Responsible Tourism
Committed to Sustainable Business Practices
Nature Discovery is committed to making a positive impact and positive social and environmental legacy where we operate. Tanzania is our home and we’re dedicated to improving it; for the environment, for local people and for our employees, by developing protocols and practices which are outlined by the UNCTAD’s sustainable development goals.
We received the UNCTAD award presented by Responsible Tourism Tanzania for “Most Responsible Tour Operator in Tanzania” for the years 2018 and 2019, and we are totally committed to promoting responsible travel at the highest level.
We Focus on the Following Sustainable Tourism Objectives and Protocols:
Limiting our environmental impact and maximizing our positive impact on our communities by:
- Reducing our carbon impact, In late 2018 we were awarded by Carbon Tanzania as ‘elite offsetters’; not only due to our commitment to offsetting our carbon inputs but also to reducing our environmental impacts. One good example of this is our 2019 initiative to eliminate single-use plastics from our waste stream, but also to recycle all our company’s plastic waste with a local partner in Arusha called Dunia Designs.
- Following Travelife sustainability standards, We were awarded a merit-based partnership status with Travelife in November 2018. These broad-based sustainability standards are the nuts and bolts of responsible business.
- Using local resources sustainably and practicing Leave No Trace (LNT) environmental ethics, to minimize our environmental impacts
- Reducing the burden of plastic pollution by collecting and recycling all plastic consumed by our business, and employing a zero plastic water-bottle policy.
Developing ethical porter treatments standards on Mount Kilimanjaro, in our leading role and longtime partnership with KPAP, so that porters enjoy fair and transparent working conditions, treatment and pay. In the process, we influence others to follow. Find out more about our Ethical Porter Treatment Standards here.
Read this article by Anne de Jong (co-founder of Good Tourism Institute) about ethical Kilimanjaro climbs and the story of Nature Discovery.
Supporting the growth of green transport, and competitive sports development, as well as youth and women’s skills development, and healthy lifestyles, by assisting in developing the Arusha Bicycle Centre (ABC), a community-based social enterprise. As of January 2020, they have sold over 10,000 bicycles in Arusha, and in July 2019 a Moshi branch of ABC opened. Not only is ABC influencing the rapid growth of green transport in Arusha and Moshi, but it supports a youth cycling academy, drawing hundreds of local youth every week for coaching and mentoring, and learning important life skills.
Practicing cultural tourism with integrity – with our unique trekking programs which share traditional Maasai culture in an authentic and respectful way, and give benefits to the communities we visit.
Leadership – We take training, education, and skills training seriously, and we are committed to developing leaders. Our mountain guides and top management are all trained and certified as Wilderness First Responders, Leave No Trace mentors and stand-out members of our communities. We are dedicated to developing responsible leaders and professionals.
Female empowerment in a male-dominated field on Kilimanjaro. We are continually looking for women to empower by training them as porters and personal porters on our Kilimanjaro treks. As we are fully behind growth from within, we are training women to become waiters and guides, and we have 2 ex-porters qualifying as guides.
From the blog:
Celebrating Our Extended Travelife Partnership
We’re thrilled to announce that Nature Discovery’s Travelife Partner status has been extended for another two years. This achievement reflects our unwavering dedication to responsible tourism, environmental conservation, and community engagement.
Carbon Tanzania: Nature Discovery’s Environmental Commitment
At Nature Discovery, our dedication to the environment remains steadfast, and we’re proud to announce our latest achievement.
Celebrating World Elephant Day: Triumph of Conservation in Tanzania
On this World Elephant Day, let’s journey to the heart of Tanzania, a land that boasts one of the largest elephant populations on Earth.
Kilimanjaro Mountain Clean Up
Our porters were able to collect 115kg of waste in 4 days on the route we were given. This is all trash left behind by previous climbers and staff.
Nature Discovery Opposes the Planned Kilimanjaro Cable Car Project.
The Tanzanian government is planning a new cable car project in order to double the number of climbers on Mount Kilimanjaro. However, the impact on the environment and communities could be irreversible.
The Melting Glaciers of Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are disappearing rapidly. This is due to warmer, drier conditions resulting in the glaciers, which are literally drying out or ‘sublimating’ (solid ice evaporating straight to gas).
Making A Difference: Our Tent-Making Division Is Making Protective Gear For Hospitals During The Cv19 Crisis
We’ve turned our tent-making operation at ND into a mask-making factory to supply local hospitals with much-needed masks to help keep hospital workers safe at the time when they are most-needed.
Conservation Continiuum – Our Carbon Offsets Continue To Support Vital Land Conservation In Tanzania
Carbon Tanzania has sent us an email thanking us for our support and commitments to reducing our environmental impacts and offsetting our carbon footprint, which continues strongly despite the world being in lockdown.
Nature Discovery Awarded ‘Best Responsible Tour Operator in Tanzania’
We're delighted and proud to report that we've been awarded "Tanzania's Best Responsible Tour Operator" for the second year running!
Nature Discovery’s Focus on Responsible Tourism
Our CSR policy has been financed, implemented and documented for years, and we have a number of tangible successes to show for these efforts.
Tanzania Bans Use of Plastic Bags
The Government of Tanzania is implementing a law banning the use of many types of plastic bags, effective on the 1st of June, 2019.
Ethical, Sustainable Tanzanian Gift Idea
Wondering what to gift that special person who has everything? If you’d like to show how much you care about them AND about helping make the world a better place, please consider donating to The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP).
Speaking About Sustainable Tourism at the UN in Geneva
Our General Manager Thomas Holden was flown to Geneva to speak at the United Nations (UN) after Nature Discovery won the Best Responsible Tourism Product Award 2018.
What it Means to be a Travelife Partner
Nature Discovery officially obtained the Travelife Partner award in October 2018 in recognition of our leading role and long-term efforts in sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Cleaning up Tanzania Together
Nature Discovery is committed to sustainable and responsible tourism, and actioned this by sponsoring a recent trash clean-up in coordination with Let’s Do it! (LDI).
Best Responsible Tourism Product Award 2018 Goes to Nature Discovery
Nature Discovery are honoured and excited to have won the Responsible Tourism Awards 2018 overall award for Best Responsible Tourism Product.
99.3% Proof of Our Fair Porter Treatment
Nature Discovery was one of the first Kilimanjaro Guide Companies to partner Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). We cherish and embrace our role as leaders in establishing the standards of ethical porter treatment on Kilimanjaro.
What does being a partner of the KILIMANJARO PORTERS ASSISTANCE PROJECT (KPAP) mean to us?
We are considered to be the industry leader in practicing ethical porter treatment standards in our work on Kilimanjaro.
Nature Discovery Steps Up Its Carbon Offset
As of January 2017 Nature Discovery has been awarded the status of Carbon Elite Offsetter by Carbon Tanzania.
Nature Discovery’s Social Responsibility Commitment recognised by KPAP
KPAP (Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project) has affirmed that Nature Discovery is the leading example of practicing ethical porter treatment standards on Mount Kilimanjaro. She recently sent us an email...
FIND OUT WHY WE’RE THE BEST
NATURE DISCOVERY RECOMMENDED IN
Kilimanjaro: The Trekking Guide to Africa’s Highest Mountain
BY HENRY STEDMAN
Our Partners in Sustainable Tourism
KPAP‘s mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro
Nature Discovery received the Travelife Partner award in recognition of our leading role in sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Carbon Tanzania link Tanzania’s threatened forests and their communities with the international carbon market.
Sentinel are highly trained professionals with a passion to provide knowledge of outdoor leadership and skills and risk management.
Nature Discovery is part of the coveted ‘We are Africa’ tribe
Leave no Trace protects the outdoors by teaching and inspiring people to enjoy it responsibly
Atta represents African tourism interests at the highest levels, in a continuing dialogue with many tourism ministries, tourist authorities and associations.
The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators’ objective is to be an effective change agent to promote regional and global competitiveness in tourism trade and investment.
