I think you are right; this is nothing but one big scam. Personally, I don't have firsthand experience with this organization. But just reading the trip details and having to pay to do community works tells you this is a scam, Mr. Wu and Rustic Pathways are making good money from this. I have been living in Kunming for 5 years now. There are volunteer work programs to help the villages in the countryside, and usually the organizations provide room and board. In rare case, the organization asked for small amount money for room and board. But asking each person to pay $1,295 to do community work, where actually is this money going?
Let just look at the "Trip Details", it is a 10 days starting from US. A direct flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong is 14 1/2 hours. From Hong Kong airport, you have to take a bus to Shenzhen airport (the bus trip will take half a day to the airport because from HK to Shenzhen airport, you have to across the Chinese border) to fly to Kunming (Shenzhen to Kunming take 2 1/2 to 3 hours flight). From Kunming to Shaxi Village, it will take another 8-10 hours bus ride. So base on the schedule of the 10 days trip, the earliest arrivial to Shazi village from US is on the 3rd day of the trip, if you are lucky enough. I think the most; your friend's kid will spend about 4 days in village before start heading back to US.
About the "$685 Internal Air" (Domestic flight?), any flight traveling to/from from Hong Kong airport to/from any cities in the main land China, it is consider an international flight, not domestic flight. The only way, to fly domestic near Hong Kong is to travel into the city of Shenzhen. Flights leaving from Shenzhen to/from Kunming costs about $100 to S200 each way depending on the time of the year. Flights leaving/to from Hong Kong, do cost more, some time twice the cost from Shenzhen. I think your friend's needs to check with this organization which airports are they using Shenzhen airport or Hong Kong airport. In China, some companies like to mislead their customers to which airports they are using. If they are using Shenzhen airport, not only your friend's friend will spend more money, but also spending more time traveling (bus) from one airport (international) to next airport (domestic). It will take about half day.
Sound interesting. I like to join you if you are thinking about doing one day trip because I work every other day (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). So I am only available Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Actually, it is very easy to go from Shenzhen airport to Hong Kong or to Kowloon. You can go with buses, KCR(train), or the ferry (ferry is the most expensive and fastest to Kowloon but the ferry is limited services to 2 times a day. Personally, I prefer taking the Airport bus (white mini-bus for 20 rmb, the bus is waiting right outside the arrival building and leave the airport every 20 min) to Shenzhen main train (Lo Wu station). From the Lo Wu station, you can walk across the border (they are all in one area, train station, bus station and the border to HK, you just need to look at the signs to HK). It is very straightforward. But you do need to be very careful for pickpockets (usually, they work in team), since there are many people there. It is best traveling across the border during the weekday and after the morning rush hour and evening rush hour. Once you arrive in the immigration area, you are pretty safe and you can just walk across to HK. And take the KCR to Kowloon for 35 HK dollars (there is only one train line, it will take you into Kowloon). You do need to buy a metro card at the KCR station from the clerk, not machine. There is a 50 HK dollars charge for deposit on the card, you will get it back when you return the card to any stations in HK when you are done with HK. The metro card is very useful in HK; you can ride any buses or trains (MTR, KCR). And you can shop with it, like all the 7 eleven stores all over the city. So it is a good idea for you put 100-200 HK dollars on your card. You will be surprise how fast the money goes on the card, since HK charge by distance and not per ride.
You can take buses from Shenzhen airport to Kowloon or to Hong Kong Island. But I have to tell you it is little crazy at border crossing. First, you have to switch from one bus to another at the Chinese border to HK border and than once you pass to HK border, you have to switch to another bus to Kowloon. You are never with the same bus and the seat is first come, first service. And in the HK border, there are many buses going to different area of HK, so you will end up looking for your bus while people are rushing for the buses.
I just spoke to my girlfriend (Chinese) and she mentioned to me that recently all the long distance bus stations been relocated to the outskirts of Kunming (It is unfortunate, to get any update information or news about Kunming, we need to depend on the local people). There are 5 long distance bus stations in Kunming now (Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and North West bus station. All are located at the 5 highways that go in and out of Kunming). In regard to going to or coming from Vietnam, it will be the Southern bus station in Cheng Gong district of Kunming. There are local buses that go to the Southern bus station but most likely you will end up taking 2 local buses to get there, depending where you are staying in Kunming. If you decide to take a taxi, it will be around 50-70 rmb to/from the center of the city.
Just want to mention about Visa, do not try to apply for your Visa (Vietnam or Chinese) at the border because both countries will not let you do it at the border. You have to apply in Hanoi (for Chinese Visa)(there is Visa service at guesthouses or hotels in Sapa but basically they just sent your passport to Hanoi and it will take several days to week to get your passport back with a Chinese Visa. It is best you do it yourself in Hanoi, you will save your money and time, also the possibility of loosening your passport while in transit) or in Kunming (for Vietnam).
I think your best bet is to take the buses, the ride is about 8-10 hrs. I don't think it is safe for you to hire any driver unless he/she is highly recommend. The only problem with taking the bus is you never know which bus stations you might end up in Kunming (like all cities in China, Kunming have several long distance bus stations. unlike western countries only have one or two bus stations in a city or town), unless you are able to speak Chinese to the driver and ask which bus station he is going to and hopefully you end up going to the main bus station near the main train station, where it is easy to find local transportations to go any where in the city. Also, I think best if you can make reservation where you plan to stay in the city and ask them for the Chinese name and Chinese address. Most of the local people, especially the local drivers, do not speak English. They can only speak Chinese. It is best you have it in writing and show it to the driver where you want to go.
One more suggestion, when you are leaving Sapa. There are many mini-van leave Sapa to Lao Cai. You need to tell the driver before getting in that you want to go to the China border, otherwise the driver think you just want to go to the center of Lao Cai or the train station (it is a long walk to the border, about a mile and you might have to find another transportations from Lao Cai to the border). The cost from Sape to Lao Cai or to the Chinese border is the same, if the driver tell you different, he/she is trying to cheat you. It is best while you are visiting Sapa, ask the local people about the mini-van price to Lao Cai. And do not get into empty mini-van, the driver will not leave Sapa until the van is full, so you might be going around Sapa several times or waiting for ages (once I waited almost an hour before leaving Sapa).
Well, good luck!
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