Kaya Responsible Travel

Awful experience. I was not picked up from the airport in India as was previously arranged with the company (which meant that I was left in a dangerous and scary situation as a lone traveller). Many of the other volunteers that I subsequently met who had also booked with Kaya had similar issues.Additionally due to poor organisation and communication between the UK team and the team on the ground, I was only able to do my volunteering project for 5 days out of the 2 weeks that I had paid for (which was a substantial amount of money). I was promised that there would be English speaking members of staff once I was in India, however there were none. this meant that I was unable to understand anything that was said, which made the volunteering project pointless. When these issues were raised with the team (both in India and the UK), these concerns and complaints were dismissed with no apologies.Very disappointing for a company that charge a substantial amount of money to arrange volunteering opportunities for those that want to help and provide for others. I had initially picked this company as they had promised to provide certain unique experiences for volunteers abroad, however they did not deliver on these promises. There are many other similar companies out there that provide a similar service to Kaya, and I would definitely suggest searching these out if you want to get more out of your money (rather than being let down and feeling quite helpless while in a foreign country on your own).--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In response to the below comment, the information given is grossly incorrect.I was not picked up at the airport and had to arrange alternative means of transport (and I ended up paying a lot of money in the process for a taxi when I was told that I would be transported to the destination as part of the total cost of the voluntary project). At the time, I definitely felt like I was left in a dangerous situation on my own (which having frequently travelled to other countries previously was a very unfamiliar experience for me). The same thing was experienced by at least 50% of the other volunteers that I met during this trip, who were very distressed by this at the time.Language barrier: Some members of the team could speak English, however during my placement, the doctor that I was placed with could not speak any English at all (again when I was assured that the medical staff that we were placed with would speak fluent English). As a result I did not understand anything of what was being said. Again this was immediately raised as an issue (the same day) at the time. Additionally, I never mentioned anything about being able to practice medicine in India. I never wanted or expected this, given the obvious legal implications and requirements of which I have always been fully aware.Additionally, I did not wait until the end of the trip to raise concerns that I had not been placed on the correct voluntary project (proof has been sent to the company directly in the form of documented emails sent at the time). Again this is incorrect information. I have already attempted to contact the company directly, but these worried and issues have sadly been ignored.

Working with Kaya was an incredible experience! I really enjoyed the activities such as hiking Machu Picchu, building stoves in Umasbamba, and taking health care classes in Peru.

Kaya is such a great program and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in seeing the world, wanting to get to know a different culture, meeting new people, and also getting an educational benefit. I personally went to Quito, Ecuador for a medical internship and I am still reminiscing to this day. I had such an amazing time and was supported from multiple sources away from home. My experience was life changing and to anyone who is searching for a program, I would choose this one.

Volunteering abroad with Kaya in Peru was such a rewarding, eye opening and overall enjoyable experience. The staff was great! The staff member who went with us to volunteer was very organized and awesome. She helped us find our way to each destination (including as soon as we got off the airplane in Peru, she was right outside waiting for us to take us to where we would be staying) and she was so helpful. I had a great experience with Kaya while in Peru!

Volunteering abroad with Kaya was a one of a kind experience. I really appreciated the work that Kaya put into making my experience in Peru a memorable one. They made things easy for me all throughout my study abroad. They professionally and, at the same time, calmly handled situations and helped the study abroad students and I not feel anxious by giving clear instructions. The connections that Kaya had with the Peruvian people made our stay feel as if we would not have a single complication. Interpretation, organization, and timeliness are main points that Kaya knew how to strive for, and that made my study abroad at Kaya a whole lot easier. The people that I got to meet from Kaya were extremely friendly and guided us tremendously from before the program even started until the end of our study abroad when we were flying back home. Thank you for being there for me!

I had an incredible experience going on this amazing trip to Peru. It was as great as it was thanks to Kaya. The company carefully planned events during the stay, they provided multiple resources for all the travelers and they had the most amazing staff members. Words cannot describe how life-changing this trip was for me. Nostalgia runs through my veins when I think about it. If you have an opportunity to travel, I strongly recommend it. If you have an opportunity to travel with Kaya though, DO IT, but hang on tight because it'll be more than just a trip, it'll be a magical ride. Shout out to Christina Petsas, our Kaya leader during this trip.

As a brand new leader of a study abroad program, I was unsure of what to expect from Kaya throughout the planning phase and what support we were going to have on the ground. Starting with our predeparture planning and continuing throughout the trip, effective communication fostered a positive and professional relationship. From the time we touched down in Peru, until the time we left a month later, our support from all Kaya team members was superb! All pieces to the puzzle such as airport pick-up , arranging transportation, accomodations, excursions, service learning projects, to troubleshooting complications; Kaya was there for us every step of the way! I am thrilled to be working with them again this summer as we plan our next study abroad.

One of the best experiences of my life!I worked on a Turtle Conservation Project in Sri Lanka through Kaya for 2 weeks.The Kaya team were very organised and provided me with all of the information I could need.If you are looking at joining a volunteer program, I can highly recommend Kaya Responsible Travel - all of their staff are amazing and do a fantastic job with support and information.The project itself was AMAZING! I can't wait to choose my next destination!THANK YOU to everyone at Kaya!

Fab bunch of guys offering gap year travel! Some wonderful projects :)