Picture yourself beneath the towering deodars of Uttarakhand, gently pressing a young sapling into the earth, knowing that long after your footprints fade, a forest will rise. Or imagine walking the trails of Madhya Pradesh, not just to spot a tiger, but to help track its movements and support anti-poaching patrols. This is regenerative travel, a growing movement that urges tourists to leave the places they visit better than they found them. For years, tourism has focused on doing less harm. But in a world, where glaciers are retreating, forests are thinning, and cultural legacies are at risk, “less harm” is no longer enough. The future lies in regeneration.
The idea of regenerative travel might sound ambitious, but begins with simple, intentional choices. Shashank Birla, whose Wilderlust Expeditions LLP conducts safari tours in India, says, “All our guests are oriented to the forest’s rhythms and rules. We emphasise low-impact behaviour during safaris (no loud music, noise or leaving behind non-biodegradable waste), offer learning resources, and encourage visitors to get involved—through clean-ups, biodiversity surveys, or even just spreading awareness.”
With its vast biodiversity, India is uniquely positioned to lead this change. From the icy peaks of the Himalayas to the coral-fringed shores of the Andamans, the country’s beauty is immense, but vulnerable.
In Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti, travellers can stay with local families through a homestay programme supported by the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust. Local youth are trained as wildlife guides, helping visitors spot signs of snow leopards in the wild—an awe-inspiring experience that supports both conservation and community livelihoods.
In the winter season, Odisha’s Mangalajodi village, a birdwatching hotspot near Chilika Lake, becomes a safe home to over 230 species of migratory and resident bird species. Here, former poachers turned guides, lead silent boat tours through the wetlands—sharing not only bird sightings but their own powerful stories of change. “Gliding through the wetlands at dawn, hearing the guide speak about his past—it was surreal. I came for the birds, but left with a deeper understanding of what tourism can really do,” says Ria Singh, a traveller from Mumbai.
In Maharashtra's Chirgaon village—popular for its successful vulture conservation efforts— travellers can witness the return of once almost extinct vultures. With their guided tour walks and community storytelling, the local action has led to revival of an entire ecosystem.
In the rain-soaked forests of Meghalaya, living root bridges—crafted from the roots of rubber fig trees—span across rivers like organic sculptures. Grown over generations by the Khasi people, these structures are both functional and symbolic of resilience and harmony with nature. “Walking across a bridge that took 40 years to grow… it changed how I think about time, travel, and what it means to build something lasting,” says Neel Kumar, a backpacker from Bengaluru.
Regenerative tourism is also growing even in the lesser-known destinations like Uttarakhand’s Kausani. Astrotourism has turned this quiet hill town into a stargazer’s haven. Since the opening of the observatory in 2017-18, visitors come not just for Himalayan views, but to protect dark skies. “Earlier, people would not include Kausani in their plans,” says Ramashish Ray, founder, Starscapes.
A 2024 global paper in Sustainability, makes a compelling case for this shift. With tourism responsible for 8-11 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the authors argue for a net-positive model—one that not only offsets its impact but actively contributes to ecological restoration and community wellbeing.
People are no longer just tourists—they become participants in the conservation story. The memories they carry go beyond just photographs. Travel’s real magic isn’t just in discovering the world. It’s in helping to heal it.