This unique trip has been designed for the herbivores of the world. It can be super difficult travelling on a plant-based diet, but this tour offers the opportunity to embrace Veganism and mix with like-minded wanderers.
Whether you’re one of the estimated 500,000 vegans living in Australia or embracing the new decade with new experiences, this trip could be the perfect cruelty-free solution to your travels.
Plant-based isn’t just a new buzzword; it’s a worldwide movement. The vegan community is an ever-growing collective consciousness of passionate changemakers, hoping to make the world a better place.
Travelling as a vegan can be extremely challenging. Even as a vegetarian, you can find yourself getting funny looks of disapproval or a tattered reject vegetarian menu shoved into your hand, and that’s before you mention you are completely off all animal products.
But thankfully, times are changing and you will be noticing more and more incredibly tasty vegan cafes and restaurants, plus cruelty-free fashion labels, cosmetic companies and the rest, popping up all over the place.
In response to growing demand from travellers seeking animal-free alternatives, Contiki has unveiled a new vegan-friendly tour of Europe this year.
The Vegan Food Europe Explorer is a one-off trip that will be guided by two experts on all things plant-based, London based The Little London Vegan and Dusseldorf based Laura Fruit Fairy
What will you experience on this trip?
This eight-day trip will take you on a vegan food odyssey around some of Europe’s coolest cities.
Departing from Berlin on the 16th of August and ending in Budapest on the 23rd of August, you will be able to roam the beautiful European cobbled streets with your new pals and discover delicious and authentic vegan cuisine.
You’ll get to treat yourself with top foodie experiences, such as a vegan cooking class in Budapest run by Laura, a private, plant-based EatWith dining experience with locals in Berlin, a dreamy dinner cruise along the Danube river and the chance to sample a wide range of vegan delicacies on an interactive food tour in Berlin.
Are you drooling yet?
The Contiki tour will provide immersive cultural experiences such as a locally guided bike tour of opulent Prague and a classical music concert in melodic Vienna, the home of Beethoven.
Wellness excursions also feature on the itinerary and include a morning yoga class in Prague and a soak in the famous Széchenyi traditional thermal baths in Budapest; so you’ll be sure to feel on top form during your adventures and zen AF on your return home.
The accommodation has been specially selected to showcase the coolest stays around, including the Moxy in Berlin and A&O in Budapest, with bespoke vegan breakfasts served exclusively for Contiki guests.
Yes, I can see you pinching yourself and no, this isn’t your vegan imagination dreaming up ideal life scenarios again. This tour is 100% happening!
PLUS, the Vegan Food Europe Explorer is currently on offer as part of Contiki’s up to 20% off global sale, with prices starting from $2,264pp. (Conditions apply)
Find out more: Contiki’s Vegan Food Europe Explorer
What will the positive impact be?
The ‘going vegan’ debate has the internet divided, and don’t get me wrong, I’m not a qualified doctor/scientist/nutritionist or anyone else who claims to know what is right or wrong.
I truly believe that you, as a human, have the power to tap into your intuition and have the freedom to choose to do what you feel is right for your body and in alignment with your morals.
“Everyone has to find what is right for them, and it is different for everyone. Eating for me is how you proclaim your beliefs three times a day. That is why all religions have rules about eating. Three times a day, I remind myself that I value life and do not want to cause pain to or kill other living beings. That is why I eat the way I do.”
Natalie Portman
But, back to the big V debate, there is an overwhelming amount of information backing up the claim that it is indeed green, to go green.
According to researchers at the University of Oxford, eating a vegan diet improves health and could be the “single biggest way” to reduce your environmental impact on the earth.
The research shows that cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. If everyone decided to go vegan, global farmland use could be reduced by 75%, which is an area equivalent to the size of Europe, Australia, China and the US combined.
This change would not only result in a huge drop in greenhouse gas emissions, but it would also free up agricultural land for endangered wildlife to repopulate and roam free.
Find out more: Oxford University Vegan Study – Environment
Find out more: Oxford University Vegas Study – Health
While a plant-based diet also requires natural resources, its overall environmental impact is thought to be significantly less and more sustainable long-term.
Plant-based tours, such as the Contiki Vegan Food Europe Explorer, seem to be a big step in the right direction for a more environmentally responsible travel experience.
YAY for all living creatures who we share this beautiful planet with!
Will you be trading in your usual itinerary for a vegan travel experience?
How can you travel to change the world?
Congratulations! By reading this post and taking some of these insights on board, you’ve already made a difference.
Now you can easily create your impact by sharing your new-found knowledge with other friends who you think would also be interested.
Ultimately, responsible travel comes down to common sense – stay curious, keep yourself up-to-date with the challenges at hand and make yourself accountable for your actions on your travels.