Responsible Travel Approach | Helen Bateman Travel

Travel better

We believe travel and sustainability should go hand in hand. Our mission is to bring you the very best in adventure and tailor-made travel which is kinder to the planet, it's people & wildlife. Responsible travel which enriches experiences for everyone.

From 2025, for each booking made with us, we'll make a contribution to a charity partner, supporting communities and conservation projects. You can read more about the charities we'll be working with below and if you'd like to get involved, perhaps through the Pack for Purpose initiative, recommending an inspiring community enterprise to benefit or making a donation please let us know.

Room in your suitcase?

Pack for a Purpose

Connecting travellers with in-destination service providers who deliver purposely packed donations to local communities.

Uplifting communities through tourism

Planeterra

Helping local organisations & communities use tourism as a catalyst to improve lives, protect natural environments & celebrate their culture.

Providing a safe haven for elephants

Pangea Trust

A 1000-acre sanctuary in Portugal where elephants used in circus & zoos can be rehomed to roam free with their own kind.

The power of microloans to change lives

Lend with Care

A microfinance lending initiative which make loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries

Trees 4 Travel

We've partnered with Trees4Travel to plant a tree for every client who travels with us. We've planted 394 trees so far. It's only a small contribution, but every little helps. The trees are planted with verified planting partners in developing countries to help restore ecosystems, biodiversity and support local communities.

"Scientists know of no other current carbon drawdown solution that is quantitatively as large in terms of carbon capture." Science, May 2020

Reforestation takes time, so each tree planted is connected to a UN CER renewable energy project carbon credit.

Andina Travel, Peru

Community-based tourism

Travelling in a way which brings you closer to local communities is not only good for the people and places we visit, it's also the best way to get to know a country & its people.

Community-based tourism is led by the local community, on their terms, so that they benefit from the exchange as much as we do. It's really important and has the potential to support the local economy, preserve heritage and culture, reduce inequalities and protect wildlife and habitats.

We'd love to share some ideas with you about where you can get involved in community-based tourism.

Animal Welfare

"It's surely our responsibility to do everything within our power to create a planet that provides a home not just for us, but for all life on Earth."

Sir David Attenborough

We're 100% committed to ensuring that your wildlife encounters are not only great experiences for you, but are ethical & respectful of the wildlife. I believe wildlife is best experienced, when in it's natural habitat.

For working and domestic animals, we work with suppliers who maintain the highest standards of animal care. You can read my animal welfare policy here.

Masai Mara

Fivelements, Bali

Brilliant Sustainable Hotels

Let us take care of finding the best eco-escapes for you. It can feel overwhelming with all the options or sometimes no options at all.

Our Green Leaf symbol is awarded to hotels that have proven to be maximising social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage, reducing negative impacts on the environment, and have effective sustainability planning.