One of the best things about volunteering in India is the weekend. Project days run Monday to Friday, so Saturdays and Sundays are yours, and India is a country you can explore well on a modest budget. Trains reach almost everywhere, guesthouses and hostels are plentiful, a filling thali costs little, and some of the most memorable sights are free.
Here are popular cities within easy reach of Delhi and Jaipur, with ideas for seeing them without overspending. Some are on our weekend trips, with transport, hotels and guides arranged; the rest are easy to plan yourself with a little help from your coordinator.
Agra
The Taj Mahal lives up to its reputation, and it’s about three hours from Delhi by road, or less on a fast train. Go early, when the light is soft and the crowds are thinner, then visit Agra Fort, just along the river. With an extra day, the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri is close by. Our Taj Mahal day trip takes care of the car and guide. Remember that the Taj is closed on Fridays.
Jaipur
The Pink City is all forts, palaces and bazaars. Climb up to Amber Fort, admire the honeycomb front of Hawa Mahal, explore the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar observatory, and watch the sunset from Nahargarh Fort. Wandering the old city’s bazaars costs nothing, and some monuments give student discounts, so bring your student card. From Delhi, our weekend trips include a Jaipur weekend and the three-day Golden Triangle tour with Agra. If you volunteer in Jaipur, all of this is on your doorstep.
Amritsar
Amritsar may be the best-value weekend in India. The Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikh faith, is free to visit and open to everyone, and its community kitchen, the langar, serves free vegetarian meals to all comers, cooked and served by volunteers. Come back after dark to see the temple lit up over the water, and visit the Jallianwala Bagh memorial nearby. Our Amritsar trip includes the train from Delhi and back, a hotel and meals.
Varanasi
One of the oldest living cities in the world, Varanasi is best seen on foot and by boat. Walking the ghats along the Ganges costs nothing, and neither does watching the Ganga Aarti, the fire ceremony held on the riverbank every evening. Taking an overnight sleeper train from Delhi saves a night’s accommodation each way. Our Varanasi weekend includes the trains, a hotel, a boat ride and a guide, plus Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught.
Rishikesh
In the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is known for yoga and for the Ganges running clear and fast between green hills. Overnight buses and early trains from Delhi make it an easy weekend away (many trains stop at nearby Haridwar). Simple guesthouses and ashrams are plentiful, drop-in yoga classes are easy to find, and the evening aarti at Triveni Ghat is free. Outside the monsoon, white-water rafting is the one splurge worth making.
Pushkar
About three hours from Jaipur, Pushkar is a small, laid-back holy town around a lake lined with ghats and temples, including one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Brahma. Rooftop cafes, cheap guesthouses and an easygoing bazaar make it a favorite with backpackers. The town is vegetarian and alcohol-free, and in October or November it hosts the famous Pushkar camel fair.
Udaipur
Often called the most romantic city in Rajasthan, Udaipur is a city of lakes, with white palaces and old mansions rising from the shores of Lake Pichola and hills all around. It’s an overnight train from Delhi, or a day’s journey from Jaipur by train or bus. Its best pleasures cost little: sunset from the lakeside ghats, wandering the old lanes, and dinner on a rooftop overlooking the water.
Jodhpur
The Blue City takes its nickname from the indigo-washed houses of its old town, spread beneath the cliff-top Mehrangarh Fort. Wander the blue lanes, browse the spice stalls around the Clock Tower market and linger at the restored stepwell. Jodhpur is an overnight train from Delhi, or five or six hours from Jaipur by train.
How to travel on a budget
- Take the train. Reserved classes are comfortable and good value, and overnight trains save on hotels. Book early for weekends and festivals.
- Travel in a group. Sharing rooms, taxis and guides with other volunteers cuts costs.
- Eat like a local. A thali at a busy dhaba, or a snack from a stall where locals are lining up, is cheap, filling and usually delicious.
- Book ahead for long weekends and festivals, when hotel prices rise.
- Ask your coordinator. They know which trains to take, which hotels are reliable and what a fair price is.
Weekend trips aren’t included in your program price, so set aside a travel budget. For more ways to stretch it, read our budget tips for volunteering in India, or email info@volunteeringindia.com with any questions.