The Best Sustainable Tourism Organizations to Help Plan the Perfect Trip

Whether you're traveling across the globe or a few hours away, it can be daunting to plan a trip. Not to mention, overtourism of popular destinations results in a strain on local communities and excessive emissions — but it doesn't have to. We rounded up sustainable tourism organizations that plan travel with the climate and host communities in mind.

The 10 winners of this Green Matters Approved contest are listed below. Read more about our Green Matters Approved contests here.

Earthwatch Expeditions is a nonprofit organization that offers adult and teen excursions to five continents. The company pairs researchers with volunteers to participate in projects about climate change, wildlife conservation, ocean health, and archeology. Earthwatch is a 1 Percent For the Planet member and has produced over 2,000 peer-reviewed research publications from its excursions.

Gondwana Ecotours takes sustainable travelers across the globe to locations like Alaska, Costa Rica, Norway, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Argentina. The company was founded in 2013 and is 100 percent carbon neutral. Gondwana Ecotours also prefers to support local communities in the locations of its tours and donates a portion of its revenues to local nonprofits.

The company is a Green America-certified business and a member of the International Ecotourism Society.

Amazonas Explorer is for those eager to explore Machu Picchu and the Amazon in Peru. The company offers family tours, multi-day adventures, biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and day trips. Amazonas Explorer is a Certified B Corp and a 1% for the Planet member. Additionally, the company offsets its carbon emissions via a Peruvian-based company called Regenera. Amazonas Explorer is also dedicated to paying its porters a fair living wage and providing fair working conditions.

Kind Traveler is a women-and-veteran-owned public benefit corporation that matchmakes travelers to hotels, destinations, or nonprofit partners that center sustainability, wellness, and/or community impact. The program is mostly for destinations in the U.S. but also in Latin America, Canada, Chile, Sicily, Sri Lanka, and Italy. Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back program, which was established in 2023, ensures a portion of every guest stay goes back into the local communities. 100 percent of every donation to Kind Traveler goes back to charity.

Quark Expeditions is a polar travel company that leads small-group expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Part of the company's "Polar Promise," inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, includes efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and emissions per passenger by 20 percent. Additionally, Quark aims for the company-owned fleet to be zero-waste to landfill.

Experience Travel Group (ETG) leads immersive vacations across Southeast Asia, specifically in countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. ETG is a Certified B Corp and aims to show tourists authenticity in its approach, avoiding "trendy" in favor of more local destinations. The company has a Carbon Roadmap to reduce emissions and purchases carbon offsets with Seatrees.

Byway Travel is unique for its 100 percent flight-free tourism around the U.K. and Europe. Byway is a Certified B Corp that offers its latest impact report directly on its website. Byway also aims to reduce over-tourism and the climate impact of travel by offering flightless travel and stays at eco-hotels.

Pura Aventura has spent 25 years chartering nature-based expeditions to Spain, Portugal, Antarctica, and South America. The company is a Certified B Corp and offsets 160 percent of carbon each trip. Pura Aventura's Taking Root program gives 1 percent of all company revenues to reforestation and community development projects in rural Nicaragua.

Audley Travel offers a range of vacations to all seven continents, including safaris, adventure vacations, beach vacations, and more. Audley Travel is a Certified B Corp and has a "Responsible Choice" option to recommend specifically eco-friendly hotels and experiences. Additionally, the company is a Travelife partner and a Water-to-Go partner to reduce single-use plastics.

Intrepid Travel hosts multi-day small group trips in over 100 countries on all seven continents. The company has been a Certified B Corp since 2018 and, since 2010, has been the largest carbon-neutral company. In 2002, Intrepid Travel created The Intrepid Foundation, a nonprofit that gives back globally to many places where Intrepid Travel hosts expeditions.