About GeoCultura

We avoid internal flights by travelling by small coach and, on our Scotland tours, for the longer journeys, we travel by rail. Vegan and vegetarian options are available at every meal – did you know going vegan or vegetarian, even for just one day a week, can significantly reduce your carbon emissions? We choose to stay at local, privately owned hotels which source much of their produce locally, so we make it easy for our guests to choose local, seasonal food and drink whenever you can. ....less

We hire local guides, arrange pre-dinner talks with local experts, arrange visits to studios of local artists and engage local traditional music bands for after dinner entertainment. ....less

We use guides who live locally, local transport providers including minibuses, taxis and boatmen. If not eating within the hotel, our guests will be encouraged to explore local cafes, pubs and restaurants in the destination. By minimising time spent travelling in the bus we ensure our guests have time to visit local shops, galleries, museums etc...For some of our destinations we sponsor local charities which support local communities and / or environmental projects. ....less

We care about our staff, Tour Leaders, partners and suppliers and we show that by paying fairly and quickly. We work hard to build good relationships with our accommodation and excursion providers, as we treat everyone we work with respectfully. It’s an approach that makes everyone’s working lives pleasant, while garnering an environment of loyalty, trust and repeat business. Our guests benefit too, as we find our partners and suppliers are more willing to go the extra mile for us when they know we’d do the same for them. ....less

At the heart of our responsible travel ethos is our desire to make our tours as beneficial for the places they visit as they are for our guests. It’s not enough to simply ‘leave no trace’ on the people and places we encounter on our tours. At GeoCultura, we want to leave a positive impression – socially, environmentally and economically. ....less

The first germ of an idea for GeoCultura started when a group of friends got together to plan a trip. We wanted something that allowed us to visit spectacular rocks, while also enjoying the best the region had to offer. We wanted a trip that combined geoscience with an exploration of the wider natural environment, landscapes and processes, and to see how these influence local culture and development. We drew a blank. So we decided to plan one for ourselves. And GeoCultura was born. ....less

GeoCultura COVID-19 Travel Policy
Updated September 2022

The health and safety of our customers, staff and third-party providers are of paramount importance to us and we completely understand the uncertainty that many people will feel when considering their holiday and travel plans.
However, we believe that, given our assurances regarding your booking and our efforts to ensure your safety on our tours, you will be confident in booking with GeoCultura.

We have put in place protocols and procedures for mitigating risks during tours (a summary is provided below), and any tour booking with GeoCultura will be fully refundable if Coronavirus conditions in any of the countries we visit were to mean the tour could not go ahead as planned. We offer the options of a transfer to a future tour date, a credit note or a full cash refund.

Since all our forthcoming tours are scheduled to commence at a time when the pandemic is expected to continue to wane, and when many of us will have been vaccinated, we will continue to closely monitor developments around the world and follow the advice of relevant government departments as well as other public health authorities and officials in the destinations we visit. While the situation remains fluid, we will be in touch with you immediately if there are any updates on your specific trip.

The decision to travel is a personal one; each of us must determine our own comfort level with travel, based on the best available advice and personal safety measures. To help you make your decision, below we highlight the key extra health and safety measures we are taking across all our upcoming tours.

· All participants are requested that they self-certify that they are healthy and without COVID symptoms at the commencement of the tour Our joining instructions include this reminder.
· Participants are requested to monitor their own health throughout the tour and inform the Tour Manager of any change in their health.
· Our Tour Managers are trained in COVID security measures and will monitor all our destinations and venues and as needed remind participants to wash their hands and use face coverings where necessary
· Our suppliers – we require the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene from our third party suppliers.
· At the start of each day all participants will be offered a temperature check and to self-certify that they do not have COVID symptoms.
· There will be hand sanitiser available throughout

We hope this information has been useful to you and that you have the confidence to book a tour with GeoCultura – we look forward to meeting you on one of our fascinating trips!
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We offer escorted tours with a unique core. Choose your destination and allow our expert guides to reveal the secrets of the landscapes - the geology, the history and particularly the impact the earth science has had on the local communities from the earliest settlers to the present day.

Your guide will interweave tales of the natural sciences with stories of human development of history, art and architecture. After all, human development is fundamentally dependent on the natural environment and geology provides the foundations on which all life is built. Join us to learn from the best.

You’ll enjoy great views, memorable walks to hidden gems, intriguing pit stops for lunch, visits to local attractions and vineyards and comfortable overnight stays with good food and congenial company.
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World Travel and Tourism Council Safe Travels marque
UKInbound member 2024/5
Working with Visit Scotland 2024/2025 ....less

Our strategies include, but are not limited to:
Contributing to restoration projects and community science programmes run via selected charity organisations to protect and restore critical environments and ecosystems.
Leading legal and responsible access to outcrops, following conservation guidelines and the country code, minimizing impact to local flora and fauna.
Buying provisions locally to help support the local economy and reduce carbon footprint.
Employing digital documentation and minimizing the use of paper.
Recycling and reusing consumables and equipment.
Improving and promoting efficient tour and employee transportation.
Continuing to drive the efficient use of electronic appliances, e.g. power save mode or off.
Managing staff working from home and utilizing video conferencing.
Promoting employee engagement and initiatives.
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We choose the best accommodation in each location. In remote places, especially in the US, there might be a limited choice, but we always check out the options in advance to ensure you won't be disappointed. In England, where distances between our tour stops are shorter, we often choose hotels or Inns in small towns or villages, where it's easy for you to wander out to explore when you have free time. We look for the places that offer high standards of cleanliness, a warm welcome and where the kitchen team put great effort into their food, sourcing local produce where possible. ....less