Curious about a luxury family volunteer vacation? Read on and discover 10 unique destinations where families can sightsee and give back. Below is a sampling across the globe, providing you with a cross-section of ways that you can bond with your family and make a difference, from installing a disabled-accessible bathroom in Bali, to caring for disabled people in Georgia, to teaching and being a reading partner in India, to conserving elephants in Thailand.
10. Costa Rica
In Costa Rica families can make a difference at a wildlife rescue center – prepare meals for monkeys, parrots, and more, maintain their enclosures, create enrichments to stimulate them, and learn an enormous amount about these animals.
Volunteering at the wildlife rescue center blends really well with:
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- Zip lining
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- Wildlife safari (spot sloths in the wild, maybe even a tapir or jaguar!)
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- Chocolate making (from bean to bar)
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- Hanging Bridges – epic nature trails above the tree canopy
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- White-water rafting (we love Pacuare Lodge, which you can raft in and out from)
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- Surfing
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- Snorkeling
And so much more!
Best time to visit Costa Rica:
November to March
9. Tanzania
Tanzania in East Africa offers a spellbinding blend of safari and surf, with magnificent wildlife game viewing in parks such as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Ruaha, and enchanting Zanzibar Island with its spices, winding lanes, minarets and intricately carved doorways, or head to the stunning Mnemba private island for some exclusive R&R.
Whilst in the Serengeti spotting lions, giraffes and elephants, your family can make a lasting contribution and help in the building of accommodation for teachers in the local school, meaning they don’t have to travel long distances to facilitate the education of the children.
Best time to visit Tanzania:
June to October
8. India
Immerse your senses in Incredible India! India bursts with energy, and its colors, fragrances, and of course tastes will delight you.
You can leave a legacy and help teach or be a reading partner at an inspiring school in a Delhi slum – you are sure to leave here transformed.
Combine teaching with your customized itinerary, tailored for you. Some ideas include:
- A walking tour of Delhi led by former street kids
- A cooking class in the home of an Indian family
- Spot tigers and leopards in a National Park
- Explore the ancient Mughal treasures in Rajasthan
- Be in awe of the Taj Mahal, and experience a walking tour of the backstreets of Agra
- Relax on the beaches of Goa or Kerala
Best time to visit India:
December to March
No, not the Peach State next to Florida – this Georgia is the hidden gem in the Euroasian Caucasus, with colossal mountains, awe-inspiring ancient churches and monasteries, refreshing mineral springs, the vibrant capital city of Tblisi, and epic mountain-biking and hiking trails.
You can inspire your kids to be world-changers by spending a few days helping on a farm in a community that cares for disabled people. You are sure to make wonderful connections and bond closer with your kids.
Best time to visit:
April to September
Belize is famed for its Mayan ruins, superb snorkeling and diving on its barrier reef, wildlife including jaguars, and relaxed lifestyle. Your family can bond together as you build an eco-friendly stove for a Mayan family.
These stoves are brilliant in that:
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- they replace open flames with enclosed units, reducing burns, especially with young children running around;
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- they have a chimney to expel fumes, reducing respiratory problems such as asthma;
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- they are much more fuel efficient, so are better for the environment
You can complete these in just a few days, and it blends well with:
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- Snorkeling and diving
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- Beach time
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- Chocolate making
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- Fair Trade organic farm visits
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- Mayan ruins
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- Waterfalls
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- Wildlife spotting
Best time to visit:
November to March
5. Bali
Stunning Argentina is so diverse, with extraordinary landscapes – desert, mountains, glaciers, vibrant cities, superb wines, and delectable cuisine.
Make your luxury family trip to Argentina memorable by helping build solar energy panels for a family using innovative technology that utilizes recycled bottles and cans! What’s more, you can complete this in one day.
This blends perfectly with:
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- Cycle tours of Buenos Aires
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- Glacier hiking with crampons
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- A football match
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- Whale watching
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- Wine tasting
And much more.
Best time to visit:
November to April
3. Thailand
Straddle the hemispheres in this beguiling country; it may be small but it packs in so much, with the colonial charms of Quito and Cuenca, markets and haciendas of Otavalo, volcanoes of Cotopaxi, the cloud forest of Mindo, and, of course the insanely awesome Galapagos Islands.
Inspire your children to be world-changers on a trip to Ecuador by helping to build a home for a family in need of a decent place to live.
Best time to visit:
Any time (that’s the beauty of being on the equator)
Justifiably popular, Greece never fails to delight, with its myriad idyllic islands, delicious food, awesome monasteries, and ancient ruins.
Go beyond the ordinary and make a difference on a luxury vacation in Greece by conserving sea turtles by protecting their nests, and assist baby hatchlings to make it safely to sea and not be disoriented by manmade lights.
Best time to visit:
May to September
Feeling inspired?
Get in touch today and I will personally help you plan your family’s luxury adventure that counts, tailored to your exact preferences.
Wishing you a wonderful International Day of Families!
Christopher Hill
Hands Up Holidays
PS – Discover the Top Tips on how to make your luxury family travels meaningful
PPS – Watch how much other families have been impacted on a luxury family volunteer vacation