• Romantic Rajasthan – Vacation and Volunteer in India’s Colorful Desert Kingdom

  

   

  If India is colorful, Rajasthan is where the rainbow prism explodes. A centuries-old culture of artisans and warriors resides in an area far less populated than most of the country. With its sweeping desert, Rajasthan’s pinks, ochers and yellows float above India’s vibrant reds, blues and greens.

  Your 14 day Rajasthan, India tour includes 5 days of cultural volunteering. You'll be playing an active role in preserving a fascinating culture through your volunteering with Jaipur's street children and rural Rajasthani women.

  Located in northwestern India, Rajasthan has a centuries-old rich cultural history. You’ll bring home memories of colorful forts & palaces, bazaars laden with art, jewelry, spices and other exotics, and a proud but friendly culture.

  If you want an experience that changes your perspective and the lives of a unique culture, then get the Rajasthan volunteer and vacation brochure now.

• Volunteering with Vatsalya (Vocational Training & Women Empowerment)

  

   

  You'll be volunteering with a government recognized NGO/Non-Profit in Jaipur. They play a crucial role in the community by teaching vocational skills to street children as well as organizing rural women to develop their own small businesses. Their programs are helping this beautiful culture thrive in the face of India’s rapid change.

  Your unique talents and experiences will determine which of Vatsalya’s many programs is best suited for your volunteer efforts during this trip. Typical volunteer activities will include some of the following

  • Vocational skills training
  • Social presentation and communication skills
  • Mobile health and education outreach to Jaipur's street children
  • Basic computer and internet training
  • Training and eduction materials for women's self-help groups

  The 5 days you spend volunteering with Vatsalya will brighten the future and livelihood prospects of street children and rural women alike. Learn more in the Rajasthan volunteer and vacation trip brochure.

• Rajasthan Sightseeing: Highlights and Attractions

  

   
  • Start with the magnificent Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, a stunning 16th century palace.
  • Explore Jaipur, where palaces and homes are multi-hued tones of rose, and where even the sun’s glow is tinged with reflected desert pink
  • Ride elephants and camels, watch the sun set and stars rise over desert skies
  • Stay at a heritage haveli – a former home of Rajasthan royalty
  • Dine and sleep as Bedouin chiefs in a tented camp in the desert
  • Slide back in history at Jaisalmer, the “Golden City of Dreams”in the Thar desert
  • Wander the bazaars and jewelry markets of Jodhpur, the indigo Brahmin-Blue City
  • And somehow still get plenty of time for yourself

  Get all the highlights, attractions and activities in the trip brochure now.

• How Your Trip Will Change You

  

   

  The few days of volunteering interspersed with all the sights, sounds and flavor of Rajasthan will give you a far more satisfying and fulfilling experience than if you were to travel on your own or with a regular travel company. Your volunteering will see a lasting impact since your efforts will be part of a larger program of an established Non-Profit with deep community roots and a clear long-term vision.

  By traveling with us, you’ll also get the assurance that your money will benefit local communities through our patronage of locally owned and operated businesses throughout our trip.

  You’ll return happy, filled with incredibly heartfelt stories to share of a magnificent culture of yore and their modern-day resilience.

  Empower a colorful and vibrant culture and change yourself. Learn more in our Rajasthan volunteer and vacation trip brochure now.

• Why Go Now

  

   

  The Indian economy and its place in both the global community and the travel industry are undergoing incredibly rapid change. In the last few years we have seen a huge increase in the amount of travel to Rajasthan. This influx of tourism threatens both the country's ecosystems and its ancient cultures and traditions.

  Rajasthan is the mystical heart of long ago India. Your two week trip combines five days of volunteering that will get you up close like nothing else. An experience like this one may simply not be possible tomorrow.

  Join us on a Volunteer and Vacation Rajasthan trip before its too late.

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  DAY 1 - New Delhi

  Arriving in New Delhi in the early morning, you will clear customs and immigration.  Leaving the airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. In the evening we will meet for trip orientation. After which we will proceed for dinner at Moti Mahal restaurant.

   

  Highlight: Evening pre-trip briefing

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  DAY 2 - Delhi to Agra by car

  We travel by road to Agra, a journey of about 4 hours, home to India’s most famous icon - the majestic Taj Mahal. Here we include a visit to this amazing 17th century marble mausoleum. In the afternoon, we will visit Agra Fort, begun by Emperor Aqbar in 1565 as a military structure, and finished by his grandson, Shah Jehan, as a luxurious palace.

   

  Highlight: Agra Fort, Taj Mahal

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  DAY 3 - Agra to Jaipur

  This morning, you can head to the Taj for sunrise and then return to the hotel for breakfast. We will then visit Fatehpur Sikri. Then we will stop at Bharatpur for lunch onwards to Jaipur.

   

  Highlight: Taj Mahal at Sunrise, Fatehpur Sikri

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  DAY 4 - Jaipur sightseeing, Volunteering

  After an early breakfast, we'l start our sightseeing in Jaipur. We will start in style, riding on elephant back to the ???th century Amber fort. After the fort, we will visit the Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the City Palace. In the evening, we will have an orientation meeting with Vatsalya to prepare for our volunteering

   

  Highlights: Amber fort, Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar

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  DAY 5, 6, 7, 8 - Volunteering with Vatsalya

  Vatsalya has several programs for volunteering. Prior to the trip departure, we will work with you to determine which of Vatsalya’s programs can make the best possible use of your skills. This will be mutually beneficial to both yourself and Vatsalya, and make volunteering the most fun activity you’ll have had in a while. For more information, check out the Volunteer tab.

   

  Highlights: Vocational training, Women empowerment

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  DAY 9 - Jaisalmer

  At midnight we take a sleeper train and travel in first class comfort to Jaisalmer. When you wake up in the morning, you'll enjoy breakfast on the train and get a taste of how most people in India travel. We'll arrive in Jaisalmer around 11 AM. From here we'll transfer to our hotel for lunch and refreshments. After lunch, you can rest or wander around town. We'll have dinner inside the Jaisalmer fort tonight .

   

  Highlights: Train travel, Jaisalmer town, Time off

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  DAY 10 - Jaisalmer, Overnight camel safari
  

  After breakfast, we'll spend the morning exploring the "Golden City of Dreams" Jaisalmer. In the afternoon we'll drive to the Sam Sand dunes, where we'll trade our car for camels. We'll take the camels out onto the desert and watch a poetic sunset over the sand dunes. We'll have dinner and overnight in a tented camp.

  Highlights: Camel safari, Sand dunes, Tented camp

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  DAY 11 - Jaisalmer
  

  After breakfast out in the desert, we will visit a local village in the desert and spend some time with the locals. We'll come back to the camp for lunch. After lunch we will leave for Jaisalmer and check into our hotel. In the evening will have dinner inside the fort.

   

  Highlights: Camel safari, Local village life, Local markets

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  DAY 12 - Jaisalmer to Jodhpur
  

  After an early breakfast, we will drive to Jodhpur. We will stop at Mandore north of the city where we will see the ruins of the ancient kingdom of .... We will arrive in Jodhpur in the early afternoon. Evening is on your own for local exploration of the City.

   

  Highlights: Travel to Jodhpur

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  DAY 13 - Jodhpur
  

  After breakfast at the Hotel, we will explore the city with our local guide. Most important place to visit in Jodhpur is the Mehrangarh Fort. It was built by the Rathore Rajputs in the 15th century AD when they shifted their capital from Mandore to Jodhpur. Today the part of the fort has been converted into a museum, which is managed by the Royal Trust. The important buildings within the fort are the Moti Mahal, Janaki Mahal, Chandan Mahal, Darbar Takhat or Throne Room, Rang Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Phool Mahal, Umaid Vilas and Maan Vilas. Dinner would be local rajasthani food cooked to perfection by the Locals.

  Highlights: Jodhpur, Mehrangarh fort, Bazaars

   

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  DAY 14 - Jodhpur to Delhi

  We will take the mid-day train to Delhi for our final journey, arriving in the evening.

  Highlights: Day-time train to Jodhpur

   

• Why Volunteer on your vacation?

  

   

  We travel to Rajasthan to immerse ourselves in a colorful and ancient culture. We volunteer with Vatsalya to preserve Rajasthan’s culture for tomorrow.

  If you’ve ever revisited a place years later and been heartbroken by the changes, you understand the need to preserve the world’s beautiful places and cultures. Through your volunteering you inspire all around you to travel sustainably and take small steps themselves. You become a change maker and protector for what you set out to experience.

  By volunteering with us, you get the assurance that we are working with respected local Non-Profits who have a clear long-term vision. Your contributions will be fully realized as part of currently running programs.

  If you want an experience that changes your perspective and the lives of a unique culture, then get the Rajasthan volunteer and vacation trip brochure now.

• Your Volunteering Activities (Cultural Empowerment)

  

   

  You’ll be volunteering with Vatsalya, a government recognized Non-Profit based in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Their programs comprise of Child support, Young people livelihood, Women empowerment, Health and HIV-AIDS. Your unique talents and preferences will decide which of Vatsalya’s programs is best suited for your volunteer activities during your trip. Typical volunteer activities may include:

  • Vocational skills training for youth
  • Social presentation and communication skills development
  • Mobile health and eduction outreach to street children of Jaipur
  • Basic computer and internet training
  • Training and eduction materials development for women's self-help groups
  • Community games, quizzes and other fun activities

  Your volunteering will create a lasting impact because your efforts are a part of a larger program of an established local Non-Profit. Your shared stories will provide them with much needed international exposure, volunteers and funds.

   

  The 5 days you spend volunteering with Vatsalya will brighten the future of street children and rural women alike. Learn more in the Rajasthan volunteer and vacation trip brochure.

• Why Vatsalya

  

   

  Vatsalya was founded in 2001. Their efforts have touched and improved the lives of over a million Rajasthanis. Vatsalya works closely with 20 grass roots Non-Profits in the state and is approved by the government of India. In 2009 they launched a Market Aligned Skills Training program with the aim of training and placing 3,000 Rajasthani youth each year in the local industry.

  Vatsalya improves quality of lives through teaching core skills in order to ready young people for quality employment. They have helped women develop their own small group-based businesses. In addition, they are also improving the health and wellbeing of children in need.

  Vatsalya's Programs:

  • Upaarjan – the Vocational Training and Livelihood program for street kids
  • Samvedna – the mobile Health and Education Services for street children. Samvedna has served 18,000 youngsters and counting.
  • Jagriti – Children’s Rights Advocacy segment that spreads awareness of programs, including protection and opportunities available to children in need. Jagriti currently has 11 Children’s Parliaments in Jaipur serving over 100 children.
  • Creation of Self-Help Groups for Women in order to establish home-based and small local businesses to empower and sustain themselves. To date, over 250 women have been helped along the path to self-sufficiency.

• You, Always Outbound and Vatsalya: A Valuable Partnership

  

   

  Our desire to preserve Rajasthan's culture guides our decisions and choices. This is why we are partnering with Vatsalya. An organization native to Rajasthan, they seek to better the life of street children, empower women and provide health services to those who can’t afford them.

  Your immersion in Rajasthan and your understanding of its culture is richer and more satisfying than the typical visitor experience. You return happier, knowing you made a small difference and with incredible stories to share of a centuries-old culture.

  Always Outbound’s Voluntourism Mission

  • Preserve and protect the world’s beautiful places and cultures
  • Combine active sightseeing and volunteering to create memorable experiences for our guests
  • Support local Non-Profits with short-term projects that further their long-term goals
  • Know how to help without being an added burden on the limited resources and time of Non-Profits like Vatsalya
  • Support locally owned and operated businesses and minimize our collective footprint

  Community travel is our sole focus and is why Always Outbound is different.

  You’ll experience a thriving and rich centuries old culture; we will help you love every moment of it. Start your experience with the Rajasthan trip brochure now.

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REGULAR DEPARTURES

Start Date	End Date	Duration	Pricing	Spots	Status	Action
Mar 04, 2012	Mar 17, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	8 available	Open
Mar 18, 2012	Mar 31, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	6 of 10 available	Open
Sep 23, 2012	Oct 06, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	12 available	Open
Oct 07, 2012	Oct 20, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	12 available	Open
Nov 18, 2012	Dec 01, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	12 available	Open
Dec 02, 2012	Dec 15, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	12 available	Open
Dec 23, 2012	Jan 05, 2013	14 days	$2495.00	12 available	Open
Mar 04, 2012	Mar 17, 2012	14 days	$2495.00	8 available	Open