India with Heart

Upon arrival in Delhi you will be met by a JOURNEYS representative and transferred to your hotel. India’s capital possesses a unique combination of modernity and history, with massive skyscrapers standing amidst timeless monuments and other relics of the country’s fascinating past. Enjoy the day at your leisure, exploring the city or recovering from your jet lag.  Stay in a lovely Bed & Breakfast in an Indian home nestled in the quiet green colony of Gulmobar Park in South Delhi.

Meals: None

Lodging: Bed & Breakfast in an Indian Home

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be taken for a full-day sightseeing tour of Old & New Delhi. You will begin in Old Delhi with the Jama Masjid (“Mosque of Friday”) – built in the 1600’s during the reign of Shahjahan  The mosque, which can accommodate 20,000 people, is the greatest Islamic structure in the land. Afterwards, visit Raj Ghat, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Continue on to visit the Red Fort - palace of Shahjahan’s new capital, Shahjahanabad – and then walk in the busy streets of the mile -long Chandni Chowk – one of the oldest and busiest markets in Central North India.

Your afternoon will be spent visiting the site of New Delhi, beginning with the Qutab Minar – a 239-foot-high sandstone tower. Afterwards, visit Humayun’s Tomb, the structure upon which the Taj Mahal was based.  Take on other classic sites such as India Gate, India’s War Memorial Arch, and the Parliament House, before concluding with a drive by the President’s Palace.

Meals: None

Lodging: Bed & Breakfast in an Indian Home

The perfection of the Taj Mahal is moving to even the most savvy travelers.  This morning you will be driven 4-5 hours to Agra. Enroute you will have the opportunity to visit Sikandra, the sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar – the greatest of the Mughal emperors. The tomb lies in a peaceful garden about two and a half miles northwest of Agra. Completed in 1613, the intricately designed tomb shows a blend of motifs and styles from various religions. On arrival in Agra, you will check-in at your hotel, and then begin your exploration of this Mughal-influenced city. The Mughals, besides being great rulers, were also great builders who saved their best architectural wonders for Agra. Here you will find many wonderful monuments, most notably the Taj Mahal.

In the evening, you will be taken for a sunset visit to the Taj. The structure was built in the mid-17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of love for his wife. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble of the Taj Mahal was quarried 200 miles away and transported by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Although the exterior of the Taj appears to be perfect from almost any angle, it is the intricate marble inlay work that is truly most astounding.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Trident Hotel or Similar

Begin your day with a stunning view of the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Afterwards, head out on a visit to the Agra Fort and Itmad-Ud-Daulah. The Agra Fort was the stronghold of the Mughal Empire for several generations. The present structure owes its origins to Akbar, who erected the walls and gates, as well as the first buildings on the Eastern banks of Yamuna River. Shah Jahan added the impressive quarters and mosque, while Aurangazeb added the outer ramparts. Visit the Hall of Public Audience and Royal Pavilions – a magnificent Citadel with marble palaces, ornate alcoves and terraced pavilions. Itmad-Ud-Daulah is a Mughal mausoleum often described as the “Baby Taj,” and is thought to be a draft of the Taj Mahal.

In the afternoon, you will visit Fatehpur Sikri. This deserted, red-sandstone city was built in the late 16th-century by Emperor Akbar, to serve as his capital and palace. It was abandoned soon after it was built when the local wells went dry. Today, it remains in much the same condition that it was in over 300 years ago. Spend some time exploring the spectacularly preserved city before returning to your hotel in Agra for the night.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Trident Hotel or Similar

After breakfast you will be transferred to Samode [approx 170 mi: 5.5 hrs]. Enroute, stop at Bharatpur where you will have the opportunity take a rickshaw ride through the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary. Keoladeo, formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is named after a Keoladeo (Shiva) Temple. This is a famous avifauna sanctuary that is home to thousands of rare and highly endangered birds such as the Siberian Crane (which nest there during the winter season). It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971, and is also a World Heritage Site. After sightseeing, you will have lunch at The Bagh, a beautiful Heritage Hotel.

Continue on with the overland trip to Samode where you will check-in at the beautiful Samode Palace – one of India’s "heritage hotels" created in the palaces abandoned by royal families when India gained independance in 1947.

In the afternoon, visit the nearby rural villages where you will get an opportunity to meet and interact with the local villagers, and learn about their traditional way of life.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Samode Palace Hotel

As the colorful capital of the state of Rajasthan, Jaipur is a vibrant and exciting town. Here, traditionally dressed Rajput men wear colorful turbans and sport magnificent mustaches. Today will allow for a full-day guided city tour of Jaipur, beginning with the magnificent Amber Fort. Maharaja Mansingh, Mughal Emperor Akbar’s most successful General, started the construction of Amber Fort in the 17th century. It was the seat of power before the City Palace was constructed. An elephant [subject to availability/alternatively by jeep] will spare you the trouble of walking up the fortress.

Afterwards, visit the City Palace, located in the city center and enclosed by high walls. Since Jai Singh built the ornate palace in 1728, it has been the principal residence for the Maharajas of Jaipur.  You may then walk to the adjacent Jantar Mantar, also called the Astronomical Observatory, built by the Maharaja of Jaipur in 1726. The observatory is one of five such astronomical wonders constructed by Sawai Jai Singh, and it makes accurate predictions even to this day. At the end of your tour, you will stop and see the “Palace of Winds,” otherwise known as Hawa Mahal. It is really an elaborate facade from where the ladies of the court would watch the daily events in the street below. It is extremely intricate in its pink sandstone carving.

Your evening will leave you at leisure to pursue independent activities or wander in the colorful markets of Jaipur.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Lodging: Samode Palace Hotel

Transfer to the airport in Jaipur for your flight to Chennai (via Bombay) where your Global Volunteers team leader will be waiting for you. After you arrive, you will be introduced to your other teammates and escorted to your Chennai program site.   Lodging is in a simple but comfortable guesthouse.  A local Indian cook, employed by Global Volunteers® and trained in safe food handling, prepares team meals of authentic Indian cuisine.  A couple of evenings each week, the team eats at local nearby restaurants, as this region is known for its delicious and distinctive vegetarian cuisine.

In Chennai, you’ll obtain an up-close-and-personal glimpse of life in southern India, all the while contributing to a long-term development partnership. Work Monday through Friday with your teammates, sharing in the daily activities of Global Volunteers' host partners.  (You may elect to serve for up to three weeks through Global Volunteers for a small additional fee.)

Meals: Dinner

Lodging: Global Volunteer House

Today you will have an opportunity to participate in a morning yoga session on the rooftop of your building.  After breakfast you will continue with the team orientation session and then head off for a community tour.

Global Volunteers' proprietary onsite orientation and team-building process focuses each team member’s ability to give of themselves fully, and has been cited as one of the most valuable, if unexpected, benefits of participating on a team.

After dinner, the evening is at your leisure and you will have ample to time to explore the natural and educational attractions of the area -- bird and wildlife sanctuaries, historic colonial forts and Indian Ocean beaches in addition to urban museums and religious temples.  Chennai, the sprawling regional capital with a population of nearly four million, is the cradle of the ancient Dravidian civilization, one of the world's oldest articulate cultures, whose legacy is displayed in ornate structures with soaring towers and intricate sculpture.  Also nearby is Mamallapuram, the renown site of a world-famous shore temple (dating to 700 AD), one of the most photographed edifices in India.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Global Volunteer House

After a yoga session and breakfast you head off to your selected volunteer program, working with orphaned, dis-placed and impoverished youth. You'll help in any number of ways: teaching and encouraging students of all ages, caring for and playing with pre-schoolers, assisting with light construction and building maintenance, and -- if you have a medical background -- providing health care services. 

After each full day of volunteering you will have the option to enjoy the dinner provided by Global Volunteers or to eat at one  of the local restaurants.

The Daily Schedule:

7:00 - 7:30 AM - Breakfast at hotel
7:30 - 8:00 AM - Morning Meeting
8:00 - 8:30 AM - Transportation to the work project
8:30 - 12:00 Noon - Work project
12:00 - 1:00 PM - Midday meal at work site or hotel
1:00 - 5:00 PM - Work project (If teaching, the afternoon is generally reserved for the next day’s class preparation)
5:00 - 5:30 PM - Transportation to hotel
6:00 - 7:00 PM - Evening meal at hotel or local restaurants.  Sometimes volunteers are invited to local homes for dinner.
7:00 - 10 PM - Free time (on your own or with your team)

Enjoy the evening at your leisure by exploring the area or just relaxing with some of your new teammates.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Global Volunteer House

Transfer to the airport for your flight onward.  Consider joining JOURNEYS Directors Joan and Will Weber in Kerala on their "Great Rivers of India:  The Sacred South".

Meals: Breakfast