Fancy an authentic adventure around south India in four weeks?

The intriguing country of India is an all-time favorite with travelers from around the world and this tour will show you why!

Setting off from the bustling "garden city" of Bangalore, the tour begins with a heady helping of the rich Indian culture! In this stunning city which boasts more greenery than concrete, you'll be mesmerized as modern architecture mingles with ancient temples and sophisticated bars border beautiful parks. You'll embark on your four-week Southern Indian odyssey by volunteering at one of the local schools in Bangalore whilst exploring everything this city has to offer. You'll then move on to discover the origins of this incredible country at Hampi, Chennai and Pondicherry. This action-packed tour will end with a visit to the culturally rich city of Mysore before returning to Bangalore to catch your breath to reflect on the most thrilling four weeks of your life!

Where does the tour go?

This unique tour explores the best of Southern India in 28 days. You will spend some time around Bangalore and the surrounding area before moving over to the East coast to Chennai (Madrasa) and Pondicherry. This is a small group tour with a minimum of five and maximum of 15 individuals on each date. Here's the full itinerary:

FULL ITINERARY:

Day 1-2: Arrival at Bangalore.

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your guest house. You’ll have time to rest and relax so that you’re ready for an exciting month of work and travel!

The next day your orientation will take place in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, a 250-acre park in the middle of Bangalore. There will be time for a walk through the park, you’ll have lunch with the Bangalore coordinator and will visit some of Bangalore’s tourist attractions in the afternoon.

Day 3: Bangalore.

You’ll be introduced to the government school where you will volunteer over the coming days. There will be time to get to know the children before heading for lunch and preparing for your volunteering the following day.

In the evening there will be an introduction to Indian cooking where you’ll learn to make chapathis. After making your own you’ll experience an India Dinner night.

Day 4: Bangalore.

Voluntary work at your school. You’ll have dinner in the evening followed by the opportunity to experience Bangalore’s nightlife!

Day 5: Bangalore.

Voluntary work at your school. You’ll have some time to rest and relax before heading our for a Bollywood night in the evening.

Day 6: Bangalore.

Voluntary work at your school. This evening will be free for rest and relaxation.

Day 7: Bangalore to Hampi

You’ll have a morning off followed by an afternoon visiting the fruit and vegetable market, chilling out in town and dinner. In the evening you will depart overnight to Hampi.

Day 8: Hampi.

Arrive into Hampi in the morning ready for breakfast. You’ll then have the whole day for sightseeing in Hampi.

Day 9: Hampi to Bangalore.

Today you will visit the Hanuman Temple before returning back to Bangalore in the evening, arriving the following morning.

Day 10-13: Bangalore.

Arrival into Bangalore ready for breakfast. Today you will return to volunteer at your school for the next four days.

On Day 13 you will spend the morning at your school and will have the chance to say goodbye to your new-found friends! In the afternoon you will have some free time before an evening of culture and dinner.

Day 14: Bannerghatta National Park.

Today you will visit Bannerghatta National Park where you will have the chance to see some of India’s wildlife, including lions, tigers, snakes and crocodiles!

Day 15: Bangalore.

It’s time to see more of Bangalore today on a sightseeing trip, followed by the opportunity to do some shopping and exploring. After dinner you will depart overnight to Chennai.

Day 16-18: Chennai.

You will arrive into Chennai in the morning ready for breakfast. On each day you will have the mornings to rest and relax in the beach before an afternoon of sightseeing.

After breakfast you will pack and leave for Pondicherry, arriving for lunch. You’ll then have the rest of the day to explore Pondicherry.

Day 20: Auroville International Community.

Transfer to the Auroville International Community. This is an experiment in international living where people can live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, politics and nationalities. A truly unique experience.

Day 21: Pondicherry.

In the morning you’ll be able to test your sleuthing skills with a treasure hunt, followed by an afternoon topping up the tan on the beach.

Day 22: Pondicherry to Bangalore.

You’ll depart back to Bangalore this morning arriving in the afternoon. The rest of the day will be free time.

Day 23: Bangalore.

A shopping day to pick up all your presents for back home. Or, if you prefer to explore or rejuvenate.

Day 24: Mysore.

Transfer to Mysore ready for lunch. You will have the afternoon to sightsee, including the Maharaja's Palace.

Day 25: Mysore to Bangalore

You’ll be able to spend the morning sightseeing before returning back to Bangalore in the afternoon. You’ll reach Bangalore in time for dinner.

Day 26: Bangalore.

Today you will visit another of our projects – a children’s home for boys. You’ll spend the day helping out at the home and getting to know the boys.

Day 27: Bangalore.

The trip is nearly over! You’ll have some time in the morning to pack or relax if you prefer followed by a free afternoon to get any last minute items. In the evening you’ll have a goodbye dinner to say farewell to all you new friends.

Day 28: Bangalore.

The tour ends today and you should arrange your flight home or onward travel arrangements on this day.

Why go on this project?

This trip enables you to combine sightseeing with volunteering. Over the 28-day trip you will get a chance to try your hand at conservation, teaching and community work for a taster into the world of volunteering. You will also travel to see the top tourist attractions within Southern India along the way.

Your role as a volunteer

Your role will be to get as involved as possible, helping the local communities by educating and entertaining them. Your volunteering will be for short periods of time, so it will be your chance to get the most out of each session and a taster for each type of volunteer work.

The skills you need

You do not need any specific skills to go on this trip, only a wish to help and get involved with educating and entertaining India's youngsters. You will receive our Online TEFL course as part of the trip to give you a head-start with teaching English abroad. This is a tour so there will be some days with a lot of travel, so be prepared to be continually wowed by the sites and excursions!

Accommodation included

You'll be staying in clean and comfortable shared local accommodation, giving you the perfect chance to experience the local culture and make friends with other volunteers.

Project resources and advice

All necessary resources will be provided, although you may wish to bring some maps or magazines about your culture back home.

*SPECIAL NOTE*: Minimum numbers apply: please call us for more information.

Food included

All your meals will be provided each day, in the form of breakfast, lunch and dinner, which will be traditional delicious Indian cuisine and are vegetarian-friendly.

Airport pick-up included

If you time your arrival to one of the designated arrival dates then airport pick-up is completely free. Please book your flight to arrive into Bangalore airport (airport code BLR). Should you require a different pick-up time, a charge of GBP£15 will be required to cover fuel and staff time to come and get you. Any additional nights needed at the orientation accommodation, for example if you arrive a day or two early, will be roughly 250Rupees per night, payable directly to the accommodation.

Things that you will need to organize yourself

• Flights to India: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Travel insurance: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Visa
• In-country transport (except your airport pickup on arrival date)
• Tours, trips and add-ons: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Extra food and equipment

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

The following information details what will happen during the first few days of your arrival. We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that aims to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in India.

You will arrive on the Arrival date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day and will be taken to your permanent accommodation where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. You will be shown your project the next day and will settle into your volunteer schedule. In the first few days a meeting will be arranged to have your orientation where you will be advised about the area.

If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you wish to make your own way please contact your in country co ordinator directly on the previous contact details.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Country Guide

A little bit of history…

For over 5000 years the subcontinent of India, has seen the rise and fall of a succession of great empires, regional states and colonial powers. The first great Indian empire-builders were the Harrapans (The Indus Valley Civilisation) who flourished across parts of modern-day India and Pakistan from around 3500BC. The Harrapans opened up trade routes with Mesopotamia, built carefully planned cities and developed a pantheon of deities that over the years morphed into the Hindu deities Shiva and Kali. After the Harrapans came the Aryans who developed the caste system and wrote the sacred Vedas (including the Upanishads and the Brahamanas). These philosophical teachings were instrumental in the development of Buddhism and Hinduism – the religious foundation stones of the Indian cultural psyche.

After a brief incursion by Alexander the Great in 326BC, the Mauryan Empire gained control of much of central, eastern and western India. The first Indian empire to embrace Buddhism, the Mauryan civilisation reached it’s peak under the guidance of Emperor Ashoka and a long period of political stability enabled the caste system to flourish and allowed many cultural and technological advancements to be made. During this time envoys were sent to Sri Lanka and Nepal to spread the word of Buddhism.

Over the next 1000 years many empires gained control of regions of India – the Gupta’s in central India, the Chola’s and The Vijayanagar Empire in the south – but it wasn’t until the emergence of the Islamic empire of the Mughals that the whole of India came under the control of one power.

The Mughals ushered in a golden age of art and architecture, and have left us with many of the most recognisable symbols of Indian grandeur and architectural excellence – Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal, Agra’s Red Fort and Hamuyan’s Tomb in Delhi. They ruled from the early 16th century until the rise of the British East India Company and the advent of European control of the Indian subcontinent.

After much jostling for position, the British emerged as the dominant colonial force in India. While Portugal held sway over parts of Goa and Kerala and the French had small colonies such as Pondicherry, British influence spread from the verdant valleys of Kashmir to southern shores of Tamil Nadu. India was now under British rule and would stay that way for over 150 years – the British Raj had been born.

The European colonisers exploited the many natural resources found in India and the excesses of the Raj were many and spectacular. Every summer, as the heat in the central plains grew unbearable and the streets of Delhi shimmered in the heat haze, the entire apparatus of government was moved more than 300km north to Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. To this day Shimla - a strange little town perched high in the foothills of the Himalaya - resembles nothing quite so much as a Victorian English village - complete with parish church and fun fair!

The excesses of British rule created widespread resentment across India and a succession of uprisings and civil disputes lead to independence from British rule in 1947 and the partition of India and Pakistan. Following independence much blood was spilled as Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims tried to ensure their place in the uncertain future of the subcontinent. Many wars have since been fought between Pakistan and India and to this day the Kashmiri borders are still disputed and fought over. The pristine valleys and glacial lakes still reverberate to the sound of gunfire and army convoys ply their trade across the mountain passes of the Jammu and Kashmir.

India’s recent history has seen relative peace and since the recent earthquake that hit Pakistan and Indian Kashmir, relations between the two countries have greatly improved. Although poverty and deprivation are still endemic in India, economic strides are being made and India now has a reputation as one of the world’s leading e-business nations.

Best time to go...

Due to the sheer size and the complex geography of the subcontinent, Indian weather is as complex as Indian history. While the people of the central plains are searching for shade and respite from the heat, the inhabitants of the Jammu and Kashmir are waiting for the last snows of winter to recede.

From as early as February the whole continent gradually begins to heat up and by May temperatures of 45C are commonplace. As the hot season drags on the country takes a collective deep breath and waits in anticipation of the south-west monsoon. When the monsoon finally hits, the hot, dry and dusty conditions are gradually replaced by intermittent heavy downfalls. It doesn’t rain all the time during monsoon, but it rains every day – heavy tropical showers are punctuated by warm sunshine that turns the parched subcontinent into something of a mudbath. During this time of year, travel can be difficult if not downright dangerous: rivers break their banks, floods bring cities to a standstill and the destructive power of the monsoon is clear for all to see. In 2005 parts of Mumbai were under 5 feet of flood water and hundreds of the cities slum dwellers lost their lives. After the south-west monsoon has subsided, the south eastern coast (primarily Kerala, Karnataka and Goa) experience a short but intense second monsoon.

When the rains have finally cleared the country experiences a brief but beautiful spell of warm sunny weather. The period from October until around early February sees much of the country experiencing comfortable conditions that are ideal travelling weather for foreign visitors. That being said, in the far north (Kashmir, Ladakh and parts of Himachal Pradesh) winter has taken hold, snow covers the mountains and passes up into the Himalayan Plateau shut down as early as September 16th.

Getting around...

Air

Travel in India is unlike anywhere else on the planet, the distances are huge, booking tickets can be tricky and comfort is often at a premium. If you are short on time or just don’t want the many hassles of travelling through India, flying can be a good option. Local airlines such as Deccan, Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Indian Airlines offer services to destinations across the country.

Rail

India is home to the world’s largest railway system and offers the resilient traveller some of the greatest rail journeys known to man. Journeys can be long - Delhi to Chennai comes in at around 30 hours – but when you travel by train in India you get to see the vast complexity and natural beauty of the subcontinent roll past in all its glory.

If you decide to travel by train, the complex issue of booking a ticket must be addressed. First you’ll need to decide what class you wish to travel in: this can be tricky. There are 6 classes: 1st Class air-con (1A), 2-tier air-con (2A), 3-tier air-con (3A), chair car (CC), Sleeper (SL) and Second (II). For short journeys second is adequate, unless it’s really hot then it’s well worth paying for chair car. For longer journeys sleeper offers a cheap option with the added bonus of being able to mingle with the Indian masses. When the majority of Indians travel long distances by train, sleeper is their class of choice. Much has been said and written about the pitfalls of travelling by sleeper, but in my experience, it is the best way to truly experience Indian rail travel. 1A, 2A and 3A are more comfortable, but significantly more expensive and you’re less likely to strike up conversation with ordinary Indians. Whatever class you decide to travel in, you will need to pop down to the train station and book yourself a ticket. I won’t go into to much detail, but suffice to say, it’s probably best to put half a day aside for this little errand. Ah, the many joys of India!

Bus

Travelling India by bus and coach can require an almost saintly forbearance and an extremely hard backside. Short journeys by bus are great (if a little hair-raising) but for longer distances I’d suggest you jump on a train or a plane. The journey from Leh to Manali will see you sat in a rickety old bus for 2 whole days negotiating some of the highest motorable passes in the world on roads that seem more suitable for mountain goats that mass transport. That being said it is a spectacular journey and is will leave you feeling that you have really travelled.

When travelling within a state, bus travel is fine. Buses serve all major cities and often stop off at small towns and villages (and at shops owned by friends of the driver) along the way. On long journeys you may well be charged around ten rupees for having your baggage stored inside the bus. Although this is a little cheeky and can be a little annoying (the charge seems to apply only to foreign travellers), it is important to remain polite and to remember that the baggage handlers on the buses have much less money than you do.

Many buses have a small shrine to their deity of choice perched precariously on the dashboard and often make stops at roadside temples to make offerings. If asked for a few rupees to help with the offering, my advice would be to dig deep and hand over a few coins; bus travel in India can be a dangerous business and it can’t hurt to have a little divine protection!

Taxis, tuk-tuks and rickshaws

Travelling by tuk-tuks, cabs and rickshaws is a great way to travel around cities, although care must be taken. It is imperative that you agree on a price before you set off and don’t be afraid to haggle: if your driver says the price is 100 rupees, knock them down to about 70 and you’ll be getting a half decent foreigner-price. Travel by taxi is the most expensive, tuk-tuks are a little cheaper (but just as fast) and bicycle rickshaws are cheap and slow. Drivers will often try to take you to shops, hotels and restaurants where they receive a commission. Unless you really like the driver and don’t mind being over-charged, it’s best to refuse firmly but politely. When travelling in Mumbai, travel by taxi can be tricky. Taxi journeys are metered, but the meters are very out of date. Ensure that the meter is at zero when you start and make sure that the driver has an official tariff card in the car. When you arrive at your final destination, you’ll need to work out the price by comparing the price on the meter with the tariff card. It’s a pretty simple operation, but unscrupulous drivers often try to overcharge unsuspecting tourists and will insist that they don’t know what the tariff card is. As with all things in India, be polite and remain calm.

Useful links

www.lonelyplanet.com

Lonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.

www.fco.gov.uk

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.

State owned domestic airline which offers competitively priced flights to destinations across India.

www.jetairways.com

300 daily flights to 44 destinations across the country. Also good for flights to Sri Lanka.

www.flykingfisher.com

Good quality budget airline. Nice food on the flights too.

Train information, ticket reservation and general info for train travel in India. The reservation service saves a lot of time and hassle… when it works!