Summer is when most students are free to travel, and it is also when North India is at its hottest. From April to June, Delhi and Jaipur often pass 40°C, and the monsoon usually arrives in July, bringing heavy showers and sticky humidity into September. What you pack makes a real difference to how you feel on a long project day, so here is our list for a summer volunteering trip, plus what you can safely leave at home.
For the heat
Light, loose cotton or linen clothes. Airy shirts, T-shirts with sleeves, and loose trousers or long skirts that cover your knees. Pale colors stay cooler than dark ones, and natural fabrics breathe better than synthetics. Shorts and tank tops aren’t suitable at projects, so bring few, if any.
A long cotton scarf. Possibly the most useful thing in your bag: it keeps the sun off your neck, covers your head at a gurdwara and works as a wrap on a chilly air-conditioned train.
A refillable water bottle. Filtered water is available at our accommodation, so fill up before you go out. You will drink a lot, and a bottle of your own saves dozens of plastic ones.
Oral rehydration salts. You sweat out salt as well as water. A few sachets of ORS mixed into your bottle help on the hottest days, and every pharmacy sells them.
For the sun
High-SPF sunscreen. Put it on before you leave and reapply it through the day, especially on your face, neck and arms.
Sunglasses and a hat. The glare is strong, and a wide-brimmed hat or a cap makes outdoor games and sightseeing far more comfortable.
For the monsoon
A light rain jacket or compact umbrella. From July, showers can be sudden and heavy. Umbrellas are also cheap to buy when you arrive.
Sandals that can get wet. Streets flood quickly in a downpour, and soggy sneakers take days to dry. Bring one pair of closed shoes as well, for project days.
Ziplock bags. They keep your phone, passport copy and cash dry when you get caught in the rain.
Insect repellent. Mosquitoes thrive in the monsoon. Bring a small bottle to start with, then buy more at any pharmacy.
Small things volunteers are glad they packed
- Wet wipes and tissues, for sticky days and public toilets
- Hand sanitizer
- A quick-dry towel: bedding is provided at the Delhi hostel, but towels aren’t
- A small day pack for project days and weekend trips
- A power bank and a plug adapter
- A folding hand fan, the simplest cooling device there is
Buy it when you arrive
Pack light: markets and pharmacies in Delhi and Jaipur have almost anything you might forget, usually for less than at home. Cotton kurtas and scarves, flip-flops, umbrellas, repellent, ORS and the prickly heat powder sold everywhere in summer are all easy to find. Laundry is cheap and dries fast in the heat, so you don’t need a suitcase of spare outfits.
Leave at home
Heavy denim, dark synthetic fabrics, lots of shoes and anything you would hate to see soaked in a downpour.
Packing is only half of it. Read our tips on staying healthy in the Indian summer and what to wear at your project, and if you are coming in the cooler months instead, use our winter packing list. Not booked yet? See summer volunteering in India for start dates, or email info@volunteeringindia.com.