A week to find your feet before you start volunteering. You learn enough Hindi to get by, hear about Indian family life, religion and customs from our coordinators, and see Delhi’s best-known sights with people who live here. The week ends with a day trip to the Taj Mahal.
There is no project work this week. Most people take it before a Delhi placement, and it also works as a short introduction to India on its own.
At a glance
- Hindi classes that start from zero and stick to words you will use.
- Open conversations with your coordinator about family life, religion, food and festivals.
- A guided day around New Delhi, a temple day, and a day trip to the Taj Mahal.
- Open from age 17. Starts on two Sundays a month.
- The easiest way to start a longer stay in India.
The week, day by day
- Sunday: we meet you at Delhi airport and take you to the hostel. If you are up for it, take a walk around the neighborhood.
- Day 1: welcome and orientation: how the week runs, staying safe, Indian culture and a little history. Welcome dinner with the coordinators and other volunteers.
- Day 2: a guided day around New Delhi: Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, India Gate and the Lotus Temple, with lunch at a restaurant.
- Day 3: an open session with your coordinator. Ask anything about family life, arranged marriage, religion or where to travel. Your first Hindi class is in the afternoon.
- Day 4: more Hindi, then a Bollywood film to test what you have learned.
- Day 5: temple day at Akshardham and the Birla Mandir.
- Day 6: a day trip to Agra with a coordinator to see the Taj Mahal.
If you go on to a Delhi program, you start at your project the following week. The plan can shift a little with holidays and local conditions.
What the Hindi classes cover
Two classes aimed at getting you through everyday life: greetings and introductions, numbers and prices, directions and transport, ordering food, and the polite phrases that make people smile. You leave with a notebook of phrases and enough confidence to try them at the market and at your project.
Who this week suits
- First-time visitors to India who would like a gentle start before a placement.
- Volunteers on a longer stay who want to understand the culture around them, not just see it.
- Travelers with a week to spare who would rather see Delhi with locals than alone.
Evenings and weekends
Project days finish mid-afternoon, so most evenings start with a Metro ride somewhere new and end back at the hostel over dinner with the other volunteers. Delhi rewards curiosity: within an hour of your base you can be eating parathas in the lanes of Old Delhi, watching the light change on Humayun’s Tomb or bargaining for scarves at Sarojini Nagar.
- In the city: Chandni Chowk and the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, Lodhi Garden, Hauz Khas village, Dilli Haat’s food and craft stalls, and the evening light show at Akshardham.
- Day trips: the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, an easy day out by train or car.
- Weekends away: the pink sandstone forts and palaces of Jaipur, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the riverside ghats of Varanasi, or the mountain air of Rishikesh.
Our weekend trips take care of the trains, hotels and guides, and your coordinator is happy to help you plan an independent trip. Sundays have no meals at the hostel on purpose: it is the day to try Delhi’s street food.
Your base in Delhi
Home is a hostel in the south of the city that we share with volunteers from other projects, so you are rarely short of company for dinner or a weekend plan. The Metro is a few minutes’ walk away, which puts your project and most of Delhi within easy reach, and the Lotus Temple and Khan Market are close enough for a first evening out.
You share a room with volunteers of the same gender, cooled by air-conditioning in the hot months. If you would like a room to yourself, ask when you apply and we will price it for you.
The kitchen serves vegetarian Indian food at breakfast and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Lunch on project days is your own, usually from a dhaba or cafe near your project, and Sundays are free for exploring the city’s food.
On top of the hostel meals, the welcome dinner on Day 1 and the restaurant lunch on Day 2 are included.
Good to know
- Bedding is provided. Bring your own towel.
- Drinking water is filtered for you; bottled water outside is up to you.
- Do your own washing, or hand it to a local laundry for a small charge.
- Tell us about any special diet before you arrive.
- Alcohol and drugs are not allowed at the accommodation.
What your price covers
- Pre-departure information: packing list, visa and health advice, and your coordinator’s details.
- Pickup at Indira Gandhi International Airport between 8am and 8pm on your start date.
- Orientation, and your first trip to the project with your coordinator.
- A shared room at our base in South Delhi for your whole stay.
- Breakfast and dinner, Monday to Saturday.
- Your placement, plus support from our team at any hour.
- A certificate of participation, if you ask for one.
- Hindi classes, the culture sessions and the guided sightseeing in the plan.
- The welcome dinner, the Day 2 lunch, and transport and a coordinator for the Taj Mahal day trip.
Not included
- Flights and your Indian visa
- Travel and medical insurance, which is compulsory
- Vaccinations
- Lunch on project days and meals on Sundays
- Metro and auto-rickshaw fares to your project
- Your transfer back to the airport (we can arrange it at extra cost)
- Weekend trips, entry fees, a local SIM card and personal spending
- Entry tickets for the monuments, including the Taj Mahal
Support while you are here
- Your coordinator lives locally, runs your orientation, takes you to your project the first time and checks in with you and the project while you are there.
- Our team can be reached at any hour, every day of your stay, for anything from a lost phone to a hospital visit.
Before you apply
- You are 17 or older on your start date (under-18s need a consent form signed by a parent).
- If you continue into a placement with children, you will need a background check for that program.
- Travel and medical insurance for your whole stay. Your own policy is fine.
- An open mind, patience and reasonable health. Tell us about any medical condition before you travel.
What volunteers say
4.5 from 14 reviews
Orientation and Hindi classesI learned a lot about India, its culture, and people through this program. it was really helpful!
Food and accommodationFood is delicious at home and in restaurants we went. Nice clean room, bed and bathroom which is very convenient.
Read the full review
SightseeingAt each place I could spent the whole day, every moment was very impressive. We got detailed explanation about everything. Overall a wonderful experience.
Our teamEveryone is very Kind and helpful. I felt really very safe everywhere.
Would you recommend us?Yes, of course I will.
Yuko Kawabata, NetherlandsHindi & culture week
Orientation and Hindi classesWe Learn much from the classes, especially some useful phrases.
Food and accommodationFood in India are very nice 🙂 The accommodation is very good, but Heat in India is quite too much .....
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SightseeingIt is good to have visiting different historical sites in Delhi. I took a lot of pictures and I have to say people in India are actually friendly.
Our teamThe only person we are sticking with is Mr. Rajiv. he is very friendly and helpful. We have a wonderful week. He drive us around and told us about the History.
Would you recommend us?Yes, I would recommend this program to all my family and friends.
Nikki Hiu-tung Sham, United Arab EmiratesHindi & culture week
The projectYes, I got to know the children and grew fond of them. I hope I made a difference in their lives. They probably wont remember me but they will live on in my heart. I will miss them a lot and hope to return and visit one day.
HighlightThe highlight was getting to interact with the children at the daycare. It was a very humbling experience and I got a lot out of it.
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Our websiteLoved the photos. Links to the surrounding areas and YouTube videos of the volunteer house.
Before the tripExcellent! They answered all my emails promptly. They also called me personally which was great. It made me feel secure and well taken care of and that the coordinators were professional and the organization respected.
Orientation and Hindi classesLots of fun. Very informative. The culture was explained very well. It was nice to get information about the various monuments and markets (and prices) before we went to visit them.
SightseeingOur days out were packed full of sights, sounds and history. Such a vast city where all religions and cultures live side by side. Akshardham temple was my favorite. Another highlight was a visit to the orphanage.
Food and accommodationAccommodation was great! Very clean thank you. The people were very friendly. The chef was new and did not know what we liked but once he found out, he served delicious food with lots of variety, well done!
Would you recommend us?Yes, I would like to open a volunteering program like this to help the children of South Africa and will look at possibly being affiliated with your organization.
Sharon Hartley, South AfricaHindi & culture week
The projectVery much. I got to work one to one with one child at the school to help them progress. All the children were fun to be around.
HighlightMeeting the children at the school and getting to know them. Also, living in rural India, with the amazing scenery and the trekking trips in McLeodganj was another highlight.
Read the full review
Before the tripGood and very informative.
Orientation and Hindi classesGood introduction to Hindi.
Orientation and Hindi classesvery interesting and enjoyable. Best part of the week was visiting the sited in Delhi.
Food and accommodationAccommodation was nice, lots of space and comfortable rooms. Food was good, it was nice to have home cooked Indian food.
Would you recommend us?Yes, It was a good experience.
Kirstie Daniell, United KingdomHindi & culture week
Questions volunteers ask
Do I need any Hindi before I come?
No. The classes start from scratch and focus on words and phrases you will actually use, at your project and in daily life.
Are entry fees included?
No. Entry tickets for the monuments, including the Taj Mahal, are not included in the price.
Can I join this week without volunteering afterwards?
Yes. Book it on its own, or tell us which program you want to follow it with and we will line up the dates.
Can I take it before a Jaipur program?
Yes. Tell us when you apply and we will help you plan the move from Delhi to Jaipur after the week ends.
Will I be with other volunteers?
Usually. The week starts on the same Sundays as our Delhi programs, so you are often with people about to start a placement, and you share the hostel with volunteers already working at projects.
How tiring is the week?
It is full but not exhausting. Sightseeing days involve a fair amount of walking in the heat, and the Agra trip is a long day with an early start.
How much spending money will I need?
Less than you might expect. Lunch near your project, Metro and auto-rickshaw rides and the odd coffee cost little each day; Sunday meals out are cheap too. Budget more for weekend trips, monument tickets and shopping, which is where most volunteers spend their money.
Which visa do I need?
Most volunteers come on an Indian e-Visa, applied for online before you travel. Your passport needs at least six months’ validity after your return and two blank pages. Rules change, so check the official Indian government e-Visa website; we send guidance after you book and can write a supporting letter if you need one.
Do I need vaccinations?
There are usually no compulsory vaccinations for travelers from most countries, but keep your routine ones up to date. Travel clinics commonly recommend hepatitis A and typhoid, plus protection against mosquito bites. See a clinic six to eight weeks before you leave.
Is Delhi safe for volunteers?
Yes, with sensible precautions. You are met at the airport, you live where our team knows the area well, and orientation covers how to get around, what to wear and what to avoid. Use the Metro, pre-booked taxis or ride apps, keep valuables out of sight, and go out in groups at night. Our team can be reached at any hour.
What should I wear at the project?
Light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and closed shoes. Cotton kurtas cost little at Delhi’s markets and are cooler than most Western clothes in the heat.
Can I stay longer or combine programs?
Yes. Delhi programs run for up to 18 weeks, and many volunteers start with the Hindi & culture week or add a placement in Jaipur. Tell us your plan when you apply and we line up the dates.
Can I come with a friend, partner or family?
Yes. Tell us who is coming when you apply and we place you together where we can. Ask us about group prices and which programs suit younger travelers.
