| country: | India |
| location: | Tamil Nadu |
| departures: | 2008: 13 Oct, 27 Oct |
| price: | From £1545 (15 days) including flights from the UK. This trip can also be booked without flights. Optional single supplement £250 |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Following the tsunami in 2004, we lent our support to the devastated communities in South India. 3 years on, we continue to support the school in Pudupattinam through Hope Worldwide. This tour offers the opportunity for us to get to know the community we support better and make a very real contribution to their village.
Schoolwork in Pudupattinam: From Chennai, we head to Mamallapuram on the Bay of Bengal. We spend 4 days working with the villagers of Pudupattinam on a variety of projects to help build a shelter for the local fishermen and improve the school environment by painting and planting trees. Pre-tsunami there was no school in the village; now over 120 children attend classes.
During our stay we'll have plenty of time to interact with the local community and learn a bit of their way of life. We'll also have time during our stay to visit the magnificent Shore Temples at Mamallapuram; dramatically situated on the windswept beach.
Pondicherry & Madurai: A scenic drive south brings us to the French colonial town of Pondicherry where we visit the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram; home to over 2,000 devotees. In Tanjore we explore the incredible Chola Temples, including the Brihadisvara Temple, a World Heritage Site. We also stop at Tiruchirapalli to see the great Rock Fort, then continue to Madurai with its soaring towers. Here we mix with the swirling crowds who pack into the Hall of 1000 Pillars within the Meenakshi Temple; a place of unceasing festive pandemonium. Our final visit is to Kanchipuram; one of Hinduism's 7 holiest cities and the silk capital of the south.
Price includes 13 nights hotel, 1 overnight train, 12 breakfasts & 4 lunches. Transport is by bus and train. Group size is approx 14-18, plus tour leader, project staff and some local guides.
Schoolwork in Pudupattinam: From Chennai, we head to Mamallapuram on the Bay of Bengal. We spend 4 days working with the villagers of Pudupattinam on a variety of projects to help build a shelter for the local fishermen and improve the school environment by painting and planting trees. Pre-tsunami there was no school in the village; now over 120 children attend classes.
During our stay we'll have plenty of time to interact with the local community and learn a bit of their way of life. We'll also have time during our stay to visit the magnificent Shore Temples at Mamallapuram; dramatically situated on the windswept beach.
Pondicherry & Madurai: A scenic drive south brings us to the French colonial town of Pondicherry where we visit the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram; home to over 2,000 devotees. In Tanjore we explore the incredible Chola Temples, including the Brihadisvara Temple, a World Heritage Site. We also stop at Tiruchirapalli to see the great Rock Fort, then continue to Madurai with its soaring towers. Here we mix with the swirling crowds who pack into the Hall of 1000 Pillars within the Meenakshi Temple; a place of unceasing festive pandemonium. Our final visit is to Kanchipuram; one of Hinduism's 7 holiest cities and the silk capital of the south.
Price includes 13 nights hotel, 1 overnight train, 12 breakfasts & 4 lunches. Transport is by bus and train. Group size is approx 14-18, plus tour leader, project staff and some local guides.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Chennai |
| Day 2: | Arrive Chennai; city tour |
| Day 3: | Drive Mamallapuram; walking tour |
| Day 4-7: | In Mamallapuram; community work in Pudupattinam |
| Day 8: | Drive Pondicherry; visit Ashram and French Quarter |
| Day 9: | Drive Tanjore |
| Day 10: | Sightseeing in Tanjore; drive Tiruchirapalli |
| Day 11: | In Tiruchirapalli; sightseeing including Rock Fort & sacred ghats |
| Day 12: | Drive Madurai; walking tour visiting Meenakshi Temple |
| Day 13: | Free in Madurai; overnight train to Chennai |
| Day 14: | In Chennai; day trip to Kanchipuram |
| Day 15: | Fly London |
a taste of volunteering trip - what's it all about?
This type of trip is ideal for people who are unable to take very long periods off work but who are interested in volunteering to work with communities in need, or in wildlife conservation. These shorter trips combine volunteering with an opportunity to see the main sights in destinations. Find out more about 'taste of volunteering'how this holiday makes a difference
Having joined forces with our project partner, Hope Worldwide, following the tsunami, we have continued to support the local school to this day. We are delighted to have been a part of the village’s development and this tour offers the opportunity for us to get to know the community we support better and make a very real contribution to their village. The organisation runs 14 ‘Centre of Hope’ projects throughout India which provide healthcare, education and support for the elderly. Our tour will pay for the construction of a shelter for the fishermen, protecting their nets and livelihoods, as well as materials for tree planting and painting at the school.As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |












Having joined forces with our project partner, Hope Worldwide, following the tsunami, we have continued to support the local school to this day. We are delighted to have been a part of the village’s development and this tour offers the opportunity for us to get to know the community we support better and make a very real contribution to their village. The organisation runs 14 ‘Centre of Hope’ projects throughout India which provide healthcare, education and support for the elderly. Our tour will pay for the construction of a shelter for the fishermen, protecting their nets and livelihoods, as well as materials for tree planting and painting at the school.