Himalayan Program in Palampur and Dharamsala, India
Palampur lies on the foothills of the Himalayas and is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi. As you travel from Delhi, the capital of India, you will leave behind the crowd and the heat and enter the hills, snow capped mountains and tea gardens. Palampur and Dharamsala both lie at an altitude of around 1250 meters and enjoy year round pleasant climate. McLeod Ganj, a hill station overlooking Dharamsala, is the seat of Tibetan government in exile.
In Palampur and Dharamsala, the local population have benefited from the recent development like opening up of tea gardens, tourism and infrastructure development. But the majority of the population still remains deprived compared to the other parts of India. The schools in the town aren’t well staffed and the children’s project needs dedicated volunteers. Come to Palampur and Dharamsala and experience different India, one that sits on the lap of the Himalayas and enjoys Tibetan influences, and help the underprivileged population.
For all volunteers traveling to Himalayan Project, New Hope thoroughly recommends a one week language and cultural immersion program. This is not a mandatory program but through it you will get a good introduction to life in India and even pickup little bit of Hindi (local language). In both Palampur and Dharamsala, even local English teachers do not speak English fluently and local students try to memorize English words and sentences rather than understand the language. If you learn Hindi, or at least few words, you will be able to teach or volunteer much more effectively.
The program also introduces volunteers to India cultures, tells you want to expect while volunteers and what cultural rules you have to observe while staying with a host family. You will also visit historical places in India and learn about India civilization, history, society and economics. After your program, you will be much more prepared, both mentally and physical, to start your volunteer program.
Volunteer Programs - India-Himalaya
Teach English project (Palampur, Dharamsala) Both Palampur and Dharamsala are economically backward regions of India. Teaching English there is both challenging and very rewarding. Most schools in the region lack trained and experienced teacher. View details
Destitute/deprived children's project (Palampur, Dharamsala) The children from Tibetan refugee families and local underprivileged families in Bir, Dharamsala, attend schools that are resource poor. The teaching staffs there aren't well trained. And the children struggle through school. View details
Program Fee - India
New Hope Volunteer programs start on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.
In recent years, volunteering has become more of a business than charity. Many organizations in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand run volunteering programs solely for profit. Please check Travellers Quest volunteer abroad in India page for different organizations and their fees and you'll know for sure. But this is not the case with New Hope Volunteers. Our aim is to offer World’s Most Affordable volunteer program (without compromising the quality) so that all volunteers, irrespective of their income level, can volunteer to serve humanity and enrich their life. We hope to make the dreams of college students and budget travelers come true. In our program, except our registration fee of $259, which we need to advertise, cover office expense and pay salary, volunteers pay their money directly to the projects and host families (sometimes country coordinator will allocate this fee to project and host family, so if you have any question about allocation, please ask directly. This ensures that 100% of your money goes to the project.
In addition to our registration fee of $259, here you find the world’s most affordable weekly program fee, which includes room, food (3 times a day), project details and field support.
Program fee
Volunteer Period
1 Week
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
1 Month
5 Weeks
6 Weeks
7 Weeks
2 Months
Additional Week
US$
$300
$400
$500
$600
$750
$900
$1,050
$1,200
$150 Per week
Additional cost: * Comprehensive Travel Insurance $3 per day
* Airport receive and transfer fee: $75 * Delhi to Palampur transfer fee not included in program fee. Estimated cost flight $100-125, bus $15-20
Fee for optional programs:
* Language and Cultural program fee: $250
* Please add $25 per week for internship
The fee includes: Orientation, Food and accommodations (3 meals a day), Placement visits and services, Project support costs or donation, Certificate of performance/appreciation, 24/7 emergency support
The weekly Fee Does Not Include: airfare, daily transportation, visa and visa extension fee, airport drop, airport taxes, any personal expenses on food and travel, mineral water and soft drinks, gifts to project staffs and host family, laundry, telephone, immunization, liability and insurance
Accommodation/Meal/Supervision
New Hope Volunteers will arrange your accommodation and meal throughout the program. During the first week of cultural program, volunteers will stay in a hostel. In the hostel, you will share your room with other volunteers and our resident cook will prepare you 3 local meals a day. After the language program, volunteers will stay with a host family. Our host families have been carefully screened and chosen and they will have experience of hosting international volunteers before. The host families will provide you with a warm, comfortable and secure place to stay. You’ll have a room for yourself and eat 3 local meals together with your host family. At least one member of the host family will be able to communicate with you in English. Living with a host family will also provide you with a wonderful opportunity to learn about local culture and customs. During the volunteer program, our country coordinator will be in touch with you every 10-15 days to make sure you’re comfortable and happy. Volunteers will also have access to coordinator’s mobile phone and can call up anytime if any problem arises. We also have a local coordinator in Palampur who will look at the immediate needs of volunteers.
New Hope Volunteers provides very affordable, safe, highly meaningful and flexible volunteer programs in 11 countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia. By enrolling, volunteers are able to immerse in local culture, work to empower and develop poor and needy and travel to fascinating destinations. It’s a deeper and more meaningful way to travel.
New Hope Volunteer programs start on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month. 