About EcoColors

EcoColors is an environmental aware tour operator stationed in Cancun, México. From here we offer ecotours to the amazing Maya World in the Yucatan Peninsula and beyond. The tours include a variety of different activities such as biking, bird watching, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, visiting archaeological sites and much more.

Please read about our Mission Statement, Tour characteristics and Our Code of Ethics mentioned below to understand what we understand under the term ecotourism and how we implement ecotourism in our tours to the Mayan World.

After having read this, you might not only want to book your holiday with us, but work for us. Please check our employment page to find out if you are the person we are looking for to complement our team.

Mission Statement

As Mexico is one of only seven countries where you can find mega diversity, the primary mission of EcoColors is preservation.

EcoColors wants to protect and preserve the unique ecosystems in Mexico and combine this with ecotourism. The idea is to amaze our travelers and give them the opportunity to explore the ecosystems in an informed and safe manner.

In order to live up to our mission statement we have set several objectives:

In order to protect our ecosystems we work together with multiple research organizations such as the WWF, Ecotourism Society, SEMARNAT, the Smithsonian School, Environmental Studies in Minnesota and the Adventure Travel Association to optimize our knowledge and provide the best protection.
Raise awareness of the importance of the ecosystems in Mexico by educating our travelers about the nature and the history of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula.
In order to provide the best information to our travelers, all our guides are educated in the scientific and biological field. By giving information as detailed as possible we seek to minimize the impacts of the tours on the ecosystems.
In order to not exceed the biological carrying capacity on the ecosystems we only take small groups of people into the Sian Ka'an Reserve. This makes it also possible for our travelers to receive personal attention from our guides.
In order to preserve nature we make donations to projects that protect the Mayan nature.

Tour Characteristics

Personalized attention. In order to raise the environmental awareness of our customers, we operate with small tour groups; Our groups are generally not counting more than 10 people.

Professional guides. To inform our customers with the latest and most profound information about the different areas, we only work with Biologists or Naturalists. This will provide our customers with in-depth and interesting information.

Bilingual guides. Our guides speak both Spanish and English.

Comfortable transportation. Due to the fact that we provide tours off the beaten track, we provide our customers with the recent models of expedition vehicles, vans and coaches depending on what is required.

Our Code of Ethics

This is a list that helps you to enjoy while respecting the environment and limiting the impacts on the visited area.

Plan and prepare your trip in advance
o Know the regulation and special needs of the area you are going to visit.
o Prepare yourself for an extreme climate, dangers and emergencies.
o Plan your trip to avoid the hours of major crowds at the visited sites.
o Visit the sites in small groups. Divide big groups in small groups of maximum 10 people.
o Repack your food to minimize waste (Tupperware, thermo bottles for water).
o Use a map and compass to avoid the use of signs.

Travel and camp on resistant and safe surfaces
o Resistant surfaces include stone, sand, or snow tracks and established camps.
o Protect the areas in which you camp. Camp at least 70 meters from lakes and creeks.
o The good places to camp are established and not self-made. It is not necessary to change the places you visit.

In popular areas:
o Use the paths and existing camping places.
o Walk in a line in the center of the path, also when it is humid or muddy.
o Conserve small camping areas and stay in areas where there is no existing vegetation.

In special areas:
o Stimulate a spacious distribution of the visitors.
o Avoid places where the alteration to the environment has begun.

Get rid of your waste appropriately
o Check your camp and rest area, pick up garbage and food leftovers.
o Pack all your garbage.
o If you decide to make an ecological toilet, dig a hole that is between 20 and 40 centimeters deep and at least 70 meters away from water, camping areas and paths. Cover them well.
o Bring toilet paper and hygienic products.
o To wash yourself or your dishes carry the water 70 meters away from lakes and creeks and use only a small amount of biodegradable soap. Spread out the dirty water.

Leave everything you find
o Preserve the past: investigate, but do not touch the historical or cultural artifacts and structures.
o Leave behind rocks, plants and other natural objects you find.
o Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
o Do not build structures, nor dig a ditch.

Diminish the consequences of bonfires
o The bonfires could have disastrous effects to the natural environment. Use a small stove and enjoy a camping lamp to have light.
o Where fire is permitted use established stone circles or a container.
o Keep the fire small. Only use small branches or splinters from the ground that can be broken by hand.
o Burn all the wood and the coal to ashes, put out the fire completely and afterwards get rid of all the fresh ashes.

Respect the wildlife
o Observe the wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach the wildlife.
o Never feed the animals. Feeding them can damage their health, alter their natural attitude and expose them to predators or other dangers.
o Protect the wildlife and your food. Store your rations and garbage safely.
o If you not decide to leave your pets at home, be sure to have always an eye on your them.
o Avoid wildlife during sensitive times such as breeding periods, the screaming of birds, the growing up of young ones or winter times.

Respect and take into consideration other visitors
o Respect other visitors and respect the quality of their experience.
o Be polite. Allow other people to move around.
o Take breaks and camp far away from paths and other visitors.
o Permit natural sounds to surround you. Do not talk too loud or make much noise.

Mission statement

As Mexico is one of only seven countries with mega diversity, the primary mission of EcoColors is preservation:

EcoColors seeks to protect and preserve the unique ecosystems in Mexico and combine this with ecotourism. That means amaze our travelers while giving them the opportunity to explore the ecosystems in an informed and safe manner.

In order to live up to our mission statement we have set several objectives:

In order to protect our ecosystems we work together with multiple research organizations such as the WWF, the Ecotourism Society, SEMARNAT, the Smithsonian School, Environmental Studies in Minnesota, and the Adventure Travel Association to optimize our knowledge and provide the best protection.
Raise awareness of the importance of the ecosystems in Mexico by educating our travelers about the nature and the history of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula.
In order to provide the best possible information, all our guides are educated in the scientific and biological field. By making the information as detailed as possible we seek to minimize the impacts of the tours on the ecosystems.
In order not to exceed the biological carrying capacity of the ecosystems we visit the Sian Ka'an Reserve with small groups of people only. That makes it also possible for our travelers to receive personal attention from our guides.
In order to preserve nature we donate money to projects that protect the Mayan nature.

Tour Characteristics

Personalized attention. In order to raise the environmental awareness of our customers, we operate with small tour groups. In general our tour do not count more than 10 people.

Professional guides. To inform our customers with the best information possible, we work with Biologists or Naturalists only. This will provide our customers with in-depth and interesting information.

Bilingual guides. Our guides speak both English and Spanish.

Comfortable transportation. Due to the fact that we provide tours off the beaten track, we provide our customers with the recent models of expedition vehicles, vans or coaches, depending on what is required.

Our Code of Ethics

This is a list that helps you to enjoy and respect the environment while limiting the impacts on the visited area.

Plan and prepare your trip in advance
o Know the regulation and special needs of the area you are going to visit.
o Prepare yourself for an extreme climate, dangers and emergencies .
o Plan your trip to avoid the hours when major crowds are visiting the site.
o Visit the sites in small groups. Divide big groups in small groups of maximum 10 people.
o Repack your food to limit waste (Tupperware, thermo bottles for water).
o Use a map and compass to avoid the use of signs.

Travel and camp on resistant and safe surfaces
o The resistant surfaces include tracks and established camps.
o Protect the areas in which you camp and camp at least 70 meters away from lakes and creeks.
o Good places to camp are established and not self-made. It is not necessary to change the places you visit.

In popular areas:
o Use paths and existing camp grounds.
o Walk in a line in the center of the paths, also when it is humid or muddy.
o Preserve small camping areas and focus your activities on areas where there is no existing vegetation.

In special areas:
o Stimulate a spacious distribution of the visitors.
o Avoid places where the alteration of the environment has already begun.

Get rid of your waste appropriately
o Check your camp and rest area, pick up your garbage and food remains.
o Take all your garbage with you.
o If you want to make an ecological toilet, dig a hole that is between 20 and 40 centimeters deep and at least 70 meters away from water, camping areas and paths. Cover them well.
o Bring toilet paper and hygienic products.
o To wash yourself or to wash your dishes carry the water 70 meters away from lakes and creeks and use small amounts of biodegradable soap only. Spread out the dirty water.

Leave all you find
o Preserve the past: investigate, but do not touch the historical or cultural artifacts and structures.
o Leave behind rocks, plants and other natural objects that you find.
o Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
o Do not build structures nor dig a ditch.

Diminish the consequences of bonfires
o The bonfires could can have disastrous effects to the natural environment. Use a small stove to cook and use a camping lamp for light.
o Where fire is permitted use established stone circles or a container.
o Keep the fire small. Only use small branches or splinters from the ground that can be broken by hand.
o Burn all the wood and the coal to ashes. Put out the fire completely and afterwards get rid of all the fresh ash.

Respect the wildlife
o Observe the wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach the wildlife.
o Never feed the animals. Feeding them can damage their health, alter their natural attitude and expose them to predators or other dangers.
o Protect the wildlife and watch your food. Store your rations and garbage safely.
o If you decide to bring your pets, have an eye on them at all times.
o Avoid the wildlife during sensitive times such as the breeding periods, the screaming of birds, the growing up of young ones or winter times.

Respect and take into consideration other visitors
o Respect other visitors and respect the quality of their experience.
o Be polite. Allow other people to move around.
o Take breaks and camp far away from paths and other visitors.
o Permit natural sounds that surround you. Do not talk too loud or make too much noise.