Wild Great Wall was born on Nov 28, 2011, in Beijing, China, on a sunny afternoon. Navin and I were unwinding on the sofa at Costa Coffee, talking about travels, our projects, and about our planet and where the world is going. We decided that the time has come. We wanted to take action and start a project that would make sense for us, for the Earth and the people living on it.
I was born in the woody mountain town of southwest China-Sichuan province. I am grateful to my family for giving me such a rich heritage. Nature lover, I traveled to South East Asia, India, Spain, Egypt, and Western Europe in my early 30s.
During my travels, I chose to live close to remote places where local customs and cultures had not been impacted by tourism. I also saw the environmental downside of larger tour groups, and tourism has
- put enormous stress on local land use,
- led to soil erosion,
- increased pollution,
- brought more pressure on natural habitat.
Every day, hikers leave behind their garbage, and camping equipment on the Great Wall. Every day, many areas of ecological importance have been destroyed by human-caused fires.
We believe:
- responsible travel will conserve the environment, respecting and benefiting local people.
- we can limit the physical impact we create.
- we can bring positive benefits to our host communities by keeping our ecological and cultural footprint as small as possible.
- it is all about choices.
Our aim is to
- encourage more people to visit Beijing by promoting enjoyable and informative trips which give travelers a more authentic experience.
- operate in smaller groups, and deliver the benefits of tourism without the negative aspects of mass tourism.
Whether it’s enjoying a local farmer’s guesthouse, or locally-owned restaurants and campsites, whilst maximizing the benefits these generate for the local economies, environments and host communities.
This story is
- about our childhood memories, friendship, and generations.
- about travel, growing up, and lifetime experiences.
- about our planet, our historical heritage,
- about reducing our impact on the environment, and make better choices.
More important today than ever before, it is about sustainability.
Welcome to our eco-friendly and funny world!
Ricky & Navin
