Sustainability Code of Conducts for Specific Activities
The following codes of conduct are supplementary to the general tips for sustainable travel. It is essential to incorporate these guidelines into all your activities during your journey. Please, be mindful of these recommendations in accordance with your specific itinerary. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your travel advisor. Your cooperation in making your travel experience environmentally friendly and enjoyable for all is greatly appreciated.
Boat-Based Wildlife Viewing
- Be aware of risks related to sharing photographs/videos of endangered species online; disable geolocation on your device if poaching is prevalent
- Don’t collect or disturb flora or fauna, or their habitat
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Minimise noise to avoid disturbing wildlife & the quality of the experience for others
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Be Waterwise – your participation in the activity shouldn’t place additional stress on water-scarce environments
Ziplines / Canopy Tours
- Ensure that you clearly understand how to navigate the course safely; if in doubt always ask your guide before proceeding
Working Animals
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts, especially:
- Whether contact is permitted with the animals and, if so, how to do this safely
- Whether feeding of the animals is allowed and if so, how to do this safely
- Remain in designated areas for the activity
Wild Camping
- Be accurate about your fitness & ability so we can design an enjoyable experience for everyone
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts
- Don’t collect or disturb flora or fauna, or their habitat
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Remain on designated paths/trails and campsite footprints
- Bring biodegradable shampoo, dish soap, etc. (and no products with micro-plastics)
- Wash dishes, clothes (& yourself) away from watercourses (min 50m), even if using biodegradable products
- Use sand or other natural materials to help with heavy dishwashing, minimizing use of soap & water
- Disperse wastewater (dishes/laundry) over a wide area so that nature can filter it
- Cook on stoves – as opposed to campfires – when possible & in non-vegetated areas
- Practice good “bush toilet” etiquette (ask us for specific guidance)
- Respect fire restrictions in place; if campfires are permitted, ask us about how & where
- Store supplies (especially food) out of reach at night and when the campsite is not occupied
- Leave no trace when vacating the campsite
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Dispose of waste – pack out what you take in – & use local recycling facilities where available
- Be Waterwise – your participation in the activity shouldn’t place additional stress on water-scarce environments
Walking / Hiking / Trekking
- Before entering sensitive environments, clean your footwear to prevent the spread of invasive species
- Don’t collect or disturb flora or fauna, or their habitat
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Remain on designated paths/trails
- Practice good “bush toilet” etiquette (ask us for specific guidance)
- Respect fire restrictions in place; if campfires are permitted, ask us about how & where
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Dispose of waste responsibly – pack out what you take in – & use local recycling facilities where available
- Be Waterwise – your participation in the activity shouldn’t place additional stress on water-scarce environments
- Respect others using the area so that their experience & access are not compromised
Volunteering
- Be selective – choose tourism businesses that share how they benefit people & planet, including volunteer programs where you give back alongside, not instead of, local people
- Understand the terms of your volunteer placement & how it addresses longer-term goals
- Respect your host’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts
- Be respectful of privacy, obtaining permission before taking photos/videos of people or sensitive sites
- Respect others using the area so that their experience & access are not compromised
- Remember that you are a temporary guest; ensure your conduct respects local people & relationships with local institutions
- Take part – if you are invited to participate in a local custom, go for it!
- Buy from local, small &/or community-owned businesses, especially if they feature local nature or culture
- Save energy to reduce your carbon footprint & your impact on local supply challenges
- Consider opportunities to continue supporting our program once you return home, e.g., fundraising or referrals for a cause that you believe in!
Diving & Snorkeling
- Be accurate about your level of ability so we can design an enjoyable experience for all; if you’re out of practice, speak to us about refresher courses or buoyancy orientations
- If your photographic equipment is bulky, ensure your skill level is sufficient to control it and prevent damage to the marine environment
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts, including marine wildlife viewing distance
- Remain within the activity area and respect the buddy system/group contact protocol
- Use “reef safe” sun protection, e.g., sunscreen marked as such or wear rash vests / similar
- Ensure your equipment fits well before getting in the water; it can be not easy to adjust afterward
- If snorkeling over a shallow reef environment, use a life jacket/vest to help with buoyancy and reduce the need for kicking over this fragile area; practice snorkeling skills away from the reef
- Maintain a comfortable distance from the reef, making allowance for swell/waves
- Be aware of where your fins are, and avoid kicking up sand when on/near the ocean floor; this can suffocate coral polyps
- If you need to hold on to something during the activity, choose rocks or dead patches of reef
- Don’t collect flora or fauna or disturb their habitat; this includes not standing/walking on, or touching coral reefs
- Don’t chase or corner marine wildlife, nor disturb them with sticks / similar for any reason
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Minimise flash photography; repeat exposure can cause undue stress to marine wildlife
- Use low-intensity torches/flashlights to minimize negative impacts on marine wildlife, e.g., disorientating them
Fishing
- Don’t collect flora or feed wildlife as it can harm their health & encourage problematic
- Comply with fishing laws and permit specifications; return undersize, out of season, or protected catch to the water immediately and carefully
- Do not leave active fishing gear unattended
- For “catch & release”, attend to fish immediately, keep fish in the water as long as possible, and remove the hook while the fish is still in the water, if possible
- If removing fish from water, use nets without knotted mesh, minimize handling (always with wet hands), and minimize air exposure
- Place fish on cool, wet surface to remove the hook and return to water horizontally until they revive and can swim away
- For photographs, hold fish horizontally – not vertically – and as briefly as possible
- If caught for consumptive use, dispatch fish quickly and humanely
Rock Climbing / Abseiling
- Be accurate about your level of fitness & ability so we can design an enjoyable experience for everyone
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts
- Remain on existing paths to access the base of climbing/abseiling routes
- Avoid indiscriminate use of chalk & fixed equipment (avoid galvanized bolts entirely)
- Avoid chipping rock & remove vegetation from cracks and gullies
- Avoid climbing near sites of geological, cultural, or other scientific interest
- Don’t collect or disturb flora or fauna, or their habitat
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Be respectful of privacy; obtain permission before taking photos/videos of people or sensitive sites along the way
- Respect others using the area so that their experience & access are not compromised
- Ask questions – your local guide will happily share their knowledge
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Dispose of waste responsibly – pack out what you take in – & use local recycling facilities where available
Horse Riding & Pony Trekking
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts, especially:
- Safe conduct, including mounting/ dismounting
- How to interpret horse/pony behavior & what to do if they bolt
- Safe following distance & general rider etiquette, including communication signals
- What to do if wildlife or vehicles are encountered during the ride
- Appropriate etiquette when crossing private property or villages, using farm gates, safely crossing public roads, etc.
- Do a ‘test round’ in the immediate vicinity to get used to your horse/pony before the ride starts
- If riding in a sensitive environment, clean your footwear before setting out to prevent the spread of invasive species
- Remain on the trail and keep your horse/pony in the middle to avoid trail-widening
- Don’t gallop in sensitive environments or when passing riders who are going more slowly
- Use designated watering points & don’t allow your horse/pony to graze on natural vegetation
- Use bridges to cross natural watercourses, where available, at designated crossing points and at 90° to the bank/shore
- Don’t collect flora or fauna, or disturb their habitat
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Dispose of waste responsibly – pack out what you take in – & use local recycling facilities
Mountain Biking
- Be accurate about your fitness level & ability so we can design an enjoyable experience for everyone
- Respect your guide’s instructions regarding safety, local etiquette & dos and don’ts
- Before & after cycling in a sensitive environment, clean your footwear & bike to prevent the spread of invasive species
- Don’t collect or disturb flora or fauna, or their habitat
- Don’t feed wildlife; it can harm their health & encourage problematic behavior
- Remain on designated tracks & avoid track widening caused by drifting left/right
- Ride single file in narrow sections
- Give right of way to cyclists overtaking you or cycling uphill when crossing you, and to walkers, horses, and wildlife
- Slow down when crossing or overtaking other users of the activity area
- Cycle at a pace that enables you to stop within the distance you can see ahead
- Make your presence known when approaching other users and blind corners
- When climbing, gear down for adequate traction to avoid spinning
- When braking, avoid skidding or blocking wheels so that you minimize erosion
- Cross rivers at designated spots, reduce speed and enter/exit at 90° to the riverbank
- Reduce waste – from food to paper, remember to take only what & as much as you need, and bring re-usable items, e.g., water bottle, coffee cup, carry bag
- Dispose of waste responsibly – pack out what you take in – & use local recycling facilities where available
- Be Waterwise – your participation in the activity shouldn’t place additional stress on waterscarce environments
