Responsible Travel Guide
Think global, act and buy local!
Tips for responsible travel
Environmental issue has been quite critical day by day all around the world. Especially the countries like Nepal where many Mountains and lakes are located has very fragile ecosystem. Due to global warming and climate change the glaciers are already melting in alarming rate and hundreds of snow lakes are in the position of outburst. As a responsible traveler, to stop climate change and reduce its impact we can contribute ourselves in many ways while we travel.
Before you book your holiday
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Plan your route to minimise carbon emissions - travel by public transport where possible and minimize domestic flights |
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Minimise flying time and stopovers - the worst carbon emissions are emitted during take off and landing. |
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Ask to see the tour operator's policy for responsible tourism. Make sure it explains how they minimize environmental impacts and support the local economy |
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Ask your hotel/accommodation our 10 simple questions to see if they really are eco! |
Before you travel
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Read up on local cultures and learn a few words of the local language - travelling with respect earns you respect. Check out our Language Guide. |
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Remove all excess packaging - waste disposal is difficult in remote places |
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Bring with you disposable bags where you put your rubbish whenever your are in place without proper litter. Moreover, you can help local environment to make clean by picking up the rubbish you may find on your way, especially plastics and cans. |
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Ask your tour operator for specific tips for responsible travel in your destination |
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Ask your tour operator/hotel if there are useful gifts that you could pack for your hosts, local people or schools |
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Ask your tour operator whether there are local conservation or social projects that you could visit on your trip and if/how you could help/support them |
While on holiday
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Buy local produce in preference to imported goods |
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Hire a local guide - you'll discover more about local culture and lives and they will earn an income |
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Do not buy products made from endangered species, hard woods or ancient artifacts |
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Try to have lunch at the same time as everybody and/or as local people so that the same energy can be used for cooking more food. In this sense, avoid being whimsical with food, eat the same as everyone in order to save energy and time |
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Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places - if in doubt ask advice or don't visit. Most Hindu temples, foreigners are not allowed to enter and take photos |
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Use public transport, hire a bike or walk when convenient - its a great way to meet local people on their terms and reduce pollution and carbon emissions. Mountain Biking is the best way to explore local culture being responsible traveler |
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Use water sparingly - its very precious in many countries and tourists tend to use far more than local people. Water scarce in cities area where it extracts from the ground |
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Avoid buying bottled water as far as possible. If you're unsure about the quality of the water, use water pills or boil water since even if this consumes energy it's always better than producing and transporting water bottled from far away in polluting lorries |
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Remember that local people have different ways of thinking and concepts of time, this just makes them different not wrong - cultivate the habit of asking questions (rather than the Western habit of knowing the answers) |
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When washing clothes, avoid using water and energy in excess and avoid using chemical soaps. Two buckets of cold water are enough: you wash your clothes in one of them with natural soap and then you rinse them in the second one. If you go to a laundry, ask them if they use natural soap |
Be creative and try to sensiblisze people around you, both tourists and local people whenever you see there are a waste of energy, water or simply waste and pollution that could be easily avoided.
When you get back
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Write to your tour operator or hotel with any comments or feedback about your holiday and especially include any suggestions on reducing environmental impacts and increasing benefits to local communities |
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 If you've promised to send pictures or gifts to local people remember to do so, many are promised and not all arrive! |
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Why not donate to a local project in the area you’ve visited? Ask advice from your tour operator |
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Enjoy the memories, reflect on your experience and start planning your next trip! |
Nepal is still very beautiful – surely one of the world’s great trekking paradises. But those of us who take advantage of these charms have great responsibility. We can play an active part in Nepal’s by making positive efforts to leave the mountains and walkways cleaner than we found them, taking care not to abuse local customs and traditions, and limiting our use of energy to a minimum so there may be something left for future generations. Nepal must be saved – and we can help do it. Sir Edmund Hillary
Green washing or genuine eco-lodge? 10 ways to tell the difference:
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Ask the lodge owner if they have a written policy regarding the environment and local people. If it is not written down ('yeah, yeah we do all that stuff') then it probably means they’re not taking it seriously. |
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 Ask them to describe the single contribution to conservation or local people that they are most proud of. |
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Ask them how they measure their contribution to conservation and local communities. |
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Ask the lodge owner how many local people they employ, what % this is of the total and whether any are in management positions. |
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Ask them what they have specifically done to help protect the environment and support conservation, and which local charities they work with. |
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Ask them what % of produce and services are sourced from the local of the lodge. |
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Ask them how they treat waste water and how they heat their building (solar is better than firewood, which can cause deforestation) |
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Ask them what information and advice is provided to tourists on local cultures and customs. |
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Ask them if they employ guides from the local community (local guides not only provide unmatched insights into local cultures, but are also aware of areas/behavior that might cause offence among local people. |
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Ask them for ideas on how you might get involved with local people and conservation in a worthwhile and rewarding way for you and the destination. |
Courtesy: Responsible Travel |
