The 50 Best Green Getaways

2. Ashgabat to Kathmandu by truck
Trucking specialist Dragoman Overland follows strict ethical guidelines. At least 55 per cent of clients’ money stays in the destination country, often generating income for remote villages. If you’re looking for an adventure, the nine-week Ashgabat to Kathmandu trail is hard to beat.
Where from: 01728 861133; www.dragoman.uk.com
How much: prices for the nineweek trip start from £2,690 for land transport, plus a US $1,290 kitty for campsites, hotels, entrance fees and other group expenses

3. Whitepod, Switzerland
In 2004, entrepreneur Sofia de Meyer opened Whitepod, a low impact mountain camp in the Swiss Alps. Its dome-shaped “pods” are set on wooden platforms, the camp features a chemical- free filtration system, is heated by wood-burning stoves and, at the end of the season, the domes are all dismantled. Local, organic produce is used as much as possible, and waste is recycled.
Where from: 00 41 24 471 38 38; www.whitepod.com
How much: rates start at CH325 (£136) per pod, per night, accommodation only

4. Nihiwatu, Indonesia
Your quintessential luxury island hideaway, only with one big difference; while Nihiwatu’s 14 luxury villas and bungalows are as decadent as any other tropical resort, its profits are invested in a non-profit organisation, founded by the owners, which fosters educational projects, health-care services and economic growth in the local Sumba communities.
Where from: 00 62 361 757 149; www.nihiwatu.com
How much: doubles from $390 (£190) per night, full board

5. Horse repatriation and steppe project, Mongolia
Muir’s is a non-profit organisation that offers wildlife safaris, activity holidays and volunteering projects. It tries to benefit all who are involved in its tours – the profits are divided between relevant charities. This Mongolian project works with local people to fulfil two aims: to breed horses for repatriation to the wild and to protect the biological diversity of the Mongolian steppe.
Where from: www.nkf-mt.org.uk
How much: from £360 per person for a 10-day stay, plus a £200 registration fee, including full-board accommodation but not travel to Mongolia

6. Hotelito Desconocido, Mexico
A chic eco-resort on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Hotelito Desconocido features 29 thatched “palafitos”, each built on stilts to minimise disruption to the surrounding estuary habitat. The resort also runs on solar power during the day (at night it’s lit by candles), its vegetables are supplied by the resort’s organic garden and the toiletries in all the bathrooms are biodegradable.
Where from: 00 52 322 281 4010; www.hotelito.com
How much: doubles from $395 (£193) per night, B&B 

7. Baikal Amur Railway
Explore specialises in small group holidays. New for 2008 is its Baikal Amur Railway journey, a 17-day trip that takes in the little-visited heartlands of Siberia and Russia’s Far East. Highlights en route from Irkutsk to Vladivostock include the region’s stunning countryside, local villages and forgotten gulags.
Where from: 0870 333 4001; www.explore.co.uk
How much: prices start from £2,375 per person, including flights, all accommodation and some meals 

8. Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
Set in a private nature reserve, the teak and palm bungalows that make up this resort have no need for air-con as they’re set up high to make the most of tropical breezes. No trees were cut for the construction and there’s solar-heated water, while waste, sewage, recycling, chemicals and water use are all sustainably managed. And access to the interior of the reserve is only possible with a professional guide. The resort also employs local staff.
Where from: 00 506 735 5130; www.laparios.com
How much: rates start from $210 (£102) per person, per night, full-board 

9. Kasbah du Toubkal, Morocco
Around 60km from Marrakech, this property describes itself as a “Berber hospitality centre” rather than a hotel. Rebuilt from a ruin and run in partnership with the community, a five per cent levy on guests’ bills is ploughed back into the village. It’s also staggeringly romantic.
Where from: 00 33 549 050 135; www.kasbahdutoubkal.com
How much: from around £52 per person, per night, B&B, or from £120 per person for a five day trip, without international transport

10. Blue Ventures, Madagascar
A young company aimed at offering responsible volunteer programmes – so far in marine conservation – Blue Ventures has launched a new project to study the coral reefs off the west coast of Madagascar. Run in partnership with the National Association for the Management of Protected Areas in Madagascar, it aims to survey the waters of a newly proposed marine protected area.
Where from: 020-8341 9819; www.blueventures.org
How much: from £794 per person for three weeks, including full-board accommodation but not international travel

11. Tiamo, the Bahamas
A luxury Bahamian resort with serious eco credentials, Tiamo, on South Andros island, features 11 chic wooden cottages. Without air conditioning, the buildings are open-sided to encourage a breeze. Showers are fed by solar-heated rainwater. And, with porcelain pans and flush buttons, even the compost toilets are sophisticated rather than scary.
Where from: 00 1 242 357 2489; www.tiamoresorts.com
How much: from $285 (£140) per double, per night, full-board

12. Romantic Adventure in Cosy Forest Cabin, Sweden
Run by a friendly British-Swedish couple, Nature Travels is the only company in the UK specialising in environmentally responsible outdoor and wildlife holidays in Sweden. One of its most popular packages involves being taken out to a small forest camp in central Sweden and left to fend for yourselves overnight (albeit with Fairtrade chocolate and organic Shiraz to help you on your way).
Where from: 01929 463774; www.naturetravels.co.uk
How much: trips cost from £101 per couple per night, including dinner and breakfast 

13. Daintree Eco Lodge, Australia
This cluster of 15 villas, set in the Greater Daintree Rainforest on the northeast coast of Australia, sells itself on its proximity to nature (along with the luxury accommodation and organic spa). All the resort’s water comes from a nearby waterfall. Aboriginal cultural tourism is another major component of the lodge; Kuku Yalanji guides offer instructive rainforest walks.
Where from: 00 61 7 4098 6100; www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au
How much: doubles from AUD550 (£239) per night

14. Madagascar Made Easy
It might be one of the most luxurious lodges in the country, but the swish Anjajavy also offers employment to four remote villages. The hotel is included in Rainbow Tours’ Madagascar Made Easy itinerary, which also takes in the rainforest reserves of Périnet and Mantadia and the capital Antananarivo.
Where from: 020-7226 1004; www.rainbowtours.co.uk
How much: prices start from £2,070 per person, including flights, full-board accommodation, transport, guides and excursions 

15. Altai Mountains, Central Asia
Biosphere Expeditions is known for its range of “conservation expeditions”. If you’re looking to volunteer on one next year, consider the project in the AltaiMountains. Not only does it offer the chance to survey snow leopards and mountain sheep but, if you go at the start of August next summer, you should also catch a total solar eclipse.
Where from: 0870 446 0801; www.biosphereexpeditions.org
How much: from £1,330 per person for a 12-day trip, not including international transport

16. Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica
This small (10-room) Jamaican hotel leads the way in responsible tourism. Set away from the island’s heavily developed beach resorts, on a lush hillside outside Port Antonio, policies here include using homegrown, seasonal produce, recycling, avoiding the use of harmful chemicals, and relying on natural breezes rather than air conditioning.
Where from: 00 1 876 993 7267; www.hotelmockingbirdhill.com
How much: doubles from $125 (£61) per night, room only 

17. Ride and raft, Slovenia
The Riding Company works mainly with small family-run businesses in rural areas that are dedicated to preserving the environment. One of its newest holidays is a combined riding and rafting trip in Slovenia’s Triglav National Park. Holidays are based at the Pristava Lepena chalets, which feature a restaurant strong on local ingredients.
Where from: 020-7846 0033; www.theridingcompany.com
How much: from £615 per person for seven nights, half board, without international transport

18. Chumbe Island, Zanzibar
Set within a private nature reserve and a protected breeding ground for fish and corals, these seven “eco bungalows” get their water supply through a rainwater capturing and filtering process. Organic guest soaps are bought from a local women’s co-operative and former fishermen from adjacent villages are employed as park rangers and guides.
Where from: 00 255 24 223 1040; www.chumbeisland.com
How much: rates start from $150 (£73) per person, per night, full board

19. Bulungula Lodge, South Africa
The Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa scheme assesses hotels and other tourism businesses on criteria such as whether they provide fitting wages and working conditions for their staff. One of the projects certified by this scheme is Bulungula Lodge, in the Eastern Cape province. It is 40 per cent owned by the Nqileni village and guests are encouraged to explore the local culture.
Where from: 00 27 47 577 8900; www.bulungula.co.za
How much: dorm beds from ZAR80 (£5.75) per person per night

20. Sign up with WWOOF
If you’re green-fingered and willing to learn, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) offers meals, accommodation and training in return for helping out on organic farms, gardens or smallholdings. After becoming a member you can search through a list of opportunities in the UK. Most farms prefer volunteers to stay for a week. The website also lists details for international organisations.
Where from: www.wwoof.org
How much: membership costs £15 per person, per year

21. Strattons Hotel, Norfolk
Proving that being green doesn’t mean having to knit your own tent, as well as rewriting its environmental policy every year, this small, family-run Norfolk hotel buys local produce, avoids unnecessary packaging, recycleswaste, provides toiletries in re-fillable dispensers, uses low-energy light bulbs and has installed water-saving “hippos” in the toilet cisterns.
Where from: 01760 723845; www.strattons-hotel.co.uk
How much: doubles from £120 per night

22. Mountain Gorilla trip, Rwanda
This company specialises in primate safaris – toUganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and more. The company makes a contribution from each safari sold to the conservation of primates, and funds local community projects. It also gives clients strict instructions on minimising disturbance to animals.
Where from: 0870 850 9092; www.worldprimatesafaris.com
How much: prices start from £2,000 per person for a five-day trip, including flights and full-board accommodation

23. Loch Ossian, Youth Hostel, Scotland
Thanks to a £130,000 “green-over” in 2003, this hostel now features an ecologically soundwater and waste-disposal system, toilets which require no flushing and a grey water system that processes used water through sand, gravel and a natural reed bed. Windows have been created using recycled glass and “bat-friendly” paints have been used. It’s also set in spectacular scenery.
Where from: 0870 155 3255; www.syha.org.uk
How much: beds from £13.50 per person, per night

24. Laos Adventure Holiday
Go Differently is a specialist tour company offering volunteering trips “based on the appreciation of the local environment”. Many of the trips are community based and include homestay accommodation. The 17-day Laos trips take in the Mekong via some of the country’s ancient monuments.
Where from: 01799 521950; www.godifferently.com
How much: from around £1,115 per person, including accommodation, some meals and transport but not international flights

25. Hedge-laying on the Solway Coast
Join a hedge-laying trip to Cumbria and you can be safe in the knowledge that your holiday is benefiting others as well as yourself. Laying a hedge means creating a better habitat for wildlife, a more efficient boundary for farmers and a prettier landscape. There’s also plenty of time off to explore attractions away from the hedgerow.
Where from: 01302 388888; www.btcv.org.uk
How much: prices start from around £180 per person, including youth hostel accommodation 

26. The Zetter, London
Many of the big hotel chains have now implemented green initiatives such as key cards, which automatically turn off lights and electrical appliances when guests leave a room. Some individual hotels have gone further. The Zetter in London, for example, features an air-conditioning system that runs on water pumped from a bore-hole 1,500 feet below the building, and is decorated with eco-paints and recycled timbers.
Where from: 020-7324 4444; www.thezetter.com
How much: from £155 per double per night, room only

27. High Level Route, Italy
KEAdventure Travel has been given the highest grade rating on responsible tourism by the Association of Independent Tour Operators. Its beginners’ climbing tours include a seven-night adventure combining demanding trekking but easy climbing and taking in Swiss and Italian peaks.
Where from: 017687 73966; www.keadventure.com
How much: prices start from £895 per person, including guiding, accommodation and some meals but not international transport

28. L’Ayalga Posada Ecológica, Spain
A vision of rustic Spanish chic, this Asturian farmhouse, two hours west of Santander, has been carefully refurbished – using mostly green materials – to create an environmentally sensitiveB&B. Its five bedrooms get their hot water with the help of solar panels, and all grey water is recycled. All the cleaning is done with biodegradable products and breakfast is locally sourced and organic.
Where from: 00 34 616 897 638; www.terrae.net/layalga
How much:doubles start from €47 (£33) per night, B&B

29. Insider Tour, Peru
Insider Tours is a family-run operation that works in partnership with local businesses in Peru, India and Sri Lanka. Its Peruvian tours favour lesser-known train and boat rides, hot springs, walking, horse-riding, museums, churches and small villages.
Where from 01233 811771; www.insider-tours.com
How much: prices start from around £1,450 per person for a tailor-made 20-day trip, including accommodation, most meals and transport but not international flights

30. Taste of Libya
If you’re not sure whether volunteering is for you, this nine-day trip from Hands Up Holidays offers a taste of the experience, within the structure of a more conventional holiday. In addition to helping with restoration work at Ghadhames Old Town, the holiday includes visits to the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna and various other attractions.
Where from: 0800 783 3554; www.handsupholidays.co.uk
How much: from £550 per person, excluding international travel

31. Nipika Mountain, Resort, Canada
Set high in the Canadian Rockies, with easy access to Kootenay National Park, this collection of six luxury cabins and one lodge is as ethical as it is decadent. As well as generating all its own electricity – via solar, micro-hydro and wind power – the resort encourages guests to explore the natural surroundings. Cross-country skiing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, river rafting and wildlife tours are all on offer.
Where from: 001 250 342 6516; www.nipika.com
How much: doubles start from C$200 (£101) per night, room only

32. Whale Watching, Spain
The travel side of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Out of the Blue, runs worldwide whale- and dolphin-watching trips, including one based at Tarifa on Spain’s Costa de la Luz. Taking in orcas, pilot whales, common dolphins, striped dolphins and bottlenose dolphins, travellers are expected to contribute to, and learn about, scientific research while they’re on board.
Where from: 01249 449533; www2.wdcs.org/outoftheblue
How much: prices start from £979 per person, including B&B accommodation and activities but not international transport

33. Adrère Amellal, Egypt
Set within Siwa oasis, nine hours from Cairo, Adrère Amellal’s 39 rooms have been built by local tradesmen in the traditional style. The concept of Cairo-based environmentalist Mounir Neamatallah, there is no electricity, much of the food is sourced from the hotel’s organic garden and the pool is fed by an underground spring. Water is solar heated and all of thewaste and water is recycled. The one downside? You need to travel by 4x4 to get there.
Where from: 00 20 2738 1327; www.adrereamellal.net
How much: from around £100 per person per night, full board 

34. Kooljaman, Australia
At this Aboriginal-owned wilderness camp at Cape Laveque, on Australia’s northwest coast, guests can stay in a variety of accommodation – from simple camping to swish safari-style tents – and spend their time exploring the local culture and nature with the help of local guides. Swimming, snorkelling and hammocklolling are all popular diversions.
Where from: 0061 8 9192 4970; www.kooljaman. com.au
How much: from around AUD16 (£7) per person per night for camping, to AUD120 (£52) per person per night for an en-suite safari tent

35. Cape Town Volunteer Projects, South Africa
Gap Year For Grown Ups’ range of projects in Cape Town gives scope for a wide range of interests if you feel you could contribute more to a people-based assignment.Volunteers are also given a full orientation before the start of any project.
Where from: 01892 701881; www.gapyearforgrownups.co.uk
How much: from £899 for a two week placement, including accommodation and some meals but not flights

36. Al-Maha Resort, Dubai
It may be extravagant enough to appeal to the likes of George Clooney (which means private plunge pools and eco-unfriendly air-con) but the Arabian nightsstyle Al-Maha isn’t totally without a cuddly side. Set within the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, profits from its 40 suites help fund the conservation of Arabian oryx, eagle owls, gazelles and sand foxes.
Where from: 00971 4 303 4222; www.al-maha.com
How much: suites from about $1,020 (£500) per night, all-inclusive

37. Shacklabank, Cumbria
At this family farm in Cumbria, which also offers “free range” walking holidays, guests are pampered with delicious local food and cosy accommodation. The trips are led by farmerturned- walking guide Alison O’Neill, who is evangelical about the surrounding region and keen to introduce guests to the land and its traditions in a sensitive – and gently educational – way.
Where from: 015396 20134; www.shacklabank.co.uk
How much: two-night breaks start from £250 per person, full-board

38. Apani Dhani, India
A Rajasthani “eco-lodge”, comprising a cluster of eight traditional huts in a rural village, one of the main ideas behind this lodge is preserving the local heritage (the Shekhawati region is known for its frescoes and painted havelis). Five per cent of Apani Dhani’s income goes towards local community projects, and guests are encouraged to take cooking and craft lessons.
Where from: 00 91 159 422 2239; www.apanidhani.com
How much: from around R400 (£4.50) per person, per night, B&B

39. Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique
A small British-owned operation in northernMozambique, the idea here is that, by offering guest accommodation in nine tented “bandas”, income can be generated for local people, while helping the environment. Five per cent of the revenue goes towards building a school and water points, and running a research project on humpback whales.
Where from: 01323 766655; www.bespokeexperience.com
How much: from $205 (£100) per person, per night, full-board

40. Banyan Tree, Phuket, Thailand
The fast-growing Banyan Tree group, which owns eight resorts in Asia, follows strict guidelines on corporate social responsibility. In addition to sustainable operation policies, it engages in community development. Local initiatives in Thailand have included the setting up of a school funded through the sale of traditional crafts to guests.
Where from: 00 66 76 324 374; www.banyantree.com
How much; villas from $545 (£266) per night per couple, half board

41. Cooking and culture in Italy
Fontana del Papa, a gorgeous old Italian farmhouse outside Rome, is owned by a local couple who run cooking courses and holidays to generate income for the rural economy. A typical week’s stay includes cooking lessons, sightseeing, visits to local restaurants and food producers, and delicious home-made dinners.
Where from: 39 0766 93455; www.cookitaly.it
How much: seven-night cost from €1,600 (£1,115), all-inclusive except for international transport

42. Eco Cabin, Shropshire
Constructed with local Douglas fir, native larch boarding and British sheep’s wool insulation, the cabin’s internal walls are lined with reed board and lime plastered. The floor has been finished in native ash, and water is solar heatedwhile electricity is supplied by Good Energy. Guests are also offered a “buy local” shopping service and bicycle hire.
Where from: 01547 530183; www.ecocabin.co.uk
How much: rental starts at £420 per week, for four people

43. Kudu and Coffee, Tanzania
Kahawa Shamba means “coffee farm” in Swahili and was established to bring extra income to coffee farmers through tourism. Kahawa Shamba can be visited as part of Tribes Travel’s Kudu and Coffee trip, which includes three nights at a safari camp outside Tarangire National Park.
Where from: 01728 685971; www.tribes.co.uk
How much: from around £1,070 per person for six days, including accommodation, transfers and game viewing but not international flights

44. Casa Camper, Spain
One of several diversifications by the Camper shoe company, this 25-room hotel in Barcelona is as sensitive to the environment as it is stylish. Green details include refillable soap dispensers, a rooftop vegetable garden, in-house recycling facilities, composting, water recycling, solar-heated water and organic snacks. Guests can also rent wooden Camper bikes.
Where from: 00 34 933 426 280; www.casacamper.com
How much: doubles from €210 (£146) per night, B&B

45. Moroccan Musical Adventure
A“fair trade” holiday company, Equatorial Travel’s trips are designed to support local businesses. Its 10-day Moroccan Musical Adventure encompasses a journey through the mountains to a Sousse Berber music night before heading on to catch the Essaouira festival of Gnaoua and world music.
Where from: 01335 348770; www.equatorialtravel.co.uk
How much: prices start from £550 per person, including transport, accommodation and most meals, but not international travel

46. Chalalán Ecolodge, Bolivia
Owned and run by the indigenous Quechua-Tacana community and set within the 50,000 sq km Madidi National Park, Chalalan’s six cabins are built in traditional style but incorporate the treatment of all waste water and the use of solar energy. Another draw is the lodge’s team of knowledgeable insider guides.
Where from: 00 591 2 231 1451; www.chalalan.com
How much: five-day trips start from around US $380 (£185) per person, including accommodation and most meals but not flights 

47. Meet the People Tour, Sri Lanka
One of a series of specialist holidays run by Traidcraft and the tour operator Saddle Skedaddle, this tour combines visits to producers of Traidcraft goods and sightseeing. Highlights include visits to ancient cities and a stop at Tangalle to see the work being done on the tsunami-affected south-east coast.
Where from: 0191-265 1110; www.traidcraft-tours.com
How much: 15-day trips start from £1,125 per person, including accommodation, land transport, most meals and activities

48. Village Ways, India
Though known for its walking holidays between rural villages in the foothills of the Himalayas, staying in beautiful rural mountain villages en route, this firm can also arrange less active trips – including cooking holidays and village stays. The aim is to generate sustainable local employment and halt the migration of young villagers to the cities.
Where from: 01223 750049; www.villageways.com
How much: from £597 per person for five-night trips, including fullboard accommodation

49. Kawaza Village, Zambia
Although Kawaza is set within a safari destination, it is a “cultural tourism” project, offering visitors the chance to experience daily life with the local people. Guests can stay just for the day or book in overnight, and the income helps fund community development and offers an alternative to poaching.
Where from: www.kawazavillage.co.uk
How much: overnight stays cost $70 (£34) per person, inclusive of everything except travel costs

50. Under the Thatch
Under The Thatch aims to address some of the problems associated with conventional cottage rentals by never buying houses that were previously occupied by local people and by renovating derelict buildings. The company drops its prices substantially in winter, in order to help generate year-round customfor local businesses.
Where from: 01239 851410; www.underthethatch.co.uk
How much: around £115 for two nights in a one-bedroom property