It’s not easy being green, or so said the world’s favourite frog. But if you really want to ker-mit (sorry) to travel that’s better for nature, there are a few simple steps you can take.
Here, Kasia Morgan, Head of Sustainability at Exodus, reveals 10 easy ways you can make your next adventure one that does better for the natural world.
1. Give Back When Booking Your Tour
Environmentally conscious tour operators work hard to reduce their impact on the natural world. So, when choosing your next adventure, spend 15 minutes or so researching how the company gives back when you book a trip.
At Exodus, we rewild 100 square metres for every person who travels with us, through our partners at Rewilding Apennines, while also donating to the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation for every booking.
Specific trips may also support different projects; climb Kilimanjaro with us and we’ll donate £25 to the Mountain Lioness Project for each person who books. We’re not the only ones doing it, but we’re always looking at new ways to make our trips work better for nature and the communities that live in the destinations we visit.
2. Join a Citizen Science trip
Citizen Science departures, in which you take part in on-the-ground scientific research, have grown in popularity over recent years. We partnered with NatureMetrics to launch our first in June 2023 and the results since have been astonishing.
During 2023-24, our groups took 138 samples in countries across the globe, detecting 1,262 species, including 21 invasive non-native species and 13 on the IUCN red list. Experts can now use this information to protect native wildlife in the areas we visited, helping it to flourish.
For more, watch our documentary below, Footprints of the Forest, to learn what we discovered on one of our expeditions into the Amazon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj37nHY7LEI
3. Think About Your Carbon Footprint
Travelling always generates a carbon footprint. The higher the amount, the worse for the planet. However, tour operators who think about their impact on the natural world will be transparent with the number.
On each of our trips, we provide the CO2e (a measure of greenhouse gases) generated by in-trip transport, accommodation, activities and meals, plus the impact of the tour leader accompanying you. Pair this with the CO2e of your flights to/from the adventure, which you should be able to find online, and you get a good estimation for your complete footprint for the trip.
It’s worth noting that we don’t measure the impact of flights (or other transport) to/from our trips, as our travellers come from all over the world and we don’t always have visibility on what mode of transport they take; however, there are ways to reduce your flight impact, which we explore next.
4. Take the Train
Flying is nearly always the most carbon-intensive way to join your adventure. Luckily, alternatives are available. Typically, taking the train dramatically slashes your carbon footprint for the journey; for example, a train from London to Amsterdam emits approximately 80% less carbon per individual than flying, with the added benefit of more room, comfier seats and scenic journeys. To help, we’ve made it easy to take the train to many of our trips, through our partnership with Byway. This flexible option also allows you to stop in cities en route, extending your adventure, while also doing better for nature.
5. Choose Responsible Animal Excursions
Most travellers are alert to the many ways animals are abused in the name of tourism. However, according to World Animal Protection, 550,000 wild animals are still being exploited for holidaymakers.
Choosing how you interact with animals is essential. In general, pick tours in which the animals have minimal contact with humans and can live a wild life, even if they’re in a rehabilitation centre. It’s a great sign if they have an easily accessible animal welfare policy that you can read ahead of your trip. Also, always opt for trips led by experts, who know the local well-being laws and have the desire to not just make money from the animals but help them thrive.
6. Learn From Local Communities
It’s always a good idea to research the place you’re visiting before you leave. But a book or blog will only get you so far.
Bolster your understanding by choosing an adventure that actively involves and introduces you to the local community, as well as employing local tour guides. This will heighten your understanding of the impact overtourism has on the local environment, as well as enhance the authenticity of your experience. Our Italian Apennines: Walks & Wildlife adventure, for example, includes one night in a local mountain refuge, owned by members of the community, and introduces you to our partners Rewilding Apennines, who are based in the area and will teach you about the vital conservation work they’re doing in the Abruzzo mountains.
7. Pack a water bottle
Discarded plastic bottles are the bane of every responsible traveller’s life. Exodus is working double-time to reduce the amount of plastic waste on our tours, from providing safe, boiled drinking water while camping to keeping a communal supply of water for your group to share.
Just bring a reusable water bottle and top it up – meaning your destination will stay beautiful for years to come, plus you’ll save the money normally spent on bottled mineral water. For hotter destinations, we’d recommend bringing two bottles. That means you can keep one bottle cooling in a fridge or cooler box, while using the other to stay hydrated.
We’ve also partnered with Water-to-Go, who create durable filter bottles made from plants. Exodus travellers receive 15% off their purchase, while another 15% is donated to the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation.
8. Consider Your Souvenirs
Don’t buy products made of endangered species or with destructive consequences – carved mahogany trinkets, crocodile-skin purses and ivory statues are all off limits for the responsible traveller.
But it’s no hardship considering the wealth of lovingly handcrafted souvenirs you can buy from local markets and artisan stalls, which we can show you on our trips. You’ll end up with keepsakes that promote a mutually beneficial interaction with a community, and it’ll be all the more precious for it.
9. Remove Excess Packaging
In some destinations, it’s difficult to dispose of waste in the right way. So, when filling your suitcase before your adventure, ensure you remove excess packaging, especially from new purchases.
Plus, it’ll leave space in your bag for anything you buy along the way, helping to support the local economy as you go. In destinations where recycling is minimal, we also encourage travellers to take their rubbish home with them, so it can be recycled properly.
10. Donate to Charitable Causes
Giving to a charity is one of the most direct ways you can make a positive impact, allowing you to support causes close to your heart, while knowing your money is getting through to the people and wildlife who need it most. We launched the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation in 2019 to invest in tourism-related projects that help nature and people thrive in harmony. Since then, we’ve helped Tsavo communities in Kenya fence off 90% of their land for nature through the Free to Roam project, funded innovative schemes in Bandhavgarh National Park to protect Bengal tigers through our Tiger Habitat Project, and continue to fund grassroots initiatives in our destination communities through our Community Kickstart Projects. You can read more about the work we’re doing on the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation website.
Browse our trips below to find an adventure that does better for the natural world.
