8 Places to Volunteer Travel in Ladakh.

Compiled by Sifti Dhillon.

Ladakh is majestic, remote and on many bucket lists for its pristine beauty. For centuries, the locals lived in this cold mountain desert in the Trans-Himalayas without contact with the rest of India. Tourism gave people access to roads, education and a booming local economy, but also tempered with traditional cultural and environmental practices. So when you travel to Ladakh next, try to give a little something back to this magnificently beautiful region, and who knows, you might just come back with stories you never imagined you'd hear.

41 Places to Volunteer Travel Across India.

By Shubodeep Pal.

"Your life is your message to the world; make sure it's inspiring."

Photo by Christian Haugen.

Wouldn't you love to live in the shadow of the mountains, and wake up each morning to the sight of snow on far-off peaks? Wouldn't it be even better if you could see these while giving back to the surrounding communities as a teacher?

Or, perhaps, you prefer the bustle of life and would love to witness the colours of the desert? How about immersing yourself in an art, craft and textile hub and designing jewellery?

Or, perhaps your heart soars at the thought of the sea and the coast? How about wading into coastal communities, exploring and serving them at the same time by helping conserve marine animals?

From the lush mountains of Kashmir, to the spare beauty of north-eastern India, to the rich coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, to the rich cultural and natural beauty of southern India, opportunities abound. Consider just a few: teaching, photography, research, conservation work, ecological tourism support, rural development, healthcare, organic farming, rehabilitation of women and children. And, of course, there are many more.

Which of these volunteer travel opportunities are you up for?

41 Places to Volunteer Travel in India from India Untravelled

For more ideas on offbeat and responsible destinations in India, visit www.indiauntravelled.com or join India Untravelled on Facebook and Twitter. To contribute guest posts / photo essays to this blog, please send your story ideas to blog@indiauntravelled.com. 

India on an Enfield: Her Story.

By Alyrene Rosser.


Travelling on a royal enfield through India to fundraise for UNICEF, Alyrene shares her adventures and reminds us of the little things we take for granted in our own country.


I love my job. It allows me to take supporters on awesome adventures while raising vital funds for the world's children. 

Royal Enfields sweeping through the Indian roads. © Iain Crockart

Me in India © Iain Crockart

In 2009, I was lucky enough to visit southern India on the back of a Royal Enfield bullet. What an incredible feeling, sweeping up mountain roads, through tea plantations and tiger reserves, eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of India’s wildlife.

Royal Enfields © Iain Crockart

The whole trip was memorable, but one particular day stuck with me. We set out at sunrise for a long day's ride. As we swept down the mountain the mist cleared and I could feel the sun beating down and smell jasmine in the air as we drove.

Southern India © Iain Crockart

We stopped for some chai (a refreshing, sweet tea) and met UNICEF health assistant, Ms Indrani. She was distributing polio drops to children in the area.

Ms Indrani shows us her map.

Back in 2009, India was one of four counties that hadn’t eradicated polio and its devastating effects. UNICEF works with India's government on a large-scale immunisation programme to wipe out polio and other childhood diseases.

Talking to Ms Indrani was utterly inspiring, and to see UNICEF’s work in action was just incredible.

Now, in 2012, we've had the news that India has reached a major milestone in the history of polio eradication – 12 months without a single new case! 

Our ride continued through mountains and busy towns, where we carefully negotiated traffic. I can still taste the lunch we enjoyed from a basic but delicious local restaurant. We watched women below washing their beautiful saris in a vast river before laying them on the rocks to dry, and boys playing games in the water, laughing and splashing, as we tucked into a delicious south Indian curry.

Traffic in India.

Discovering India © Iain Crockart

I'm going back to India this year with UNICEF UK Ambassador, Charley Boorman and another group of fundraisers for our Classic Indian Adventure. It runs from 30 November to 9 December. This time around you can choose between riding a classic Royal Enfield Bullet motorbike (or going on the back like I did in 2009), or driving (or being a passenger in) an Ambassador car.

Ambassador car © Iain Crockart

Whichever you go for, it'll be an amazing experience. Do you fancy coming along?

Author Bio: The author has travelled independently and for her work as a fundraiser for UNICEF UK. She spent time in East Africa during her voluntary placement in Uganda with VSO. Watch her blog & follow her on Twitter @AlyreneRosser for her next adventures - climbing Kilimanjaro and UNICEF’s Classic Indian Adventure. 

For more stories off the beaten path in India, visit www.indiauntravelled.com or join India Untravelled on Facebook and Twitter. To contribute guest posts / photo essays to this blog, please send your story ideas to shivya@indiauntravelled.com.