Make your gap year greener

Take the train or bus

Once you’ve reached your destination why not try and limit your carbon footprint by discovering your destination by train or bus:

· Experience the real Mexico with a new flexible hop on and off bus pass, which takes you through Mexico’s colonial towns, jungle settings, archaeological sites and Caribbean beaches.  The bus route starts in Mexico City and takes in thirteen destinations, including Puerto Escondido, the Agua Azul waterfall and Chichen Itza, before ending in Cancun.  The bus stops in each destination at least every two days, allowing passengers to explore Mexico at their own pace.  The Bamba Experience costs from £195.

· See Japan by train.  Book a seven day Japanese rail pass and get unlimited travel on all Japan’s railway lines and affiliated buses and ferries, for the same price as a return ticket between Tokyo and Kyoto. The Japanese rail pass is specifically designed for travellers and can be bought for 7,14 or 21 days consecutive travel, allowing you to see as much as possible of this amazing country.  A seven day pass costs from £142.

· See the best of South Africa with a flexible bus pass taking you from Cape Town to Durban.  The hop on and off pass takes you along South Africa’s coast from the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, taking in Hermanus, Port Elizabeth and the Eastern Cape to Durban.  The bus stops in 40 cities, towns and villages en route allowing you to whale watch in Hermanus, explore the winelands, surf the famous tubes on Jeffreys Bay, take a township tour or visit the Shamwari game reserve, where you can spot the Big Five.  The pass costs £146 one-way from Cape Town to Durban and £217 return.

Give something back

Give something back to the countries that you visit by volunteering at a conservation project:

· Help with conservation in the Galapagos by spending 2 weeks on the island of San Cristobel, 1,000km off the mainland of Ecuador.  The project involves working to preserve the natural habitat of the island and introducing new organic farming methods to the islanders. Conservation work on the island will include planting new crops, maintaining trails and light building work.  Two weeks at the conservation project costs from £745 per person.

· Get involved in a reforestation project in Kenya.  Deforestation is a huge issue throughout Kenya where illegal logging and expanding communities have encroached into limited forested areas.  The project is based in the foothills of Mount Kenya and aims to build up bare areas of hillside to protect wildlife and safeguard the water supply to over 7 million people.  Work in the project includes planting seeds, maintaining seedbeds and light building work.  One week at the conservation project costs from £295 per person.

· Help protect an endangered species in the Cuero y Salado wildlife refuge in Honduras.  The 13,000 acre tropical forest site is home to about 10% of the world’s endangered manatee population, as well as other species of wildlife including jaguars, ocelots, boa constrictors, howler monkeys and alligators.  Work on the project includes monitoring the wildlife, acting as a tour guide and river patrolling.  Two weeks at the project cost from £675 per person.

More Information

STA Travel has over 25 years experience in student, budget and independent travel.  They offer a unique range of flights, accommodation, adventures and expeditions in 90 countries.  They send over 6 million passengers away each year and now have over 400 branches worldwide.  They have just been voted a UK CoolBrand 2006 for innovation, style and desirability.

For press enquiries contact Emma Hill or Tiggy Dean at Hill & Dean PR on 020 8875 9923