“Take only photos, leave only footprints.”

Since day dot, this has been our motto. And one that we’ve stuck by for over three decades.

With the public eye firmly focused on all organisations moving towards increasingly responsible ways of working, we wanted to demonstrate that although we’ve got much further to go, we’ve always been committed to harnessing the power of travel for the greater good. As we celebrate our 30th year, it’s not just a milestone for us; it’s a testament to our dedication to sustainable travel. 

Empowering Tanzanian Guides 

We’ve been taking groups to climb the epic Mount Kilimanjaro since the beginning. It has always been one of our most loved and iconic trips, no small part due to the amazing group of local guides and porters who help us reach such dizzying hights. One of our proudest endeavours involves funding opportunities at the Udzungwa Mountain College Trust in Tanzania.

Since 2018, we've sponsored five promising Tanzanian porters on our Kilimanjaro treks, enabling them to pursue qualifications in Tour Guiding and Wildlife Management, and we’re looking to sponsor two more this year. This empowers these individuals and nurtures sustainable tourism and conservation efforts in Tanzania. 

Water-to-Go Partnership 

Our collaboration with Water-to-Go has been another stride in our quest towards more sustainable travel. Water-to-Go was born out of the desire to solve the problem of the growing mountains of plastic building up in industrial areas around the world, with a large proportion being single-use water bottles. Combining three innovative technologies initially developed for NASA, resulted in a reusable bottle perfect for travel, filtering over 99% of microbiological contaminants. At DA, we aligned with the motivation to provide clean, healthy water around the world and to support a technology that would reduce environmental damage. 

Nepal Rebuild

Following the 2015 earthquake, DA participants collectively raised £9,786 to support a community rebuild project in the Langtang region. Notably, these funds significantly contribute to the reconstruction endeavours at the Shree Bhairavi Higher Secondary School, specifically the associated Hearing-Impaired Children’s Home (HICH) in Nuwakot. It had been hoped that the home could be repaired and strengthened, but on further consideration, it was decided that a full rebuild would provide the best long-term solution.

Considerable progress has been achieved by demolishing the damaged Children’s Home and initiating the groundwork for a new building. The aim is that the children can move back in May of this year.

Peru’s Tree Planting 

The mass deforestation currently occurring in South America (and many other parts of the world!) is one of the biggest challenges that our generation has to face. As we work in many parts of South America, we wanted to be part of the solution for the region, and we have planted over 70,000 trees in Peru, aiding reforestation efforts. Although this has been huge from a conservation point of view, this has also helped in bolstering local economies. We've invested in environmental restoration and community welfare by sourcing seedlings from a village tree nursery and employing around 250 locals for our tree-planting initiative.

Recycled Tech Tees 

After many years of offering cotton t-shirts to every participant who travelled with us, we decided to make a shift. We realised that we could do more to waste less, and that cotton is one of the most unsustainable textiles in the world. The global reach of cotton is wide, making up approximately half of all the textiles made globally. Still, current cotton production methods are environmentally unsustainable, and are associated with issues such as soil erosions and degradation, pollution and water contamination. Our new tees are crafted from 100% recycled plastic bottles and showcase our dedication to innovative and sustainable solutions while reducing environmental strain.

And we could go on… Other community projects have included supporting the Light in Africa children’s home near Kilimanjaro, donating economical stoves in the Lares Valley, Peru and collaborating with global charities on projects such as beach clean-ups in Morocco. But as we reflect on the last 30 years of responsible travel, we understand the need to go above and beyond what we’ve done before. We’ve got big aspirations for the future. With the support of our clients and partners, our commitment remains resolute – to travel responsibility and leave a lasting, positive impact on the world.