– The possibilities are limitless
We at Destination Himalaya believe that we are in a unique position to provide support for the people of the countries we visit. Our goal is to integrate the best parts of travel - exposure to culture, art, geography, history and recreation - with the best part of human nature - the desire to connect and improve each other’s lives. While our donations have accomplished great things, we understand that there is much work to be done. Destination Himalaya remains engaged with the projects described on our Giving Back page, and, with the introduction of five service-oriented trips, we invite our clients to “give back” even more directly. For certain clients, the travel experience will take on new layers of meaning as they give their time and expertise to the people of rural Asia. This is an exceptional opportunity for both Destination Himalaya and our clients who are inclined toward a more in-depth relationship with local people and cultures.
We are now able to offer clients five "voluntourism" trip options, each an opportunity designed for those who would like to experience the geographic and cultural richness of our Asian destinations, while at the same time “giving back” to the people of the chosen region in a meaningful way. Clients will travel to some of the most beautiful places on earth to serve some of the planet’s most impoverished. In each case, our clients will volunteer under the auspices of visionary individuals who have committed their lives to impactful community projects. Be it the school for disabled children in Kerala, the health clinic in the Thar Desert, a “medical boat” in the remote Sunderban Islands, or the first high school in a remote Himalayan valley, we have developed our Service Tours carefully, so that we are certain that our client's energy and offerings will be used in the best way possible, to improve the lives of the truly needy.
These trips will open the mind and touch the heart. We believe that those who connect with local communities in this way will find that they have made the expedition of a lifetime.
Our 2012/2013 Offerings
School entrance |
The Deepthy Special School
This Service Tour is to the state of Kerala, to assist two inspirational nuns of the Congregation of Mother of Carmel, Sisters Reesa Paul and Sister Kusuman Rose (both of whom were Honorees at the 2009 "Unsung Heroes of Compassion" presided by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.) These Sisters run the Deepthy Special School in Kottayam, a “home and school for intellectually disabled children.” The school offers education, life skills and job training to seventy-five .........more
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The Medical Boat |
The Medical Boats of Sunderbans
The Sunderban Islands lie off the shores of India and Bangladesh, where the Ganga River pours itself into the Bay of Bengal. A traveler to this exquisite region will find a complex interplay of flora and fauna, fresh and sea water. At the same time, the lives of Sunderban villagers, the millions of farmers and fishermen who eke out a living on small islands among .........more |
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The Schools of Kerala
Expanding on the itinerary of the Deepthy Special School tour, this Service Tour to Kerala, also visits and supports three additional primary school for underprivileged children. It is in these three schools, funded by the Grace Family Foundation, Destination Himalaya staff are overseeing the "Nutritious Lunch program."
At Deepthy, travelers will assist Sisters Reesa and Sister Rose, while in the other three schools we will help with English language, mathematic instruction, as well as, .........more |
Remote Spiti Valley
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The Munsel-Ling School: Spiti
Spiti Valley, a breathtaking land set in the far reaches of Northern India’s Himalayan peaks. Here, subsistence farmers cultivate small plots of land using snow melt from the Himalayas. This isolation preserved the Spiti culture and traditions, but left the children far behind, without opportunity for education. A monk, Lama Tashi Namgyal (an Honoree at the 2009 "Unsung Heroes of Compassion" presided by His Holiness the Dalai Lama), recognized that something must be done about this deficit and, in 1996, opened a school in Spiti Valley itself. This school is called Munsel-Ling or “Place Illuminating the Darkness” and has been .........more |
A Bishnoi Dan (hut) |
The Bishnoi Tribal Project
Our final two offerings take you into the Thar desert area of North India, in Rajasthan. The Bishnoi Tribes living in this region are known as great conservationists, to whom the protection of animal and vegetable life is a religion. Travelers will stay at the Dera Sand Dune Resort, set atop a 130' high sand dune with panoramic views of the vast desert. Through our long-term contact with the Bishnoi people, we have become aware of the most critical shortfalls .........more
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