ECO-TOURS - we actively promote the very best eco-tourism projects in the country such as Kapawi and Yachana rainforest lodges, and the Bellavista cloudforest lodge. We have also designed our own special 1 week Responsible Traveller tour that visits the best of the smaller, less known eco-tourism projects in the Ecuadorian Andes, and from which we donate US$25 per person to a local charity.

RECYCLING - although Latin America is sadly lagging behind when it comes to recycling we did successfully recycle paper, glass, aluminium and plastic waste from our office in 2007. Unfortunately the recycle bins have since been removed by the local council after the pilot scheme ended but we remain active in campaigning for their return. We continue to actively recycle paper in our office.

HELPING POOR COMMUNITIES - we collect used clothes in our Quito office for donation to the small farming community of Porvenir de Mocha, to whom we have also donated spanish childrens books to their school library, and encourage volunteers to contact Voluntarios de Occidente (VDO) to help directly in this community.

Since 2007 we have also funded the Christmas Gifts campaign for the Porvenir de Mocha community and helped to organise their childrens Christmas party.

We have also donated tours as prizes for the fundraising events of the Bruce Ecuador Street Children Project and for Andean Bear Conservation.

All of your donations and support to these wonderful causes are very welcome!!!

LEAVING NO FOOTPRINTS - we inform all of our Galapagos clients about the important National Park Regulations and encourage them to always understand, respect and help protect the fragile ecosystem that they are visiting - local guides often forget to do this and tourists therefore cause damage to the environment due to lack of awareness.

Both John and Eva (the founders of Happy Gringo) are members of the Galapagos Conservation Trust through whom they have also adopted a sea-lion pup and baby tortoise.

To further our green initiative we are also off-setting the carbon emissions of our Happy Gringo minivan used in daytours as well as the electricity use of our office. CanopyCo, an Ecuadorian based organization, are doing some fine native tree reforestation and development work in Ecuador - see their link below. If you would like to offset the impact of your trip to Ecuador or Galapagos then please ask us for further information.

SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY - we support by employing skilled local people at highly competitive and fair wage rates. At least 75% of our office staff and 100% of our drivers, guides, accountants, lawyers and cleaners are native Ecuadorians. We also work together primarily with Ecuadorian suppliers and tour operators.