School friends launch adventure tour operator

Two lifelong friends have launched a trade-friendly tour operator called Earth Dog Travel, offering almost 50 privately guided tours across 10 destinations.

Keen adventure travellers Jules Purnell and Rob Stables climbed Mount Kilimanjaro 20 years ago as schoolmates and more recently came up with the plan to create their own travel business while in the Himalayas.

Stables spent more than a decade working for STA Travel in the UK, South Africa, Singapore and Thailand and latterly worked for a small charity challenge tour operator. Purnell has pursued a career in media and advertising.

“Having worked in the trade for over a decade, I understand the value of strong trade partners,” said Stables.

“We will offer commission to any agent interested in selling our holidays and can hopefully provide agents with a solution for active, privately guided trips for people not wanting to join a group but perhaps still looking for great value.”

Earth Dog Travel offers trips in Bhutan, Bolivia, Colombia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam, with four distinct travel styles: Active, Explore, Honeymoon and Family.

One or both of the founders have visited and have a personal connection with each of the destinations. The company is already planning future adventures in Africa, Asia and South America.

They are targeting people who do not want to join a group tour but also don’t want the price that can accompany tailor-made trips.

Stables said: “Even our honeymoon and family trips will have travellers exploring by foot or bike.

“We’ve included experiences like overnight hikes up Kili for families and a day on the Inca Trail for newlyweds.”

All Earth Dog Travel adventures will be privately guided by local experts and will combine active adventures with moments that connect travellers to the communities they are visiting.

Purnell said these could include a Sherpa cooking class for those on a Nepal trek or visiting a women’s centre on a cycle tour along the Congo Nile Trail.

Stables added: “We want to make a concerted effort to leave a positive impact. That might mean we’re using local operators invested in training female guides in Nepal or using a community project for training disadvantaged women for our cooking classes in Morocco.”

Commenting on the name, he added: “My eight-year-old niece actually suggested Earth Dog based on something she’d come across when learning about Chinese signs and elements of the zodiac. It stuck with us – partly because we felt it was a good representation of the adventure trips we were putting together around the world but also because we both like dogs!”

To celebrate the launch of Earth Dog Travel, a 15% discount is available on all trips.

Picture in Marrakesh from left: Rob Stables and Jules Purnell