Safarwallah Environmental Policy

At Safarwallah, we recognize that engaging with fragile natural environments such as forests, mountains, glaciers, and peaks can impact their ecosystems. However, we firmly believe that these effects can be minimized and the ecosystems protected while enjoying thrilling activities like mountaineering, trekking, skiing, and rock climbing.

As a community of passionate adventurers, Safarwallah is committed to maintaining the ecological balance of all the ecosystems we touch—be it the Himalayas, the Nilgiris, the Aravalis, or any other natural landscape. Our deep connection to these regions drives us to respect, protect, and conserve the environments we explore. All our team members and guides understand the importance of limiting human impact on nature and are dedicated to preserving the ecosystems we interact with.

To fulfill our commitment to minimizing our footprint, we have developed an environmental policy that we strictly adhere to. This policy is divided into two key parts:

• Striving for a Zero Footprint – Minimizing further damage to the ecosystems we explore.
• Improving the Ecosystem – Initiatives we undertake to conserve and enhance the environments we visit.

While ecosystems encompass humans, animals, birds, geographical features, vegetation, and their interactions, our policy focuses on preserving geographical features such as mountains, trails, rivers, grasslands, camping sites, and snow-covered areas.

How We Strive for Zero Footprint

1. Avoiding Overcrowding

We understand that some areas, especially in the Himalayas, are vulnerable to environmental damage due to high visitor numbers. To combat this, we aim to limit the number of participants in each expedition to reduce waste and allow the environment to recover. We achieve this through:

• Small Group Sizes: We limit group sizes to a maximum of 15 participants, reducing waste generation and making it easier to manage waste responsibly.
• Limited Participation per Trek: We cap the number of participants per trek to 250 per season, ensuring minimal impact on the landscape and preserving it for future generations.

2. Managing Waste Responsibly

We classify waste into three categories and handle each type with care:

• Biodegradable Waste (e.g., food scraps): We minimize food waste by raising awareness among participants. Any biodegradable waste is buried in deep pits (at least 3 feet) to decompose naturally, enriching the soil.
• Toilet Waste:
• Low Altitude Areas: We dig deep pits (4 X 2 X 1 ft) for toilet waste, covering them with soil. While this is not an ideal solution, it is accepted by mountaineering authorities in India.
• High Altitude Areas: In areas where digging is impossible, we carry waste back in biodegradable bags for disposal in low-lying areas or sewers.
• Non-Biodegradable Waste (e.g., plastic, glass): We aim to reduce the use of plastic by encouraging the use of reusable materials. Any plastic waste generated is carried back to civilization and disposed of properly.

3. Keeping Water Sources Clean

We take precautions to ensure that water sources remain uncontaminated:

• Toilet areas are set up far from water sources.
• No littering or utensil washing near water bodies.
• We avoid using soaps or chemicals in natural water streams.

What We Can Do Better

Despite our efforts, plastic waste remains a problem on many trails. To tackle this, we’ve launched initiatives to reduce waste and clean up the areas we visit.

Be a "Plastic Eradicator"

We’ve initiated a plastic waste collection marathon, where all Safarwallah participants can contribute by collecting non-biodegradable waste during our expeditions.

• Part 1: Any group that collects more than 500 grams of non-biodegradable waste qualifies for the "Eco Warrior" award—each participant will receive a Safarwallah voucher worth INR 300/-.
• Part 2: We maintain a record of the waste collected by each group, and the group that collects the most waste during the month wins the "Recycle Champion" award—a Safarwallah voucher worth INR 1000/- per participant.

This initiative applies to all our expeditions lasting two days or longer.

Be an "Idea-tor"

We welcome your ideas for better waste management or plastic recycling on our expeditions. Send your suggestions to us at hello@safarwallah.com, and we’ll engage with you to explore implementation possibilities. Even if we can’t adopt the idea, we’ll give you full credit for your contribution and share it across our platforms to inspire others.

Additionally, if you have write-ups or creative content that promotes environmental sustainability, we’d love to share it on our forums. You'll also be rewarded under the Safarwallah Content Sharing policy.