Sustainability / Responsible Travel

Indus Gives Back

Sustainability and responsible travel are at the very heart of our ethos. Each destination inour portfolio has its own fragile ecosystem and precious cultural heritage, for which we hold the utmost respect. Our guests travel lightly, never in large groups, and we make every effort to help minimise our footprint.

Carbon Neutral Travel
Environmental friendliness is close to our heart, we cannot wait until 2040 we need to start now. As small steps towards making Indus Experiences Carbon neural we have taken several steps to minimise the use of electricity in our offices by switching off all computers at the end of the day, switching to sensor lights to save on electricity usage. We aim to be a paper-free business by 2025. No use of single-use plastics and we are engaged in networking with our supply chain to incorporate such changes. Our aim is to be a paperfree business by 2025. Carbon neutral air travel is, of course, a key priority for our industry. Among the wide array of schemes now available, we encourage customers to choose an airline that allows carbon offsetting, or a voluntary programme that supports the environmental initiatives they align with. We research each itinerary and make changes to the modes of transport (where possible) to reduce the impact on environment.

Indus Experiences is a signatory and launch partner of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action on Tourism. This is a testimony to out strong climate credentials and our commitment to building back better.

It is a highlight of our holidays and an immense privilege for our guests to meet members of local communities, discover different cultures and ways of life and gain fascinating insights into age-old traditions which still exist today.

At Indus Experiences, we believe that it is our moral responsibility to give back to those communities. We support a variety of carefully selected overseas aid projects, chosen for their transparency and the tangible effectiveness of their work, by making donations for each booking to a particular region.

Here is a small selection of the projects that we are currently involved with:

Vidya Bhavan School, Nawakadal Srinagar, Kashmir
This excellent school, housed in an important heritage building, has been lovingly revived and needs funding to sponsor and educate underprivileged children of the community, provide vital equipment for learning, and to continue to preserve its historic premises.

Kashigaon Village School, Nepal
Professor Mike Searle, our Geology Trip Scholar and leading expert on the Nepal Himalaya, set up this Appeal to raise money for the successful reconstruction of the Kashigaon Village School after the devastating earthquake of 2015. Donations are still much needed for upkeep of the school, teaching supplies and teacher salaries.

Jayawickreme Foundation, Sri Lanka
This foundation is dedicated to improving the life of the rural poor, especially children, in Weligama. It maintains three education centres with facilities for 650 children, and a day care facility for older people. Poverty alleviation is also addressed by improving housing conditions for hundreds of families still living in mud and wood huts. Naturally, we are delighted to assist guests who would like to visit one of these projects during their trip (itinerary permitting) and perhaps make an additional contribution, donate items of equipment, or even sponsor a child.

We are also proud to support the following organisations, by making a financial donation per booking or providing administrative and ground support. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) works with communities living around India’s key national parks, to ensure the long-term survival of some of the world’s most iconic mammals, through environmental education, anti-poaching projects and more. Indus makes a donation per booking for clients recommended by DSWF visiting national parks in India.

The Kohima Museum commemorates the 1944 Battle of Kohima, where the Japanese invasion of India was halted by the bravery of a small garrison of British and Indian soldiers. Sister organisation, Kohima Educational Trust (KET) provides educational assistance to the young people of Nagaland, India, in recognition of their ancestors’ contribution to the war effort. Indus makes a donation to these organisations from Battlefield Tour bookings. The British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia (BACSA) raises awareness of the hundreds of European cemeteries scattered across South Asia, and funds important preservation work. It shares Indus Experiences’ vision to help travellers connect with their own ancestry. Indus makes a donation to BACSA from Family History Tour bookings.

The South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) was founded in 1910 by Allan Octavian Hume, a former civil servant for the British Raj in India, to promote botany in all its forms and to inspire people to study and care about our plant kingdom. Our valued Botany Trip Scholar, Perveen Nicoll is an active member of the Institute. Indus makes a donation from each Botany Tour booking to support the SLBI’s important work in botanical education. The Heath Robinson Museum tells the full story of Heath Robinson’s artistic career with original artwork and other items. Indus supports the museum through donations and raising the awareness of the museum to the local community.