From helping rebuild earthquake-damaged communities to working on Meerkat-conservation efforts, volunteer vacation opportunities abound. Many packages combine a few days of volunteer assistance with sightseeing for the best of both worlds.
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Volunteering with Azafady in Madagascar(01 of10)
Some children in the rural region of Mahatalaky in Madagascar must walk up to 12 miles a day to reach any school. Illiteracy here is among the highest in the nation. Volunteers with the nonprofit organization Azafady work with members of Mahatalaky villages to build school- houses in the area. The project is run in collaboration with the Malagasy Ministry of Education.HOW YOU HELP: Take part in building a two-room, tin-roofed wooden schoolhouse by assisting with such tasks as laying stone floors and installing shelving and blackboards; you might also help build a latrine, a well, or a teacher's house.HIGHLIGHTS: Scope the treetops for ring-tailed lemurs at Nahampoana Reserve. Play a pickup game of soccer with school kids. Sample the program chef's specialty, cassava fritters with ginger.-Jennica PetersonAzafady, 44/(0) 20-8960-6629, two-week trips from $950, including meals and lodging in tents.
Orangutan Rehabilitation in Indonesia(02 of10)
This riverside orangutan rehabilitation camp is usually reachable only by boat. For times when the Sekonyer Kanan River runs dry, volunteers are building a 2.5-mile boardwalk to the camp. Workers are often approached by two curious orangutans, a welcome interruption following a busy day in the humid rain forest.-Kellie SchmittThe Orangutan Foundation: About $1,400 for six weeks, including building materials, lodging, and food. 44/(0) 207-724-2912. Photo by Daniel Kleeman.
Creature Comfort in California(03 of10)
Before starting our volunteer day at Return to Freedom, we gathered in a barn where our leader, biologist Celeste Carlisle, asked us what we enjoyed about horses. Some people said they liked learning from animals. Others lauded their whimsical personalities or calming demeanor. I fidgeted on my haybale seat. I don't have much experience with horses. Or animals in general. I'd come to the sanctuary to escape smoggy city life, get some exercise, and soak in the coastal scenery."I like their beautiful colors," I said, blushing as I heard my insubstantial words.Luckily, a 6-year-old comedian quickly captured the spotlight when he made a joke about horse poop. As we headed over to the central barn to start work, I realized with dismay that he had set the tone for the day."This is your poop fork," said Carlisle, as she grasped the wooden handle of a pitchfork. "You take the manure and put it into the wheelbarrow, then rake the leftover hay."It didn't take long for me to get lost in the calming repetition of scooping, tossing, and raking. Sunlight poured into the barn, and friendly horses peered through the fencing to check out our work. In the 1990s, sanctuary founder Neda DeMayo devoted herself to the plight of wild horses. A longtime horse lover, she researched conservation policy, visited sanctuaries, and created a plan to help. In 1997, she left her job as a Hollywood stylist to create Return to Freedom in Lompoc, in Santa Barbara County.Most of the ranch's 255 horses and burros are wild and come from government roundups on public lands. The sanctuary re-releases these animals and lets them live out their lives with minimal interference on its 300 acres. The sanctuary also rescues horses from abusive homes or failed adoptions and houses many of them.Most of the sanctuary's horses and donkeys roam free on the surrounding golden hillsides. Volunteers can glimpse the wild creatures during a guided hike by foot. As we climbed away from the ranch, we passed the dun mustang with flowing black hair that inspired the animated film Spirit and the "three amigos," a band of inseparable donkeys.As I watched the mustangs roam the countryside, I felt privileged to help preserve their home--even if my role was as modest as mucking. -Kellie SchmittReturn to Freedom: The American Wild Horse Sanctuary, (805) 737-9246, returntofreedom.org. The sanctuary hosts free volunteer workdays on the second Saturday of the month. Photo by Kimerlee Curyl.
Meerkat Conservation in South Africa(04 of10)
Just south of the Botswana border, in the Kuruman River Reserve, you'll find meerkats so friendly they occasionally jump on volunteers' heads. Visitors study the effects of the mammals' cooperative breeding, in which adults help raise each other's pups. You'll learn how to weigh a meerkat and observe the intriguing interactions between the meerkat and the fork-tailed drongo, a bird that steals the meerkat's food. At night, stargaze in the vast Kalahari skies before retreating to a thatched-roof hut.-Kellie SchmittMeerkats of the Kalahari: $3,895 for a two-week trip, including meals and lodging. (800) 776-0188, earthwatch.org.
Escort Elephants in Thailand(05 of10)
Accompany elephants as they make their way to a "retirement" park in Northern Thailand after careers in trekking camps. The project is an attempt both to give the elephants a more pleasant, natural life and to rebuild the bonds between the animals and the Karen people, who have traditionally worked closely with elephants. Volunteers stay in homes in Karen villages.-Kellie Schmitt$500 for one week, including food and homestays. 66/(0) 53-818754, elephantnaturepark.org. Photo by Yvette Cardozo/Photolibrary.
Rebuilding with Food and Wine in Maule, Chile(06 of10)
The 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Chile in February 2010 greatly affected Maule, one of the country's wine regions. Liz Caskey runs food and wine tours in Chile that include stays at wineries. She recently introduced the pre- or post-trip option of helping to build new wings for an overcrowded shelter in Molina, a village in Maule where many people lost homes. When they're not volunteering, guests visit wineries such as Casa Lapostolle, participate in tastings with winemakers, and sample local food products.-Jen MurphyLiz Caskey Culinary and Wine Experiences, (904) 687-0340, custom food and wine trips start at $550 per day. Photo courtesy of Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza.
Volunteering with Hands Up Holidays, Thailand(07 of10)
Hands Up Holidays specializes in combining work and play. Its nine-day Taste of Thailand in Style trip begins with an overnight cruise from Bankok to Authaya, with tours of both cities. Three days are spent volunteering at an orphanage in Phang Nga, which is home to children who lost their families to the 2004 tsunami. Volunteers help with basic repairs, garden, and spend time with the children. Afterwards, the tour continues to a beach resort with access to great diving and snorkeling.-Jen MurphyFrom $3,900, (201) 984-5372, handsupholidays.com. Photo courtesy of Hands Up Holidays.
Elevating Jacmel, Haiti(08 of10)
Almost 70 percent of the French colonial buildings in the port town of Jacamel were damaged by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Elevate Destinations, a philanthropic travel company, leads eight- and 15-day trips that include opportunities to work on construction, reforestation, and other projects. "We're very focused on ensuring that our volunteers work directly with Haitians," says Elevate's Urgent Service Director, Andrea Atkinson. Excursions to the Bassin-Blue waterfalls and a village outside of Port-au-Prince known for its artisanal metalwork are also included.-Jen MurphyElevate Destinations, (617) 661-0203, starting at $1,200. Photo courtesy of Ken Cedeno/Digital Corbis.
Rebuilding Homes in New Orleans(09 of10)
Six years after Hurricane Katrina, nearly 200 families in New Orleans are still living in FEMA trailers. The St. Bernard Parish, located about 10 miles from downtown, was one of the communities most severely affected. The St. Bernard Project, a nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding homes in the area, relies on up to 250 volunteers daily. In one day, volunteers might install a floor or paint the walls of a small house. Skilled volunteers may assist with plumbing and electrical projects. The time commitment can be as little as a half day or as long as a month. Volunteers are responsible for their own lodging but receive discounts at partner hotels.-Jen MurphyThe St. Bernard Project, (504) 277-6831. Photo courtesy of Bob Krist/Corbis.
Working with Kids in India(10 of10)
In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the order of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India, which is dedicated to serving the city's poorest citizens. A Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mother Teresa died in 1997, but her order has continued her work. Volunteers from around the world, no matter their religious affiliation, are welcome to join in the effort. You attend an orientation (held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 3 p.m.) in the Nirmala Shishu Bhavan home for children in Kolkata, and afterward a sister will assign you to a project. Possibilities include the Gandhi Welfare Center, where you might educate and feed young street children; or the Daya Dan home for mentally and physically disabled children, where you can provide support by playing with the kids. There is no time requirement or fee to volunteer. Participants must arrange their own lodging and meals in Kolkata.-Jennica Peterson and Manasseh FranklinMissionaries of Charity, 91/33-2217-2277. Photo by Trevor Soh.
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