Why Travel with KarmaQuest

KarmaQuest is dedicated to providing travelers with an insightful and interactive learning experience that respects local peoples and cultures, while contributing to the betterment of host communities, and protecting the natural environment. KarmaQuest trips visit places where Wendy and Karma Lama have worked, with people they personally know and trust. A portion of the profits from KarmaQuest trips goes toward helping our partners carry out Conservation and Community Service Activities.

On a KarmaQuest, you'll

• Partake in ethical environmentally responsible travel.
• Learn about the environment, people and cultures you visit.
• Experience mountain cultures from the inside.
• Be confident that KarmaQuest donations directly aid the community, and is often matched by local contributions.
• Rest assured with reliable, safe, secure, and personalized services.
• Trust decades of field and international ecotourism experience.

Trip Leaders and Resource People

KarmaQuest leaders, interpretive guides, instructors and resource people are among a family of native and international professionals who live in and work with the communities you'll visit. Local guides and community partners accompany you to the field, welcome you to their homes, and share insights into their worlds.

Making a Difference: Helping Fight Malaria in Burma

The following letter was received from Patrick, a field staff person with UNICEF, as thanks for a donation made by KarmaQuest to UNICEF in Burma. We wish to thank our dear friend Ms. Carroll Long, UNICEF Representative in Myanmar (Burma), for her assistance is channeling this donation to a needy cause. www.unicef.org/myanmar

"Last year (2004), I received US$ 500 which was donated by Karma Quest. With this, I purchased 157 mosquito nets (cotton and nylon mixed which is most suitable for villages). This kind of mosquito net prevents mosquitoes from getting in as well as giving some warmth during the cool season. As it also has some nylon it is not too thick making it best to be used for the kind of weather in the delta area of Myanmar (Burma).

On 28th December (2 days after the tsunami struck SE Asia ), I went with some friends to distribute the mosquito netting at 3 villages: Taung Bo Gyi Village, Gon Min/Wardaw village, and Ohnpinsu Village. The villages are accessible by road and we had to walk about only about 20 minutes by foot from the main road to the villages. In all the villages, there are Bamar (mostly Buddhists) and Kayin (mostly Christians) which means that we could donate to 2 ethnic groups from two religious backgrounds. Since we gave to all households (one mosquito net each) irrespective of ethnic group or religion, they are very appreciative of the arrangement.

We must note that all of them live in absolute harmony and as it was just after Christmas we gave at the Christmas celebrations at the villages, where the Christians come to celebrate and Buddhists also come and help with the cooking of food etc. for the whole village. It was a joyous event for them to have presents.

Most of the people from these small villages are very poor and as we had quite a cold weather this year (especially in the open areas of the villages), they were very happy to receive the mosquito nets which will give them warmth especially at night. These are also the places that have the most mosquitoes in Myanmar. The latter two villages were also affected by floods (more than 5 feet high during the rainy season last July/August) and have lost a lot of their belongings. Luckily, these villages were totally unaffected by the earthquake and tsunamis.

Also at that time, when I handed over the mosquito nets to them personally, they thanked me, but I told them not to thank me but to thank the donors from America, whom I do not even know. Therefore, on behalf of all the recipients, I would like to thank the donors through you for this kind and generous donation."

Patrick