In order to envision South America, one must have in mind a montage of unbelievable natural extremities. It is the thunderous showers of Angel falls, the tallest unbroken waterfall on the planet; the mellow silence of the massive progress of the Perito Moreno Glacier; the ethereal and lunar brightness of the Salar de Uyuni salt flats; and the jagged and granite towers of Patagonia, rising out of a sky worn over by the wind. This is a continent carved on epic, a land where nature is not just a background of human activity, but it is the protagonist in the main role, grandiose, incomparable, incomparably greater than any man. In order to visit here is to feel very, very small, to be awed by the gorgeous and also frightening beauty of its harsh, unconquered power. People have been fascinated by this spectacle over the generations but more aware way of exploration is gaining roots. It is a path that does not only aim at experiencing the beauty but to retain it. The ecotourism is the world of related thoughts, the philosophy of traveling, the very existent and necessity of the moment which is divided into the realization that the exploration of the planet we inhabit is also protection of its vulnerable eco system, development of the local population and enlightenment of the tourist and the host.
Lastly, true ecotourism is an idea that goes well beyond some marketing buzz word that has been applied to a hotel that has some linen reuse program. It entails a serious comprehensive tourism that is based on three core foundation block; biological and cultural diversity conservation, the sustaining of the local people through the empowerment and lastly the meaningful interpretation and education. It is not just nature tourism that may feature looking at wild animals in a huge fuel-wasting transport and where the only positive effect is that of the profit to the environment. It is a living collaboration among the traveler, the tour operator and the host community all striving to a common goal of conservation. Ecotourism is a strong monetary motivator to conservation when it is carried out in an upright manner. It proves that a rainforest that is alive, a healthy coral reef or a jungle with healthy jaguars have infinitely more value to local economy in the long run than short term benefits of logging, fishing and ranching. It does not merely make people who happen to live in a place its citizens, but the most concerned citizens, and the visitor is not just someone who takes in the sights, but someone involved, concerned, engaged, and responsible in the care of its existence. It is a manual to that greater adventure, an excursion into the most important ecosystems of South America with eyes centered on meaningful ecotourism.
And the trip to the core of the South American ecotourism should start at the place where the lifeblood of the continent is the most concentrated, at the infinite greenness of the Amazon Rainforest. Extending over approximately forty percent of the continent, the Amazon is more than a forest, it is part of global climate regulation, it is a place of inconceivable biological diversity, the world of hundreds of distinctive indigenous cultures. It also comprises of an ecosystem placed in extreme danger as a result of deforestation, mining activities and oil exploration. It is against such a background that ecotourism is showing itself as such a vital force, a sustainable alternative to business, which by having a direct economic value on a standing, living forest. By going to ecotourism in the Amazon one will also be making a strong clarion call that this wilderness should be conserved. The journey is journey itself something of total immersion another thing is that you have a feeling that it removes a veil off the modern world; that it senses the delicate multilayered rhythms of the jungle.
How this can work is presented in a profound manner by the Ecuadorian Amazon, specifically around the Yasuni National Park area. This region is one of the chiefly biodiverse locations in the world also part of the indigenous communities such as the Kichwa and the Waorani who have lived within the forest in harmony since centuries. Several eco-lodges in this part of the country are either owned by the community or are deeply and respectfully partnered to the community. A vacation here is not what you will ordinarily expect. The days are wasted away in a dugout canoe, motoring under the sombre dense black water creeks, which, except that a toucan is heard above or a troop of squirrel monkeys seen in the canopy, are silent. Among the names of the inhabitants of the forest will be plenty of medicinal plants, footprints of animals, and you will be able to learn about their culture and the worldview. A night stroll is a whole new dimension of the night life of creatures: camouflaged insects, transparent glass frogs, and the glittering eyes of a caiman in the flashlight beam. This is an educational and cultural immersion, and not just a wildlife tour, your presence is what makes the difference to the community in a direct way as they are able to withstand the calls of extractive industries and continue to play the traditional ancestors caring role of the forest.
The same story can be described in the Peruvian Amazon on the territory of the Tambopata National Reserve. This region is also renowned because of its extraordinary clay licks, or collpas, in some mornings, hundreds of colorful macaws, parrots, and parakeets appear in a chaotic, noisy, breath-taking scene. The reason is that they are attracted to the clay because of its high mineral content that enables them to neutralize the toxins after eating the fruits and the seeds. One of the major attractions of the Amazon is witnessing this piece of nature. The eco lodges at Tambopata region are frequently very scientific and focussed on conservation. Scores of them were established by those who were conservationists and collaborate closely with biologists researching the flora and fauna of the region. You as a visitor of this site are not only a tourist, but you actually perform in this study. The money you spend during your stay is a donation to projects that track the nest of the macaw or the behavior of giant river otters or the actions of the elusive jaguar. The guides are usually professionals who have studied in the university and are naturalists themselves and they tend to give great information on the ecology of the rainforest which is rather complex. This type of ecotourism is a wonderful symbiosis because to see such fantastic wildlife is literally what drives the scientific process of preserving it.
Our journey begins, in the form of a thousand kilometers into the pacific, in a volcanic archipelago which transformed our very concept of what life was, the Galapa-gos Island. This remote archipelago which is a possession of Ecuador is an evolutionary laboratory, an archipelago where creatures evolved in solitude, free of fear of land predators and have come out as a rare and fearless collection of critters. The observations realised here made Charles Darwin to develop the theory of evolution by natural selection. Visiting the Galapagos is like walking into a planet where the giant tortoises grunting through the rugged land, marine iguanas shoot out a hoary stream of salt water out of their nostrils on the lava rocks and the blue-footed boobies, with their comical mating dance, are literally within arm-length. It is a feeling of close bond with the environment around you but a feeling that is also accompanied by a huge burden, in which this ecosystem is a very fragile environment that is very controlled.
The visit to Galapagos as a human activity is ruled by a very straight law that would conserve the magic of the Galapagos into the future. The whole archipelago became a national park as well as a UNESCO world heritage site and tourism is strictly regulated in such a way that the minimal impact is present. Every visitor is required to have a licensed naturalist guide, who is a well- trained person, also an educator as well as the custodian of the park rules. You are required to remain on the marked trails at all times, touching of any animal is prohibited and there exists stiff guidelines against carrying any organic matters to or away within the islands. This is not limiting but a pact that all visitors are obliged to make. The conservation of the park includes not only the elimination of the spread of invasive species, but also the financing of the research of sea turtle migration, all of which is made possible by your tourist dollars. Here ecotourism is not an alternative; it is the mode of tourism in existence.
The islands can be explored in two main directions and both have their own considerations about ecology. The most popular and mostly prescribed is a boat cruise where one stays on board. By selecting a small ship, which usually carries a small number of passengers (between sixteen and twenty), it is possible to reduce the effect on a specific location and be able to reach the outer islands which are less reached and more natural. The routine of a cruise day is a routine of exploration: get up and find yourself in a new volcanic crater and stride across a rogue of zodiacs in the morning to a colony of sea lions, go snorkeling in the afternoon in the company of fun loving penguins or elegant sea turtles, and have a lecture with your naturalist guide in the evening. The second option is a land-based visit, when you set yourself on one of the only populated islands such as Santa Cruz or Isabela and go by day trip to other visitor attractions. This can be an excellent option to contribute to the local communities more directly by eating at the local restaurants and staying at family-owned hotels. It, however, also makes the human presence and resource utilization on these particular islands concentrated. The two approaches can be practiced in a responsible way; however, both of them demand the premeditated decision to follow the principles of conservation, which make this place so unique.
Back on the mainland, we are thrown up to the impressive backbone of the continent, the Andes Mountains, an island chain running seven thousand kilometers, through the tropics to the ice wasteland of Patagonia, providing an alternative, more rocky, kind of ecotourism. The Patagonia areas of both Chile and Argentina have turned out to be symbols of mountain exploration in the far south. That terrain, here in such areas as Torres del Paine National Park, is a magnificent conclusion of granite jagged mountains, huge and trembling glaciers, and turquoise lakes that are impossible. Eco-tourism here is focused on low-impact trekking and wildlife that is viewed without frightening animals. The idea is to get into the wild majestic beauty of landscape without leaving the slightest impression of your movement. It is the country of the wild puma, the stately Andean condor and the hearty guanaco. The responsible tour operators stress small group sizes, use highly trained professional local guides trained in wilderness ethics and first aid, and inform the visitor about the delicate alpine and subpolar ecology.
Patagonia in recent years has not been left behind as a frontier of creative accommodative sustainability. An excellent example is EcoCamp Patagonia, the prize-winning facility in Torres del Paine located in domes geodesic that is based on the traditional dwellings of the indigenous Kawesqar folks of the region. These domes are erected on bases that are raised above the ground to reduce interference with the ground and they are operated by main sources of solar energy and micro-hydro, and use composting toilets and highly advanced recycling processes. The model shows that comfort and sustainability can be compatible with each other so that tourists can enjoy the best of the wilderness of this world while leaving a minimal carbon footprint. It is what accommodation in such a vulnerable place will be in the future an act of human ingenuity configured to blend with a land and whole environment instead of occupying it.
Whereas Patagonia is the destination-of-choice in wilderness-oriented Andean activities, another type of more culturally-immersive ecotourism is available to the north, in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Visiting the magnificent citadel, Machu Picchu is the focus of the trip to Peru in the opinion of many of the travelers. However, rather than traveling on a busting train or the traditional Inca Trail, there would be a more enjoyable trek that will mean a lot to the commencing community-based trek. Some of the Quechua groups highlands have their own tourism projects that have been set up allowing the travelers to be able to have a chance to get up close with their traditional norms. These hikes lead you into little used mountain tracks, along the solitary villages where people have not lost much over the centuries. Rather than camping, you live in local houses and eat meals created using their very own farm products. You get to know about their farming system, about their weaving skills, and their strong spiritual relation with Pachamama (Mother Earth) and apus (mountain spirits). This type of tourism is trans-formative. It allows those remote societies to be empowered with a source of income that is sustainable in a way that does not threaten their culture, which gets displaces instead. It switches the context of observation to that of the real human interaction and cultural interaction.
As the Amazon conceals its fauna beneath a rich canopy of trees and Andes provide dramatic scenery, another of the great wildernesses in South America presents its unbelievable biodiversity in all its glory. It is the Pantanal, a big, seasonally flood plain savanna; the largest tropical wetland in the world, mainly found in Brazil, but also spills over into Bolivia and Paraguay. To the wildlife lovers, the Pantanal is probably the best place in the whole continent. The dry season is marked with great numbers of game flocking around the remaining pools and rivers, because of the receding waters. This produces excellent viewing opportunities. The experience here most commonly involved being put up in a fazenda, a traditional working cattle ranch which has adapted its workings to become an ecotourist operation or adapted some workings of itself to tourist activities. Base (s) of wildlife safaris by open-topped vehicles, by horseback or, most efficiently, by river by boat along the rivers of the area revolve around these fazendas.
The main feature of the Pantanal is the jaguar, which is the biggest cat on the American continent. With the emergence of sustainable panther tourism, the jaguars at the Pantanal are more accustomed to boats with people and getting a glimpse of them is becoming extraordinarily frequent, especially along the river Cuiabas. The change of local thinking has been dramatic. A beast that used to be hunted because it posed a danger to the cattle is a national animal of preserve and pride, which adds a lot of economic value to the area. A visit to Pantanal is an endless nature show. You will be able to witness hundreds of yacare caiman sunning on the river banks, family group of giant river otters playing in the water and capybara, the largest rodent on the planet, grazing serenely by the dozens. Its birdlife is no less mind blowing with the Hyacinth Macaw with its unusual color and appearance of a brilliant blue being a favorite flyer. The Pantanal case is a strong illustration of how sustainable tourism directly can be applied and a keystone species and the entire ecosystem can be saved.
It is an honor to travel these wonderful sceneries and with that honor come a commitment. To be a real ecotourist is a pro-active role, a list of decisions made in advance, during and after your visit. It starts with the most important thing, that is the choice of your tour operator/lodge. Perform research. Research companies that have established certification such as Rainforest Alliance or other eco-labels that have authority. Without being coy ask them straightforward questions: How are you reducing your impact on the environment? What is your staff and guide comprised of percentages who hail out of the local community? Are there any particular examples of the value your tours have on the local economy and even conservation programs? These are questions that a reputable ecotourism operator will feel proud to answer and is transparent in the way they do things.
This awareness is taken into the process of packing. The aim of your activity is to bring in bare minimum of potential wastes as well as leave nothing. Biodegradable toiletry and a reef-safe sunscreen are to be packed in case you are in the waters. A refillable (and fillable) bottle of water and a portable water filter (or purification system) is a must to prevent adding to the scourge of non-recycled/reusable plastic bottles. Consider the gear you carry- as much as neutral colored lightweight clothing can be good to view wildlife, it is always good policy to take modest clothes to any engagements among the locals. Other than carrying disposable presents, you can use your baggage allowance to bring things that people need: education materials to an area school, or specialized medical supplies to a community clinic, etc.
Once on the ground, there is nothing more potent than behavior. The first rule of wildlife viewing is to keep a respectable distance not to interrupt the natural ways of the animals. There is never any reason why you should feed a wild animal. When entering nature, follow all the assigned routes to avoid destruction of the soil and ruin of sensitive plants. Take care of your resource utilization at your eco-lodge, use less water and electricity that is sometimes a valuable commodity in the isles. Buying locally-produced, authentic goods made by local artisans instead of buying mass-produced trinkets will directly contribute to the local economy when going out to get souvenirs. And last but not least, enjoy the learning process of your trip. Interact with your leaders. Ask questions. Discover the local ecology, the culture and the conservation issues affecting the region. You are an ecotourist not just when you board the plane back home, but long after when you are telling people what you did, what you saw and about the awareness you gained. And that is why you have become a spokesperson of the destination you have traveled, and your word is a strong instrument that can help to preserve it.
To be able to explore South America under the advice given by the concepts of ecotourism is to be a part of a story full of hope. It is an odyssey that confirms once again how strongly and how complexly our global health and the health of our humans are inter-related. It is among the human actions that are showing that there is a feasible and sustainable economic model to the exploitation of the most valuable natural beauties. There is inherent change in this mode of travel. It will push you, teach you and motivate you. It is not only beautiful photographs that it will leave you with after knowing your experience; it is a deeper appreciation of your own power and renewed sense of duty towards the rest of the world. It is an adventure where you are told to go there with simple motives, to go there seeking to know rather than pre-conceive and then to be able to leave behind a sign you never left of even footprint but rather leave respect, bolstering and genuine belief to safeguard.
