Have you ever thought of making your next holiday a wholly different experience to anything you’ve done before; to contribute with your time and money? Well join the thousands of people who travel to destinations across Rajasthan and take part in the new eco-tourism revolution.

Many otherwise well informed or those who consider themselves ‘travel trend conscious’ are surprised to learn that not only do volunteers travel all over the country to work for someone else, they pay for the privilege! There has been a very subtle shift away from the standard backpacking trip, over land type experience to this new type of holiday, and it’s a fantastic experience to boot!

One of the fastest travel trends today is Volunteer Vacations, sometimes referred to as Volun-Tourism. Travelers not only visit different places but also get involved with the indigenous people through community service.

Udaipur, an exotic city known for its beautiful culture and multi-faceted ethnicity, is the perfect place to sample this unique experience. Many people travelling here want to experience the other side of the place. While they are attracted to the pristine lakes, amazing mountains, rich heritage and colorful traditions, they also want to be a part of the lives of people in need so they opt for a volunteer vacation.

These days, the youth have latched onto this idea and opt for short volunteer vacation tours that they find suitable. These tours include several volunteer projects that you can get involved with. These projects are highly varied, ranging from humanitarian assistance, conservation based work to cultural exposure and everything in between.

You could work on women’s projects on their education, income generation or skill development or help orphans and deaf children in village schools; simply learn the art of cooking Rajasthani food and involve in street kids program.

Get your hands little dirty by making pottery and renovate classrooms in the remote villages of Udaipur or seek an adventure tour covering the best of North and South Rajasthan. The number of projects available is mind boggling, with budgets and duration to suit anyone of any age.

The average volunteer program runs for about two-three weeks, but few will fit you in for a reduced duration. Most will also take you on for an extended period of time, especially on social or humanitarian type projects. NGOs in Udaipur such as SIMS Sansthan, Seva Mandir, Shikshantar, Animal Aid Unlimited, Foster Care India, Maitri Manthan, Action Udaipur and STEP etc. provide volunteer work which allows you to travel to nearby villages and towns and work on projects.

The emotional attachment you develop with the communities and individuals can be life altering. The massive, far-reaching and totally worthwhile contribution of travelling with volunteer work involved, is indisputable. Volunteers can benefit themselves by exploring the places that they visit and contribute to the betterment of the society.

With 2014 nearing its end, giving way to 2015, let your December days be filled with enriching memories, infused with care, laughter and love that you will be sharing with a lot of people.

In whose life will you be making a huge difference?