India Experience: 11-Day Travel + Volunteering – Jaipur

COMBINE A TRIP TO INDIA AND VOLUNTEERING IN 11 DAYS

TRAVEL TO NEW DELHI, AGRA (TAJ MAHAL), JAIPUR, AND PUSHKAR. ENJOY A CAMEL SAFARI AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. EXPERIENCE VOLUNTEERING… ALL ORGANIZED, WORRY-FREE, IN 11 DAYS.

Adventure, authentic experiences, and volunteering in India. All in 11 days.
✓ Don’t worry about organizing a thing.
✓ Travel with a real NGO based in Spain and India.
✓ Experience real volunteering.
✓ Guided tours. 24/7 support.

Our promise is that throughout the whole trip:
a. You’ll be well cared for, from the moment you arrive.
b. You’ll be well informed and supported.
c. You’ll feel comfortable and safe.
d. You’ll have a great experience of authentic cultural immersion.

Activities

Volunteer activities are available to all volunteers during the program.
Below is a description of some of our projects:

• 1. Renovation projects. Schools and nurseries aren’t appealing to children. Children should see their schools as a garden of learning. The work focuses on making these buildings attractive by creating colorful stories, images, and other educational paintings. These activities are highly valued in society.
• 2. Entertainment for the children. As young members of our society, children don’t have many chances for fun activities, especially in the villages. And your entertainment will bring them smiles. These projects are an ideal activity for a cultural experience: they help strengthen the sense of community among its members and draw attention to children’s need to enjoy creative, fun activities. Volunteers have a high impact on the lives of the children they interact with.
• 3. Creative art workshops with children. Indian schools usually don’t give children the space to develop their creativity. It’s a common feeling that school focuses on education rather than other activities, which makes teaching passive and monotonous. Volunteer groups develop a series of creative exercises such as drawing, painting, listening to music, and dancing, which are very important for improving mind-body coordination and creating interest in school. This activity can have a lasting impact on the education system and reduce the school dropout rate in rural areas.

A volunteer’s day to day

The volunteers you’ll live with come from all over the world and are very different people. But sharing such a profound experience gives the volunteer house a warm atmosphere of companionship and friendship that you feel the moment you land. It’s something close, something special.

So, among friends, your day starts with breakfast in the dining room before heading to your project, where you’ll be welcomed with open arms, since volunteers are highly valued and respected in India. You’ll work roughly from 9:00 to 12:30 or 1:00. Lunch, some free time, and back to work — which is nothing but enormously rewarding time, where your help will give you more than it gives them.

In the afternoons, back at the volunteer house, you’ll have free time to explore the city or take part in the program’s cultural immersion activities.

And on weekends… free to rest, or to travel!

Accommodation and meals

The Jaipur Volunteer House is ideally located for project participants: a residential area near the center, with shops, restaurants, a hospital, transportation, etc.
It has rooms for 1 to 4 people with a cooler and bathroom, shared lounges and dining room, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, a washing machine with drying rack, fridges, a bookcase, lockers, etc. And always
under the supervision and care of the coordinator. Everything so you feel at home.

As for the food, Indian dishes are prepared that are, yes, a little spicy, but you’re sure to love them. Rice, legumes, wheat chapati, vegetables, chicken, and lamb.

Itinerary details

You’ll be met by the CiENViDAS representative at Indira
Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, who will take you to your accommodation and help with check-in. The
representative will explain your next hours and days on the trip in detail and give you the
essential documents. If you arrive early on the program’s start date, you’ll have
free time, because the formal program starts on day 2.
Night at the accommodation, Delhi (meals not included)

After breakfast, a sightseeing tour of New Delhi that includes visits to
some important cultural symbols of India. Pass by the impressive India
Gate, the Parliament House, the Gandhi Museum, the Birla Temple, and the President’s Palace.
Visit Raj Ghat, the monument built in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, father of the
nation. Learn a little more about his life and philosophy, which helped India free itself from the
British Empire.
During the tour, we’ll stop at a local restaurant where you can have lunch, then
head to Agra in our air-conditioned vehicle and check in at the
hotel.
Dinner and accommodation in Agra (meals: breakfast).

We get up early to visit the magnificent Taj Mahal, the exquisite
white-marble mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz
Mahal. One of the Seven Wonders of the World. Return to the hotel for breakfast. A short
rest, check out, and a visit to Agra Fort, home to beautiful palaces, mosques, and
gardens. Then we set off on our journey to the Pink City of Jaipur, which takes
about five hours. Along the way we’ll stop for lunch at local restaurants.
Arrival in Jaipur in the afternoon and check-in at the accommodation. After a rest, an
orientation talk about your Jaipur program and the volunteer activities that will start
from the next day.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast and dinner)

After breakfast, you’ll begin the welcome and orientation meeting. The orientation
includes talks and presentations about:
 India and its culture
 Information about your volunteer project, activities, and beneficiaries.
 Cultural responsibility
 Personal safety and Code of conduct
 Your program’s itinerary
Then you’ll visit your volunteer project to begin your volunteer work.
In the late afternoon, there’ll be a Hindi language lesson — for fun, and to use during your
travels and volunteer work.
In the evening, we’ll reflect on our day to see what the most important experiences and
lessons have been, and prepare for our next day of volunteering.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast, packed lunch, and dinner).
Important notes about the volunteer work:
The volunteer project and activities will be chosen and arranged in advance, as we draw on years of experience to decide which type of volunteering is best suited for the local population, while also offering travelers the greatest opportunity for personal contribution and satisfaction.
The volunteer work includes about 5 hours of work in the morning.

After starting the day with an early-morning yoga class, a hearty
breakfast to take on your volunteer project.
In the afternoon, after lunch, we’ll take you to visit the famous Amber Fort. On this trip
we keep you away from boring museums, but you won’t want to miss at least
one of the historic forts of the Rajasthan region (where Jaipur is located).
Later, you’ll have the chance to visit the iconic Palace of the Winds, a famous
historic monument and symbol of India’s rich cultural heritage. You’ll also have
time to do some inexpensive shopping. No tourist traps, just the places
where local people shop every day.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

If you wake up early, join the Yoga class. Then a good breakfast and off to your
volunteer project.
In the afternoon we’ll learn about India’s famous “Henna” painting art, plus
photography sessions and traditional Indian dress: we’ll dress like the locals and add
a small part of daily culture to your experience. After the daily reflection time.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

In the morning, after breakfast, we begin our volunteer project. In the
late afternoon we return to our accommodation to rest. Then
we’ll enjoy a Bollywood dance lesson with a local instructor, where
we’ll learn some Bollywood dance moves. Later, we’ll prepare
for our next day of volunteering.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner)

We start the day at a more relaxed pace and head into the last day of our
volunteer project after breakfast.
After completing the volunteer project, we say goodbye to the project and then
head to Jaipur to watch a Bollywood movie screening. And we prepare
for another immersive cultural experience by visiting a local family’s home for dinner.
Visiting a local, urban, middle-income family and observing their way of life
is one of the best ways to gain a close, personal understanding of how
ordinary people live.
Bollywood movies:
Bollywood movie screenings for foreigners in India can be a
unique and enjoyable cultural experience. Bollywood, the informal term for the Hindi
film industry based in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), is known for its
colorful, vibrant films that often feature elaborate song-and-dance sequences,
intricate stories, and a mix of genres including romance, drama, action, and
comedy.

Here’s what you can expect when attending a Bollywood movie screening as a
foreigner in India:
 A chance to immerse yourself in Indian culture. You’ll witness the passion that
Indians have for cinema and sample their entertainment preferences.
 They tend to attract a diverse audience, including locals and tourists. This can create a
lively, energetic atmosphere in the theater.
 They usually have an intermission halfway through the film, which provides a break to
grab a snack and a chance to discuss the film with other viewers.
 Bollywood films are generally longer than Hollywood ones and
often run between two and three hours. Get ready for a longer
movie experience.
Family meal visit:
Visiting a family involves both observation and participation. While we select
host families based on their ability to converse in English, not
every family member may interact with you in the same way. Approach this
experience with an open mind, enjoy the atmosphere of a local home, and savor a
home-cooked, mostly vegetarian meal.
Night at the accommodation, Jaipur (meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the family).

After breakfast, we leave the accommodation for Pushkar, which will take us
about three hours.
Arrival in Pushkar, where you can store your belongings at a hotel and pack a bag
for your camel safari. For a few hours before the safari, you can take a stroll through the
city of Pushkar and its charming market street. In the afternoon, we take you to another form
of travel better suited to the desert — camels! We take a camel safari aboard the
“ship of the desert,” passing through sandy ravines and local villages where we can
admire the rugged yet colorful landscape of the Thar Desert and the amazing sunset.
Our safari ends at a tented camp, where we can enjoy a
view of the star-lit night sky. Barbecue dinner and accommodation at the
camp in Pushkar.
Night at the camp (meals: breakfast and barbecue dinner).
Note: In the (rather) unlikely event of rain during your camel safari or at the camp, we may need to cancel the safari and put you up in a hotel for your safety.

After breakfast at the camp, we take you back to the hotel in Pushkar, where
you can wash up and freshen up. Then, a guided tour of the city of Pushkar with its
narrow streets, colorful markets, and most importantly, the ghats at the Sacred Lake and
more than 500 temples around it. Our tour takes you to visit the temple of Lord
Brahma, the only temple of the “Creator God” in all of India.
In the afternoon, we take you to the nearby train station in Ajmer for the journey back to
New Delhi, where we’ll head to the accommodation.
Meals included (breakfast and packed dinner)

After breakfast, we’ll have a chat about the last few days and the trip in general, and
free time in Delhi for last-minute shopping or rest. And then all that’s left is to
take you to the airport based on your flight time. Our trip ends here.
Meals included (breakfast).

•  Day 1 (Friday): arrival in Delhi.
•  Day 2 (Saturday): sightseeing in Delhi and transfer to Agra.
•  Day 3 (Sunday): visit the Taj Mahal and Agra – transfer to Jaipur.
•  Day 4 (Monday): volunteer orientation and Hindi class. Start of volunteering.
•  Day 5 (Tuesday): yoga, volunteering, guided tour of Jaipur, shopping.
•  Day 6 (Wednesday): yoga, volunteering, henna painting, and Indian dress.
•  Day 7 (Thursday): volunteering and a Bollywood dance class.
•  Day 8 (Friday): volunteering, a Bollywood movie, and a special immersive cultural dinner with a Jaipur family.
•  Day 9 (Saturday): transfer to Pushkar, camel safari, and a night under the stars.
•  Day 10 (Sunday): temples, market time in Pushkar, and transfer to Delhi.
•  Day 11 (Monday): free time in Delhi and transfer to the airport for the flight back home.

The program includes.

• A representative for personal assistance on all arrival and departure transfers
•  An English-speaking guide-companion throughout the trip.
•  A pre-planned volunteer project in Jaipur (including all necessary materials).
•  10 nights of volunteer accommodation (shared room).
•  All meals described in the itinerary.
•  All transfers and sightseeing as mentioned in the itinerary (entry tickets not included)
•  A camel safari in Pushkar with an overnight desert camp.
•  The yoga sessions indicated.
•  Cultural activities:
  ✓ Learn the famous art of “henna painting” from local experts.
  ✓ Learn “Bollywood” dance moves from professional instructors.
  ✓ Learn the typical and traditional dress styles of India from the instructors.
  ✓ A dinner with a local Jaipur family.
  ✓ Road taxes, parking fees, fuel charges,
  interstate taxes, etc.
•  €200 contribution to our CiENViDAS project. Donation certificate.
•  Our International Volunteering Certificate from the CiENViDAS Foundation.

The program does not include.

•  Flights
•  India visa (easy to get online)
•  Travel and health insurance (*)
  * TRAVEL INSURANCE: travel and health insurance is mandatory. You can use your own, or if you prefer, we can offer our special insurance for volunteers with cancellation coverage.

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You can deduct 100% of the program cost on your next tax return (in Spain).

Start dates

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE INFORMATION
The formal program starts on FRIDAY per the table. So your flight should arrive on day 1 (listed as the “start date”), between 10 a.m. and 2 a.m. the next day (day 2 of the program), so
you can rest a bit before starting the activities. Our representative will be waiting for you with a CiENViDAS logo sign at gate number 6 of the Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi. Check-in at the accommodation is open from 12 noon on day 1 of the program.

(You can arrive at other times, but there may be a small surcharge of around €25.) The departure airport transfer is available from 10 a.m. on the last day of the program (day 11)
until 10 a.m. the next day. Different times may incur a surcharge.

Don’t wait — spots are limited.

• Prior training: No prior experience required — just enthusiasm and commitment!
• Nivel Basic de Inglés
• Minimum age: Be 18 years old at the start of the program. If you are a minor, you’ll need to present consent signed by your parents or guardians.
• Required documents:
  • Résumé (CV).
  • Completed pre-registration form.
  • Criminal background check up to date.
• Attitude: Un espíritu aventurero, solidario, y ¡ganas de divertirse y aprender! .

This program is designed for people who want to transform lives while immersing themselves in an enriching culture.