In Situ Tours takes sustainable travel seriously.
At In Situ Tours we take traveling sustainably very seriously, following the principles of our collaborative partner Sojourners Global, an online community devoted to the art of sustainable travel.
Not only destinations and travel suppliers, but travelers themselves take responsibility for their impact on local environments, people, and cultures.
Sojourners Five Principles
Take a systematic approach to sustainable travel, rather than just “tips and tricks.” A whole-life approach to sustainability in general can then be applied to travel. Sustainability frameworks such as the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), circular economy, and programs aimed at carbon Drawdown and Regeneration provide organizing concepts and priorities.
Seek out sustainable destinations and adopt a hub-and-spoke model, staying in central bases or hubs allows spending longer periods of time in destination, and one can travel out from the hub to take excursions: “spokes.”
Attend carefully to logistics, including: use green-certified tour operators and accommodation; reduce carbon emissions and purchase offsets or removal; promote responsible labor practices, a positive impact on communities, environmental conservation, and the protection of wildlife and biodiversity.
Lean into education, including geography, history, ecology, culture, and the arts; keep informed about sustainability issues and innovations.
Cultivate a travel lifestyle, whether traveling for two weeks a year, or as a full-time digital nomad; appreciate slow travel, sabbatical travel, world schooling for families, and adult study abroad.
How we apply these principles
Here is how you can expect these principles to translate into a unique approach to travel advising and coaching.
We avoid over-tourism, get off the beaten path, travel during shoulder and off-seasons, stay longer, prioritize secondary sites. When you work with us, expect these values to shine through.
We create a strategy for each continent for each traveler, based on the sustainability challenges of the region and on the traveler’s comfort level with independence and adventure.
We coach travelers to become more independent and confident, more able to “do it themselves” (DIY) as they gain skills and experience. We work with you for the long term, but increasingly step back as you grow. Independent travelers cultivate their own unique sustainable travel lifestyle.
We aim for highest-value travel, leaving aside over-priced “luxury sustainable” options. For example, we promote self-guided tours as a sweet spot between completely custom and bespoke arrangements (which tend to be expensive) and budget travel for the masses (which herd large tour groups around on motor coaches). We sometimes recommend guided small group tours depending on the destination continent (e.g. Africa), style of trip (e.g. trekking), and a traveler’s comfort level.
