Slow travel – the new sustainable way of exploring the world

Slow travel has become the mantra for 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic that taught everyone not to be in a mad rush. That is why as people begin packing bags and hitting the road again for vacations, they are doing it with a difference.

The era of package tours, visiting several countries on one trip and ticking off monuments from the to-do list is passé. Spending more time at one destination to explore that properly at an easy pace is what this year is going to be all about. Fortunately, this also goes hand in hand with sustainability because traveling slowly does not put pressure on the environment and decreases the carbon footprint. Visitors drive down rather than take a flight even if it means a long, arduous journey and stay at small boutique hotels and homestays tucked away from busy tourist spots. They go for long walks, discover the destination at their own pace and spend time with the local community.

Shoba Mohan, Founder of RARE India says, “On a planet under duress, the primary responsibility of any travel or hospitality activity should be to explore the environment gently, impact the resident community positively and retain the integrity of the destination.”

Many hotels and homestays that are now coming up lie off the much-trodden tourist path and consciously encourage sustainability. For example, Mary Budden Estate, tucked in Uttarakhand’s Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, runs on solar power. This luxury homestay that is over a century old, epitomizes the soul of slow travel - here one actually feels as if time has stopped. A lot of guests typically come for three nights but then extend their stay to imbibe the experience. Instead of sightseeing, the agenda is to take treks, go for birding or read that book you have been longing to. “The luxury of time at these places allows you to pick up a hobby, like you need time for birding. It cannot be done in a jiffy,” adds Shoba Mohan.

As the hospitality industry steps up efforts to reduce pressure on the environment, a number of green hotels have also come up in the country – from big hotel chains like ITC Hotels and Taj to smaller ones. For example Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in Andamans was built inside a forest without cutting a single tree, some hotels are completely plastic free while several use rain-water harvesting. At The Glasshouse on the Ganges, a Neemrana hotel in Rishikesh, which is situated along the Ganges river, in the bathrooms wooden combs and bamboo toothbrushes replace those made with plastic. After the property was refurbished, the cement deck was replaced by a wooden one. To reduce smoke, they don’t do bonfires in chilly winter months, but have installed an oil based fireplace to keep guests cozy as they sit in the evening gazing at the river. “We imported that fireplace to reduce pollution, so wherever possible we are making an effort,” says hotel manager Makrand Bhardwaj. Some people stay here for a week as well instead of just two or 3 days.

An intrinsic part of slow travel is also to encourage local communities and understand their culture and food and that is what more time at one destination allows one to do. For example visitors are much more likely to sample the local cuisine when they stay in a place for a week. So instead of getting that burger at a fast food chain, have lunch at an eatery run by people there and sample the freshly-caught fish or dishes prepared with locally grown ingredients. Cultural immersion also gives a traveler the chance to go beyond the much hyped tourist attractions and discover spots that are special to locals. For me, chancing upon a local wedding in a village after a trek in Rishikesh and sharing a cup of tea in a villagers home was one of the highlights of my trip.

If you haven’t done it till now, take one slow-paced trip to realize how experiencing a destination at leisure will not just rejuvenate you in a way those packed vacations never did, but also help heal the planet.