The essence of Down to Earth Holidays
Authentic experiences, grounded in nature, wildlife & culture, and rooted in local knowledge.
Most true travellers want to see the beauty and diversity of the world. Yes, they may also want relaxation on a gorgeous beach occasionally, but that’s not their main reason for travelling. Our travellers want an authentic experience of the country they’re visiting.
‘Down to earth’ means simple, practical, reasonable, and not overly fancy. It means ‘grounded’, in a good way! We hope that our holidays offer just that – holidays which are simple, fun, affordable and which show you the best bits of a region with comfort and good service, but without unnecessary frills which bump up costs. We offer excellent holidays at good value prices.
Adventure travel: We offer holidays which concentrate mainly on wildlife, others which are more culture-orientated, and then of course there are walking holidays, and a great many which have a range of different activities included in them. If you were to choose one term which might connect them all it would probably be ‘adventure travel’. However this does not mean that you have to be 18 yrs old and be willing to rough it every night. Our holidays are for anyone with an interest in the world and who are willing to accept that life, and especially travel, is unpredictable. You need an open mind, a willingness to be flexible and take the highs and lows with equanimity. Occasionally, moving slightly out of your normal comfort zone brings the best experiences.
Most of our holidays are also perfect for families with children.
Is it for you? Each holiday includes a section which tries to convey who might or might not enjoy it. Our consultants are always happy to discuss whether a holiday may be suitable for you or not.
Feedback: Our clients’ feedback is another good way to try to gauge whether any holiday might be right for you.
For individual travellers & private groups
Almost all of our holidays can be taken with two or more people travelling together. We can also organise these holidays for groups of friends or for families. The prices are based on two sharing, but we can give prices for single supplements if required.
These are set itineraries, but they can be taken at nearly any date you wish, subject to availability. To check availability you need to contact us.
Set departure group trips
Many of our holidays offer set group departures as well as being available to individual travellers. Anyone can join one of these group trips.
Sizes: They are usually based on a minimum of 6 people and maximum of 12 people, though this is confirmed on each holiday page.
Leaders: The group departures include a local trip leader.
Age: The minimum age for a holiday is specific to each holiday, so please check individual trip pages.
Guaranteed departures?: If a group trip does not meet its required minimum numbers you may be offered the option of continuing at a higher cost, but otherwise the trip will be cancelled and your deposit returned. Please note that we can not offer refunds for any other services you may have committed to (eg flights, visas etc) so we advise you not to buy make final purchases until final confirmation. This confirmation will be given 10 weeks before the start date of the trip.
Children & family holidays
As most of our holidays are suitable for families, we don’t flag up certain holidays for families only. Please check on the ‘Is it for you?’ section or call us for advice.
Prices & single supplements
Please note that prices shown are guide prices. Given the current instability of worldwide currencies, prices can fluctuate.
Single supplements: Prices are based on two people sharing. We can quote for single supplements where required. On group trips, we will advise single travellers if there is a suitable person to share with (same sex), otherwise a single supplement will sadly need to be charged. Sorry, we don’t like them either!
Accommodation
We mostly use small hotels and guest houses. In the countries we work these tend not to be star-rated. They would mostly roughly be in the 3-star range, though some places eg local huts obviously wouldn’t be rated at all. We always go for locally-owned accommodation if available, and we always pick places with character and good hosts when there is a choice. Occasionally, in some countries, the cheaper places are larger hotels without much character. Where we have had to use these through lack of a viable alternative, we will flag this up to you.
Homestays: We offer homestays in some countries such as South Africa and India. We feel that these offer a fabulous addition to your holiday experience, and a real chance to get to know local people of the area. For more information about homestays and visiting community projects, please ask for our ‘Visiting community-based tourism projects’ sheet.
Transport
Being a mostly long-haul tour operator, we have no choice but to fly to most of our destinations. However when we get there we prefer to stay grounded if practical and safe. We believe in slow travel. We use trains if possible, private road transfers, and buses/coaches. Sometimes the timescale of a trip means that a domestic flight might be used.
Flights
International flights are not included in the holiday. You can either buy them through us, or buy them yourself (note: do not commit until final confirmation of the holiday). The Down to Earth range of holidays is part of Tribes Travel Ltd, and as such we can arrange flights which are covered by our ATOL licence (5802).
Country Information
For general information of the country you’re considering please see the information on Tribes main website. You will find relevant links in each holiday.
Booking
You can book a Down to Earth holiday with confidence, knowing that you are booking with Tribes Travel which has been arranging superb holidays since 1998. We also 100% financially protect you through our AITO and ATOL licences.
We ask for a deposit of £250 to book a holiday, and final payment is due 10 weeks before departure. For more details on booking, please read our Booking page.
Preparing for your travels
We hope you like this exciting range of holidays. If you're interested in booking a holiday with us and you'd like to know about what to do from here if you'll find our "Plan & book your holiday" page of use.
This includes explanations of such things as:
Passport: You will need a passport which has at least 6 months validity left.
Visas: You are responsible for ensuring you have the correct visas for your travels.
Vaccinations: You are also responsible for making sure you have the vaccinations and prophylactics you need for your holiday. We offer an advice sheet, but you need to consult a doctor or medical practitioner for up to date advice.
Insurance: Comprehensive insurance is compulsory for these holidays. You can buy this from whoever you wish, but we recommend a very good policy.
Safety & Security: Always check the Foreign Office Travel advice (www.fco.gov.uk/travel ) so that you are aware of any issues in the country you are travelling to.
Travel kit: You will need certain items of clothing, toiletries, first aid and luggage etc for your trip. If you like buying fair trade, organic and ethical goods, please consider visiting our online shop – www.tribestrading.co.uk
Always contact us if there is anything you would like explaining in more detail, or if you have any questions which the information here does not address.