Challenges, Inspiration

Cuba Carnival – Trevor Gibbs writes about the biggest fiesta going down in Cuba

July 23, 2012

The ‘Pearl of the Antilles’, Cuba pulsates to the rhythms of its Latin and African origins. The land of the rumba and the salsa, this Caribbean jewel has been partying for centuries; since black slaves began holding dances to commemorate the festivals of Corpus Christi and Epiphany. Indeed, Carnival can justifiably be considered one of the island’s oldest traditions.

Until the late 1990s, Carnival was always held earlier in the year to coincide with its religious roots, a time when the Spanish overlords allowed their slaves a few days off to reproduce the songs and dances of their African homeland. For the past few years though the festival has moved to the summer months, when the streets of Havana and Santiago de Cuba explode in a riot of colour and comparsas (performing groups). The largest and most traditional of the carnival celebrations take place in Santiago, whilst in Havana there is music, dancing, outrageous costumes and fireworks, with parades running the length of the Malécon, Havana’s broad waterfront.

As well as the faroleros dancers and the hypnotic blend of traditional and contemporary music, the parades also include allegorical floats and the imposing presence of the Muñecones, huge satirical caricatures of well-known politicians and other famous people. Many of the groups that take part in the festival are drawn from the neighbourhoods of the Cuban capital and much community pride goes into their performances. Each year one day is also set aside specifically for children, with clowns and magicians joining the thronging masses.

For anyone who has never experienced Carnival before, it is a dazzling kaleidoscope of Cuban rhythm, dance and colour and every year spectators are invited to join in with the fun. For those looking to immerse themselves fully into Cuban culture, this visual treat is also a great time to experience a rich range of Cuban cuisine, with roasted pig (puerco asado), tamales and chicharritas on offer…all washed down with some cold Cuban beer or some of the island’s famous rum.

Dates for this year’s Carnival are from the 21-29 July in Santiago de Cuba and from the 3-10 August in Havana.

To keep up to date on all Charity Challenge news and recieve our latest blogs, please subscribe to our RSS feed via clicking the orange button in the top right, and enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list. And for more of Trevor’s view on the world, check out his action packed blog at:http://alizardwandering.wordpress.com/

Challenges

Welcome to the Jungles!

July 20, 2012

Jungle trekking is a great way to explore the jungle and to get closer to the sounds and sights of such an amazing eco-system. For many, the Jungle represents the ultimate getaway from the mundanely of the office and urban living, but it’s important to remember that every jungle is different.

Here at Charity Challenge, we offer 3 tropical and totally unique jungle Challenges.  So if you know you want to take on a jungle but are not sure which, then the below guides will hopefully help you decide which challenge is for you!

 

THE SUMATRA JUNGLE TREK

 Challenge in a Nutshell: On this this unique 11 day jungle Challenge, you take on a challenging and truly exotic itinerary that entails 6 days of hardcore jungle trekking, camping in the rainforest, tracking wildlife, river walking, meeting local people, tubing down the rapids of the Bohorok river and a taking some time out to visit the Gunung Leuser National Park’s Orangutan feeding platform, where you can observe these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. Continue Reading…

Responsible Tourism

Climate Care helps us beat the audit blues!

July 6, 2012

It’s audit time again, and our financial team are having end of financial year blues! I’m sure many of you out there can appreciate this feeling… it’s something that comes around once a year. Rather than experiencing the infamous post-Christmas depression, it’s that time of year when spreadsheets and number crunching starts to take over our lives, and the office turns into a frenzy of paperwork and reports…

That’s the bad news. The good news is that each year, around this time, we at Charity Challenge make our annual carbon offset payment to climate and development experts, ClimateCare, the excellent organization with which we work to offset the emissions produced from each flight, for every participant and staff member who has travelled with us the last year.

To put it briefly, over the last year we sent over 1500 participants on challenges around the world. For each person, we use ClimateCare’s calculator to calculate how many tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere on each overseas flight. We then make a payment at the end of each year, which goes towards ClimateCare’s projects which  not only reduce carbon emissions, but also deliver wider social, health and environmental benefits, making a real,  difference to people in some of the poorest areas of the world.

This year we are making a huge payment of just over £23 000! And in fact, the reductions made from 2008 to now have been enough to ground the equivalent of about 20 full flights (assumed 348 passengers) from London Heathrow to New York JFK.

We are amazingly proud and pleased to be affiliated with ClimateCare. As a company, ClimateCare develops emission reduction projects throughout some of the world’s less-developed countries[SB1] , with a particular emphasis on sustainable development. The offsets we purchase help to fund a portfolio of projects in many cases  situated in countries where we have challenges, such as Brazil and Indonesia. An example is the Wayang Windu Geothermal plant in Indonesia.  Carbon finance is funding the second phase of this power plant, which uses heat from under the earth’s surface, displacing fossil-fuelled grid electricity.

Responsibility in tourism is becoming more and more pressing, as scientists, environmentalists and experts within the travel industry continue to discover how detrimental a poorly operated travel expedition can be to the environment, societies and communities visited. Think about all the waste created by fast food; vast amounts of packaging; electricity and air conditioning left on in rooms; excessive use of water to rehydrate and cool down, and, obviously, the emissions given off in international flights. Added up this sounds difficult to combat. Why not just give up travelling abroad altogether? The fact is that tourism plays a huge role in creating jobs and bringing in money to local economies. Being responsible is a duty of all tour operators, in order to help to create better places to visit, as well as a positive experience for the local people by engaging them in our activities as much as possible.

At Charity Challenge this responsibility begins in transit, by helping to fund projects which fund clean renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency in some of the countries we visit. More importantly, it helps us to repair some of the damage that we cause to the atmosphere when arranging international flights for our participants.

To read about the projects you can visit ClimateCare’s website, and to find out more about Charity Challenge’s dedication and commitment to making our operations more ‘responsible’, check out our Responsible Tourism pages and download our RT policy. These are soon to be revamped, so watch this space!

Inspiration, Tips & Advice

Top 5 Trekking Heroes for your Charity Challenges! As voted for by You!

June 29, 2012

To pack the extra pair of trainers or not to pack?

It’s not always easy to know what you’re going to need and what is worth investing in on your charity challenge! So we’ve teamed up with some our previous trekking champs to put together the below top 5 list of trekking must haves that we will make your challenge experience that little bit more special!

1)      A good Rucksack.

The importance of buying and breaking-in a solid pair of trekking boots is no secret these days, but you should never overlook the impact that your day backpack has on your trekking experience as well, especially if you’re on one of our long haul, camping-based challenges. If your rucksack is too small or your belongings bulge out making it sit awkwardly on your back, if it’s not fitted properly (too loose or too tight), the straps can dig into your back and cause you severe discomfort. In short, a bad backpack can make a 9 hour trek feel a 100 times longer! And it’s hard to appreciate where you are and what you’re doing if all you can think of about is backpack pain!

The answer? Choose a good rucksack. It need not be expensive, Cotswold Outdoors have a great selection and if you’re signed up to one our challenges, you’re entitled to 15% off the whole Cotswold Outdoors range and 20% if your a repeat booker! Check your members’ area for more details.

Next, wear your rucksack in, and get use to carrying weight in it – maybe use it to carry your supermarket shopping home!

Make sure it’s fitted correctly; you can check out Cotswold Outdoors super helpful “how best to fit your rucksack” video here. When you’re on the challenge itself our team leaders and guides will be more than happy to advise you on this. The best rucksacks are the ones you forget you’re wearing, so follow the above advice, and the only thoughts on your mind will be “what an amazing view!”, “what a fantastic group of people !” and “when’s the next tea break?!”

2)      Toiletry essentials! – Tiger Balm/Vaseline, Anti-bacterial gel and Wet wipes.

From something big to something little, but just as important! Figuring out what items from your morning routine you can or absolutely can’t be separated from can be a massive brain ache.

But help is at hand! In the form of recommendations from our intrepid Charity Challengers on their can’t-live-without trekking toiletries!   

First up, Super-Trekker Rachel Walker recommends multi-functional Tiger Balm – “wouldn’t have survived Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu without it!” India trekker Sue Rutherford likewise found it a trekking hero! “Vaseline for feet and between toes every morning, no blisters on the Dalai Lama Trek”.

Second up, veteran trekker Ian Butler champions wet wipes for wiping sweat off brows and those “discreet in-sleeping bag washing moments” when showers and bathtubs are but distant dreams.

Likewise, and up at number 3, there aren’t toilets or sinks out there in the wilderness, so anti-bacterial handwash is a 100% must for any Charity Challenger.

3)      Comfy clothes

It’s all about comfort over style when it comes to trekking. When you’re camping in the Kilimanjaro night-time at minus 10 degrees, shivering in your silk pyjamas or novelty boxer shorts, it’s very little consolation that you look fabulous!

“I took my favourite jumper that has never been worn out of the house before and never will again,” says Veteran Charity Challenger Jo Berridge, “but it’s sooooo comfy and cosy that I knew I would want it for the cold nights. It was so nice to put on when the temperature dropped and kept me snug at night!”.

Jo also makes the good point that you don’t want spend the whole trek worrying about your attire, “i’d also say take stuff that doesn’t matter if it gets ripped, muddy or left behind. I left loads of kit behind and it made the trip from Heathrow to home so much easier”.

So what do our trekkers recommend? Well, it really depends on the type and duration of your trek. But staple items for any trek include a warm jumper or fleece for chilly nights, your trekking specific gear (trousers, boots,  etc), comfy T-shirts, vest top, light weight shoes to wear in the evenings, and something a little bit smart for your celebration meal. Trek to Machu Picchu trekker Hannah Bradshaw also puts in a special recommendation for leggings, – “sooo comfy to trek in AND you can get waterproof trousers over them easily!”. Peru Trekker Louise Gale, points out that “leggings can also be dressed up for gala night as well and don’t take up much room”.  Truly they are a multi-tasking must-have!

4)      Sweets! – energy boosting trekking snacks

One massive perk of trekking is that, since you are burning through hundreds of calories a day, you actually need to consume lots of sweets and trekking snacks to give you energy for the goodness of your health. Guilt-free sweets! How often in life does that happen?! The brave trekkers who took on our North Pole challenge earlier this year had to consume several bars of chocolates and packets of sweets as part of their actual diet whilst on the expedition!

Worthers Originals and energy bars are among our top recommendations. Tried and tested favourites from our Charity Challengers include the below;

“Tracker bars, the best snack ever whilst trekking. I wouldn’t have survived my last 4 treks without them!” – Thailand Jungle Trekker, Lesley Lewis

“Have to say the two bags of Haribo I took to Peru were life savers, yum, felt like a little kid again!”  – Trek to Machu Picchu, Sam Coleman

“Ginger biscuits: they last forever, give you energy and are great if you feel sick.” –  Trek to the Home of the Dalai Lama Challenger, Jennifer Clemo

“Jelly babies are a good energy boost.” Peru Trekker, Rob Lewis

5)      A little luxury

There’s nothing like having a little something to look forward to at the end of a long hard trek. Jo Berridge recommends “hot chocolate, foot cream…and a spiky massage ball that was a lifesaver in Peru – it ended up going home with someone else and I’ve bought a new one – was great for achy calves from walking and shoulders from carrying the backpack.”

She also recommends Barocca/dioralyte/anything that makes water taste good – “You end up drinking so much and it gets so boring! It’s amazing what a difference having a drink that tastes slightly different can make”. Water flavouring turned out to be a surprisingly popular luxury add-on for lots of our Charity Challengers, with Louise Gale adding that “Zero electrolyte tablets…makes the water taste nicer and also puts the electrolytes in your body before you walk rather than having to put them back in after your walk”. Our trekking friends from Safe At Last recommend “a book and a pillow for some me time”.  There is nothing like a charity challenge to make you appreciate the small comforts in life!

So there you have it! Take note of these 5 rules and there should be nothing to get in the way of you having the time of your life! For more top tips, and to learn more about all our charity challenges, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com, and, to keep up to date on all our challenge news, subscribe to this blog by clicking on the orange RSS button, you can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Challenges, Inspiration

The Hidden Gems Challenge Series – The Pyrenees Snow Shoe Challenge

June 26, 2012

Have you ever wanted to know what it is like to strap a pair of ‘tennis rackets’ to your feet and float across snow…if you have ever pondered this thought then why not take a look at the second challenge to feature in our “Hidden Gems” collection.

The thought process behind launching our “Hidden Gems” blog series is to throw light upon some of our lesser known and more quirkier short haul challenges. Now is the turn of perhaps the most memorable, challenging and quirkiest challenge of them all! – The Pyrenees Snow Shoe Challenge

Our upcoming March 2013 departure date will be the very first time we run the Snow Shoe trek, and we’re really excited to be launching a challenge that will be a first for us both in terms of location and activity!

So Pyrenees Snow Shoe Operations Manager Kathryn has put together the below blog to let everybody know what this rather intriguing challenge is all about!

 What is a Snow Shoe:

A snow shoe used to look like an old fashioned wooden tennis racket with lattice work made out of animal hide so there wasn’t a build up of snow on the shoe, but these days they’re normally made with lightweight metal or plastic frames with synthetic lattice work and they also have bindings…if your still not sure theres a picture on the right for you to have a look at!

 The Origins of Snow-shoeing:

Snow shoeing was invented about 6000 years ago, in the area that we now call Central Asia, archaeologists have hypothesised that what was originally thought to part of a back pack frame found on the famous Chalcolithic mummy Otzi was in fact part of a snow shoe. It is believed that the ancestors of the Inuit’s and Native Americans migrated to North America on primitive shoe shoes fashioned by strapping slabs of wood to their feet.

 So what actually is snow-shoeing?

Snow shoeing still uses the same principles as when it was 1st invented. This was to have a large surface area strapped to your feet to disperse your body weight and stop you from ultimately sinking in to the soft powdery snow and passing out with exhaustion within 10 minutes of going anywhere! It is a great way of exploring the mountains when they are covered in snow and trekking would normally be impossible, and also a fantastic way of keeping fit with new aerobic/running snow shoes being invented.

 Why would you snow shoe?

It is a fantastic way to explore the winter wonderland of the Pyrenees and the Aiguestortes National Park, with breath-taking landscapes and an ethereal quietness. All you’ll hear is the sound of your breathing and the crunching of the fresh snow beneath your  feet.

 What to expect:

This challenge takes you into the heart of some of Europe’s most unspoilt wildernesses. Beginning in the Midi-Pyrenees, you will be given a full safety briefing including avalanche training from our expert challenge leader, and time to acclimatise. You then have the chance to test out your newly learnt skills as you cross over the border into Spain. Here, amongst the staggering vistas of Catalonia’s only national park, you will have a chance to explore a world that for much of the winter is inaccessible to most trekkers.

This incredible challenge affords a chance to test your-self against nature and the elements in the mountains of north-eastern Spain.

So what are you waiting for?! There are still places available for our March 2013 departure date! Check out the Pyrenees Snow Shoe Challenge Itinerary, fact file and much more here!

Or get in touch with Kathryn directly at Kathryn@charitychallenge.com

You can subscribe to this blog (by clicking the orange RSS button) to hear more about us and all the amazing challenges we offer! To keep up to date on all our latest challenge news and special offers, please enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Challenges, Inspiration

The Hidden Gems Challenge Series – Trek Translyvania

June 21, 2012

Here at Charity Challenge, we are proud that our challenge portfolio includes the most iconic, classic and spectacular of treks from the adventure travel business, – namely “the Kilimanjaro Summit Climb”, “Trek to Machu Picchu” and the “Great Wall Discovery”, all quite rightly on half the nation’s bucket lists!

But we don’t stop at that. We also offer an entire range of more niche short haul challenges for those who struggle to pull themselves away from their day to day commitments at home, at work and (more often than not!) their footie team. These challenges includes treks such as our Etna Volcanic Adventure, and our Icelandic Lava Trek.

These treks aren’t always so high on people’s radars, but the way we see it, adventure travel is not just about fulfilling your lives’ ambitions, but finding yourself in a place you’d never have expected you’d ever be and finding out new things about yourself… And absolutely loving it! The challenges in our portfolio that are able to deliver this unique, and sometimes unexpected, amazing experience are what we refer to as our “Hidden Gem Challenges.”

Unfortunately, these Hidden Gems can be a little overshadowed by their aforementioned more famous sibling challenges. Which is a bit of a shame, as these short haul challenges provide just as big a thrill, and are a perfect fit for people who can’t afford to spend too long away from home and/or are perhaps taking their first step into the world of trekking and looking for something a little bit different. So, to celebrate these challenges, we have decided to write a special blog series, putting them firmly into the limelight. First up is an invigorating challenge that takes place in the borderland of European civilization – the Trek Transylvania.

There is a rustic and olde world feel to Trek Transylvania that is unique among our challenges. The trek takes place in Romania’s wild Transylvanian Alps, a quiet and sparsely populated region of the country. The first point of call when you touch down in Romania is Brasov city – a beautiful medieval city, which you pass through on your way to Bran Village, which acts as the home hub of this challenge.

The scenery around Bran is serene and rugged, pastoral, with atmospheric rocky ledges and specular mountain views. But, as our Transylvania Trekkers quickly find out, the trekking experience itself is anything but serene, Those picturesque rocky ledges are in actual fact rigidly sharp, uncompromising and frankly a bit of a nightmare to scramble over! The terrain is varied and unyielding, barely trodden and can be challenging to navigate. There are steep up-hills, perilous slopes, with the grassy landscape seeming to stretch on into infinity!

But intertwined are glimpses of Romania’s rich pastoral culture, as trekkers have the opportunity to talk with locals, sleep in small mountain villages and taste traditional food.

And of course, a trip to Transylvania would of course not be complete without a visit to the 14th century Romanian icon – Dracula’s Castle! A site loved by vampire lovers and vampire slayers alike, this beautiful castle was fabulously renovated in the 19th century by the royal family of Romania, but it is best known by Bram Stoker’s infamous novel of the same name.

So, in summary, Trek Transylvania is an ideal challenge for country enthusiasts, culture vultures, trekking heroes, people wanting to escape the city, vampire lovers and people after an ultimate, alternate and absolutely once in a lifetime challenge. The feedback that we get from our Transylvania Trekkers always speaks for itself!

“I had the most amazing experience in Romania. The scenery was absolutely beautiful and the trek was challenging but so much fun.” ‘Chloe Fox’

‘it was the Challenge of a lifetime.’ Ilana Epstein

‘An exhilarating life changing  experience.’ Tanya Richards

Fall into those categories and inspired by the feedback? Then check out our Trek Transylvania challenge itinerary and departure dates here!

Subscribe to this blog (by clickin the orange RSS button) to hear more about us and all the amazing challenges we offer! To keep up to date on all our latest challenge news and special offers, please enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.