When you travel with us on an EF educational tour, know that we’re dedicated to benefiting the world—both now and for years to come. Our EF Responsible Travel initiatives focus on three specific commitments: to support local communities, to promote animal welfare, and to protect the environment. Each commitment helps us work toward a more sustainable world and fulfill our mission of Opening the World Through Education.
Supporting local communities
Travel has always been about more than “seeing a place.” We’re committed to providing economic, social, and environmental benefits to the communities that you visit with us.
Lifelong learning
Your EF travel experience directly supports local businesses and livelihoods. Along the way, you’ll learn about the importance of local customs, including making certain goods and foods.
Experience it on tour: Learn about local agriculture and taste native products during a visit to a buffalo mozzarella farm on Cuisine & Culture in Northern Italy.
Cultural immersion
We collaborate with the communities in which we live, travel, and work to preserve local cultures and encourage sustainability.
Experience it on tour: Learn about Kanazawa’s traditional handicrafts and make your own gold-leaf chopsticks on Experience Japan.
A movement for good
We seek to make a long-term impact, focusing on regenerative solutions that benefit communities long after you depart a destination.
Experience it on tour: Help design and plant family gardens on Exploring Art, Culture, and Service in Peru.
Celebrating wildlife
At EF, we're proud to work with the nonprofit organization World Animal Protection to implement animal welfare guidelines throughout all our travel programs worldwide.
Experience it on tour: Take a boat ride around Monkey Island to learn about the variety of monkey species that live there on Discover Panama.
Improving lives of animals
Rescue and conservancy visits not only fund organizations creating positive change, but also allow us to learn about vulnerable animal populations.
Experience it on tour: Help maintain a local elephant sanctuary (and say “Hi!” to the gentle giants) on Culture & Service in Thailand.
Observing with respect
When we're out exploring our world on safaris and cruises and in national parks, we're there to watch—never disrupt—animals in their natural habitat.
Experience it on tour: Participate in a field-based survey of wild koalas on Reef Regeneration and Conservation Down Under.
Protecting the environment
We’re taking steps toward sustainability by embracing eco-friendly practices that are kind to our planet. Our tours include experiences that get you out in nature learning about traditional land use, conservation efforts, the protection of iconic sites, and more.
Putting the planet first
We work with local suppliers that promote eco-friendly practices—from reducing waste and recycling, to being mindful of our energy use and choosing locally-sourced ingredients.
Experience it on tour: Help preserve marine life as you participate in a mangrove restoration project on Marine Conservation in the Dominican Republic.
Supporting conservation
Appreciation and preservation go hand in hand. We prioritize the health of our environment by providing no-impact tourism in fragile ecosystems and learning opportunities at protected sites.
Experience it on tour: Visit the Amazon Rescue Center to learn about wildlife conservation and manatee rehabilitation on Expedition to the Amazon Rainforest.
Going green
We’ve partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects to restore healthy forests and support economic opportunities in rural communities worldwide. Since the launch of the EF Forest Initiative in 2021, local community members have planted more than 7 million mangrove trees on our behalf in Kenya, Madagascar, and Mozambique.
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