What we do

It has always been at the heart of Buffalo Tours’ ethos to not exploit local communities’ culture and environment. We ensure our tours are:

• low impact on natural resources
• respectful and observant of local customs and
• supportive of local economies
  

The vast majority of Buffalo Tours’ staff are locally employed and all our guides are, ensuring a more authentic experience for travelers, as well as sensitivity to local customs and culture. We also involve local communities in remote areas that we travel to. An example of this is Mai Chau, where we ask local communities for input into our treks and to provide homestay accommodation. Buffalo Tours also had NGOs undertaking independent assessments and interviews with local communities about our lodge development in Mai Chau and are employing local ethnic minority staff there.

We are involved in a number of initiatives and are always looking to develop more. We donate thousands of dollars annually to humanitarian causes and were the first travel company in Vietnam to offer volunteer travel. Our genuine commitment to Responsible Travel is increasingly well-known and our programs are evolving. Buffalo Tours’ CEO, Tran Trong Kien, recently won the 2007 ‘Face of the Future’ award from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), in recognition for his positive contribution to the local community in promoting sustainable practices.

You can get as involved as you like in our programs and other charitable initiatives in Indochina. Buffalo Tours arrange visits to orphanages, short- and long-term volunteer placements in the community, volunteer adventures, medical treks and exciting charity challenges, such as scaling Vietnam’s highest mountain.