Written by Jess Tyrrell

Travelling to a new and exotic destination brings out the inner adventurer in all of us. We want to absorb, touch, taste, feel, and experience everything novel there is on offer. One way of best experiencing a destination is by partaking in several exhilarating (or relaxing) activities, be it a helicopter flip above jagged crevasses, a thrilling shark-cage dive, or gallery-hopping in several Uber trips. However, an essential premise of sustainable tourism is the awareness of minimising your footprint as a traveller. Be it your environmental, economic or social footprint, some activities are better for the planet – and yourself – than others.

In this short and sweet guide, we'll illustrate our top 5 sustainable activities that you can do instead of more traditionally unrestrained ones. Let's get cracking. 

1. Hot air balloon rides over helicopter flips 

Sorry, James Bond fans, but if you really want to save the world, you will have to skip out on the helicopter ride. Helicopters are, quite simply, unnecessarily high atmosphere polluters and fossil fuel guzzlers. For context, a typical recreational helicopter will burn about 400 litres of fuel in an hour (emitting up to 1 ton of CO2!), whereas an idling car emits 1 litre. 

But, if you're set on getting high to get an aerial view of a landscape, why not opt for a hot air balloon ride? Hot air balloon rides have minimal impact on the environment as they use propane (the cleanest, least evil of all fossil fuels). An hour's hot air balloon ride emits roughly 120 kg of CO2.  If it were up to us, we'd opt for a gentle and slow sunrise or sunset ascent in a colourful balloon, soaring unobtrusively above herds of grazing animals, with a coffee or gin in hand (no can do in a helicopter!).

2. Kayak or windsurf over jet skiing and speed boating 

Kayaking and windsurfing are good for the environment, and they're good for you too! Kayaks, paddleboards and windsurfs are unique and immersive means of exploring wet wilderness areas. You can quietly observe marine and land wildlife in their natural habitats, causing zero harm and air or noise pollution! Watch dolphins and seals lolling in the swell while burning about 283 calories per hour. ;) Some great destinations where you can do these activities include the Okavango Delta, Cape Town and the Elephant Coast.

Despite the absolute racket speedboats make, several unintentional environmental hazards are associated with zoom-zooming above the water surface. Speed boats physically and chemically damage marine and freshwater wildlife and an hour-long speedboat trip also emits about 180 kg of CO2. And sorry to say, but there likely won’t be dolphins jumping alongside you!

3. Walk or cycle instead of hailing countless taxis

The best way to immerse yourself in a destination is by setting out on foot or bike. Not only are both activities good for your physical health, but also the environment. Imagine that, not having to compromise one for the other! Besides, cycling, hiking and walking take you to thrilling, hard-to-reach places unreachable by car, allowing you to intimately take in all the smells, sights and sounds. 

Taking short taxi trips through cities contributes to increased air and noise pollution and traffic and negatively affects mental health. The seemingly small taxi fares will also add up by the end of your holiday, whereas a once-off bicycle rental (or free footwork) will be lighter on your wallet. Obviously, the destination you visit needs to be conducive to cycling and walking, and you should prioritise your safety.

4. Go on a horse ride instead of a quad bike (All-Terrain Vehicle)

Cruising over rough terrain on a motorised, speedy 4-wheeler is undoubtedly thrilling! But did you know that horses are capable of going even more off-road? Not only this, but horses cause much less damage to the natural environment with their prancing hooves. ATVs make a heck of noise compared to the occasional cute "neigh" your pony chariot may chirp in contentment. 4-wheelers also guzzle fuel, spew fumes, and cause soil erosion.

Now horse riding isn't completely eco-friendly if we consider their food and living turf, but their environmental damage is significantly less than anything motorised while out on the trail. Cantering through open fields past sleepy buffalo is an experience you will never forget.

Some of our favourite places to explore on horseback include the Makgadikadi Salt Pans and Zululand!

5. Paraglide, don't skydive 

Although your body is the vehicle and mechanics in both of these aerial sports, paragliding has next to no environmental footprint. It's all you, your gear and wide-open skies. Skydiving is one of the more damaging air sports owing to the fuel needed to power the light aircraft that takes you to your heaven-high launchpad. So if you have to get vertical and see your destination from the air (a life-changing experience), opt for the cheaper and more environmentally-conscious paragliding. This way, you'll get to slowly take in your surroundings, whereas when you're in freefall after jumping from the plane, everything will be a big blur (and the selfies aren't nearly as flattering). Check out our trips through the Garden Route and Cape Town to find some great spots!

Bonus: Shred the surf instead of shredding chum

You don't need to be an experienced surfer to enjoy frolicking in the waves in popular surf spots. Whether you're a life-long surfer (of the Point Break kind) or more the up-for-something-new type (inspired by Surf’s Up), surfing is an invigorating sport that is food for your soul and the planet. Unless you forget to strap on your leash and see your board go bye-bye, you won't be harming the marine environment nearly as much as motorised water sports do. We highly recommend signing up for a surf lesson on your next beach break!

Now onto who you may not want to see while surfing. Shark cage diving, namely in search for Great Whites, is growing increasingly unpopular amongst environmentalists. Shark cage diving alters the sharks’ natural behaviour as tour operators use chum or bait to lure them to you. This changes the local food chain, and the sharks start to associate all boats with lunch. This means they'll pursue all kinds of boats looking for their next free meal, which can lead to them being injured or coming into close proximity with bathers. Not to mention the wretched fuels the boats use!

At first, you may think that these activity alternatives are boring, that could not be further from the truth! All the options on this list will leave you (and the planet) feeling healthy-minded and bodied. 

Have you tried any of these alternative activity suggestions? Let us know your experience! And if you want to try them out ASAP, book a trip with Viatu where you can indulge in all of them.