Responsible Travel

Llama Travel recognises the significant impact of tourism on the lives of local people and the natural environment. When carried out sensitively and responsibly, this impact can provide employment & income and encourage the preservation of local cultures and resources.

As a tour operator, we understand our responsibility to the areas we visit and the local people in our destinations. While much has been made about carbon offsetting and tree planting initiatives, it is often hard to measure the practical impact of these. We opt to make more direct contributions to our destinations and areas around the world that feel the impact of tourism.

Through our use of local guides, our partnership with Practical Action and our donation matching programme, we try to operate responsibly and help contribute to the positive impact that tourism can make.

We ask Llama Travellers to help foster a responsible and positive style of tourism on holiday. Please:
- Support the local economy by buying local produce and services
- Respect local people and culture, especially when taking photographs
- Respect the behaviour and habitat of wildlife
- Do not purchase products made from endangered species or tropical hardwoods
- Support local environmental projects and those designed to preserve local heritage
- Refrain from littering

Local Guides

Excursions on our holidays are led by knowledgeable local guides who are fluent in English and local languages. We feel that the use of local guides aids visitors in better understanding their destination and improves local economies and livelihoods.

We try to ensure that all local staff we work with are treated and paid well, but if you come across anyone on your holiday that you think is being exploited, please bring this to our attention.

Practical Action

Llama Travel supports Practical Action, a UK-based development organisation which helps people in developing countries to install practical, lasting and locally-owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy.

We have supported Practical Action for over 20 years, donating over £200,000 to projects in Latin America and Africa. We are impressed with the way Practical Action works to develop solutions that genuinely have a long-term, positive impact on their lives.

Donate On Your Next Holiday

Many people make a donation to carbon offsetting when going on holiday. Whilst this is a valid option, we are less comfortable with this approach, as many of these organisations are commercial enterprises, and a lot of the activity undertaken is planting trees, the benefit of which is disputed.

If you would like to donate to Practical Action, we will match your donation of £25 per person, and take £25 off the price of your next holiday with Llama Travel.