Root Values
The Pillars upon which our company is built
At Root Adventures, we believe that the deepest form of connection and self-exploration comes through travel. Our business was built on the foundation of reciprocity and is rooted in our core values of mindfulness, community, equity, and sustainability. Root Adventures’ experiences were thoughtfully designed to create change and healing–in people, communities, and the environment. True change comes from the raw, vulnerable moments of being a little (or a lot) uncomfortable whether it’s from a new experience or a different way of thinking. We challenge people to see the world through a less-filtered lens – living, learning, and immersing themselves in new communities and ecosystems with new-found intent.
From beginning to end, every detail that goes into a Root Adventures trip is intentional. Our goal is to create a space where people can show up as they are and truly slow down and reflect. We want to guide people outside their comfort zone so they learn the skills necessary to feel every moment with deep intentionality, living life through a less-filtered lens.
Community is created through shared experiences and the formation of relationships. Relationships can act as a mirror and have the potential to spark joy or be triggering, but either way they foster growth. Through delving into the relationship with one’s self, others and the places we visit, Root Adventures experiences foster a rich sense of community and belonging.
Travel is an inherently carbon intensive activity and while sustainable business practices are always top of mind, our goal is to get to the root of the problem and not just put a band-aid on it. True change will be affected for generations to come by showing people how fragile and beautiful our natural ecosystems are. We can learn from other communities how to live in harmony with the natural balance of the land.
Travel comes with a high barrier to entry and we strive to create safe spaces around the world for people of all body types, backgrounds, and physical abilities. Our trips are expensive but we believe in fair pay for employees and only working with partners in our destinations who share our values and operate responsibly. Giving back is a big focus of each trip and we are committed to providing experiences for members of BIPOC communities through our scholarship programs.
The Root Adventures Path to Sustainable Transformation
Sustainability Embodied, Not Outsourced
The need to make all aspects of life more sustainable is more apparent than ever. Admirable strides have been made within the travel industry, particularly with our local operators adopting sustainable practices and local and national governments protecting these natural resources. However, we believe international travel planners have relied too heavily on “outsourcing sustainability.” This focus misses the most important element: long-term behavior and lifestyle change.
Many operators and agencies strive for transformational travel. At Root Adventures, transformational travel is at the heart of what we do, and we’ve woven sustainability into the transformations we enable.
Actions That Set Us Apart
$50 Subsidy for any pre-trip gear repair
Full reimbursement for public transit to your local airport
Anti-bucket list slow travel itineraries
Packing guides that minimize the need to buy new gear
All gear rentals included in the trip price
Forest bathing
Meditation
The transformation begins as soon as a client registers for their trip. We are the first travel company in the world to provide subsidies for clients to repair their existing gear. In supporting their local cobbler, tailor, or gear shop, our clients begin to redefine their relationship with material items. When departure day arrives, we also reimburse clients who take public transportation to the airport. Again, promoting these experiences at home ensures that the behavioral transformation and sustainability awakening doesn’t remain limited to “vacation mode.”
In destination, all the standard best practices are followed, from getting off the beaten path to vetting our local operators. However, in our decades of experience in the industry, we’ve found that this awareness, even inspiration from incredible and fragile ecosystems, fails to result in meaningful changes back home.
what we don’t do:
Carbon Offset Credits: We believe carbon credits are, at best, of little value at best when implemented correctly. Typically, the projects can even be detrimental! Worse, they enable an “easy out” to assuage our carbon emissions guilt. We believe they are an obstacle to true progress.
Bucket-List Itineraries: Travel is a crucial source of funds and incentive to protect precious areas. Unfortunately, Over Tourism is a serious threat to fragile sites - think insufficient infrastructure (eroded trails and overflowing toilets!) and overwhelmed locals.
Multi-Stop Flights: It’s tempting to bounce from destination to destination thanks to cheap flights. However, we believe the travel experience is enhanced by slowing down and fully embracing one location.
In an industry where outsourcing of sustainability via carbon credits is the default, at Root Adventures we tailor our entire client experience, from trip preparation to in-destination experiences to post-trip debriefings, to ensure lasting transformation.
Just as we continually strive to improve the experience of our travelers, we are constantly enhancing our sustainability program based on research, local efforts in the communities we visit, and new tools. Not only do we want to operate as culturally and environmentally sustainably as possible, but we want to inspire others in the industry to follow our lead.
We're happy to share our experiences and resources as you develop your own sustainability program. Contact Dave, our Director of Operations to learn more.