Going on a voluntourism vacation with your family is transformative for both children and adults. By both respecting and helping the local people you and your children add up to heartfelt vacations that you will cherish.
By being a responsible traveler who contributes to the local community and respects the environment will inspire your child to follow the same footsteps and be a world-changer and a future philanthropist.
When you book a luxury family voluntourism trip with us, you will receive a briefing pack on how to explore responsibly, customized to your trip destination, but for now, here are some broad tips:
- Avoid plastic bottles and bring a reusable drinking container that can be refilled with clean drinking water each day
- Avoid plastic bags – bring your own bag from sustainable sources
- Do not give sweets to local children as dental hygiene is often poor; in fact, do not give anything directly to children as this can encourage begging
- Use local guides: they know the destination best, and by doing so, you are helping provide employment and encouraging local people to get training and education for well-paying guide jobs
- Choose your luxury accommodation that runs on sustainability principles. These are myriad, but can include:
o Using rain water and reusing shower water, using low flow shower heads, low consumption toilets
o Generating their own electricity, such as by solar, wind or hydro-means
o Actively recycling and composting
o Using energy efficient construction materials
o Conserving energy by turning off lights and appliances when not in use
o Hiring locally (and local people in senior positions)
o Planting native trees and plants in garden - Offset your carbon emissions (this is done on your behalf when you book with us)
- Learn some basic words in the local language
- Learn what products are endangered so you don’t buy them
- Shop in small, locally owned businesses where possible
The untamed African Savannah, the mesmerizing Himalayan foothills, and the Amazon rainforest are treasures that need to be protected. By traveling responsibly with your children in these locations, you can bring the much-needed change. And by giving back in these locations, your children will find themselves positively influenced as you instill the values of service and empathy in them.
That is the principal thing you have to know with regards to being a responsible traveler. When you understand that family voluntourism trips are as much about transforming you as it is about transforming the people you go to help. Moreover, the earth needs the next generation of children who are true global citizens are empathetic and compassionate.
Voluntourism is the combination of sightseeing and volunteering, and when you volunteer together as a family the impact will last long after you return to the hustle and bustle of daily life. This may be:
Helping to build a house for an impoverished family in Cambodia, and reliving Tomb Raider whilst exploring the temples of Angkor, finishing up on eco-luxe Song Saa Resort;
- Renovating a school in South Africa, combined with family friendly safari, whale watching and kayaking with penguins;
- Assisting on a wildlife conservation project in Costa Rica and blending it with zip lining, rafting, snorkeling and surfing;
- Spending time in a community, getting to know them and learning about their needs, and deciding which causes best represent your philanthropic aims
- Regardless of what destination or way to make a difference appeals to you, there’s an open door for you and your children who will develop new skills and grow up to become a responsible citizen.
Voluntourism adventures for families are all about making the world a better place. And when you change lives, the lives of your family will be changed too.
