Northern Laos: Wildlife Conservation, Permaculture, & Meditation Practice with Monks

Name: Northern Laos: Wildlife Conservation, Permaculture, & Meditation Practice with Monks
Brand: GIVE Volunteers
SKU: 103987
Rating: 5 (48 reviews)

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5.00 Rating

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Location

Laos

Length

2 to 7 weeks

Project Types

Agriculture Climate Change Community Development Building Projects Conservation Environmental Conservation Reforestation Wildlife Conservation Elephant Conservation Education Teaching Human Rights Professional Development Tourism +4

Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Age Min.

Timeframe

Short Term Summer Winter

Housing

Guesthouse Hostel

Groups

Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30)

Travel Type

Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price

2595

Price Details

Start in Luang Prabang and end in Nong Khiaw! With GIVE's Laos Volunteer Excursion you have a 14-day tour package taking you through Luang Prabang, Nongkhiaw, and the village of Sop Chem.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Meals Transportation

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: Nov 05, 2024

Last Reviewed: Aug 15, 2024

Wish List

36 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Experirence an off-the-beaten-path adventure into the rugged mountainous territory of Laos. Volunteer projects include English education, working on organic farm plot and assisting in wildlife conservation of Asiatic Black Bears. You’ll also have the opportunity to meditate with monks in a monastery, summit craggy limestone peaks, and explore hidden waterfalls and summit limestone peaks. Come see for yourself why Laos is the best-kept secret in Southeast Asia!

If two weeks isn't enough, we offer 4 destinations in Southeast Asia that allow you to mix, match and save for a unique experience from 1-7 weeks. These destinations include Laos, Thailand, Scuba (in Krabi), and Elephant Experience!

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Video and Photos

Excited Primary School Kids with Volunteers

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

GIVE's mission is to inspire growth, empower global citizens, and ignite sustainable change worldwide. To truly inspire growth and achieve sustainable travel internationally, GIVE has adopted the Asset-based community development (ABCD) model, a set of proven best practices in sustainable development that mobilizes a community’s assets and resources as the basis for development. Furthermore, through providing hands-on and eye-opening learning experiences that foster authentic connections between participants and host community members, we can empower global citizens who will continue to spread GIVE’s values and ignite sustainable change worldwide.

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Ethical Impact

Exploring the world with GIVE is all about responsible travel, but what does that really mean?
Mindful Tourism + Community Partnership = Economic Growth & Community Empowerment.

Part of what makes GIVE trips so special is being fully immersed in the cultures and communities we visit. However, we take extra steps to ensure we minimize our influence and always respect local cultures. We prepare all participants before travel and ensure they understand the culture and how to dress appropriately.

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Program Highlights

Take part in the Alms Ceremony and experience authentic Lao culture
Explore Tat Kuang Sii National Park
Rescue wildlife from poaching
Hike through dense jungles to a beautiful viewpoint
Meditate with monks

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 48 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Volunteer

5 rating 100%
4 rating 0%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Impact 5
Support 5
Fun 4.95
Value 4.95
Safety 5

Good for Adventure travelers, Students, Solo Travelers

Showing 17 - 24 of 48 reviews

I loved this trip because it was so fun and engaging and I got more out of this trip than I thought. I love how we "spread our dollar" and communicate with so many locals! I honestly do not know how to describe how amazing it was in a few sentences, but it was well worth the price and I would 100% go back! Laos is a special place because of the interactions with all of the locals and once I left I really felt like I had an impact on this community. It is so worth the time to go and learn from these amazing people!

Pros

working with the locals
learning about the buddhist culture
making new friends that will be lifelong travelers

Cons

not enough time to explore on your own

So fun and absolutely life changing. So much growth and impact comes from this trip. You will be welcomed with open arms to the village of Sop Chem, the people are so beautiful and full of love. Volunteers will have the chance to hike mountains, swim in waterfalls, and you’ll end up falling in love with this country just as I have.
I can’t imagine a better group of guides to have taken care of us on this trip, they are so incredible. Take in every moment. Everyone should have the chance to experience Laos!

Pros

The guides are amazing
The excursions are incredible
Laos people and culture are beautiful

I can't even begin to describe everything. But during this trip I experienced sights and adventures of a lifetime. We were educated on the history and culture of Laos as we immersed ourselves in the village of Sop Chem. Every person I met (guide, tourist, local, volunteer) was filled with so much joy and love. And the work we did - whether on farm plots, in schools, or with conservatories - was always so rewarding and fulfilling. Through everything, you create the most precious bond with the people around you. It was only two weeks, but I have experienced so much homesick after leaving. 11/10 recommend this experience of a lifetime!

Pros

Cultural Immersion
Rewarding Volunteer Service
Bucket-list Adventures

Cons

Fulls Schedule Leaves Little Bored-Time

I have always heard of Laos, but I never thought to visit it. I'm so happy that GIVE has created a program in this country. This country is beautiful and deserves to be seen. The people have encountered many casualties, yet remain joyful and loving. This trip felt very educational and inspiring. I loved the village we stayed in. The locals treat you like family, which feels like a home away from home. Since the village is remote, you can see how your work impacts the community personally. Aside from the locals, we had terrific guides to help us through everything. Sopchem is a place I would revisit on my own. So if you're questioning this place, I say take the chance and experience this beautiful country!

Pros

loving guides and locals
surrounded by nature
always adventure time

There are no words to describe how impacted and moved I feel from my experience in Laos these past two weeks. Thank you Give Volunteers for the opportunity to be immersed in such a magnificent culture. The beautiful people in the village of Sop Chem hold a special place in my heart forever. Equally, the extraordinary volunteers and guides on this trip have changed my life. The continuous love and support that I felt every minute of our time together has made an impact on my soul in powerful ways. I feel honored to have met every single person on this journey. I am beyond grateful for this experience. My soul feels fulfilled, inspired, and truly re-centered from the life lessons taught to me in Laos.

Pros

Safe
Well rounded trip itinerary
Amazing people

Cons

Not as much volunteering time as I expected
Very expensive

Gorgeous waterfall lunch and swim to end adventure day

This trip was an absolutely amazing experience! I loved everyday and wished to have been able to stay for longer. The adventures everyday were breathtaking, including waterfalls, caves, and mountains. I met amazing people and I with cherish this experience forever. As a minor I felt completely safe throughout the whole entire trip. My guides were always super insightful on any question I had and made the transition from one country to the next very smooth. I can’t wait to be able to travel with GIVE again!

Pros

Meeting likeminded people
Being immersed in a new culture
Self growth

Cons

Lack of contact with home

Absolutely amazing!! You get to stay in the community and immerse in their culture, while helping them and making great connections and friendships with the locals.

Pros

Learning a new culture
Helping people
Having fun and making friends

Cons

No AC
Repetitive food

This trip is an experience of a lifetime. Anyone wanting to make a positive difference abroad should definitely think about going with GIVE. The difference that GIVE makes within communities all around the world and sop chem, Laos is absolutely phenomenal. The relationship that the guides have with the locals and how involved the locals are with all of the volunteer work that takes place is amazing. This trip is so rewarding but also does so much good. You really learn a lot about the country you are in and past and current issues that they are facing. This trip opened up my eyes and taught me so much about a country I didn’t even know existed before my trip. I will be forever grateful to GIVE and the opportunities that they gave me.

Pros

Make amazing friendships
Make a real difference in these communities
Travel whilst being as sustainable and respectful as possible

Cons

CO2 emissions for travel

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Joey Conway

Program

Northern Laos: Wildlife Conservation, Permaculture, & Meditation Practice with Monks

Job Title

Lead Guide - Laos

Joey is born and raised in California and has worked for GIVE Volunteers for the last 3 years within its Laos program. After completing his degree in environmental science, Joey has spent his time guiding GIVE Volunteers' participants through the jungles and mountains of Northern Laos to learn about development, themselves, and have the adventure of a lifetime.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory would have to be my second Baci ceremony in the community of Sop Chem, which is where a majority of GIVE's volunteer projects are. At the time I had just began my work with GIVE in Southeast Asia as an intern. When the Baci ceremony began, the entire community came from their homes to pay respect and give thanks to our volunteers.

I felt a feeling of gratitude that I had never felt before. Although I had been having the time of my life over the past weeks while working on our project site, connecting with our awesome volunteers, or forging the beginning of lifelong relationships with the community members, it all hit me as the community came up to me and tied bracelets on the wrists of myself and the rest of our group. Sitting their and watching the smiles of the locals and teary-eyes of our group filled me with emotions that no other trip has ever provided me.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Although I have grown an immense amount working with GIVE over the past three years, the most drastic change that was inspired within me was after my first volunteer trip with GIVE when I was 18 years old. That trip instilled a fire in me that I still have today to always find ways to better myself and the world around me. That being said, since beginning my work with GIVE three years ago, that fire has only grown.

GIVE has constantly pushed me to be the best version of myself. However, what has inspired the most growth within myself throughout my time working with GIVE has been meeting and connecting with our incredible volunteers. Being able to grow and learn alongside such diverse groups of humans has instilled in me a sense of optimism and hope that drives what I do everyday.

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What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of my favorite stories from a returned student would have to be the story a good friend told me about when they were on safari in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania (as a part of our Tanzania excursion) and she saw a lion for the first time. They had been cracking jokes with their safari driver the entire morning and were having a great time when all of a sudden the driver got dead serious and told everyone to get quiet. They all did and when they looked through the windshield they saw a massive male lion trotting down the road in front of them.

Although they were safe in the car, she said that everyone became extremely nervous and humbled seeing the king of the jungle in front of their eyes. Then, without any queue, the lion stopped, looked around, and proceeded to roll onto its back and start rubbing its back along the grass like a giant house cat for almost two whole minutes. The entire truck burst out in quiet laughter and I couldn't believe her until she showed me the pictures of the lion. Although not everyone gets the chance to see just that in Tanzania, I have heard some amazing stories from those safaris.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

A very tough question but I would have to say the Tibetan Frontier excursion in Nepal. As an avid hiker/backpacker/climber, no other trips provides so much adventure and stunning nature. The trip begins with a three day trek into the most stunning parts of the himalayas and allows you to connect with the most genuine parts of Nepali/Tibetan culture.

That being said, if I had the chance to do any program, I would most likely still go to Laos because I have fallen in love with this beautiful country and our amazing project site of Ban Sop Chem.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Our company is unique because it is one of the only companies in the realm of volunteer tourism/responsible travel that challenges our participants to think through the most complex questions of development while having an unforgettable adventure. I believe that adventure is what breaks down the constraints that you set on yourself so that you can grow. By designing programs that infuse raw adventure with properly designed development projects, GIVE is able to provide a one of a kind experience for all of those that participate.

The moment I most clearly remember thinking to myself about how proud I am to be a part of this team was when I was at GIVE's Global Engagement Training in Seattle. I was meeting our entire staff and we were all sharing 'why' we were all there that day. The answers that I heard made me so proud to work alongside some of the most driven, diverse, and passionate agents of change that I have ever met. Each person was there to be able to do their part in making the world a better place and I don't think I know of any other company that can attract such capable and inspired people.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

A simple yet awe-inspiring mission. That is why I love GIVE so much. Our mission has inspired me since I was a volunteer in Tanzania over five years ago. That inspiration is what allows me to wake up each morning with a smile on my face, make sure that everyone has the most impactful travel experience, and empower our participants to go back to their respective homes as global citizens.

Jacob Hill

Education Coordinator (Laos)

Carly Schade

Regional Coordinator (Laos)

Location

Location:

Laos

Currency:

Laotian Kip

Laos is typically not regarded as touristy, especially in comparison to its highly touristy neighboring countries of Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia; however, this is slowly changing as people now associate Laos with a laid back style of living.

About GIVE Volunteers

Since 2011, GIVE has led hundreds of all-inclusive, award-winning & life-changing group trips around the world, inspiring more than 8,000 teenagers and young adults to travel with purpose. Our 1-7 weeklong summer programs engage young travelers in meaningful opportunities to learn through doing, such as locally-led volunteer projects, authentic...