Responsible Travel.

All tour guides have an in-depth knowledge of acceptable and preferred behaviour.

We talk to our clients at length about customs and practices and how to respect them.

We keep our tour sizes small, never more than eight photographers plus the leader, so we do not overwhelm those we photograph.

We encourage learning a few basic phrases of the local language and some specific to photography as we believe these few words go a long way in communicating and breaking down barriers.

We encourage our clients to make appropriate donations and give small gifts (books, pens, paper, food), never sweets!

We think it is generally better to give these via donation boxes or religious/village leaders as we do not want people, especially children, to see our clients as merely a source of ‘goodies’.

We also advise on when it is appropriate to tip people who have given us good service as, for many, this is a significant addition to their income.

We encourage clients to act responsibly and with an insight and understanding of the host destination.

We instruct on etiquette and dress, especially in places of worship or people’s homes.

We offer advice on bargaining, which is often an issue that raises questions from our clients.

We advise that bargaining is expected, but it should be respected that this is the way it is done, and the aim is to end up paying a reasonable price for something which often entails much labour and skill to produce.

We will use locally owned and run services by preference.

Where possible, we avoid using internal flights unless the distance is too great and will significantly impact the itinerary.

We feel it is better to be travelling at ground level as that is where the pictures are.

We use locally owned and run accommodation in preference to foreign-owned hotel chains.

We eat in local restaurants wherever possible.

We often stop at roadside food stalls to give our photographers opportunities to sample local delicacies. These snacks are not compulsory!

We support local income generation by using local tour guides and drivers and by purchasing crafts from the villagers who have invited us into their communities.

All rubbish generated is kept on the bus or the person until it can be disposed of effectively.

We do not have an office - our staff work from home when not on the road.

All correspondence is conducted electronically.

We are aware of our environmental impact.

On all of our tours, we use local guides and tour companies.