Responsible Travel

Responsible Travel Programs and Ecotourism by Region

Worldwide

Africa

Asia and Australasia

Europe

Latin America

Featured Responsible Travel Programs and Ecotours

European Volunteer Adventures! GoEco offers a diverse selection of wildlife, humanitarian and environmental projects in Europe. You have the opportunity to choose among several exciting initiatives in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and the UK! Whether you’re interested in sea turtle conservation or a hospitality internship, you can expect the volunteer experience of a lifetime!

Volunteer in Ecuador and the Galapagos with Lead Adventures Interested in helping to rehabilitate the endangered wildlife, rather than looking at animals from far away or on TV? This program will give you exactly what you want. As local experts we offer you the chance of a lifetime—3 different animal rescue centers in only 4 weeks! Explore the Amazon Rainforest, the Andes Highlands and the Coast of Ecuador while helping in the rescue centers of each region. This one-of-a-kind program also offers you a one-day training of animal handling before starting your adventure. Get involved without emptying your pocket!

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism Advisor

How Travel Can Change the World: One Journey at a Time by Dr. Jessica Voigts Experienced travelers and experts illustrate and largely agree that in travel there is a false choice between ethics and pleasure. How to Be an Eco Traveler: 20 Essential Tips As exponents of responsible travel since 1977, we cut through the sometimes excessive hype and jargon to get to the core of what is involved in being conscientious yet practical eco travelers. Eco-Friendly Travel: Savings for You and the Planet by Tim Leffel Some very simple and responsible steps can help you save money while helping to minimize negative impacts on the natural word we all share. 8 Tips for Culturally Sensitive Photography by Jim Kane Take travel photographs capturing the essence of the native people at the moment, without being culturally insensitive, invasive or offensive. 10 Ways to Experience a Culture Authentically While Traveling by Jonathon Engels For many fellow travelers, “experiencing another culture,” means something far different from visiting museums, archeological ruins, and national monuments. While trying to visit the Pyramids and Colosseums of the world, these ancient icons do little in the way of illuminating the culture in another country... How to Volunteer to Protect Wildlife Responsibly by Amy E. Robertson How to find a responsible volunteer program to protect wildlife while you are overseas. How to Find a Responsible Voluntourism Experience Overseas by Amy E. Robertson 5 key steps to finding a responsible voluntourism experience by an author very experienced in volunteering and evaluating programs. Responsible Vacations and Travel with Purpose by Amy E. Robertson How to enjoy and create purpose in your travels while meeting and contributing financially to the local community. Travels with purpose is another way of describing a form of responsible tourism. A Realistic Guide to Small Group Travel by Stephanie Dyson If you are considering an responsible tour to an otherwise inaccessible location, here is a guide to let you know what to expect. Permaculture Jobs, Sustainable Living and Endless Travel by Jonathon Engels Over the past decade, there has been an enormous growth in interest and activities relating to permaculture jobs as a means of farming abroad, sustainable living, and the endless travel this enables. Responsible Travel Handbook A 2 megabyte PDF by various authors, many who have written from Transitions Abroad as well as guest contributions, discussing many important evergreen issues relating to Responsible Travel, and produced by Ron Mader and Sherry Schwartz. A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Community An Interview with Nicholas D. Kristof Nicholas D. Kristof discusses an important new book cowritten with his wife, "A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Community," with John Dwyer and TransitionsAbroad.com. Nicholas goes on to discuss related issues such as volunteering abroad, and other ways individuals can make a positive impact around the world in terms of changing lives and tackling huge issues of inequality.

Good Travel is Thoughtful Travel by Rick Steves

Travel Responsibly and Give the World a Break by Rick Steves

Defining Ecotourism and Responsible Tourism by Ron Mader

Sustainable Travel and Study Abroad by Astrid Jirka

Responsible Travel in Action: Helping to Preserve Endangered Species and Ecosystems by Volker Poelzl

Transitions Abroad and at Home: Moving from Aggression to Peacekeeping, From Consumption to Fair Sharing by Rob Sangster

Ecotourism Guidelines: How to Choose the Organizations and Businesses You Support by Dianne Brause

Educational Travel as a Model for Responsible Tourism by Shoshanna Sumka

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism Participant Reports from Latin America

A More Sustainable Face of Mexican Tourism by Tim Leffel Some sustainable tours in Mexico for those who wish to explore regions of the country without taking a generic package. 25 Responsible Volunteering Opportunities in Peru by Aviv Hochbaum A summary of opportunities in Peru where you can volunteer with nonprofits doing good work and with the money flowing directly into the community. Vacationing or Volunteering in an Eco-Friendly Guatemalan Mountain Lodge by Lies Ouwerkerk, Senior Contributing Editor Imagine waking up to the first rays of sunshine casting their spell on smoke puffing volcanoes and a lush valley just in front of you. And then realizing where you actually are: in a comfortable, rustic king size bed inside a secluded, window-walled tree house, with a hammock waiting for you on a private deck, your own bathroom with a hot shower just down the stairs, and a message pinned on the wall: "Welcome! This tree house is built into the oak tree. If the wind is strong, it will sway a little bit..." Seeing the Real Dominican Republic: A Stay at Tubagua Eco Lodge by Lebawit Lily Girma An illustrated description of an off-the-beaten path stay at a magnificent and award-winning eco lodge in the Dominican Republic, far from the usual all-inclusive beach resorts. Man vs. Man: Saving the Galapagos by Tim Leffel A story how the government and locals worked together to manage the ravages of tourism using green energy and other more responsible alternatives. Ecotourism and Volunteer Conservation Work in Costa Rica Monitoring Wild-Release Macaws by Theodore G. Manno How to Connect Locally while Traveling Internationally by Amy E. Robertson How to visit budget destinations in Central America while connecting to the local people and culture

How to Practice Responsible Travel and Ecotourism in Mexico and Central America by Ron Mader

Xochimilco Gardens: Tourism Maintains Jobs for Thousands of Worker by Ron Mader

Responsible Shopping at the Markets of Oaxaca by Ron Mader

Mayan Community Tours Enrich a Visit to Mexico's Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve by Alison Gardner

Honoring Tradition in Oaxaca, Mexico, for the Day of the Dead by Jim Kane

Rafting to a Jungle Lodge in Costa Rica: Indulge in a Sustainable Adventure by Katherine McIntyre

Responsible Travel in Belize: Treasures in Culture and Nature by Volker Poelzl

The Coca Plant Paradox: A Simple Little Leaf With a Complicated History in South America by Tim Leffel

Galapagos Islands: Fragile and Fabulous by Alison Gardner

Saving Machu Picchu by Tim Leffel

Living Festivals: Getting Into the Local Spirit by Jim Kane

Preserving Peru’s Textile Tradition by Jim Kane

Visiting Rio de Janeiro's Favelas by Jim Kane

Discover Guatemala's Richness Through its People and Rituals by Jim Kane

Responsible Travel in Brazil: The Race to Save the Amazon by Volker Poelzl

Travel to Study the Jaguar in the Pantanal, Brazil by Marsha Johnston

Trekking in Patagonia: Explore Argentina's Pristine Mountains and Support Native Communities by Volker Poelzl

Community-Based Tourism in Guatemala by Volker Poelzl

Preserving the Flora and Fauna at Iguassu: Border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay by Isabel Eva Bohrer

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism Participant Reports From Europe

Escape the Prague Tourists to These 7 Top Czech Destinations By Tim Leffel

Preserving Greece's Samos Island: Adventure Sports Tourism May Help Sustain the Environment and Economy

Learn How to Make the Desert Green in Spain with Sunseed Desert Trust

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism Participant Reports From Asia and Australasia

An Elephant Escape: South India Elephant Sanctuaries Double as Eco-Lodges and Learning Centers

Travel to Bhutan: The Land of the Thunder Dragon

Beyond Ecotourism: Exploring and Learning in the High Himalyas

Harvest the Himalayas with the Ladakh Farm Project, an Ecological Program

Wwoofing in Japan: Cultural Immersion Through Volunteer Vacations

How to Visit Burma: Why Traveling to the Country May be in the People's Best Interest

Australia's Eco-Island

Preserve Rainforests in Australia

Responsible Travel and Ecotourism Participant Reports From Africa

Why Zimbabwe is the Best Safari Destination for Ethical Travelers by Rebecca Shapiro Zimbabwe is undergoing a positive transformation, and is now home to many great ethical safari companies who provide much-needed income to locals while protecting the animals and land. Journey Botswana: New Safaris Are Lessons in Ecology by Rob Sangster Gorilla Conservation in Uganda: Volunteering with the Peace Corps by Thor Hanson Working as a volunteer to ensure the responsible care of an endangered species.