The Land of Diversity
Volunteer in India
India is a country of contrasts and diversity.


Volunteer in India

Why Gap Year in India?
- Push your limits
- Make an impact
- Craft life-long friendships
- Give your CV an edge
- Become part of something bigger


Why GapGuru?
Extensive Gap Year Experience
Ethical Gap Year Programs
A community of support
Don’t just take it from us…
Why visit India?
This was an amazing experience
5

Sarah
Travelled in 2022
I loved experiencing new cultures
5

Mia
Travelled in 2022
A wholesome, fulfilling experience
5

Harrison
Travelled in 2022
learnt so much and had an amazing time.
5

M. Gray
Travelled in 2022
Your Gap Year in India
All you need to know
India Highlights
- Location: Bordered by Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal & Pakistan
- Population: 1.39 billion
- Language: Prevailing language is Hindi, but many languages are spoken
- Temperature: 25-45 °C in summer, 5-25 °C in winter
Palampur
On any of our volunteer programs in India, you’ll be based in Palampur, a quiet town in the Himalayan foothills. Dubbed the ‘Green Valley’ of Himachal Pradesh, Palampur is famous for its aromatic tea gardens and impeccable paddy fields.
Palampur means “lots of water” as it is a combination of three words: Pani, Alam and Pur.
With its pleasant climate all year round, the region’s many streams and brooks provide a beautifully lush natural landscape with the Himalayas framing the backdrop.
The colonial-era architecture and beautiful temples line the streets of this beautiful mountain town.
Language
India has 22 separate official languages but is also home to a total of 121 languages and 270 mother tongues. The prevailing language is Hindi, with English being the second language. This is a result of the extended British rule of the country and it now is primarily used in business, education, and official documents.
Hindi originated from the interaction of early speakers of Kharli Boli with Muslim invaders from multiple places in Asia. The language dates as far back as the 7th Century!
Here are a few phrases of Hindi to get you started, but we encourage you to try and learn a few more from our team and the community while in Palampur.
English | Hindi Pronunciation | Hindi |
---|---|---|
Good morning | Subh prabhat | शुभभात |
How are you? | Aap kaise hain? | आप कैसे हैं? |
Thank you | Dhanayavaad | आप कैसे हैं? |
My name is… | Mera naam…… hai | मेरा नाम है… |
Indian History and Culture
History
India has a remarkably rich and ancient history. Evidence of farming in the area has been dated as far back as 6500 BC but the first known civilization in India dates back to 2600 BC in the Indus Valley. There were towns with populations of up to 50,000 people, such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, which appear to have been highly civilised.
Since then, India has lived under many empires, from the Mauryan and Kushan Empires from 320 BC to 120 AD, to the mighty Mughal Empire that lasted from the early-1500s to the mid-1700s.
After being under the rule of the British Empire from 1858 to 1947, India today is a democracy.
The country is filled with historic buildings and monuments, such as the iconic Taj Mahal, the Khajuraho Temples and many more man-made and natural wonders! A gap year in India is not complete without taking in some of these sights and learning a bit about its illustrious history.
Culture
Religion in India
India is a secular state so there is no state religion, but it is still a heavily religious country. The majority of Indians practice Hinduism with the other major regions being Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity and Islam. A small percentage of the population practice Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and Bahá’í Faith.
With so many religions comes a wealth of festivals. India has an extraordinary festive calendar, encompassing colourful rituals and parades, all reflecting India’s rich cultural background.
Vegetarianism in India
With a high percentage of the country following religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, India remains the country with the highest number of vegetarians in the world. Somewhere between 20 and 40% of the country is vegetarian, depending on where you get your information.
The food is diverse and walking through any street market your senses will be assaulted by heady and mouth-watering scents and smells.
The Indian poverty gap
Indian greetings
When communicating with people in India it is polite to greet them with the word ‘namaste’, roughly translated as ‘I bow to you’. You should accompany this by joining the palms of your hands together in front of your chest and slightly bowing your head.
When addressing elders, it’s polite to use their surnames e.g Mr/Mrs Patel.
Culture Shock
Culture shock can happen to anyone experiencing a new culture for the first time. It’s the shock your mind and body go through when your daily life changes and you have to get used to a new routine and way of life.
When in India, you’ll be faced with a close to an endless stream of new experiences. We’ll do what we can to prepare you before you leave the UK, but the only way to truly understand a local culture is to immerse yourself in it.
Head to our Gap Year Advice section to find out more about culture shock, how to recognise it and the best ways to handle it.
The Community
During your time in India, you’ll be working with children, partner organisations and the local community in Palampur.
As a relatively rural town, the families in Palampur face significant disadvantages. Many live under the poverty line and have limited access to quality education, healthcare and income generation opportunities.
Our India programs are designed to be long-term and create lasting change. You’ll be a part of that change, impacting the lives of the people across the Palampur community.
During your time with the people of Palampur, you’ll forge relationships that will last a lifetime. You’ll never forget the people you share this experience with.
Where you’ll be staying
You will be staying at a local, family-run guesthouse that we use regularly for our programmes. All the rooms are dorm style, so you will be sharing with 2-4 other gappers.
The accommodation is safe and regularly cleaned, with plenty of spaces for you to relax in your spare time, but the amenities aren’t the same standard that we’re used to in the U.K. This is all just part of the challenge of embracing the local culture and understanding the way that many people in the world live their daily lives!
There are separate bathrooms throughout the guesthouse that have a western toilet, shower and sink.
Meals
Meals are served family-style and are vegetarian to ensure that we can provide you with safe food and also reduce our carbon footprint.
We can cater for all dietary requirements, so long as our team are made aware of these before your arrival. You’ll have access to free safe and clean drinking water at all times.
Breakfast
We keep breakfast simple to give you time in the morning. Expect toast, jam and eggs with coffee and tea. Some mornings you even get the chance to try a traditional Indian breakfast curry!
Lunch
Lunch is likely to be a packed lunch that you will take with you to your project.
Dinner
Dinner is a bigger affair, where our in-house cooks prepare delicious local meals. Be prepared for lots of rice and potatoes depending on where you are. To give you a taste of home the team might even sneak in the odd western dish like pasta.
Your Typical Day
Though each program is unique you’ll follow a similar routine regardless of what you’re doing.
You’ll wake up around 7:00 am for breakfast, then head out to your project location around 8 am for morning activities. After lunch back at the accommodation or at your activity, you’ll head out again for the afternoon session.
The sessions are between 2-3 hours in the morning and afternoon, with time built into the day for resting, planning and group debriefing.
The evenings are for group bonding activities run by your in-country team learning about Indian culture. The evenings are also time for exploration where you can get out and discover Palampur!
Weekends
Your weekends are yours to spend as you like, but we’ll work with you to create an unforgettable itinerary.
You might stay in Palampur and explore the tea gardens or visit the Tashi Jong Monastery, or head further afield to the home of the Dalai Llama, Dharamshala. Its main attraction is the Dalai Lama Main Temple, but the city is rich with Tibetan culture and history which is showcased in the Tibetan Museum.
There are so many ways to spend your free time so if you want any help organising activities, let us know before or during your stay and we’d be delighted to help.
Budgeting
Although all meals are included in your programme, whilst you are in India you’ll want to buy snacks and try the local foods.
Here’s a list of a few standard items to help you budget for your trip, however, approximately £5 per day should be adequate for your time in India.
£1.00 = 95 Indian Rupees (Rs)*
Sweet treats
Chocolate 150g-369g | Rs40 – Rs144 |
Bourbon 150g | Rs35 |
Oreo 120g | Rs25 |
Digestive Biscuit 100g | Rs12 |
Good Day 200g | Rs25 |
Mari Gold 100g | Rs38 |
UNIBIC 450g | Rs125 |
Savoury snacks
Crisps 28g-100g | Rs10 – Rs40 |
Samosa 1pc | Rs15 |
Momo’s 10pc | Rs60 |
Gol Gappe 3pc | Rs10 |
Gulab Jamun 1kg | Rs250 |
Jalebi 1kg | Rs300 |
Drink & Fruit
Per bottle 750ml-2l | Rs30-Rs90 |
Banana 12pc | Rs70 |
Mango 1kg | Rs100 |
Papaya 1kg | Rs70 |
Orange 1kg | Rs150 |
Apple 1kg | Rs300 |
Your support
Our Gap Year programs have the best of all worlds: independent, impactful travel with a support network that’s there whenever you need it.
During your stay in Palampur, you’ll be in the care of our dedicated India GapGuru Mentors. They not only ensure you never feel too far from home but they’re also there to help you make the most of your time in India.
Our India team are based in Palampur where they live and work in the community year-round. They’re there for you every step of your journey and will be on hand to help whenever you need it.

Neha
Neha has been with the India team since 2018. She has a background in education and a graduate degree in Computer Science from the University of Punjab.
She has previously taught at various schools in the Palampur community which gives her unique insight and ability to connect with students. She has lately been enjoying engaging in STEM workshops and gender sensitization discussions with youth in India.
These were two of the core reasons Neha joined GapGuru as her aspirations have always been to support quality education, reduce gender inequality and raise awareness about health and hygiene in India.
India Program Pricing
Having been doing this for as long as we have, we’ve got the experience to know exactly what makes an incredible gap year experience. As a result, we’ve made our India gap year program format and pricing simple.
Our India programs run for a minimum of four weeks. You can add additional weeks in India or combine another one of our destinations to see more corners of the globe.
If you’re interested in including some independent travel, let us know and we can help you organise it around your programs.
- Registration £250
- 4 week program £2,195
- Combine with another destination + £1,755 per destination
- Additional weeks £250 per week
Prices Include
- Safe Accommodation
- 3 x nutritious meals (Mon –Fri)
- All pre-travel materials
- Training & orientation
- Pre-travel, in-country & post-travel care
- In-country transport
- Airport pick-up & drop-off
- GapGuru Mentor
What we can help you with
- International Flights
- Visa and Travel insurance fee
- Vaccinations
- Local Transport and Travel
- Any Personal Expenses
Things to do in India
Your India Bucket List
Taj Mahal
When someone says ‘India’, you think of the Taj Mahal.
Some historians say that the architectural beauty of this historic monument has never been surpassed. Built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal, it is an ‘elegy in marble’. Some even describe it as an expression of a ‘dream’.
Unfortunately, the Taj Mahal, which is also one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, is falling victim to chronic pollution and is gradually turning yellow due to air pollution caused by petrol flames and illegal building works.
The Taj Mahal is a long way from Palampur, so the easiest way to visit it as part of your time in Delhi.


Taj Mahal
Explore the Tea Gardens
Step into the lush green gardens near Palampur to discover the tea-making process. Walking through the gardens is like stepping into a dreamscape, with lush growth all around and the beautiful fragrance of the tea leaves filling your senses.


Tea Gardens
Tashi Jong Monastery


Tashi Jong
Baijnath Temple
Baijnath Temple is a Nagara-style Hindu temple found in the small town of Baijnath. Around 16km from Palampur, this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built in the 13th Century.
According to the ancient scriptures of Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva created 12 jyotirlingas, which were pillars that emanated pure light and unencumbered power. He placed these across the country as a challenge to Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma, and one of these 12 jyotirlingas rests inside the famous Baijnath Temple.


Baijnath
Dharamshala


Dharamshala
Delhi


Delhi


The FutureSense Foundation
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India volunteer programs
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How it works
The GapGuru Way
STEP 01
Choose where you'll make your impact
STEP 02
Decide how you'll make a difference
STEP 03
Choose your add-ons
What to learn more about India?
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