Accommodation

After a long intercontinental flight and initial culture shock, there's nothing more essential than a safe and comfortable place to rest and overcome your jetlag. At Yearoutindia in 2025, we believe all volunteers deserve a clean, secure, and relaxing environment before, during, and after their placement. Our projects often take you to off-the-beaten-path locations in rural communities.

We go to great lengths to provide safe and comfortable accommodations for our volunteers and staff. While these accommodations are not luxurious, you'll live like a local with the support of the community. These communities welcome YOI volunteers, giving them the opportunity to be part of daily life and experience an indescribable cultural immersion. Lifelong friendships and bonds are often formed. Past volunteers have highlighted this love and acceptance from the community as one of the best parts of their placement.

Yearoutindia supports the local community by renting accommodations in project areas, building strong relationships with community members, some of whom become our trusted staff. We also source daily supplies directly from local farmers and shops.

Yearoutindia Volunteer Houses
Yearoutindia volunteer houses are independent homes staffed and equipped with all basic infrastructure to meet volunteers' needs. Our program coordinators select and monitor these accommodations weekly to ensure they are ideal and well-equipped for our volunteers.

The rooms are clean and comfortable, with beds, pillows, and blankets. Our volunteer houses always have clean, well-maintained toilets and running water (both Western and Indian-style toilets). Some sites even feature "en-suite" Western toilets. The rooms are well-lit, with ceiling fans, shelves, clothes racks, tables, and chairs. Our staff ensures that rooms remain mosquito and bug-free.

We limit the number of volunteers to 3-4 per house, in line with our belief that having no more than 2-3 volunteers per project ensures direct interaction with the community and a personal experience for the volunteer.

Homestay
Homestays are almost always houses belonging to local families who have benefited from Yearoutindia activities over the years. These families are well-known to our staff and program coordinators, ensuring that the host family is supportive, trustworthy, deserving, and committed to Yearoutindia's cause and our volunteers' contributions to their rural community.

Family homes are rich in local traditions, religious rituals, and other specialties, offering volunteers an insider’s view of Indian life. Most families grow their own vegetables, herbs, chilies, and fruits, ensuring a constant supply of fresh food. The family members involve volunteers in all aspects of the household, such as cooking and traditional customs, creating a friendly, warm, and homely atmosphere. Almost all volunteers learn to cook Indian food, gaining an in-depth experience of Indian cuisine. Families also provide services like laundry, local sightseeing, temple visits, and treks.

Camps, Tents, and Mud Houses
In some locations, we use tents, camps, tree houses, and mud houses as accommodation. These are typically for short durations during weekend breaks or in remote locations near forests where no other accommodations are available. These provide a unique experience of the wild and nature at its best. Naturally basic, these accommodations offer an ideal way to sample outdoor life in stunning locations.

Food
With its exotic aromas and complex flavors, Indian cuisine is one of the world’s best. In 2025, it’s no surprise that all our volunteers adore it and that everyone wants to learn to cook Indian food at home.

Our staff will prepare all your meals, predominantly Indian with some Western options where possible. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food will be provided. Our staff can customize meals according to your taste and spice tolerance. All meals are included (breakfast, lunch, dinner, teas/coffees, snacks, local fruits, etc.). You can supplement this diet at your own expense with other foods like pasta or Western dishes, as long as they are available. You are also welcome to cook for yourself using the provided utensils (no ovens, though). If you want to try your hand at cooking, you are free to do so.

All volunteer accommodations have clean, reasonably equipped kitchens with necessary utensils for volunteers to enhance their cooking skills. Our staff will help you learn to cook—Indian style.

Please note that all project accommodations provided by Yearoutindia have basic facilities. Amenities like Internet, ATMs/cash machines, and fax services are usually within walking distance from the house. In some locations, ATMs are only available in nearby towns, which can be about an hour's drive away.