Steppes Responsible Travel Policy

Cultural norms are different all over the world and we often travel without realising we are breaking cultural rules or damaging the environment. You will no doubt have your own ideas from past experiences and the following is only a suggestion to bear in mind:

Culture

Be observant and respectful of local norms; adopt local cultural practices where you can without seeming patronising.

Be discrete about your personal point of view on cultural differences

Behave and dress appropriately

Understand that the people in the country you are visiting often have different time concepts and thought patterns from your own

Bargain with humour and without aggression. Pay what something is worth to you and remember how wealthy you may be compared to local people

How big is your footprint? Minimise your environmental impact

Don't discard litter. Waste disposal is a major expense in less developed countries

Be sensitive to limited resources (e.g. water, electricity and fuel) as they will almost certainly be at a premium in less developed countries

Support the conservation not the exploitation of wildlife

Help the local economy by buying local produce in preference to imported goods

Don't buy products made from endangered species, hard woods, shells from beach traders, or ancient artefacts (which might have been stolen)

Guidebooks

Use your guidebook as a starting point not as the sole truth.

Don't come home having given more time to reading the 'book' than to seeing the things its telling you about

Talk to local people - they can provide a wealth of information


Photography

Avoid taking excessive photographs, being intrusive with the camera and insensitive to those you are photographing.

Always ask permission. Put yourself in their shoes and respect their wishes

If you promise to send photographs back to people please make sure you do so. To this end, you might want to travel with a Polaroid camera

Gifts and presents

The handing out of gifts can create an air of expectancy. Please be sensitive.

Do not give gifts directly to children but rather to parents or teachers

Gifts such as pens and books are always gratefully received by schools and families. Sweets are not such a good gift.

Gifts such as blow-up globes are interesting, not least to show where you have come from in relation to where you are visiting. So too are coins, photos and postcards of home.