Depending on what region one wants to visit and what kind of green vacation he or she wants to embark on, there are destinations for budget eco travel found worldwide. Some of the top environmentally friendly travel destinations can be found in Brazil, Canada, Kenya and Dubai. Additional destinations for eco travel might include Laos, Gabon, Ireland, Greece as well as Turks and Caicos. There also are various destinations for budget eco travel found throughout the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Ecuador, Maui and Cambodia. Not only are these destinations environmentally friendly, their natural landscapes offer activities in trekking through rain forests, up mountains, along rivers and oceans or through cultural and wildlife preserves.
The best destinations for budget eco travel promote preservation and conservation of both community and wild lands. They not only empower local people, they also protect the environment. Some can be expensive, but others are ideal for budget eco travel.
The Caiman Ecological Refuge in Brazil is one of the world’s largest wetlands, where ecolodges have cropped up to offer visitors wildlife venues that include canoeing rivers, horseback rides and nature walks to view more than 60 species of animals and 360 species of birds. Forming one of the world’s largest trans-border national parks is the Tatshenshini-Alsek River in Canada. Protected by the Canadian government and creating a 2.5 million-acre preserve that reaches into Alaska’s Glacier Bay, this Canadian-Alaskan eco-destination offers more than 130 miles of rafting through a wilderness that contains grizzly bears, moose, icebergs and birds of prey.
Yet another destination for eco travel is Belize, home of the MesoAmerican Reef, the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Eco-travelers can dive with whale sharks or kayak the coral islands. In Kenya, Samburu and Maasai warriors have developed a conservation zone that has become a mecca for endangered African wildlife. Local tribal members not only protect their lands, they also depend on eco-tourism, because they guide travelers on treks and safaris across these lands near Mount Kenya.
In North America, one can explore the red rock arches at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. Travelers can go swimming and exploring off St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands or dive to see the coral reefs and take in the wildlife off the Florida Keys. One can go hiking, biking and camping in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, or see wildlife and the northern lights when visiting Anchorage, Alaska.
Travelers can trek through jungles and ride on a boat through Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park along the Caribbean Coast or visit New Zealand’s outdoor adventure mecca of Queenstown. One can hike trails, visit organic farms or watch for dolphins while rafting New Zealand’s Shotover River. Travelers can book a green vacation to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, the Earth’s most diverse ecological network. In Hawaii, one can hike craters in Maui’s Haleakala National Park, take in the ocean and waterfalls or visit ancient villages in Maui’s Kahakuloa Valley. An ambitious traveler might volunteer in Cambodia by visiting Angkorwat and staying with local families or stay with a community development program near the Mekong and check out the rare local wildlife.