An interview with Luis Felipe Raffo, founder of the family-owned Tambo Blanquillo Lodge, located in Peru’s Manu National Park. Manu National Park – a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage site – is in Peru’s southern Amazon rainforest, one of the most remote parts of the Peruvian Amazon that is still accessible to travelers.

The Amazon is one of those ‘must go’ places that ordinary people dream of and seasoned travellers brag about having visited. It is the ideal escape if you are looking for something exotic, adventurous, contrasting and genuine. And now I promote a local, responsible and sustainable approach to travel in the Amazon with a focus on authentic local experiences, nature-based activities and sustainable practices, all aligned with what I consider to be a basic yet meaningful travel philosophy – “it is all about the people.”

Here at Luna Nueva, we are preparing ourselves to be conscientious cultivators, dedicated to the seed, defenders of the soil. Farming in the biodynamic tradition empowers us with tools for healing and restoring the earth. Walking these grounds awakens one to the vitality of a living Earth and the necessity of maintaining an open dialogue with Her.

While there are many interpretations of the ‘ecolodge’ concept, most of the structures share some special traits. They’re low-impact buildings that use materials repurposed or found locally, and adhere to sustainable-water and -power practices. They’re immersed in beautiful natural areas, which they’re committed to helping preserve. They amaze guests with their comfort and elegance, even in the midst of rugged nature.

Visiting a rainforest is a unique nature experience. During the day, these unique biomes burst with a busy buzz and bright flashes of colour, while at night, the air comes alive with the shrieks and calls of the forest’s many nocturnal creatures. Amidst all this natural beauty, it’s important to tread lightly. Rainforests are home to an estimated 40 to 75 percent of all the world’s plants and animals, including many still just being discovered.

Kyabobo is Ghana’s newest national park. For the host communities, the ecotourism that has come with it means “improved livelihood activities” or jobs as guides, cooks and craftspeople. The income generated is used for local development projects, like bringing electricity to nearby communities and providing materials for the construction of schools and toilets.

Today, Tayrona proudly displays its true nature as a safe environment for tourists. Since its elevation in status to a national park in 1969, this biodiversity area covering 12,000 hectares of land and 3,000 of sea has been growing in popularity. Within its territory are sandy beaches, dazzling blue/azure ocean waters, tropical dry jungle and a rainforest up to 900 metres in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

If you want to see great apes in the wild, Sumatra’s rainforest is one of the most accessible places to do just that. Seeing orangutans in the wild, along with silver Thomas leaf monkeys, pig-tailed macaques, and a diverse range of birds like hornbills, will leave you with a renewed appreciation for the beauty and ingenuity of other species.

I lead the Tiger Trail team in Luang Prabang, Laos. I always had a passion for adventure and travelling but, even more important, for other people. I also believe that the world is not fairly developed and even its most beautiful landscapes can be the stage for poverty and degradation. I aim to approach these problems by seeking a better way: Through our Fair Trek in Laos projects, I combine community work with tourism and bring people together from all over the world to work with Lao communities.