Eco Tour (Change Making Tourism)
Code: 8f2675d507b340f8a3a1c0c0843e1b6b Copied
About the project
Eco Tour (Change Making Tourism)
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Rural Centre for Human Interests (RUCHI) is a community development organization with ever increasing focus on youth development and intercultural learning through voluntary service. RUCHI got registered in 1983, under Indian Societies Registration Act as a non-political, nonprofit making voluntary organization.
RUCHI was established keeping in mind the problems and restrictions that a remote community faces on day to day basis. These could be due to poverty, lack of knowledge, poor infrastructure or at times difficult terrain. As a result RUCHI has always implemented its project with people centered approach and gave priority to community development. With 37 years in this field, RUCHI has accumulated extensive knowledge in community development with project area ranging from semi-urban background to extremely remote communities requiring two days of walk certain time of the year. Over time RUCHI has also developed and successfully implemented low cost technologies. We are now acting as a resource organization for Indian Government and other NGO’s pursuing community development.
💼 What the programme involves
Working closely with our team we expect volunteers to:
• Explore and identify local sites to further develop them as rural tourist attractions.
• Map available or potential homestays near touristic and cultural locations.
• Create and implementing environmental guidelines for hosts to have minimum carbon footprint.
• Create short term tours in line with organisations area of work and community interventions.
• Promote created tours on digital platforms to recruit potential participants.
• Assist in finalising guidelines for this new mobility.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Basic, simple, safe & clean accommodation will be provided either at host family or RUCHI campus on sharing basis (Twin or triple) with common toilets and bath.
🍲 Food
Food offered will be simple authentic Indian vegetarian and freshly cooked. Three meals a day will be served. Assistance while cooking is desired and self-cooking can be organized by volunteers.
📍 About the location
The entire area is hilly, peaceful and very scenic with a cool climate. Baddi is the largest industrial area of the state and has 7 major slums for industrial workers and rag pickers.
🎒 Leisure activities
Old Sikh and Hindu temples in the near vicinity can be visited. Nearby Chandigarh city with internationally known Rock Garden is a tourist attraction. A visit to Shimla will offer an opportunity to see high Himalayan Mountains.
⚠️ Requirements
• Interest and ability to adapt to new culture and live under challenging circumstances.
• Volunteers will have to follow the organization rules and culture and work with other staff as a team.
• No special skills are required, except dedication and commitment to a social cause to help rural communities.
• Volunteers have to be 18 years or older, bearing good moral character and respect local as well other culture.
• Alcohol drinking and smoking is not encouraged in public and villages.
• Living conditions will be simple. Volunteers must be prepared to live in harmony with others and work as a team.
• Medical/Personal Insurance is the responsibility of the volunteers themselves.
ℹ️ Additional information
Our LMTV projects are ongoing and are executed across North. India. We accept volunteers each month (preferably 1st Monday) check dates when applying. Volunteers can stay as long as they want up to a maximum of one year. The minimum period of staying is One Month.
The participation fees are as follows:
Per month - Euro 400/- (Fee has to be paid in advance. The fee is worked out on monthly basis and not daily or weekly basis and hence it remains same even if one leaves the project a day or week earlier)
The participants are required to pay the fee in cash on the first day of their arrival at site, Bank transfer service & transferwise details available upon request. The contribution covers all basic expenses, e.g. accommodation, gas, water, electricity, food, staff salaries and for materials used in projects/activities. Alcoholic drinks are not included. Alcohol drinking and smoking is not encouraged in public and villages.
Project related travel expenses shall be reimbursed to volunteer each month with a maximum cap of rupees 800. Leisure travel and personal expenses during free time are not covered in participation fee.
Why the extra fee?
RUCHI, like other NGO’s in India, is not financially supported by government to host projects related to IVS. Hence all projects are self funded with a participation fee. Given the remote location and various complexities we have tried our best to make it as affordable as possible for volunteers. International travel costs to annual global conferences and membership fee for networking.
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
RC03 17
01/01/2017 → 31/12/2017
RC-MTV-ENV-03/17
01/01/2017 → 31/12/2017
RC-18/17
31/07/2017 → 12/08/2017
RC-19/17
07/08/2017 → 19/08/2017
RC-MTV-ENV-3/23
01/01/2023 → 31/12/2024
RC-MTV-ENV-03/19
01/01/2019 → 31/12/2019
RC-09/18
11/06/2018 → 23/06/2018
RC-06/17
20/03/2017 → 01/04/2017
RC-15/17
17/07/2017 → 29/07/2017
RC-26/17
04/09/2017 → 16/09/2017
RC-MTV-ENV-3/22
01/07/2021 → 31/12/2024
RC-20/16
18/07/2016 → 31/07/2016
RC-MTV-ENV-3/16
01/01/2016 → 31/12/2016
RC-MTV-ENV-3/22AUTO-EXT
01/01/2025 → 03/07/2028
RC-MTV-ENV-03/20
01/01/2020 → 31/12/2023
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–99 years old
Solidarity donation
400.00 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, India
India
🌍 Location info
Local currency
India Rupee (INR / ₹)
Exchange rate
1 INR = 0.009550 EUR
Rate as of 31/05/2026
Timezone
India Standard Time
Local time: 21:12 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
🗣️ Languages spoken