VOLUNTEERING IN India

ASIA

Volunteering in India has so much to offer, thanks to the diverse, exciting atmosphere and culture. Many people describe India as a sensory overload with smells, sights and sounds flooding in from all directions. It is definitely a place which you should experience at least once in your life! From the vibrant festival of Holi and being the home of yoga, to mouth-watering regional food to discover, people looking to volunteer in India have a fantastic range of experiences to try.

Alongside the bustling bazaars and colourful festivals, there is a great need for volunteers to work on animal rescue projects. Pod Volunteer is an award-winning non-profit organisation helping people to volunteer in India for as little as 1 week or as long as 3 months.

You can volunteer at an animal rescue sanctuary, providing hands on help and care to a variety of injured animals including, dogs, donkeys and buffalo!

Volunteers are needed throughout the year in India. Climate wise, you may like to consider the different seasons if you’re looking at when to volunteer. The cooler ‘winter’ months are December, January and February, when temperatures typically range between 12-28°C. ‘Summer’ months are much hotter, typically 28-38°C between April, May and June and the monsoons arrive in June to September for the rainy season.

At Pod Volunteer we love to travel and regularly visit our projects in India. Here is our insider’s view of our experiences travelling and volunteering in India…

Things we loved: Getting to explore Udaipur – a destination not to be missed off any trip to India. The views of the mountains and lakes from the viewpoint at the Monsoon Palace are breath-taking. The local cuisine – there is a great range of curries and breads to try with various levels of spice! Shopping – you will want to take an extra suitcase home with all the beautiful clothing, spices and souvenirs widely available! Taj Mahal – a once in a life time experience that deserves its position as one of seven the wonders of the world.

Things we weren’t so sure about! Not having enough time – India is a huge country and your first visit will only leave you wanting to see more! The heat in the warmer months can make working and travelling tiring – make sure you drink plenty of water and take things slowly. The traffic in the cities can be frustrating!

Below you’ll find a summary of our volunteering abroad programs in India which you can click through to and find out about the volunteer role, location, accommodation and costs, see lots of pictures and read volunteer reviews!

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Animal Rescue

India

Support an Animal Rescue Centre team to care for injured, sick and abused animals
Help feed, clean and care for the rescued animals

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Duration: 1 – 12 weeks

Cost from: £645 / €710 / $800

Top 5 reasons to visit and volunteer in India

Indian Cuisine - number one most definitely has to be the food, and India is much more than just curries. Tandoori, naam, chapatti, crepes and sweets to name a few. Different regions have different styles but get stuck in and try them all (just beware of the chillies!)
Taj Mahal - A trip to India would not be complete without a visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful ‘Seven Wonders of the Modern World’ and the most iconic symbol of India. It was built by an emperor for this wife and took 20 years and 20000 workers to complete.
Colourful festivals - the vast majority of the country follow Hinduism (although there are many faiths in India) which is a very bright and colourful religion, and if you are fortunate enough to be in country during the festival season (especially Diwali) you will not be disappointed!
Yoga - Yoga originated from India and as such is everywhere. Whether you are a beginner or guru, a trip to India would not be complete without practising some yoga at some point.
Bollywood Culture - It’s everywhere. A national pastime. Bollywood stars are as famous in India as Hollywood stars in the States. If you get the chance, go to a local cinema and experience a real Bollywood film or even better some volunteers have been extras!

We have long term relationships with hand-picked projects that have lasting and positive impact. We are a highly experienced and passionate team, here to support you!

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