Essential Eco-Friendly
Travel Kit
Many of the journeys that I have taken throughout the years have been driven by a desire to appreciate the wonders of the natural world first hand. While I believe in the importance of the experience, I also believe it is important to limit the negative impacts of travel on the diverse environments we visit. In order to reduce these impacts and help you better plan for your upcoming adventure, I have compiled a list of useful and eco-friendly items.
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All products listed have been tried and tested by yours truly. I have been using these products for years and I highly recommend each and every one of them! You’ll find that not only are they convenient for travel, but these are several products (most of the toiletries) that I use at home on a daily basis.
Reuseable Water Bottle. Any you have will do bout if you are looking for a good travel one I highly recommend LifeStraw! This water bottle has a filter inside the bottle making refills a breeze no matter where you are. I have refilled from almost any tap you can imagine and never had to worry with this bottle. Click here to purchase!
Insect Repellent. My absolute go-to is Murphy’s Naturals. They have spray, balm, roll on sticks, and an amazing insect bite relief balm that is very soothing on itchy bites! We also recommend them because they are 100% natural and are DEET FREE! Please keep in mind that all insect repellent on our trips needs to be DEET free, regardless of the brand. DEET is extremely harmful to the environment and wildlife. Even if you didn’t go outside, the chemical is washed down the drain when we shower and can contaminate bodies of water.
Bug Bite Relief. Trust me, these will be your saving grace when visiting any tropical country on our tours! Mosquitoes come with the territory and although they can be annoying, these sting pads and the after bite ointment will help soothe the discomfort. Both the After Bite Ointment and these Sting Relief Pads work great!
Travel Vitamins & Hydration Tablets. Planes, airports, lack of sleep, and pulling your body out of your normal routine usually leads to travel sniffles and feeling less than your best. We don’t want anything to impair your trip and these are some easy preventive measures! This Emergen-C Immune Support contains both ginger and turmeric and comes in individual packets for easy packing. I recommend starting a few days before the trip. These multi-purpose Co-Pilot Travel Vitamins are great and help with jet lag relief and energy. For proper hydration, I cannot recommend NUUN Tablets enough. We lose SO many electrolytes when sweating in tropical countries and the #1 issue I run into with past clients is dehydration. These dissolvable tablets come in a huge array of flavors. From immunity support, caffeine, to daily vitamins. They ensure you stay hydrated and feeling your best.
Electronic Storage & Power. For charging, I carry MyCharge Adventure. It’s small, and holds a lot of power for its size. It’s also waterproof and has multiple charging ports to handle multiple devices at once. Although most all lodges on our tours have reliable power, sometimes tropical storms shut power off and because most clients are taking photos while we are on excursions all day, having an extra power pack to charge your phone for photos will make a huge difference! To store all my electronics I use FYY Electronic Travel Pouch. It’s waterproof (which is extremely helpful when in the tropics) and stores all your electronics in one place. Depending on the country in which you are traveling to (only applies to our Asia and Europe destinations) you will need a travel adapter and converter. Do not worry about this for Mexico, Central, or South America.
Tropical Rains and Water Activities. In the tropics you should always expect some rain (usually just afternoon showers) but it is best to be prepared. Columbia has great affordable windbreakers (browse here) that come in a variety of colors. Although the link says men’s style, I have always found it’s a great fit and I’ve had mine for years now. It’s lightweight, bundles up well and doesn’t take up too much space when packing. For all water activities a good dry bag is extremely useful. It’s small, compact, and keeps electronics, wallets, etc. safe and dry when rafting, kayaking, or if we are hit by unexpected rain. This leather passport holder and wallet is great to protect your passport, important travel documents, and cash.
Toiletries. This is by far our longest section! Choosing sustainable products that have little to no effect on the places we are visiting is essential. Many of our eco-lodges use gray water for gardens, and to cycle back to rivers. Making sure we make conscious choices about the products we use will go a long way! For toothpaste, Bite Toothpaste Tablets are easy, plastic free and easy to travel with since it’s not a liquid. For all shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, and lotion needs… Ethique has solid bars for every need. Not only are they easy to travel with (no spilled liquids), but all of their products are palm oil free!
Here are some other great links for miscellaneous products:
Soap Saver Pouches (for solid soap bars)
Sunscreen. Raw Elements is our go-to choice for sunscreen! All the protection without the harmful chemicals that contaminate bodies of water. Shop on their site below and use code MUNDIALTOURS at checkout for 10% OFF your order! This code can be used each time you check out! https://www.rawelementsusa.com/
First Aid & Medications. I always recommend carrying a small, travel friendly, first aid kit for any emergency! This mini first aid kit is lightweight, compact, and contains everything you may need. Recommended add on for your kit is a travel size of Non-Drowsy Dramamine for anyone who thinks they may be susceptible to motion sickness.
For photography/herping specific tours: you cannot go wrong with Fenix brand headlamps and flashlights. Quality that lasts! I’ve had my Fenix for over 5 years. It’s waterproof, rechargeable, and honestly nothing beats the quality when in the field. Any photographer looking for a new camera backpack that can withstand the elements, protect your gear, and is comfortable for long trekking days— Mindshift can’t be beat. Batteries for flashes and other camera accessories can sometimes be difficult to find abroad, and are not very good quality in my experience. This Power Owl Charging Kit contains rechargeable AA, AAA, and the charger itself.
