Our dream is for the development of tourism to be a tool for preserving them rather than damaging them. To ensure that natural areas remain healthy ecosystems, tourism must be a model of respect and ethics.
If you’re planning a trip abroad, Naturevolution runs ecovolunteer missions all year round in Madagascar and Indonesia. Ecovolunteering provides us with essential support for our projects to preserve some exceptional natural environments. Read more
We invite future tourists, trekkers and adventurers of all kinds to adopt a responsible attitude and reduce their impact as much as possible when walking, camping, picnicking, running, cycling, paddling, etc., whatever the natural environment in which they are evolving.
In line with the ecotourism charter for the Makay, here are a few thoughts on the best way to behave in nature and in the local communities we visit. These rules were initially written with the Makay massif in mind, but they are valid or adaptable for any natural area in the world. These are not binding rules, but rather a state of mind that will enable those who follow us to feel the same happiness as we do when they themselves enter these magnificent and bewitching regions.
Respect local customs and populations by learning the rules and customs of the region you are visiting
- Be prepared to negotiate firmly with the bearers and, as far as possible, do not give in. With respect for future visitors, but also and above all for the local communities, because to give more would totally distort the value of things and could then create far more serious conflicts than a few minutes of intense negotiations.
- Don’t get angry or raise your voice.
- Avoid going near tombs and graves, as they are often taboo, and violating these taboos can have catastrophic repercussions.
- To avoid robberies and aggression, avoid walking alone and displaying your wealth in an ostentatious manner.
- Always ask before taking a photo.
- Be patient, don’t run.
- Don’t hesitate to thank your porters with a gift, but don’t give them away for free in the villages, as you risk encouraging begging.
Anticipate and prepare your trip
- Be prepared for the potential extremes of climate (heat, tropical rain and cyclones in particular) and the associated dangers (flooding in particular).
- Avoid the rainy season as much as possible (November to April)
- Travel in small groups if possible.
- Repackage your food to reduce packaging and waste.
- Use a map, compass and GPS to avoid cairns and other markings.
Be careful where you walk and camp
- Reserve most of your activities for areas where there is no vegetation, trails, campsites, scree slopes, gravel pits and other rocky areas.
- Protect riverbanks wherever possible by camping at least 60 metres from a lake or river.
- Good campsites often already exist, so there’s no need to alter a new site.
- Always walk on existing paths, even when they are wet or muddy.
- Keep campsites as small as possible.
Get rid of your waste properly
- If you bring waste, take it away. Inspect your campsite or other picnic areas before you leave and don’t leave anything behind (not even a cigarette butt).
- Do your business in a hole at least 15cm deep, at least 60m from a watercourse, campsite or footpath. Cover the hole before leaving.
- Don’t burn your toilet paper or leave it on the floor. Take it with you.
- To wash yourself or your dishes, take the water you need more than 60m from a river or lake, and use small quantities of biodegradable soap. Spread the waste water as widely as possible.
Leave what you find
- Preserve the past: look, observe, but do not touch the archaeological vestiges.
- Leave the rocks, plants and other natural objects as you found them.
- Never introduce non-native species.
- Don’t build anything, don’t dig anything.
Minimise the impact of campfires
- Campfires have a major long-term impact. Use a light stove for cooking and a candle lantern for lighting.
- If fires have already been set, use the same location again.
- Small fires are preferable, as large flames are useless for cooking. Use only dead wood found on the ground.
- Burn all the wood and coal to ash. Once the fire is out, remove them from the firebox and scatter the cold ashes.
Respect wildlife
- Always observe animals from a distance. Don’t go near them, don’t follow them.
- Don’t feed animals Feeding them weakens their health, alters their natural behaviour and makes them more exposed to predators and other dangers.
- Protect wildlife by storing your food carefully.
- Leave your pets at home.
- Avoid contact with wild animals during sensitive periods such as nesting or breeding.
- Let the sounds of nature take over. Avoid shouting and other noise pollution.