Guide-Trek-Alps is delighted to announce that they will be taking a group of 8 Italians to Shetland on a wildlife tour in June. The group, including Environmental Guide Davide D'Acunto will be arriving on the 15th and will visit some of Shetland's popular locations including Hermaness, Noss, Sumburgh Head, Eshaness, Fetlar and many others. Although Italian, Davide has an English mother who has given him useful knowledge of both the English language and culture. He worked on research projects relative to the Mountain hare and Rock Ptarmigan, collaborating also with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute of Aberdeen.
Davide, hopes not only to bring Italians to Shetland but also bring Shetlanders to his home in the Italian Alps, starting this September. The company is still very young and the pilot trip to Shetland in June will give Davide the experience to build on for future trips. Davide had dreamt of coming to Shetland since he was a child and finally made it in 2008, when he instantly fell in love with the amazing landscape, wildlife and friendly people. On his return to Italy he entered, and won, a photo competition hosted by VisitShetland, for which first prize was a wildlife holiday with Shetland Wildlife. He returned to Shetland to join local guide Jon Dunn on a 4 day tour and his love for the islands grew. Since his last trip 6yrs ago he has been planning his own tours and is delighted that they will begin later this year.
Davide says "My aim at the moment is to introduce Italians to Shetland and eventually bring people from Shetland and elsewhere to my home area in the Italian Alps where I work. The Alps are entirely different from Shetland but at the same time have many similar plants, animals and scenery. This gave me the inspiration to organize a trip from Italy for people who might find the “Shetland Dream” a bit complicated not knowing the language."
Davide has just returned from Shetland where had a recce of the islands for his upcoming trip. "I've just returned from Shetland, and I'm as enthusiastic as ever. It's the 3rd of April, so when, on my last day, I was honoured to see the return of the first Puffins at Sumburgh Head, I can confirm the words I used to title my trip - “The Promise to Return”.”
If you would be interested in joining Davide for a trip to the Alps, please visit the website www.guide-trek-alps.com or email d.dacunto@libero.it for more information.