Overview:

Throughout Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia) and Thailand rural communities with ethnic minorities inhabit some of the most mountainous and remote regions. The living conditions are harsh and doctors and hospitals are far away. Buffalo Tours sponsors and co-ordinates medical service projects with treks into these remote regions. This enables the minority communities to receive regular health check-ups and for children to be immunized.

Mai Chau, approximately 180 kilometers from Hanoi - Vietnam, is gently alluring people for its exotic mountain scenery and fresh air breeze where ethnic minorities, also inhabit with a harsh living conditions and extreme deprivation. Annually, Buffalo Tours sponsors and co-ordinates the medical trek project with Seattle Community College in the purpose of providing regular health check-ups and immunization for children. The so-called miracle has created a chance for many local people to see the doctor at the first time. In the last three years 2007, 2008, 2009, groups of responsible people have spent one week each year, including experienced doctors, qualified nurses and medical students from the USA as well as young doctors and volunteers from Vietnam left their personal life and work behind and joined this absolutely special event.

This one-week project has covered three hill tribe villages in Mai Chau and provided treatment to around 1,200 patients each year. We have given thousands of medical items including medicine to miserable people and equipments to establish local clinics. This event could be considered the great practice of sustainable tourism when you could give something back to local community.

Location:

Mai Chau – Hoa Binh
Mai Chau is the gateway to Vietnam's northwest, strapped around the foothills of the mountains that run up from the plains. It is 160km Northwest of Hanoi.
Mai Chau is populated by various ethnic groups, the Thai, Tay, Dao, H'Mong and Hoa. The climate is mild and relatively dry. Average annual rainfall is 1395 mm mostly between May and October. The maximum average temperature is 25.6deg. C. Temperature may drop as low as 15deg.C some nights in December or rise to 38deg on an April or May afternoon. Average humidity is a pleasant 85%, but may be as low as 36% in January.

Transport: Air conditioned bus, trekking

Participant Requirements:
All participants must be of average fitness to participate in this trek.
All SCCD students and community members may participate in the Village Development Project.
Participant Requirements for Medical Trek activities:
• M.D. (malpractice coverage is not included)
• RN or LPN
• SCCD student with minimum of LPN program completion or completion of first year RN program

Minimum group size: 10 pax

Minimum length of volunteering: 7 Days

Trip price: please enquire for availability and cost

Tour includes:
•  All arrangements for the community health project in Mai Chau
•  Service of a tour leader throughout
•  All internal transfers and transport
•  Accommodation based on twin sharing
•  Food as mentioned in the itinerary
•  All guided sightseeing fees and entrance fees as per itinerary

Tour excludes:
•  International airfares
•  Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
•  Visa and visa fees
•  Travel insurance
•  Personal expenses
•  Tips & gratuity

Location: Mai Chau – Hoa Binh
Mai Chau is the gateway to Vietnam's northwest, strapped around the foothills of the mountains that run up from the plains. It is 160km Northwest of Hanoi.
Mai Chau is populated by various ethnic groups, the Thai, Tay, Dao, H'Mong and Hoa. The climate is mild and relatively dry. Average annual rainfall is 1395 mm mostly between May and October. The maximum average temperature is 25.6deg. C. Temperature may drop as low as 15deg.C some nights in December or rise to 38deg on an April or May afternoon. Average humidity is a pleasant 85%, but may be as low as 36% in January.

Transport: Air conditioned bus, trekking

Participant Requirements:
All participants must be of average fitness to participate in this trek.
All SCCD students and community members may participate in the Village Development Project.
Participant Requirements for Medical Trek activities:
• M.D. (malpractice coverage is not included)
• RN or LPN
• SCCD student with minimum of LPN program completion or completion of first year RN program

Minimum group size: 10 pax

Minimum length of volunteering: 7 Days

Trip price: please enquire for availability and cost

Tour includes:
•  All arrangements for the community health project in Mai Chau
•  Service of a tour leader throughout
•  All internal transfers and transport
•  Accommodation based on twin sharing
•  Food as mentioned in the itinerary
•  All guided sightseeing fees and entrance fees as per itinerary

Tour excludes:
•  International airfares
•  Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
•  Visa and visa fees
•  Travel insurance
•  Personal expenses
•  Tips & gratuity

Buffalo Tours has developed a specialized Volunteer & Educational Travel team of experienced teachers, community development specialists, travel experts and guides that allows you to

1) customize not only your volunteer educational travel arrangements but also integrate these into your group’s core learning objectives!

2) participate in community development projects and activities that have undergone a rigorous  participatory needs analysis process

In this way your travel creates the most inspirational impact for all involved