Want to make the most of your summer break? Volunteering India would be glad to host you in Delhi or Jaipur, where you can spend your weekdays with children who need extra support and your weekends exploring the cities and culture of North India.
Here is everything you need to know about volunteering in India in summer 2027. You have plenty of time, so start planning now.
Volunteer and make a difference
You don’t want to spend your summer doing nothing, and that is why you are thinking about volunteering. We make sure your time goes where it is needed, alongside local staff at projects that have asked for help.
You can join any of our programs for as little as a week. Delhi programs start two Sundays a month and run for up to 18 weeks; Jaipur programs start every Sunday and run for up to 12 weeks.
On our street children program in Delhi, you work at a shelter home or non-formal education center for children from the city’s poorest neighborhoods. You help run informal classes, plan lessons around games and activities, play with the children and give them the attention they rarely get. Now and then the staff take the children on an outing to the zoo or a museum, and volunteers can help. Within a week you will have bonded with the children, and they will give you their trust and affection in return.
In Jaipur, you can help in a classroom on our teaching program, care for young children on our childcare program, or brighten up schools and centers on our renovation program. Project days in Jaipur are shorter, three to five hours, which helps in the summer heat.
Spending time with these children makes you more patient and grateful, and teaches you to find joy in simple things.
Travel and make amazing memories
Project days run Monday to Friday, so your weekends are free to explore.
Delhi has plenty to keep you busy. See its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort and Qutub Minar, and visit the Lotus Temple and Akshardham. Browse the markets at Janpath and Dilli Haat for souvenirs to take home. Delhi’s chaos will grow on you!
Our weekend trips take care of the travel, hotels and guides:
- Taj Mahal day trip: no trip to India is complete without the Taj, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz. It really is worth the hype, and you can add Agra Fort on the same day.
- Amritsar and the Golden Temple: by train to the holiest place in Sikhism, with a visit to the Jallianwala Bagh memorial. Try the langar, the free community meal served in the temple kitchen to everyone who comes.
- Golden Triangle: three days through Jaipur and Agra, with Amber Fort, the City Palace, a Rajasthani evening and sunrise at the Taj Mahal.
- Jaipur weekend: the Pink City’s forts and palaces, and you will notice how different Rajput architecture is from the Mughal monuments of Delhi and Agra.
- Varanasi weekend: the ghats of the Ganges, a boat ride and the evening fire ceremony.
Want to escape the heat? Summer is the season for the Himalayan foothills, and many volunteers spend a long weekend in Rishikesh or McLeod Ganj, home of the Dalai Lama. Your coordinator can help you plan the journey.
A few more things to know
You will make friends from all over the world. You live with volunteers from many countries, hear what brought them to India and share your own stories. Many become friends for life.
You can get a certificate. Ask, and we will give you a certificate of participation at the end of your program. It is a useful addition to a CV or a college application.
One price covers the essentials. Every program includes airport pickup, orientation, accommodation, meals, your project placement and support from our local team at any hour. In Delhi you get breakfast and dinner, Monday to Saturday; in Jaipur, three meals a day. Weekend trips are optional extras that you can add when you apply or once you arrive. See dates and prices.
Be ready for the heat. North India is hot from April to June, often above 40°C, and the monsoon brings rain from July. Our summer volunteering guide has start dates and tips for the weather.
Book early if your dates are fixed. You hold your place with a booking deposit and pay the balance 45 days before you start.
Want to spend your summer a little differently? Come and join us. For more information, email info@volunteeringindia.com.