To protect and preserve the natural world and especially the Sonoran Desert through the development of tours designed to educate and enlighten the general public, through experience, on the functioning of the environment as a system as opposed to a series of individual parts. To be active in environmental issues concerning natural areas and particularly the Sonoran Desert and to be active in preservation efforts which strive to develop a balance between the natural environment and basic human needs.
 

1. Walk Softly Tours are designed and executed to minimize impacts on the natural areas visited, in order to protect and conserve the viability and long-term stability of native ecosystems. This includes educating tourists on the principles of 'Leave No Trace' and following these principles whenever visiting natural areas.

2. Walk Softly Tours are conducted to increase the tourist's knowledge and environmental awareness of the ecosystems visited.

3. Walk Softly Tours policies and actions are formulated to assist and encourage conservation efforts for natural ecosystems, especially those visited on tours. Walk Softly Tours takes an active role in the protection and conservation of natural areas, native flora and fauna, and indigenous cultures.

4. Walk Softly Tours, when visiting indigenous cultures, demonstrates respect to their values and dignity. Business relationships with indigenous operators are structured to encourage the development of sustainable economies that benefit these cultures.

5. Walk Softly Tours office and business practices strive to create a minimal environmental impact, through the use of recycling and paperless forms of advertising, maintaining vehicles in proper working condition, energy conservation and encouragement of environmentally benign technologies.

6. Walk Softly Tours discourages trade in items obtained from sensitive and endangered species or ecosystems, and encourages all tourists to also refrain from such trade.
 

An integral part of the Walk Softly philosophy are the principles of Leave No Trace when venturing into the back country. These principles are:

1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Concentrate use in resistant areas
3. Avoid places where impact is just beginning
4. Protect and conserve water resources
5. Pack it in, pack it out
6. Properly dispose of what you can't pack out
7. Leave what you find
8. Use fire responsibly

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
Aldo Leopold
A Sand County Almanac (I949)

Aldo Leopold wrote those words in the 1930's and they are more relevant today than ever. Backcountry adventures are becoming increasingly popular and in many cases are having a detrimental impact on the very habitats in which we love to surround ourselves. The principles of Leave No Trace are an attempt to slow these impacts by instilling some sound advice and common sense into the adventure and providing those of us who enjoy the wilderness a solid ethic we can live by to ensure the habitats' survival for future generations. Walk Softly Tours lives by these principles and instills them into every traveler who participates in a wilderness adventure with us. Together we can still enjoy the outing, but at the same time make a difference.

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