Earlier this year Fiona Clutterbuck and her husband cycled 500 kilometres from Saigon, in Vietnam, to the ancient city of Angkor Wat, in Cambodia.

The couple gave up eleven days of their precious annual leave to undertake the gruelling challenge.

Fiona, who is in mergers and acquisitions, says: “The experience was absolutely superb. The scenery along the way was staggeringly beautiful and the trip was professionally organised.”

The couple have undertaken several major challenges together in recent years, including cycling across Iceland and climbing Kilimanjaro.

But these are no ordinary holidays. Fiona, 49, explains: “There are several reason why we do these trips. We lead very busy lives and it’s a way for us to do something together. We aim to get fit together and then embark on the challenge.

“It also serves a second purpose, by ensuring we give money to charity. We support different charities each time, but ones that we feel particularly close to.”

Fiona is just one of thousands of people who are now ditching their traditional package holiday for a more rewarding trip overseas. London-based tour operator Charity Challenge has helped raise about £15million for hundreds of charities since its inception in 1999. The organisation, which was set up by Simon Albert, has worked with many of the UK's largest charities including: NSPCC, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, ActionAid, and Diabetes UK. It also helps raise much needed funds for many smaller charities.

Mr Albert says: “If you're willing and reasonably fit, we have an itinerary to suit you. The only barriers are in your mind.”

Fiona and her husband undertook their cycle ride in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Part of the appeal of these fundraising challenges, according to Fiona, is the other people in the group.

She says: “When you are on these trips, it’s usually pretty intense. You meet people from different backgrounds who you might not otherwise meet. Also, my job is pretty desk-bound, although I do travel a lot. It’s nice to be challenged in a more physical and emotional way.”

“London-based tour operator Charity Challenge has helped raise about £15million for hundreds of charities since its inception in 1999.”

Many participants sign up to these trips as a way of achieving a long-held personal goal or because they have reached a milestone in their life. Motives come in all shapes and sizes, but ultimately everyone shares the same intention – to have a life-changing experience, while still benefiting a good cause.

Charity Challenge boasts an impressive range of itineraries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe. Activities include: trekking, cycling, mountain climbing, kayaking, white water rafting or horseriding.

For example, you can go horse riding in Mongolia, trekking in Transylvania or mountain climbing in Ethiopia. The beauty is that you choose your trip, then fundraise for whichever charity you choose to support (provided they are registered in the UK or Ireland).

There are two payment options. You can fund the expedition yourself, which means you pay the full costs and are encouraged to raise as much as you can for your charity. The second option involves you paying a deposit, then pledging to raise a minimum level of sponsorship for the charity.

The challenges cater for varying levels of ability, but all require an element of physical fitness. For many of the participants, therefore, the challenge is as much about getting fit, as it is about fundraising and joining the expedition.

The rise of the conscientious traveller means responsible tourism is also very important to the organisers of Charity Challenge.

Mr Albert says: “We ensure that the local communities in the host countries benefit directly from our challenges. All of our expeditions provide employment, contribute to the local economy and inject funds into vital community projects.”

“All of our expeditions provide employment, contribute to the local economy and inject funds into vital community projects.” Simon Albert, Charity Challenge

If treks and bike rides are not your thing, consider putting in some hard graft on the building site. The north London-based company also runs an overseas house-building project called community challenge. Nominated for this year’s World Responsible Tourism Award (results of which will be announced later this month), community challenge focuses specifically on poverty housing and the plight of Africa's AIDS orphans.

“ Community challenges are first and foremost about giving a hand up, not a hand out to those in need. Many people will of course donate money to good causes, but they will almost never see the good work that their contribution provides,” says Mr Albert. “This is a really hands on experience and will change their lives forever.”

The project has proved very successful and is particularly popular with corporate groups. Some of the companies involved so far have been: Reuters, Saatchi & Saatchi, Diageo, IBM, Freshfields and next month, a team from Coutts will be travelling to India.

Run in conjunction with international house-building charity Habitat for Humanity, community challenge offers a series of projects in the country as well as Sri Lanka, China, South Africa and Mexico. They are also building village community centres with ActionAid in Nepal and Cambodia.

The challenges develop and motivate staff, and provide much needed assistance to developing communities. They also raise vital funds and awareness for charity.

If you are motivated and passionate and keen to help families in either Asia or Africa build new houses for themselves, then why not find out more about community challenge’s work? Your participation in building a new home can help to provide security and break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness that inadequate housing creates.

For more information on this and Charity Challenge, visit  www.charitychallenge.com  or telephone 020 8557 0000.

By Lianne Kolirin