Do some good: Voluntourism brings new opportunities to travelers

In recent times, we have seen war, famine and natural disasters claim entire regions of our planet. To some avid globetrotters, this is not only a call to action to protect what is precious, but also an opportunity to experience life without borders.

Call it what you will - volunteer travel, volunteer vacations or voluntourism – it represents a diverse and “charitable” sect of responsible travel that is rapidly growing in popularity. Due largely in part to the need for volunteer work bundled with people’s desire to experience the world in new ways, volunteer travelers typically share a desire to “do something good” while also experiencing new places and challenges in locales they might not otherwise visit.

Blending wildlife with ancient culture

The types of volunteer vacations are diverse, from local wildlife restoration to providing high-skill medical aid in a foreign country, while others help to engage people with scientific research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Participants cover a fee that would include expenses on the different sites worldwide, and engage in projects according to their interest or location.

For example, non-profit voluntourism leader Planeterra (www.planeterra.org) has just announced a new 14-day, China-based adventure that gives volunteer travelers the opportunity to directly participate in efforts to protect giant pandas – an amazing endangered species whose numbers have now dwindled to less than 1,000 remaining across the planet – while gaining an appreciation in ancient culture via a unique experiential travel itinerary.

Stationed at the Bifengxia Research Center, “voluntourists” will work with trained conservationists in meeting the day to day needs of its resident bears, many of which were relocated from Wolong Center, previously the world’s largest panda conservation center. Wolong was badly damaged by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.

“This voluntour will give our travelers a chance to work in China at the largest panda reserve in the world, while also visiting many highlights of one of the most culturally rich nations in the world,” said Planeterra’s Director, Richard G. Edwards. “It’s an unparalleled reward, knowing our volunteer work is helping preserve these animals for the future.”

The 14-day adventure begins in Shanghai and ends in Beijing, with visits to the Great Wall, the Song Dynasty capital of Luoyang famous for its fighting monks and home of kung fu, the terracotta warriors of Xi’an, the cuisine of Chengdu and the Bifengxia Panda Centre. Volunteer duties include gathering bamboo and supplementary foods for the pandas and helping to keep the areas and enclosures clean.

New for 2010, this tour is just 1 of 11 new programs Planeterra has added to its range of over 20 voluntours throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Restoring treasures

Another side to volunteer travel is its ability to afford participants the unique opportunity to gain extensive insight into regional culture and geography while helping to protect some of the planet’s most iconic and treasured destinations.

REI Adventures (www.rei.com/adventures – an offshoot of the REI gear company) has recently unveiled a set of new destination/restoration packages to Patagonia and Machu Picchu.

The worldwide leader in active adventure programs collaborated on the packages with Conservation Volunteers International Program (Conservation VIP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving iconic destinations and cultural sites around the world, to offer volunteer expeditions that blend adventure, service, cultural appreciation and unforgettable experiences for travelers.

“Collaborating with Conservation VIP is a natural fit for REI Adventures as we share the commitment to take care of the outdoors for the enjoyment of all outdoor enthusiasts,” said Cynthia Dunbar, REI Adventures manager. “Offering Volunteer Expeditions aligns with REI’s core purpose of stewardship, and provides an option for people to travel while making a difference in restoring and protecting these amazing destinations.”

The first of two itineraries includes the Machu Picchu Volunteer Expedition – a 13-day trip that focuses volunteer efforts in Peru’s Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary and the Sacred City of the Incas, its main archaeological complex.

Volunteers with Conservation VIP, currently the only group authorized to conduct volunteer work in the Sacred City, work closely alongside park rangers to help restore architectural integrity by removing exotic or unwanted vegetation along the trails or the stone walls of buildings and agricultural terraces, maintain ancient Inca trails, restore areas impacted by visitor use or fire, plant trees, collect native plant seeds to be used in restoration projects, or monitor restoration study plots.

The Torres del Paine Volunteer Expedition to Patagonia is a 14-day trip where volunteer travelers get a unique opportunity to work alongside local park rangers in Chile’s stunning Torres del Paine National Park to help restore trails, clear overgrown vegetation, angle trails to help shed excess water, remove rocks and widen trailheads, as well as restore wildlife habitat in areas that have experienced over use.

Travelers may also use their rest days to hike along the shores of Lago Grey en route to the massive Grey Glacier, the southernmost tip of the giant Southern Icefield, or to watch for the Andean condor or the elusive huemul deer.

“We are proud to team with REI Adventures on this endeavor,” said Rich Tobin, president and CEO of Conservation VIP. “Blending our conservation and service values allows like-minded people an invaluable opportunity to experience or return to some of the most incredible destinations around the world while simultaneously helping to preserve them.”

Better world, brighter future

The world is changing. Highly unpredictable and often unstable, communities, cultures and ecosystems that we have grown to love often need certain forms of assistance in order to survive such a tumultuous landscape.

Voluntourism is an opportunity to provide more resources to these communities while encouraging a strong volunteer ethic in people.

As more and more interest grows for these type of travel initiatives and travelers continue to take away so much from their individual travel experiences, voluntourism companies will need to continue to provide unique opportunities for travelers wanting to “give back” to the destinations they visit.