Trust) has charity number 1001499.  We now have a page on the justgiving website accessible by clicking here. You can also donate by making cheques payable to Wild Frontiers Foundation send to Unit 6, Hurlingham Business Park, 55 Sulivan Road, London SW6 3DU

TESFA Village Walk - Ethiopia

This year we’ve teamed up with TESFA, a charitable initiative in Ethiopia set up by WF
ex-tour leader Mark Chapman, which allows our clients the opportunity to walk through
several villages, actually staying en route with local communities. Not only does this give
travellers a unique travel experience, it directly supports the villages we visit and provides an unrivalled insight into traditional Ethiopian Village life. Click here to watch a footage of the community project.

Village India

As another original initiative, in 2007 we launched a new responsible tourism product called ‘Village India’, designed to get our clients off the well-trodden tourist routes and into the beautiful rural regions where ordinary Indians see little benefit from the recent tourism explosion. As well as utilising more traditional accommodation, on all of these trips our clients will stay with local families in the villages and be provided for by them. They will have the opportunity to interact directly – milking buffalo, printing saris, joining with the puja – giving  them the chance to learn about their life and culture, and they about ours. In this way it will not only be money that will benefit the locals, but friendship as well.

Conclusion

All in all this is a great business to be in because, so long as things are handled right, everyone – the tourist, the local and the operator – wins. We are also very proud to have recently been awarded our new 5 star RT status, as it shows what we are doing is appreciated.

Recent quotes

'On behalf of everyone who has been helped by the work of MAG we would like to thank Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel Limited for your generous donation... since 1989 MAG has operated in 35 countries working to destroy the legacy left behind after conflict and in 1997 was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work.' Mines Advisory Group, Feb 2009

'Many thanks for your kind generosity.' The Ladakh Project and Women's Alliance of Ladakh, Feb 2009

'Many thanks for your donation.' Children of the Caucasus, Feb 2009

'Thank you very much for your kind and generous donation, it is deeply appreciated.' The Hope Foundation, Calcutta, Feb 2009

'Thank you. This recent donation will purchase five locally made double desk sets delivered to one of our schools in the Tigray region.' A-CET, Ethiopia, Feb 2009

'Thank you for the donation which will be put towards clearing minefields or helping landmine survivors and your contribution will make a profound difference to people's lives.' No More Landmines, Feb 2009