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Taos, New Mexico Becomes World Class Ecotourism Destination

Posted by admin on July 14, 2010 | No Comments

This summer in Taos, New Mexico, explore pristine wilderness areas, raft down the Rio Grande Gorge, soak in hot springs that have been soothing body, mind and spirit for thousands of years, and then stay in an authentic adobe hotel that has its own kitchen garden and recycles everything on premise including its cooking oil for bio diesel.

As part of its “Return to Sacred Places” travel education theme, Taos welcomes visitors to a region of the Southwest that is becoming the premiere destination for ecotourism. In May, New Mexico announced that Taos and the Gila Wilderness Area are the two regions to be fast-tracked as part of a pilot program offering visitors the kind of ecotourism experience typically found in remote locales such as Kenya, Costa Rico or New Zealand.

“Ecotourism is that sweet spot where adventure, education, and culture meet conservation and respect for local interests,” says wilderness guide Stuart Wilde. “We already have world-class recreation in outrageous natural beauty, access to ancient cultures, and a community that has a built-in conservation consciousness, so for Taos it seems a natural fit.”

Wilde heads up Wild Earth Llama Treks, an outfitter that offers single or multi-day hiking and camping adventures in the Sangre de Sangre de Cristo Mountains. “Having along a fuzzy buddy adds to the experience,” Wilde says of his llamas.

“They’re the ambassadors of the wilderness who carry our packs as we hike along discussing the region’s history, geology and ecology.” www.llamaadventures.com/ Sandy Cunningham, communications director of EcoNewMexico, LLC, who is helping implement this iniative with the New Mexico Department of Tourism, sees this low-impact, high-yield conservation-based tourism as a way of caring for the planet while jump-starting local economies. Before coming to New Mexico she and her partner, Chip, spent many years in Africa developing sustainable ecotourism programs there.

“You might also call this ‘responsible travel,’ ” Cunningham says, “since these are the trips that change your world. When people have an authentic experience in nature it sets up a transformative journey and often impacts other parts of their lives: the way they feel about being in the landscape, interacting with indigenous cultures, and learning about bio-diversity.”

Wilde agrees, “People return to where they’ve come from re-invigorated, recharged, and reconnected to the natural world. And maybe if they take a little of this magic back with them, they’ll more easily see the beauty of nature and the benefits of conservation in their own backyards.”

A growing number of lodgers in the greater Taos area are offering wide-ranging ecotourism experiences; from four star to under-the-stars accommodations. For further information or to book an Eco Tour, contact Sandy Cunningham at Eco New Mexico: 505.795.7711, 888.326.4440 or sandy(at)eco-newmexico(dot)com.

For more information specific to the State Ecotourism initiative contact Deputy Secretary Jennifer Hobson of the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD), 505-827-6674 or jennifer.hobson(at)state(dot)nm(dot)us

For more information on ecotourism in Taos and the surrounding areas, contact Stuart Wilde at 800.758.5262 or LlamaTrek(at)aol(dot)com.