Ecotourism In India - Top 10 States For Your Holiday!

The more you travel the bigger the responsibility! And it will be better for both us and the nature around us if we understand this as soon as possible. Ecotourism in India is not that popular, but those who are familiar with this terminology are doing everything they can to preserves the country’s natural beauty, even if it’s one small step at a time. As travelers, upholding the culture and traditions of the destination and promoting the lesser developed areas are our responsibilities. Let’s get to know a little more about how ecotourism in India is shaping up and making its presence felt in offbeat travel destinations as well as popular places in India. 

10 States That Encourage Ecotourism In India

1. Ladakh

You can find the Himalayas on top of every traveler’s bucket list and therefore more and more travelers flock towards them. Now that tourism has been established in the Trans – Himalayan region and most of the destinations have been made famous, ecotourism is making its way to promote sustainable travel and extensive tours.

Established by Save The Children Fund (UK) in 1979, Leh Nutrition Project is an NGO that is working towards the overall upliftment in Ladakh. They address issues like development, child care, livelihood, education, and watershed development in difficult terrains. Not just that, to promote a sustainable society in Ladakh, Ladakh Ecological Development Group and Leh Nutrition Project have been actively working.

Also Read - Top 10 Tourist Places In Ladakh

2. Himachal Pradesh

Bordering Tibet, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir, the mountainous landform of Himachal has a rich biodiversity, which attracts millions of tourists every year. As a result, the mainstream travel destinations in the state are suffering because of excessive commercialization.

Making a collaborative effort towards the conservation of cultural and natural resources in the region, the Ecotourism Society in Himachal Pradesh has been practicing Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET). Various projects like Participatory Forestry Management to develop the forests have been initiated. These efforts have been widely appreciated by the various communities of Himachal Pradesh as they’ve generated a lot of revenue for the state.

Also Read - Top 12 Places To Visit In Himachal Pradesh

3. Uttarakhand

To aware tourists of the diverse surroundings and culture, several village trails have been started by Uttarakhand’s tourism department. These trails offer valuable insights into the lives of the villagers. The collective effort from the ecotourism division of the state forest department, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, and Garhwal-Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam have been successful, which helped take adventure tourism to new heights. By providing essentials and required finances to the homeowners to operate efficiently, the organizations also run homestays in the area.

Also Read - Best Places To Visit In Uttarakhand

4. Delhi

The Ecotourism Society of India has been encouraging sustainable practices in New Delhi and the capital has seen a commendable effort from this organization. From creating awareness to minimizing carbon footprint and collaborating with like-minded organizations to promote eco-tourism, they have come a long way.

Resources have been used to identify the new ecotourism destinations and making them famous. For example, an ecotourism park near Najafgarh drain, Chhawla-Kanganheri has been revamped and adventure activities like camping, boating, obstacle course, and paintball, and are made available to keep the tourists entertained. Farmstays in the heart of the city and the outskirts have played a major role in promoting ecotourism.    

Also Read - Famous Places To Visit In Delhi

5. Meghalaya

Meghalaya is an unexplored paradise in the northeast which has plenty of secluded wonders and a lot of cultural diversity. Living Roots Ecotourism Society found the unexplored village of Nongblai in the East Khasi Hills district and glorified the offbeat village. There are record 16 living root bridges in the village. The local communities of Nongblai, Wahlyngkhat, and Suthim villages have joined hands and took up the responsibilities of these living root bridges that are like a god to them.

Also Read - Famous Places To Visit In Meghalaya

6. Arunachal Pradesh

One of the prized jewels of Northeast India, Arunachal Pradesh boasts of unexplored terrains and diverse topography making it one of the most popular destinations for ecotourism in India.

To impart awareness on ecotourism and encourage homestays in the region, Organizations like Green Pastures and Future Generations Arunachal have joined hands. Also, to preserve the tribal culture and to safeguard the nature around them, institutions like Ngunu Ziro by Future Generation Arunachal have been working towards the cause for a long time.

Tangsa Community Conservation Reserve Initiative, Ziro, and Apatani Plateau Initiative are the major initiatives taken by the Conservation and Tourism Association of the state. Their sole motive is to conserve the pristine environment and create a friendly environment for tribals.

Also Read - Best Tourist Places To Visit In Arunachal Pradesh

7. Assam

Assam is an exciting destination for ecotourism in India with remote places, tribes, and exciting traditions. Over the years, the locals have accepted the ways of responsible travel and now workshops are being conducted at different places.

To promote responsible tourism and by understanding the need of the hour, the Assam Tourism and Ecotourism Society of India has been organizing workshops in several regions. By setting up eco-camps managed by deprived youths in the region, Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) has also supported the initiatives. These camps, mostly accommodate by backpackers and foreigners are a huge boost to tourism.

Also Read - 15 Tourist Places In Assam For An Unforgettable Vacation

8. Karnataka

There is nothing more exciting than walking through the valley, camping in the dense rainforests of Western Ghats, and taking up eco-trails. The vastness of nature in the Ghats needs to be explored and brought into the people’s knowledge because of its ecological diversity.

Karnataka is a popular ecotourism destination in the country because of the jungle lodges, heritage sites, and resorts. To create more awareness at the tourist hotspots, attract more investment, and facilitate ambitious activities to attract tourists, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Karnataka Ecotourism Development Board (KEDB) have joined hands and rolled out several policies.

Also Read - Top 12 Best Places To Explore In Karnataka

9. Sikkim

Perched in the Himalayas, Sikkim hosts several thousand tourists a year; especially honeymooners! People who remain ignorant while making memories and end up spilling garbage all around affecting nature.

Eco-friendly measures and sustainable tourism have been devised by the Forest Department of Sikkim and the Directorate of Ecotourism to save the beautiful environment of the northeast. In this region, the prime focus remains on the promotion of wildlife and nature.

Also Read - Top 15 Places To Visit In Sikkim 

10. Kerala

From treating the visitors with warmth to being the first state to execute planned ecotourism in India, Kerala is a popular sojourn for nature lovers located in the heart of the Western Ghats. One of the top 18 biodiversity hotspots in the world, the Ghats boasts of quite a few endangered wildlife species.

With plenty of plantations, hill stations, backwaters, and unique biological settings, Kerala is a perfect ecotourism destination. The tea estates and infinite gardens are perfect for treks and nature walks. A prominent development in South India, Thenmala Ecotourism Project works towards the development of Deer Rehabilitation Center and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary Reservoir.

By organizing community service and seminars and in the region, the Center for Ecotourism of Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies has been promoting sustainable tourism for a long time.

Also Read - Best Tourist Places To Visit In Kerala

The traditional ways of traveling have been showing dangerous results towards nature and indigenous tribes, hence, ecotourism in India is the need of the hour to preserve what is loved by all of us. Check out Adotrip for more information on ecotourism and the best ecotourism destinations in India.