We had a great couple of days facilitating guide training with the Forestry team at Colo-i-Suva last week. Right now that feels like a lifetime ago. We adapted our community guide training package to fit the needs of the Forest Parks and Nature Reserves department within the Ministry of Forestry. At their Colo-i-Suva headquarters we […]
Bula trekker, One of the amazing things about connecting visitors to remote, rural Fijian communities through our treks is that we get to meet so many interesting and inspiring people. Based on the talanoa (chats / stories) we’ve shared with previous guests, I’m fairly certain that you’ve all found yourselves in challenging situations around the
There are so many terms for getting out into nature and moving around on your own two feet. The term you’re most familiar with may depend on your location, and there are some fairly country-specific terms such as tramping (New Zealand), rambling (UK), and bushwalking (Australia). There are also some that can end up in
We are only ever afforded a glimpse into the lives of the communities we work with – and are there at their invitation. These communities are guardians of a wealth of traditional and cultural knowledge. They are also places in which social norms play a large role in determining the roles and responsibilities of men
Promoting women’s leadership through hiking tourism Read More »
During our guide training in 2017, we held a session on barriers to women guides in our partner communities. Ever since then we have continued to work with and encourage those women who were keen to guide. This year, almost all of our hikes so far have had at least one female guide, and on
Eighteen guides from three of our partner villages undertook our revamped guide training course in April. We deliver this tailored course every two years, with a first aid refresher course in the intervening year. In a change for 2019, we decided to take the course out of the village and onto the trails, so that
Communities complete revamped guide training course Read More »
We’ve always tried to minimise our use of single-use plastics, and worked to recycle those that we do. But, this is not enough. So in 2019, Talanoa Treks is going single-use plastic free! Our first target is our guests and guides use of plastic bottles. Hiking in a tropical country is thirsty work and we
Talanoa Treks was proud to be a finalist at the ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards in the Visitor Attraction and Activity category. Being short-listed was testimony to all the hard work put in by the communities that we work in partnership to give guests a unique insight into a Fiji far away from the
We’ve often puzzled as to why our hikes leave people a little bit more tired than they’re expecting. We’re in the tropics, so it’s often a bit hotter and more humid than hikers are used to, and the tracks we walk on aren’t constructed pathways, but often old village routes that were used before roads
We love the food that the ladies in Naga village prepare for guests. Almost entirely sourced from the gardens surrounding the village, and always delicious. And now, Naga has new kitchen facilities and a shared social space for the ladies to come together to cook, which, like so much else in Fiji, is an opportunity
