Any type of tour activity which is ‘under your own steam’ means you are joining the growing movement of sustainable tourism. Hiking and cycling falls squarely in that court. 

Our responsible tourism policy commits us to the following principles:

While you emit no carbon emissions while cycling or hiking the trails of the USA, we have calculated any emissions from your accommodation and have purchased credits in renewable projects so that you can be assured that your Great American Trails tour is 100% carbon offset. 

This means you are directly supporting renewable energy and reforestation projects; another reason why your tour with us has nothing but a positive impact.

Before mitigating carbon emissions, it is important to take opportunities to reduce our footprint. When designing our trips, we choose the least carbon intensive transport and accommodation available in the region, whilst taking into account traveller safety. While all travel has unavoidable carbon emissions, we're continuing to take action to reduce our footprint and improve our operations.

Where feasible, think about taking a train to your destination so that you can expand your full tour arrangements to be carbon free. Combined with your biking or walking tour, these are big steps towards a better future.

The cost of leaving a carbon offset footprint in the places we visit will not be passed onto you and instead will be absorbed by Great American Trails, a division of the World Expeditions Travel Group.

How does mitigating carbon work?

1. First, we calculate the emissions produced by your trip. 
2. Secondly, we purchase carbon credits through the world’s largest and most awarded carbon project developer, South Pole, which support Positive Impact Projects. 1 carbon credit equates to 1 tonne of carbon. 

The projects we support aim to transition communities from fossil fuel dependency to renewable energy, as well as help protect and regenerate forests that capture and store carbon from the atmosphere.

At no additional cost to you, our active holidays will offset the carbon emissions from your land travel to support a conservation project in Australia, a wind farm in Vietnam, a habitat protection project in Zimbabwe and a hydropower plant in China.

In addition, these projects support a range of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as alleviating poverty, providing clean water and sanitation and offering decent work and economic growth, all of which aim to achieve a better future for all.

The carbon credits invested into these projects therefore accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources for developing nations, as well as projects that benefit local communities and protect their biodiversity. These supported projects are based on internationally recognised standards and are third-party audited.