Grab a cup of coffee or tea! This post is going to be a long one but I’m hoping it will be greatly appreciated. You may want to bookmark it for later as I’m certain that this constantly evolving list of the best sustainable and travel adventure companies in the industry will be an invaluable resource for future trip planning! Enjoy!
Love at first sight. The Treasury at Petra.
Although I have traveled all my life, sometime in my late twenties I became a traveler. For most of my life, I had been more of a tourist trying to rush around the world seeing as much as I could possibly see, never fully understanding what it all meant. It was in my twenties that I went on my first truly eye-opening trip to Peru. Within the first half-hour of being on the ground, I was mugged inside a taxi and it was at that point I realized that the world is not a giant playground for me to explore yet a place for me to search for answers and try to understand. Since then, I have continued to follow my promise to be a good, responsible traveler as best as I can.
Over the past twenty years, travel has become much more available to people and more people are traveling than ever before. Travel isn’t only for the rich or the hippies or the retirees, but for anyone who has a passport and some financial means to pay for a trip.
According to the World Tourism Organization 2015 report, tourism is key to development, prosperity and well-being and the future of tourism could never be so bright. A few highlights from the report indicate:
- An ever-increasing number of destinations worldwide have opened up to, and invested in tourism, turning it into a key driver of socio-economic progress through the creation of jobs and enterprises, export revenues, and infrastructure development.
- Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification, to become one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. Many new destinations have emerged.
- Despite occasional shocks, tourism has shown virtually uninterrupted growth. International tourist arrivals have increased from 25 million globally in 1950, to 278 million in 1980, 527 million in 1995, and 1133 million in 2014.
- The long-term outlook of tourism is impressive with international tourist arrivals worldwide expected to increase by 3.3% a year between 2010 and 2030 to reach 1.8 billion by 2030, according to UNWTO’s long term forecast Tourism Towards 2030.
However, it is hard to deny that the massive growth in travel also comes with an exorbitant price as we use up invaluable resources to reach, explore and stay in our destinations. We also run a significant risk of negatively impacting the very cultures, environment, nature, and wildlife we are trying so desperately hard to protect.
How can we continue to open up the world to more and more people traveling without sacrificing our planet? By doing our very best to promote sustainable, ethical and responsible travel. That is the only way we ensure that a world worth seeing and exploring still exists for generations to come.
Canoeing down a private lagoon with a local property owner was one of the many highlights I had during my week in the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica.
Table of Contents
What is sustainable travel?
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
UNWTO’s definition in that sustainable tourism is “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.”
Sustainable tourism done correctly must look at how innovation in tourism can have a positive, lasting impact on our world by following the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
How does sustainable travel fit in with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals?
Launched by the UN in 2015, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outline a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, strengthen universal peace, and fix climate change. They are aimed at all countries and stakeholders, asking them to act in a collaborative partnership to implement this plan. Tourism can impact many of the SDGs below and be an important way to help improve our world.
Why is sustainable travel important?
As the world economy improves and more people are being lifted out of poverty, tourism is on the upswing as well. World Count estimates that approximately 1 billion people arrive in a new destination each year which translates into a new arrival every 30 seconds somewhere around the globe. As more and more people travel, there is more impact both positive and negative on the culture, environment and economy of the places we are visiting. As travelers, we have the incredible opportunity to make a difference in how and where we travel. By choosing to travel sustainably and responsibly, we can use the power of our wallets and passports to make a difference and create a positive impact on the places we are visiting. By choosing one of these sustainable, responsible tour outfitters, it is one way you can make a difference. Other ways include eating, staying, buying local and employing local guides, using reusable bottles, avoiding questionable travel experiences such as harmful animal tourism or mass-tourism in environmentally fragile places, and getting to know the culture you are visiting.
My List of the Best Sustainable Travel Companies
Since I believe so much in the power of sustainable travel to change the world, I am working hard at developing an ever-growing list of the best sustainable travel and adventure companies around. This list is a permanent page on my blog and will be continually updated thanks to your recommendations and my own research. In the meantime, here are some of my favorites in the field.
Above Safaris
Above Safaris is the brainchild of a social entrepreneur and an expert with 10+ years in the travel sector. They evolved from a desire to do travel differently — to bring you unique and life-changing experiences with real impact. Above Safaris begins with a responsible and sustainable approach, and builds the highest quality experiences on top of it, creating impact-driven travel without sacrificing any of the quality and expertise that you seek.
Above Safaris places conservation at the forefront of its trips to witness the great migration through Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and more. They offer Safaris, Trekking, Beach trips, Yoga retreats and cultural journeys throughout Tanzania.
Destinations: Tanzania
Above Safaris. Photo Credit: A Dogs Life Photo
Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura’s mission is to inspire wonder and curiosity about the incredible world we all share by offering unique trips, sharing stories, holding events and fostering a global community to create a comprehensive database of the world’s most wondrous places and foods. Atlas Obscura’s trips bring Atlas Obscura’s collection of 17,599 unique places and foods to life. From science and nature to hidden cities and culinary adventures, Atlas Obscura has a wide collection of extraordinary unique vacations.
Destinations: Worldwide
www.atlasobscura.com/unusual-trips
Context Travel
The Context vision is to create an atmosphere—a context, if you will—for curious travelers to engage with local experts; to give them access to places and cultures that might otherwise remain out of sight to the casual visitor; to invite them off the tourist track and into the real life of the people, history, and culture that makes these cultural capitals amazing. Context adheres to the precepts of sustainable travel and invests in programs that mitigate the effect of tourism. Learn about the Context Foundation for Sustainable Travel. Context is also a certified B Corporation. B Corporations are a new kind of company which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
Destinations: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America
Earth Changers
Earth Changers highlights the most sustainable tourism around the world, engages with the people behind places to reveal their true passions and purpose and educate on the issues. Earth Changers’ unique destination and human stories demonstrate a commitment to community and conservation for sustainable development through tourism. These pioneering tourism operations often help finance foundations’ charitable objectives: Earth Changers value quality over quantity for purpose before profit, to put Earth First.
Destinations include Costa Rica, Croatia, Galapagos Islands, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oceans, South Africa, Tanzania – Chumbe Island.
Earth Changers. Chumbe Island. Photo Credit: Earth Changers
G Adventures
G Adventures is a social enterprise that provides responsible, sustainable small-group tours around the world. G Adventures spreads good around the world by working with local businesses and guides, promoting animal and child welfare, responsible travel with indigenous cultures, and other projects. G Adventures offers tours for families, solo travelers, age groups, classic tours, active tours, adventure tours, local living tours, National Geographic tours, and more. As a key funder for the nonprofit, Planeterra, in 2018 alone, G Adventures contributed $500,000 CAD to its nonprofit partner Planeterra to support community development in 42 countries, reaching 64,250 people and directly supporting 2,043 women, 491 youth and 2,758 community members around the world. In 2018, over 98,000 travelers visited one of Planeterra’s projects around the world and G Adventures has integrated the project visits into most of their tours. In my opinion, it is an excellent way to travel and do good. (To read about my visit to one of G Adventures G for Good projects in Belize click here).
Destinations: Worldwide
Tikal Jaguar Temple
Global Family Adventures
Global Family Travels’ mission is to Learn, Serve and Immerse, using travel as a means to build cultural bridges and to foster global citizens. In partnership with community-based tour operators and local non-profit organizations, Global Family Travels creates service learning tours for families which include a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, homestays and participation in local service projects aimed at directly improving the lives of people in the communities we visit.
Destinations: worldwide
Cheetah. Photo credit: Global Family Travels
Go Eat Give
Go Eat Give. Connecting people, places and palates through sustainable travel, cultural education and international cuisines. Experience the authentic culture, volunteer vacation, meet locals, and stay in sustainable properties, while giving back to the community.
Destinations: Worldwide
GOOD Travel
GOOD Travel’s mission is to make it easier for travelers to have a positive social, economic and environmental impact on the places they visit. They do this through tours as well as advocacy, research and events focused on influencing tourist behavior for GOOD. GOOD Travel’s tours are carefully researched and designed to create unique, impactful and transformative experiences for travelers to have a positive impact on the destination being visited. For each trip, all accommodations and tour companies are carefully selected due to their focus on sustainability and community, and $100 per person is donated to a local project. (To read my interview with GOOD Travel click on link: “GOOD Travel: Transforming the Tourism Industry into a Force for Good“.
Destinations: Bali, Iceland, Thailand, New Zealand, Zanzibar, and Peru (a mother-daughter trip).
We can’t wait to welcome you to GOOD Travel’s home, New Zealand!
Human Connections
Human Connections is a non-profit organization that connects local people with international audiences. Their work starts with our partners — remarkable artisans, tradespeople, and organizations in Latin America. Human Connections then invites travelers and students to interact with their partners through day tours, weeklong trips, and internships.
Destinations: Central America
Intrepid Travel
Responsible travel is at the heart of what Intrepid Travel does by making a real difference – by investing in local communities, human rights initiatives, wildlife conservation projects and the environment, and by incorporating principles of sustainable tourism and development into the way they provide travelers with real-life experiences. These values are more than just words; they’re ingrained in the culture and daily operations of every Intrepid office and trip.
Intrepid has been a carbon-neutral business since 2010; they now have 27 carbon-neutral offices and offer over 1400 carbon-offset trips. Through their not-for-profit arm, The Intrepid Foundation, Intrepid has invested over AU $5 million into grassroots projects around the world – projects addressing issues such as healthcare, education, community development and animal welfare. Intrepid is still adding to their list of over 800 different itineraries across Europe, Asia, Africa, North & South America, the Middle East, Australia and both the Arctic & Antarctica.
Find out how Intrepid Travel is Changing the Way We See and Impact the World in my exclusive interview. I also recently tried out their trip, Discover Jordan.
Exploring Petra
Lokal Travel
Lokal is an online marketplace for booking local, sustainable adventures around the world. We carefully select each experience on our site to make sure it provides an amazing travel experience and benefits back to the local community. Read my interview, “Lokal Travel: Connecting Conscious Travelers with Unique Local Experiences”.
Destinations: Worldwide
Xiña leads the way to her jungle cabin with her walking stick ready. Lokal Travel in the Osa Peninsula.
Ignite
Ignite is energized by the growing demand in “travel for good” to pursue purpose, social responsibility and global citizenship. Ignite helps people become the best versions of themselves through purposeful journeys that combine cultural immersion and adventure. Ignite provides these journeys for individual travelers and we also work with companies who offer a journeys as a way to recognize and develop their employees. Read my interview: “Meet Ignite: Journeys that Connect, Inspire and Transform”.
Destinations: Ignite currently has partnerships in Mexico, Nicaragua and Zambia and they are pursuing additional partners to expand our journey offerings
Natural Habitat Adventures
Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel and ecotourism since 1985. From polar bear tours in Churchill to small-group Galapagos cruises, from Alaska grizzly bear adventures to African safaris, our journeys, led by professional naturalist guides, reveal the planet’s most extraordinary nature destinations. As the world’s first 100-percent carbon-neutral travel company—and the conservation travel partner of World Wildlife Fund—we offer eco-conscious expeditions from Antarctica to Zambia with a multitude of adventures in between.
Destinations include: Worldwide
Check out my interview with Natural Habitat Adventures’ : Nat Has Paves the Way in Eco-Tours and Wildlife Conservation
Photo Credit: Eric Rock
Off Season Adventures
Off Season Adventures is a sustainable adventure travel company that curates unique, immersive, off-the-beaten path travel experiences during the non-peak season bringing in economic vitality to the local communities and avoiding overtourism to popular and ecologically fragile destinations. Five percent of the tour packages is donated to their partnering 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Second Look Worldwide who invests in infrastructure improvements around the tourism destination. (To read my interview with Off Season Adventures, click here).
Visiting the Serengeti with Off Season Adventures. Photo credit: Off Season Adventures
PacWhale Eco-Adventures
PacWhale Eco-Adventures are based on nearly four decades of marine research and ecotourism experience. Every trip is led by certified Marine Naturalists who provide a truly unique, educational and fun adventure at sea. Watch wildlife in their natural habitat, snorkel Molokini, Lanaʻi and Honolua Bay, enjoy a relaxing sunset dinner, cocktail or stargazing cruise.
Go whale watching with marine naturalists from PacWhale Eco-Adventures off Maui. Tour profits support the Pacific Whale Foundation’s research, education and conservation programs to save whales, dolphins and our oceans.
Playa Viva
Playa Viva is a unique yoga retreat destination where you will enjoy the rugged, unspoiled beauty of Mexico in the guilt-free luxury of an environmentally-conscious resort. Become immersed in nature, volunteer in the turtle sanctuary, give back to the local community, engage in a workshop, or just relax completely.
Stay in Playa Viva’s sustainable hotel in Mexico and participate in the Playa Viva Turtle Sanctuary’s efforts to protect leatherback sea turtle eggs from predators.
Photo credit Playa Viva and Dave Krugman
Saddle Skedaddle
Saddle Skedaddle is the UK’s leading independent cycling vacation specialist that is all about doing something wonderful on two wheels. Their team of experts has searched far and wide for nearly 25 years to bring you some of the world’s most incredible locations and enchanting cultures to enjoy at the speed of the bike. It’s time to really meet a place, and its people, you’ll never want to forget. Furthermore, you will do good for the environment by cycling instead of driving and also help local communities by your stay.
Destinations: Worldwide
A recent bike trip in Peru
Vayando
Vayando is an online marketplace that connects curious travelers with local entrepreneurs in emerging economies around the world. Vayando provides a platform for travelers visiting those areas to book directly with local entrepreneurs to spend a day in their coffee fields, shops, fishing boats, studios, etc. learning about their livelihoods. Travelers get a very personal unique experience while entrepreneurs gain the opportunity to diversify their income or build their business.
Destinations: Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Uganda, Nicaragua, and Ethiopia.
Wild Sumatra
Wild Sumatra offers community-based ecotourism in Indonesia. Prepare yourself for a truly off-the-beaten-path Indonesian adventure. Hike deep into the jungle or climb a volcano in Kerinci or Bengkulu. There are a ton of amazing itineraries and the best of all the trip costs support the local economy and help with conservation.
Destinations: Kerinci and Bengkulu, Indonesia.
Bersisik Emas waterfall. Photo credit: Wild Sumatra
Sustainable Women-Led Tour Outfitters for Women
Andeana Hats
Andeana Hats is a female-owned company that operates sustainable tours for travelers to support Quechua weaving community in rural Peru. Through their partnership with the non-profit organization, Awamaki, Andeana Hats provides sustainable tours that not only are fun and educational, and provide a positive impact in the Quechua communities.
Destination(s): Peru
www.andeanahats.com/sustainable-tours
Andeana Hats (Photo credit Laura Grier)
Community Homestay
Community Homestay in Nepal provides local women the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and ready their homes to house guests. Select a homestay online and meet with the local women and communities in Nepal. Community Homestay also offers such cultural experiences as cooking classes, jungle walks, wildlife viewing and more. Every tour helps local women and their families.
Destination(s): Nepal
Picture of Village in Patlekhet Homestay. Courtesy of Community Homestay
Fernweh Fair Travel
Fernweh Fair Travel is a women-led nonprofit organization working to empower women, mostly young widows, and bring sustainable development to communities in India through responsible tourism. Fernweh Fair Travel offers authentic travel experiences along with mountain adventure sports in the majestic Indian Himalayas. Their goal is to empower and support communities through travel that makes a positive impact on the local economy, culture, and environment.
Destination(s): India
Homestay Team. Photo Credit: Fernweh Fair Travel – Uplifting Communities
Purposeful Nomad
Purposeful Nomad runs female, small-group adventures around the world designed to empower women through responsible community engagement. Purposeful Nomad was created to inspire, challenge and bring together women from around the globe. Trips can include meeting leaders in sustainable tourism, helping with community projects, living like a local and helping your host family harvest, feed animals or cook, engaging with women working to restore native alpaca customs and more.
Destinations: India, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Ecuador, Orcas Islands, Guatemala, Morocco, Iceland, and Tanzania.
Guatemala- learn to eave from the Mayan women coop in Xenacoj. Photo credit: Purposeful Nomad
Urban Adventures
Urban Adventures’ offers day tours hosted by local women and supports area organizations. “The Olive Tree of Istanbul” tour visits a community center that offers education and support to Syrian refugees, including a women’s social enterprise program.
Destination(s): Worldwide
Rural Homestays and Village Tours
United for Hope
United for Hope is an international nonprofit that offers intrepid travelers the opportunity to discover the real India through their social tourism venture in Tirmasahun, India (30 minutes away from the popular tourist destination of Kushinagar in the Uttar Pradesh region of India near Nepal). Alongside their development work in education, social entrepreneurship and community programs, United for Hope’s social tourism is helping to truly transform the lives of both the villagers and the travelers who meet them. Tourists can enjoy the comforts of a guesthouse or do a day trip to the village through United for Hope’s social tourism program. This unique program is pioneering sustainable development and tourism in one of India’s poorest regions. (To read my interview with United for Hope, click here).
Community Homestay
Community Homestay in Nepal provides local women the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and ready their homes to house guests. Select a homestay online and meet with the local women and communities in Nepal. Community Homestay also offers such cultural experiences as cooking classes, jungle walks, wildlife viewing and more. Every tour helps local women and their families.
Destination(s): Nepal
Responsible volunteering and internships
Giving Way
GivingWay was created in order to make volunteering abroad simple, free and transparent, so that traveling and doing good could be accessible to all. It is a global platform connecting potential volunteers with locally run non-profits on the ground. Read my interview: ” GivingWay: Connecting Travelers to Volunteer Opportunities Around the World”.
Destinations: Africa, Asia and South America
MovingWorlds
MovingWorlds is a leading platform that connects professionals to social-good organizations for real impact. Find the best place to volunteer your skills abroad in exchange for an immersive international experience – anywhere, anytime, for any length of time. You can go on your own, send your employee/s, or choose a high-skilled volunteer for your own organization.
Destinations: Worldwide
Ninth Wave
Volunteer with an independent, international organization and think tank which works in unknown or forgotten territories over the horizon generating space for investigation and positive change in environmental, community and social settings. (CONTACT THEM FOR MORE INFO)
Destinations: Europe, the Americas and Australasia.
Operation Groundswell
Mission: To create a more equitable, just and sustainable world through travel. Providing ethical and responsible Volunteer travel/experimental travel programs with a focus on the environment, human rights, health and education. Read my interview: “Backpacking with a Purpose with Operation Groundswell”.
Destinations: Asia, Central America, and South America.
Smile Network International
Smile Network International is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides life-altering reconstructive surgeries to impoverished children and young adults around the world. Their mission is “to reconstruct lives, one bright, smiling face at a time”. Since 2003, Smile Network has become a truly global operation, performing over 4,000 life-changing surgeries in 11 countries across five continents. Each year, Smile Network offers amazing adventure travel experiences to help support their cause. For all trips, travelers commit to raising money for Smile Network.
Destinations: Peru (Inca Trail), The Camino (Spain), Kilimanjaro.
Venture with impact
Mission: Venture with Impact is a 4-week coworking retreat that provides professionals with the opportunity to continue their career remotely while giving back through skills-based volunteer projects.
Destinations: Colombia, Thailand, Portugal and Mexico.
Unearth the World
Unearth the World is an international volunteer organization that strives to improve the international volunteering industry by promoting cross-cultural learning, fostering reciprocal partnerships and elevating social consciousness through responsible international programs. Read my interview: “Volunteering Abroad with Unearth the World”.
Destinations: Today they work with 6 non-profit partners in Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala and Zambia
Social Entrepreneurship Immersion
TribesforGOOD
TribesforGOOD is on a mission to inspire a generation that wants to support and work with social impact businesses. We bridge the talent gap faced by social change organizations in India by connecting them to an international talent pool of students, millennials and early retirees. TribesForGOOD is shaking up the volunteer industry by introducing a new concept of volungearing where individuals are equipped/trained to successfully offer their skills in the social impact sector. This concept gives well-meaning individuals an alternative option to the current saturated market that is voluntourism – a $173 billion dollar industry driven mostly by travel companies.
Cultural Immersion, Study Abroad Programs and Volunteer Abroad Programs for Students
AIESC
AIESEC is an international nonprofit organization that provides a variety of opportunities for students to volunteer around the world. The Global Volunteer Program is a cross-cultural experience for youth who want to gain personal development and leave an impact on the world and works with a participating nonprofit to address one of the UN Global Goals. Commitment: 6-12 weeks.
Destination(s): Worldwide
The Experiment in International Living
The Experiment in International Living is the nation’s most experienced and respected provider of international education and experiential learning for high school students. Their summer study abroad programs have enabled students to explore the world in a personal, meaningful way, and to develop new, enduring friendships through hands-on cultural experiences and homestays in 25 countries. The Experiment in International Living offers 31 summer abroad programs in 25 countries.
Other Noteworthy Resources on Sustainable Travel
Impact Travel Alliance
Impact Travel Alliance (ITA) is a global community and 501(c)3 nonprofit aimed at improving the world through travel. ITA educates travelers on how to spend their money mindfully so that their experiences empower locals and protect our environment.
ITA’s initiatives are based on education and advocacy around sustainable tourism – travel that has a positive impact on a destination’s environment, economy and culture. Sustainable tourism, while often viewed as a niche within the industry, can be applied to any type of travel. ITA believes that by working to incorporate sustainability into all types of travel experiences, we have the potential to change our world through travel.
Help Me Grow My List of Sustainable, Responsible Travel Companies
Do you know any sustainable, responsible travel companies that I should add to this list? If so, please let me know. It is my goal to grow this list and make it as helpful as possible to get more people out there traveling and doing good.
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An amazing resource Nicole. Thank you for compiling it.
Alison
You’re welcome Alison! I have yet to write about my trip to Jordan. It was so incredibly amazing! Now I want to do Egypt as I heard from our group that it was incredible. About four people did the Egypt trip with Intrepid before joining us in Jordan.
Shared on my Facebook page Nicole…….
Great Ruth! I see you are in Japan! Hope that is fabulous. I just got back from a trip with Intrepid Travel to Jordan. I loved it! It was one of the best places I’ve been purely for its fascinating history and culture.
A big ‘Thank U’. This needs to be archived
That is what I was hoping for! I will keep updating the page on my site with more companies when I find them. Thanks for reading!
Hi Blogger,
Very interesting and informative blog, The Treasury at Petra is just one percent if you want to real art so visit India (place Ajanta Ellora Caves).
I’ve been to India twice but only briefly and loved it. Hoping to get back.
This is an awesome compilation! Thanks so much for putting this together, I’m always looking to support responsible tour operators when I travel.
So glad you like it! I would love to travel with all these outfitters! They offer so much inspiration.
Thanks for sharing valuable travel content, this is what I need to know. Thanks again, this is very interesting.
What about Overseas Adventure Travel? They seem to make a point of giving back through their foundation
Thank you! I will check them out.