Sustainability

At Senderos all our small team recognise there is a Climate Crisis and a biodiversity crisis.

Despite the many issues with tourism as a whole, we believe that the right kind of tourism is important, indeed at times vital, in conserving ecosystems, biodiversity, unique and ancient cultures, traditions & communities. And in providing fair work, employment and poverty reduction. Senderos follows the 4Cs sustainability framework for guidance and inspiration — Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce (credit @ The Long Run).

Senderos has an unshakeable commitment to

  • Reduce any negative environmental impact of our work in the UK and Latin America such as our office and transport and balance whatever carbon we still are unable to eliminate working towards the 2030 and 2050 goals
  • Proudly, robustly and honestly showcase our partners sustainability credentials, their on-going often groundbreaking work in the areas of land and wildlife conservation, community, culture and social inclusiveness
  • Be a strong advocate for change, continually encourage best practice and striving to improve

Please contact us for more information / specifics. See Senderos' Carbon Action Plan 2022 and Senderos First Impact Report 2022-2023

Our Partners

Finca Valentina

Finca Valentina have several programmes in place to reach their sustainability goals:

  • Separation of waste for effective council recycling
  • Reuse of water for irrigation of their gardens
  • Organic garden used to grow vegetables for the dishes served in their restaurant
  • Solar heated hot water tanks
  • Plastic free amenities and in other operational capacities where possible
  • Support of local artisans such as production of Jasimaná blankets, well known in the region for their distinctive design

 

Casa dos Arandis

  • From 2022, 300 square metres of photovoltaic panels (95 panels) generate enough solar energy for all guests’ needs at the hotel and make Casa dos Arandis (CdA) zero carbon emissions, also accumulating credit for future compensation.
  • CdA has its own organic garden and has recently increased the production of organic fruit and vegetables. CdA is also a member, co-producer, consumer and supporter of a local organic project “Rede de Agroecologia Povos da Mata”.
  • For almost 10 years the hotel has been providing filtered water (reverse osmosis filtration system) in glass bottles and also has a water treatment system to improve the PH and alkalinity of the water at the hotel. This has significantly reduced the use of plastic bottles by guests & employees.
  • The hotel also has partnerships with a number local, socio-environmental and volunteering projects.

More information here

Ibiti Project

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle - Reimagine have long been the watch words here. Some projects - too numerous to all list here - include

  • Conservation and rewilding (the crown jewel of which is the endangered Muriqui spider monkey)
  • Rural regeneration at the village of Mogol
  • Solar power and mineral water from pure water sources within the reserve; guests are welcomed with bespoke ceramic water bottles.
  • Walk, cycle or ride a horse to explore. Guests who drive their car within the reserve are charged an ‘environmental fee’, which is donated to the Zero Footprint tree-planting project.
  • Most of the organic produce for the restaurants comes from the reserve itself. They do not serve red meat or saltwater fish to reduce their environmental footprint and in Mogol the restaurant serves delicious vegan cuisine only.

We base our work on one goal from the Agenda 21: “embrace sustainability to change the direction of environmentally predatory and socially exclusionary global economic growth”. We reflect on global issues and act locally to spread a collective consciousness that the future depends on each one of us.

Pousada Tutabel

  • The Rio do Brasil RPPN is an environmental conservation area belonging to the group at Pousada Tutabel, where 975 hectares of Tabuleiro—a threatened species of vegetation—Atlantic Forest are preserved.
  • Tutabel offers free RPPN visits for children and youngsters from regional daycare centres, schools, and NGOs throughout the year and final-year university students in environmental courses to carry out their training here. Community outreach through ICMBio and Conservation International, also Humanize, Associação Despertar Trancoso, USP, UFSB, NeoPrego, RPPN Veracel Station, IBAMA and the Public Ministry of Bahia.
  • Single use plastic has been eliminated and to reduce water consumption, the hotel uses clay filtered-water coolers for guests.
  • Tutabel helped create the Futuri collective, which develops working groups that foster regenerative tourism

More information on Sustainability

Tierra Patagonia

  • The lodge was designed with the environment in mind. Built from sustainable lenga wood, the innovative architecture blends seamlessly into the landscape, a Unesco Biosphere reserve. Furnishings were handmade by Chilean craftspeople and influenced by the culture of native Tehuelche people. Design features include LED lighting, thermal efficiency, and a kitchen garden is planned.
  • Tierra is fully committed to minimising their footprint and helping conservation in this pristine environment. All hotels are single use plastic free.
  • In partnership with the Chilean Tourist Board and Forest Association to deliver an ambitious reforestation project across Chilean Patagonia’s national parks.
  • Details on the current redesign using recycled platic materials can be found on this blog.

Pacuare Lodge

  • Nature: the lodge is set in 840 acres of primary forests (preserved into propriety), which protects the wild habitats of thousands of plant and animal species. It was built in totally harmony with nature, without cutting down a single tree and using sustainable materials.
  • Practices: 100% renewable clean energy, harnessed on the property using water turbines, solar power and a biodigester, and tours are carbon neutral. Organic produce in the restaurant; biodegradable toiletries, waste water flows into septic systems to protect the river.
  • People: All lodge staff are from nearby communities and 95% of the rafting guides are from Turrialba. Pacuare supports local schools, and works with the local indigenous Cabécar Indian people

Mallín Colorado Ecolodge

  • The lodge and cabins are made entirely from wood harvested from their private forest.
  • They have made an effort to reforest their land with native trees that had been cut down for farming.
  • They use underground cables
  • They have a greenhouse to cultivate organic vegetables for the menu
  • They have a close relationship with the local community
  • Their family union is a strong bond which in their words ‘is the most sustainable part of their business’

Hotel Puerto Valle

The hotel have a tree nursery and organic kitchen gardens where they also produce their own compost

Organised waste bins and recycling management all over their property – with special care of toxic waste and measuring the generated waste.

They use, buy and promote products made by local people. They provide thermos flasks and maté in the rooms, wooden toys, and the menu of the restaurant reflects local culture and tradition.

They prioritise local suppliers in the are who also follow sustainable practices

They provide in depth sustainability training for all their staff.

See here for more information

Salkantay Lodge to Lodge Trek by MLP

  • MLP is run by Peruvians who are passionate about the mountains and their Andean neighbours. They consistently create strategies for social/economic advancement and environmental sustainability in local communities.
  • In 2006 MLP sponsored the creation of Yanapana Peru, a non-profit organisation, whose purpose is to reduce extreme poverty in the Andean Highlands by improving quality of life through sustainable community development.
  • This led to a joint venture with the people of Huacahuasi to build a lodge in their remote hamlet, and give them hospitality training to run the lodge, which features in MLP’s Upper Sacred Valley and Lares Adventure programme. They are now looking to expand this innovative business model in other local communities. A key strategy is to empower, train, and employ as many locals as possible to become modern-day travel industry professionals.

Read more here about MLP's Purpose

Pousada Trijunção

  • An ecolodge set in 33,000 protected hectares, whose mission is to support the preservation of the threatened Cerrado and its inhabitants via sustainable tourism and farming.
  • Guests are taught about conservation and its challenges when they stay
  • Solar panels for heating water; LED lighting; flooring is made from demolition wood; decoration is largely sustainable - plants, leaves and bark from fallen trees
  • Most staff are local and the pousada supports the sustainable culture of fruit trees in the region, which means employment for over 2,000 families.
  • More information here on their website and this document 

Las Balsas

  • Las Balsas is a proud B Corp member, certified in 2021 after a 3-year application process. A copy of her report can be found here. Below are just a few of their initiatives to uphold this certification and for their own sustainability credentials. You can also request the sustainability report from Las Balsas at the bottom of this page.
  • Promotion of the sale and consumption of products from local artists and artisans as a genuine way of supporting the community and the history of the place.
  • 100% of the black and grey wastewater is treated. 
  • 100% biodegradable cleaning products and amenities.
  • Their Nature Reserve has become an official member of the "Red de Reservas Naturales" (Nature Reserve Network) of the historic 105-year-old naturalist organisation Aves Argentinas. This includes a commitment from Las Balsas to protect the native forest of their 15 hectare reserve and to be ambassadors for the conservation of Patagonia.
  • In July 2021, the biologist in charge of the Sustainability project, Lic. Diego Meier, carried out the study on the carbon footprint between the months of June 2020 and May 2021. This technical study reveals that Las Balsas off-set more than is emitted through the protection of important wetland and native forest.

Monteverde Lodge

  • Beyond the baseline actions for sustainable tourism - recycling, no plastic products, environmentally friendly waste management and efficient energy use, Monteverde Lodge and Gardens goes beyond this with many different and developing initiatives in place:
  • The lodge supports several local sustainability programs which reach fruition through a one-time $8 per person Monteverde Lodge & Gardens Conservation Support. They share regular progress reports and updates with guests to demonstrate how important their contributions are.
  • 100% of the staff are from local areas. To support their career development, Böëna offer regular training opportunities so they can acquire new skills and grow professionally. They also offer cross-training with colleagues from sister Böëna Lodges, which encourage employees to build leadership potential and expand their professional horizons.
  • They support the local recycling initiative through funding as well as provide the centre with administration and organisational assistance as part of the staff’s regular work responsibilities.
  • They buy their produce, dairy products, eggs, berries, and other food products from local growers and providers whenever possible.
  • They’ve dedicated a significant portion of their 3.8-hectare property as a private nature reserve.
  • Much of the energy consumption is supplied through the lodge’s 47 solar panels.
  • The swimming pool is purified with salt and stabilisers instead of chlorine. Salt systems are much kinder to the environment – and our skin.

 

Tierra Chiloé

  • Designed and built using innovative construction methods to make the most of natural resources for natural heating and ventilation; light and heat from the sun are absorbed through thermopanel windows and renewable biomass energy heats the hotel.
  • A strong link with the neighbouring community, many of whom work at the hotel. Guests are gifted a pair of slippers hand-knitted by local women, and the hotel supplements the regional organic harvest with produce from their own orchards.
  • Chiloe is world-renowned for its ancient agricultural practises and native plants. Tierra helps maintain these traditions within their 20 hectares of land, planting native herbs, fruit and vegetables to serve in the restaurant.
  • Promotes the sustainable management of Pullao wetlands and their rare shorebirds, helping to preserve the island’s biodiversity.
  • Details on the current redesign using recycled platic materials can be found on this blog.

Caiman

  • Caiman is home to some of the most respected conservation projects in Brazil, including the NGO Onçafari and its jaguar habituation project, by which wild jaguars become accustomed to vehicles so they can be tracked and studied.
  • Caiman and Oncafari were the first in the world to successfully rewild jaguars. The story of how two female cubs returned to independent lives in the wild was the subject of a BBC Natural World documentary by Joe Stevens with commentary from Sir David Attenborough.
  • Conservation projects include the hugely successful programme to breed Blue Hyacinth macaws and another to protect endangered blue-fronted parrots.
  • Caiman hosts an "RPPN" (Private Natural Heritage Reserve), protected in perpetuity by law, which is only visited by scientists studying the unique properties of the Pantanal landscape.
  • Caiman is a GER (Global Ecosphere Retreat) of the The Long Run - having undergone a vigorous recognition process

Bahia Bustamante

The main goal of the owners of Bahia Bustamate is to protect this piece of paradise & share this incredible nature with guests from all over the world, aiming to promote environmental conservation & raise awareness on the protection of this fragile ecosystem.

  • The area is classified as an IBA (Important Birding Area) and part of ‘Blue Patagonia’ UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: only a few places in the world house such an amount and diversity of seabirds and marine mammals.
  • Solar Energy: Solar panels provide the lodge with electricity all day, the only source of energy.
  • The reserve welcomes biologists and scientists worldwide to research the wildlife and nature patterns and the lodge acts a base for their research. BB offer them free accommodation and logistic support, in order to promote marine wildlife research.
  • The biodynamic vegetable garden provides the restaurant with fruits, olives, berries and a wide variety of vegetables, aromatic herbs and edible flowers.
  • By sea, they continue to harvest sea salt and samphire manually
  • Water: They use spring water with natural spring gravity and provide reusable bottles if guests need them. Guests are reminded that water is a scarce resource and requested to use it responsibly. They use grey waters for watering the lodge’s surroundings.
  • On the farm: They apply holistic management of livestock to restore Patagonian grasslands and use solar energy to generate electricity on the fields. They have wind and solar mills to provide the sheep with water.
  • They guarantee the balance between nature & guests by limiting maximum capacity to 20-25 guests per day.
  • More information can be read here on their website and in their Commitment to Nature.

Anakonda Amazon Cruises

Pousada Literária

Pousada Literária emphasizes its commitment to the development of practices and initiatives that contribute to regenerative tourism in Paraty. This guarantees a balanced, sustainable and integrated development of the region, ensuring the preservation of the environment and strengthening the local culture and community.

The concept of Regenerative Tourism followed by Literária is based on the definition published by Futuri (Alliance for Regenerative Tourism), which states that: REGENERATIVE TOURISM presupposes, besides the implementation of good practices that improve the territory, the participation of the whole tourism chain in the integrated planning process:

To increase the positive impact of tourism;

  • Provide reconnection, interaction with the environment and ecosystems, and stimulate observation and awareness
  • Foster a sense of identity and respect for the region
  • Promote greater socio-economic inclusion and well-being of communities and visitors
  • Promote restoration of the landscape, ecosystems, watersheds (e.g., springs) and biodiversity
  • Provide transformative experiences in terms of visitor interaction with local community and culture and hands-on learning
  • Provide moments of self-awareness

More information here on Literária's Sustainability Commitments

 

Hosteria El Peñon

Sustainability at Hostería El Peñón takes the form of working closely with the local community. Socompa who operate the hotel are committed to creating a safe, friendly and supportive environment for all their staff and actively look for people in the local village to join their team. They are very conscious of the livelihoods many villagers may already have – for example small holdings and sheep to look after – and seek to create opportunities which supplement or increase their income through tourism. Mining is big industry in the Puna region and has naturally led to an increase in opportunities for hospitality in the villages. Socompa endeavour to offer an alternative to this through community and sustainable tourism.

More information

Tierra Atacama

  • The hotel was designed to have minimal impact on the land it occupies, and is at the forefront of the ‘renewable energy in tourist spheres’ movement in South America; their initiatives have won awards.
  • 100% solar powered via on-site energy plant (emergency back-up generators); NASA designed water system to provide drinking water and no plastic bottles used on site; bathing water extracted from their own well and treated on-site; grey water is used to irrigate the gardens.
  • The hotel runs an apprenticeship scheme with a local technical college, to educate students in the fields of tourism, education and agriculture.
  • Details on the current redesign using recycled platic materials can be found on this blog.

Integrity Galapagos

Integrity has the Galápagos Quality Gold Seal for its environmental practices. The boat’s owners Pamarent are prominent members of the Galápagos Tourism Chamber and Adatur (Asociación de Armadores Turísticos). Their unparalleled commitment to conservation of the Islands includes:

  • Integrity being the first yacht in the archipelago to be fitted with its own wastewater treatment system, a 6-stage unit capable of processing daily 2,000 gallons (7,570 ltr), treating black and grey water and producing sterile effluent for disposal.
  • Contributing to annual coastal cleaning with the coordination of the Galápagos National Park.
  • Helping to fund the eradication of invasive plant species across 300 acres (121 ha) and creating a 50-acre (20 ha) Private Nature Reserve to preserve and reforest the native Miconia shrub.
  • See more of Integrity's sustainability credentials here.

Estancia Los Potreros

The majority of energy is generated from renewable resources (mainly wind, water and solar power).

All farming on the estancia is undertaken with organic principles.

Strong ‘farm-to-table’ ethos when it comes to providing home-reared beef, free-range eggs, and fruit and vegetables from the estancia gardens.

Active tree-planting programme and zero food waste policy. Even the wine bottles are transported back to the winery, where they're filled again with Los Potreros' own label wine.

Estancia Los Potreros has long supported the local rural school, and guests help too via a small shop on the estancia.

Plastic free, locally sourced natural soaps and solid shampoo and conditioner in rooms.

Upper Sacred Valley and Lares Adventure to Machu Picchu

  • MLP is run by Peruvians, who are passionate about the mountains and their Andean neighbors. They consistently create strategies for social/economic advancement and environmental sustainability in local communities.
  • In 2006 MLP sponsored the creation of Yanapana Peru, a non-profit organisation, whose purpose is to reduce extreme poverty in the Andean Highlands by improving quality of life through sustainable community development.
  • This led to a joint venture with the people of Huacahuasi to build a lodge in their remote hamlet, and give them hospitality training to run the lodge, which features in MLP’s Upper Sacred Valley and Lares Adventure programme. They are now looking to expand this innovative business model in other local communities. A key strategy is to empower, train, and employ as many locals as possible to become modern-day travel industry professionals.

Read more here about Our Purpose

 

Hacienda Zuleta

  • The hacienda runs a fantastic non-profit foundation - the Galo Plaza Lasso Foundation - to improve the education and infrastructure of the local community, and protect their unique environment.
  • This includes a ground-breaking Condor Release Programme, to conserve and increase the numbers of these endangered birds. 
  • As well as numerous projects in education and commmunity development through embroidery.
  • Delicious Ecuadorian meals at the hacienda are made with organic vegetables, dairy, trout from the farm and meat from the regional suppliers (Ibarra).
  • Much of their 4000 acres is protected native primary forest, home to spectacled bear cubs, an endangered species in South America.

Tortuga Lodge

  • Tortuga Lodge actively support the community, collaborating in as many ways as possible. This includes donating rooms and meals for local cultural and environmentally related activities such as the Local Music Festival and the local Health Fair.
  • They employ a solar energy system for heating the water in all rooms and the restaurant kitchen.
  • A high-tech system of filters and ultraviolet lights purifies water to be 100% drinkable. This system also helps eliminate the use of bottled water.
  • The swimming pool uses a system that works with regular salt instead of chlorine.
  • They use Bio-Agua, a mix of 80 different tropical microorganisms that ferments solid and liquid waste to eliminate odour, reduce solid and decontaminate the effluent runoff in the septic and grey water system.
  • Grey water produced by the lodge is treated by an Environmental Septic System, with two biodigesters that create methane gas used by the kitchen for cooking meals.
  • On their request, the Costa Rican Electric Company insulated the Lodge’s high-voltage cables to avoid the electrocution of wildlife.
  • Tortuga Lodge assists with local research programs. Bird tagging research is done every year in the reserve by Sea Turtle Conservation.
  • They privately own, protect and preserve 5.9 hectares (14.75 acres) of old forest growth and secondary growth around the lodge grounds.

 

Polar Latitudes

  • Polar Latitudes are pioneers of citizen science in the region and work with research facilities such as NASA and the Scripps Institute. Guests are encouraged to get involved, collecting seawater samples, tracking whales etc. 
  • The ships are equipped with a modern technology fuel optimisation system from Lean Marine and all itineraries are created with fuel consumption in mind.
  • Rubbish is sorted and recycled on board - none gets disposed of until return to Ushuaia
  • The Scanship Foodwaste System is used throughout the Sky-fleet, a modern and efficient Food Waste Digester to provide a safe, cost effective and environmentally friendly solution for processing food waste.
  • Necessary measures taken to eliminate single use plastic on board, eg. changing passenger and staff expedition jacket suppliers so we can eliminate thousands of plastic wrappers; also we don't use plastic water bottles or straws on board and instead we provide stainless steel water bottles to passengers
  • Polar Latitudes works with Ocean Care, Blue Ribbon, Happy Whale, Better Blue, WDC, Falkstock, Scott Polar Research Institute, South Georgia Heritage Trust, UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (see details at https://polar-latitudes.com/giving-back/).

Lapa Rios Ecolodge

Lapa Rios is a world-famous model for eco-tourism and has won many awards for its sustainability initiatives.

  • Set in a private reserve, whose purpose is to permanently protect 1,000 acres of Central America’s last remaining tropical lowland rainforest and act as a protective barrier and wildlife corridor for the 100,000-acre, mega-biodiverse Corcovado National Park.
  • Practises include solar energy, biomass boilers, fully biodegradable cleaning products, no single-use plastics (reusable water bottles), and the imaginative production of biogas (using their pigs!) to power the kitchen. Guests can take a ‘Twigs, Pigs and Garbage’ tour of the various Green initiatives, and can each plant a primary rainforest seedling as part of the hotel’s reforestation project.
  • Since its inception, the lodge has worked in close harmony with the local communities, setting up the Carbonera school to educate children, and teaching adults about conservation practises and alternative ways of feeding a family other than ‘slashing and burning’ the rainforest. Their latest project is to encourage remote villages to grow organic produce, which the hotel can then buy for the restaurant, thus encouraging their sustainable development.
  • Lapa Rios is a GER (Global Ecosphere Retreat) of the The Long Run - having undergone a vigorous recognition process
  • More information here

Finca Rosa Blanca

  • Awarded the highest level, Elite, from Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism and 5/5 rating from Blue Ecological Flag programme
  • Over the last 25 years, they have planted more than 5,000 native trees and were one of the first carbon-neutral hotels in Costa Rica.
  • Showcasing the huge biodiversity value of forested organic coffee production versus monocrop
  • Reduction of impact on the environment through solar powered electricity and solar heated hot water.
  • The pool is chemical free, using ionization which eliminates 100% of the bacteria and algae
  • Dedicated to preserving local traditions through cultural interpretation: travel, tales, and tours dedicated to the local heritage, promoting cultural integrity, and seeking human wellbeing through increased social capital and traveller involvement in the local community.
  • Hire 100% local to directly benefit immediate neighbours

More info here

Cristalino Lodge

  • Clean solar energy, intelligent architecture with natural ventilation and full treatment of effluent.
  • The lodge’s Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN) has been permanently protected from development, and together with the bordering Cristalino State Park provide a safe wildlife corridor for endemic and endangered species, including the jaguar, puma, giant anteater, sloth and white-whiskered monkey
  • Supports a variety of educational and research programmes in the region. Stays here directly contribute to these wonderful causes.
  • More information here on their website

Estancia Cristina

  • They adhere to all National Park regulations on the disposal of waste and use of the land
  • They are committed to caring for the environment of the estancia and its buildings to represent its rich history and culture
  • For all of the packed snacks and meals which guests take with them on excursions, they provide reusable bags, containers and utensils to reduce the amount of non-biodegradable materials, they also use biodegradable and compostable bags and paper food wrap.
  • The re-usable bags are made from recycled materials, napkins which are not treated with bleach and cups made of biodegradable polypaper cardboard.
  • Own vegetable kitchen garden to reduce their carbon footprint.
  • They recycle all the paper they use internally as well as seeing how they can reuse any of the packaging to avoid single usage