"Traveler's Charter"

Ethical Traveler's Code

This code of conduct was established by the association Aventure du Bout du Monde (ABM). Its rules are general and should be applied with discernment depending on the country and region of the world.

Respect is the key to a better encounter

Treat local populations, their traditions, cultures, and religions with respect.

Avoid inappropriate clothing that is too tight, too revealing, or too ostentatious. Also avoid certain physical contact (touching a child’s head, shaking a woman’s hand as a man, kissing someone...), sitting, walking, or urinating anywhere, as some places may be sacred.

Leave Western prejudices and snap judgments at home. Showing humility and abandoning the "customer is always right" mindset often helps build warm connections. Avoid "having all the answers"—instead, develop the habit of asking questions.

Learn a few words in the local languages and dialects. These efforts are greatly appreciated and often lead to laughter and meaningful encounters.

Take the time to meet and wait. Conversing and listening can give us a deeper appreciation of our journey. In some countries, haste and impatience are even seen as undignified behavior.

Crossing through fields, picking crops (fruit, corn...), or scaring livestock can mean a significant loss for a farmer, risking their ability to feed their family during difficult months.

Being welcomed into a village or family is sometimes a great sacrifice for those hosting us. Acknowledge this hospitality by, where appropriate, offering food, basic necessities, or money before leaving (check beforehand to avoid insulting offers regarding amounts). And leave the place intact—or better than you found it.

Photos are not the best memory

Do not take photos or film individuals or villages without explicit permission.

Agree on a payment amount if necessary—and do so before taking the photos. In such cases, it’s better to refrain from taking photos altogether.

Don’t enter a village or meet someone with only the best shot or photo in mind... because immediately, we create a vast distance between ourselves and our hosts (would we like strangers coming into our home, barely saying hello, and photographing our children or daily life?). Moreover, we risk alienating people, especially if we witness a ceremony. Once trust is established, it’s better to ask for permission to film or photograph—this is often generously granted. Otherwise, by acting hastily, we risk missing the essence of what—or who—we came to meet.

Photographing children without asking both the parents and the children themselves is strongly discouraged. This will often be refused, so don’t hesitate to respect that.

Only promise to send photos to those you photograph if you’re certain you’ll keep your word.

But above all, take the time to meet people... rather than collecting portraits.

Gifts are not always the best help

Tipping rewards the quality of a service and is never an obligation or a salary.

Giving a gift should not be a condescending gesture, like throwing candy to children to avoid a crowd. Candy can also cause dental problems previously unknown before tourists arrived.

Do not distribute medication recklessly, as it can endanger the physical well-being of recipients. Hospitals or clinics in the regions visited are often better equipped to handle such donations.

Use local services for washing clothes, or as a guide, cook, muleteer, porter, etc. This brings money into the local economy and reduces begging.

Do not give money to children. These harmful habits, along with the ease with which some visitors comply at tourist sites (as if to erase a certain reality), often result in a 10-year-old child earning more than their father, a farmer toiling in the fields. This can lead to family disruption, with the child dropping out of school, the father abandoning his fields, and the family losing its traditions...

The concept of a "gift" should be understood as a "donation." It is not payment for a photo or a helping hand but a token we wish to leave after an encounter, however brief. Pens, balls, and other traditional gifts are better given to teachers or village leaders rather than directly to children.

Souvenirs or trade

When bargaining for souvenirs, remember that the amounts involved may seem trivial to us but not necessarily to the seller.

Try to buy directly from the artisan rather than a reseller.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) bans the trade of skins, ivory, scales, corals, shells, and the import of live exotic animals. This agreement, ratified by the European Union and Switzerland, aims to protect over 2,500 animal species and 30,000 plant species at risk. Avoid buying shells, butterflies, shark jaws, leather bags, ivory, turtles, and other wild animals, whether alive or not. Similarly, steer clear of local culinary specialties made from endangered species.

Do not buy cultural or traditional heritage items: jewelry (unless made specifically for tourists), agricultural tools, sacred objects, etc. Local populations may quickly part with these for the sums offered.

Only the imprint of our footsteps should remain

It’s best to buy equipment with biodegradable packaging and leave other packaging at home.

Do not leave waste behind: cigarette butts, paper, wrappers, plastic bags, film canisters... These can be ingested by animals, leading to their death.

Ensure a campsite is left intact, and help inform local teams so waste management is as appropriate as possible. In some regions, tin cans are left or given to locals, who recycle them into jewelry or useful objects. Check before acting.

It’s good to bring the most polluting waste back home: batteries, plastic bags, non-destructible waste. Most developing countries lack industrial waste disposal infrastructure.

In nature, burn (unless there’s a fire risk) used toilet paper. In campsites, use the provided toilets. Do not pollute water with excrement (stay at least 50 meters from water sources). When using soap or detergent, always wash downstream from settlements—or better yet, use a basin and move away for washing.

Finally, remember to turn off lights and close heating or air conditioning when leaving your room.

Nature amazes us—let’s respect it

Between two equivalent modes of transport, choose the one that consumes less energy. Take the train, boat, or public transport rather than a car.

It’s advisable to use existing trails, paths, and roads. In fragile ecosystems, taking shortcuts or leaving trails can destroy vegetation and cause soil erosion.

Do not collect souvenirs like animals, plants, eggs, minerals, fossils, flint, or arrowheads. Leave them in place for the enjoyment of future visitors and to avoid encouraging the trade of rare or endangered species.

Do not disturb wildlife in its daily life:

-# In most reserves and national parks, speed limits apply—respect them.

-# Making noise or getting too close can cause animals to abandon their young or nests. Observe from a distance they consider safe. Watching an undisturbed animal is far more interesting than observing a stressed one.

-# Do not encourage drivers to go off-road to approach wildlife.

-# Do not feed animals, as this can alter their diet and be dangerous. Monkeys, for example, can become aggressive and thieving.

-# Do not touch animals—for their health and yours.

-# Do not use tape recorders or other calls to attract and observe wildlife.

-# Do not support attractions involving animals: bear shows, snake charmers, bird catchers...

-# Do not buy wild animals, regardless of the seller’s story. The trade of animals is generally illegal and heavily penalized everywhere.

-# Do not fish in lakes or seas where fish are known to be scarce or species are endangered.

Respect the regulations in force in reserves and natural parks, as well as the laws of the countries visited. Stay informed.

Similarly, however expensive they may be, pay entrance and/or camping fees in reserves and parks, as well as for visits. These funds are used for conservation, protection, or improvement of the sites. Request receipts to prevent misuse of these funds.

Earth, water, and fire

For cooking, use gas or other low-wood-consumption methods whenever possible. Some regions have suffered significant deforestation due to tourism: the Himalayas, Kilimanjaro, the Moroccan Atlas... This often leads to erosion, landslides, climate changes, and a lack of wood for local populations who cannot afford to buy gas.

Avoid large bonfires, especially in areas where wood is scarce or slow-growing, even if it means losing some romance.

If no gas cooking solution is available, use dead wood found on the ground. Charcoal consumes green, living trees.

It is essential to extinguish the fire before leaving a campsite. A poorly extinguished fire can cause irreparable disasters.

When drinking water is scarce, use it sparingly and respect it: 1) prefer showers over baths; 2) use a damp cloth rather than splashing water; 3) avoid doing laundry or, at worst, use phosphate-free detergents. In southern Tunisia, a Bedouin consumes in one year what a European tourist uses in a month.

Washing or brushing your teeth should be done far from drinking water sources.

Use biodegradable soaps and detergents.

It’s better to ask permission before using a village well or pump and not to wash nearby, even if locals do.

And do not leave graffiti or indelible marks.