Judging by response to last week's item on voluntourism, there is an eager market out there with people of all ages and in all walks of life to combine holidays with becoming more than superficially involved in other cultures.
This is something which goes way beyond the mandatory temple visits or a few minutes spending the time of day with an indigenous group on top of a mountain or by a river somewhere.
Intrepid Travel, an organisation of high repute, has taken its commitment to responsible travel a step further with the introduction of MAD (as in Make A Difference) programs. They guarantee to immerse you in a local community and genuinely make a difference.
Volunteer participants join small teams of up to a dozen people in rural villages in Africa and Asia (pictured) or even South America, for anything from a fortnight to six weeks.
The experience is ‘hands-on’ involvement with local projects assisting development in areas of health, education and sanitation.
“Living and working as part of a local community, participants in MAD trips become part of village life,” an Intrepid spokesman said. “Each project undertaken is owned and led by the community to ensure sustainability for the area. Volunteers' time is split between building essential infrastructure and teaching in local schools.”
MAD travellers do not have to be skilled in a trade or particular field. Local masons, carpenters and craftsmen lead the group, teaching the required skills and supervising the work.
Projects can be completed in conjunction with an Intrepid adventure itinerary - like renovating a classroom in Tanzania then climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, or building toilet blocks in Peru before trekking the fabled Inca Trail.
Past participants have called it “life-changing”.
Here are a few examples:
MAD TANZANIA is 28 days with a group of like minded volunteers in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world. Time is shared between a building project and teaching at a local school.
It costs from $2255.
MAD THAILAND involves spending 42 days in the rolling countryside of the kingdom's north, beyond the familiar tourist magnet of Chiang Rai city, building basic infrastructure for impoverished hill tribes. Here, the price is from $2710.
MAD NEPAL is 14 days taking part in a unique experience making a real difference to a developing Nepalese community. Building infrastructure to support the community's needs, teaching in a rural school, explore the Himalayan region and experiencing Nepalese village life is the upshot. The price is from $1350
MAD PERU lasts 14 days, heading out from historic Cuzco, ancient capital of the Incan empire and deep into the Andes to assist children and impoverished communities whose beaming smiles belie their harsh living conditions.
This one is priced from $1805.
Going up!
Not one for the faint-hearted or the unfit - worse if you suffer vertigo - climbing the Totem Pole is certainly one for the one-upmanship brigade.
This is just one of the Omigod experiences the Banff Mountain Film Festival will tempt you with when its new world tour visits Sydney from May 19-22.
Regarded as one of the world's most prestigious mountain festivals, it will be here as guest of the outdoorsy gear people, Paddy Pallin, one stop on its tour of 30 countries worldwide.
Travelling from remote landscapes and cultures, to up close and personal with adrenaline-packed action sports, the tour features a collection of the most inspiring and thought-provoking active, environmental, and adventure mountain films.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is produced by Mountain Culture at the Banff Centre, and features award-winning films of the great Canadian outdoors from approximately 300 films entered in the annual festival in Banff.
Tickets are on sale now, and cost $30 or $27 for Paddy Pallin Club members.
Book online at www.paddypallin.com.au and click on the link to the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour.
The Sydney venue is the Seymour Centre. | 
