Sustainability and Responsible Travel
Responsible Tourism in Nepal
As with many poorer countries around the world, tourism presents both solutions and problems for Nepal. It is the country’s biggest industry, employing thousands of people and helping to improve our infrastructure and quality of life.
However, the benefits of tourism are not always felt all across the country, and the side-effects of years of bad practice and a lack of environmental education are plain to see. Pollution, waste, animal cruelty and exploitation have become a heavy price for Nepal to pay.
The negative effects of tourism have often been ignored in the past, but local and international attitudes are slowly changing, and people have started to take action. Younger generations are becoming much more socially and environmentally aware, whilst tourism companies are shifting their focus towards sustainable tours and practices.
All is not lost!
Our Partners
We know, you’ve heard it all before, ‘sustainability’ has become a buzzword across the travel industry, but to us it is much more than that. Sustainability shouldn’t be a trend or a marketing hook, it is simply the way things must be done from now on.
Our partners at Royal Mountain Travel are at the forefront of creating a more sustainable tourism industry in Nepal. They’ve embraced new technologies which reduce their environmental impact, made cultural shifts to promote equality and created ground-breaking programmes like the Community Homestay Network, which brings the benefits of tourism to rural communities throughout Nepal.
They don’t just talk about sustainability, it is part of every decision they make.
What does this mean for you?
All of the tours and hotels you’ll find links to on website are operated in a way which causes minimal damage to the natural environment and local wildlife. The vehicles used are modern and eco-friendly (and soon to be electric!), guides are trained in sustainable practices, and hotels listed must meet Royal Mountain’s own environmental standards.
The guides, porters and drivers you’ll encounter are fairly paid, fairly treated and hired because of their ability and personality, regardless of their gender, sexuality or ethnicity. Around 70% of the staff at Royal Mountain are female (this is still very unusual in Nepal).
During many of the tours listed, you’ll have the chance to meet, dine and even stay with rural Nepali communities. As well as giving you a unique and authentic experience of Nepalese life, the communities are fairly paid for their hosting and can use the money to improve their quality of life.
Essentially, it means that you can travel with a little more peace of mind, knowing that things are being done in the right way in the background.
You still need to play your part though;
