Promoting responsible travel with every trip

Outside of investing in the local communities we visit (there’s more on that above) here are some of the ways we actively make sustainable choices:

• Plan just one transfer from the airport or pick up location to reduce emissions
• Choose accommodation with a green certification or environmental consideration whenever possible
• Follow Leave No Trace principles – we pick up litter along trails and, where possible, leave places better than we found them
• Avoid very touristy and popular destinations that negatively impact the local environment
• Provide equipment for guests to reduce unnecessary gear purchases
• Use reusable products to minimise waste
• Work with local partners to ensure their sustainability efforts are aligned with our expectations

At the moment, we don’t formally offset our carbon footprint. We’re exploring the best way to do so, transparently and in a way that makes a difference — rather than just doing it for the sake of ticking off that box. As we visit remote destinations, to avoid overtourism, we know that flying is often the only way to travel. With that in mind, we focus our efforts on reducing our footprint during the trip, with low-waste, responsible tourism and a local-first approach to working with guides, hotels and restaurants.

No, not all of them. We always look for eco-certifications, but as we work with many small, family-run hotels and guesthouses, they usually don’t have this kind of certification. It takes time and a financial investment to do so, which can be a big ask for small businesses. However, despite no formal certificates, we see how much fantastic sustainability work our partners take part in anyway.

We work really closely with all our instructors, local partners and providers and regularly discuss sustainability. Some of the suggestions and improvements we’ve made with our partners include:

• Offering refillable water stations so Gutsy Girls can refill water bottles each day
• Minimising single-use plastic items in bathrooms and around the hotels
• Reusable lunchboxes for all-day activities
• Reducing unnecessary room cleaning and laundry to conserve water and energy
• Supporting local recycling initiatives
• Sourcing local food and working with nearby producers

When choosing hotels or guesthouses, a big focus is on mindset and action. We want small businesses to walk the walk, not just talk about it. This might include:

• Local partnerships with farmers and food suppliers
• Mindful policies around energy, waste and consumption
• Open to new ideas and improvements
• Consideration of the local environment and wildlife

We prioritise small, independent businesses from the local area. We want to ensure that by visiting, we are helping the locals grow their organisations, and not supporting large foreign companies that aren’t reinvesting back into the infrastructure and local environment.

We prefer to work with small businesses and people who are open to making sustainable choices and changes, regardless of having a certificate to prove it.

We’ll always share information about each trip with you before you travel, things like packing lists, guides and relevant blogs and articles. In general, however, consider using reusable products (water bottles, toiletries etc), borrow or buy more expensive kit second hand, take trains and overland public transport where you can and always follow ‘Leave no trace’.

Sometimes, yes! We try to plan some trips that are accessible by train, but that’s not always possible.

We know we’re not perfect, but we’re always looking for ways to improve! Our goals include:

• Working with our partners on sustainable practices
• Reducing our environmental footprint
• Developing a framework to review and improve the sustainability of our trips
• Supporting sustainability and conservation initiatives in the regions we visit