Lets work together to make a perfect plan according to your needs, just send us your broad requirements and purpose and we will draft a plan with our expertise on India. Product is beautiful when our expertise meets your vision.
SAPI is able to handle everything from group airline reservations to hotel bookings to guide services to arranging for speakers, presentations and service projects.
No, each group is kept exclusive and SAPI will accommodate any size group, no matter how small.
We take student safety as our prime focus. We have offices and partner arrangements at all travel locations in India and we provide local cell phones to your trip leaders in order to facilitate close communication. Incase we foresee any problem we inform in advance and withdraw the travel to that destination. We also provide lists of recommended hospitals and security contacts along your itinerary.
SAPI provides Trip Leaders with a list of recommended hospitals in the cities they will be visiting. We also have a doctor on panel to assist any emergency’s 24 by 7. In extreme cases medical evacuation can also be arranged.
All hotels and guest houses where students stay are connected through internet and have access to net. You can get in touch through skype or other similar sites. Sapi also organizes for local sim cards, which you can use while on the tour. Using international calling cards is an economical way to speak to your loved ones while you are in India.
SAPI recommends stay with host families and supports local communities by using comfortable smaller hotels and locally owned guesthouses (equivalent to a 2-3 star hotel or motel in the US). We do not use luxury hotels, nor do we use backpacker/youth hostels. SAPI team pre checks all accommodations for cleanliness and comfort and in room amenities.
Yes. SAPI would be happy to provide names of other schools or trip leaders who have traveled with us.
Prices are transparent and all inclusive. Price for a program depends on its legth, accommodation used and many other factors, we can give you an estimate of cost if you contact us with your requirements.
Yes. Discounts on tour cost are given to qualified students who have a financial need. In turm they have to do a project with a local sponsor who funds their discount.
We will assist you by providing resources and information, but the responsibility to apply for the visa is yours.
Students on all programs will have access to medical care facilities. We can provide information on medical facilities specific to each destination upon request. Please contact SAPI for program-specific protocols and nearby hospitals, etc.
Going on the SAPI Program will IMPROVE your college admission application. Showing that you have international living experience through any of our study or volunteer programs (versus just travel experience) is always an asset to college admission. This is what Susan Wennemyr, a Harvard University student recruiter told in an interview:
"When I interview applicants to Harvard, absolutely nothing impresses me as much as international experience. I immediately assume that such students have the mental agility and political awareness that prepare her for study of complex issues. It also suggests that that student can contribute a unique perspective to her classmates, which is something we're always looking for."
Yes and no. There is always an initial period of adjustment when you go to another country or school. You may miss your family, friends, and familiar things back home. SAPI staff in each location are trained on how to help with transition into life abroad, and you will be well supported by staff and fellow volunteers. On all SAPI Programs, you will quickly make friends and at the end of the program you will wish you didn't have to leave!
You may choose to live with a host family on some of SAPI's Volunteer Programs. Should you choose this option, you will be living with families which have been carefully screened and have years of experience hosting young volunteers like yourself. Homestays are a wonderful and unique way to truly experience local culture.
English is the most widely spoken language, and all classes, orientations and programs are taught in English. However, you will be working alongside volunteers from around the world and with local community members who will speak a variety of languages. We hope that you take this opportunity to practice your Hindi or any other local dialect, etc!
It depends on the location of your project. Safe drinking water will be provided to you no matter where you are working.
Yes. We will help you with resources but you will have to get these documents yourself.
Safety is of major concern to us at the SAPI Program. While it is impossible for anyone to guarantee absolute and complete safety - whether at home or on the other side of the globe - we go to great lengths to control the risks we can
SAPI employees are all seasoned travelers, have extensive experience with organizing youth travel, as well as extensive experience in India and developing countries. SAPI staff are versed in international safety procedures and risk management, and take this into consideration when developing any itinerary for a custom trip.
SAPI has an extensive network of contacts and personal relationships in India and other south asian countries we work in. We work directly with local experts and counterparts on the ground, so that we always have quick access to information and resources. SAPI carefully screens local organizations to ensure that they have outstanding reputations and trustworthy track records.
SAPI provides Trip Leaders with a list of emergency contacts specific to their trip, detailing local medical facilities, police stations, the nearest US Embassy or Consul, as well as 24 hour response numbers both in-country as well as in the US. In addition, SAPI provides all trip leaders with local cell phones that have the capability of calling both within country, as well as internationally.
SAPI provides an orientation to students when they arrive in country so that they are sensitized to and learn how to avoid safety risks. The in-country orientation covers topics such as keeping documents and money secure, carrying hotel and emergency contact information, avoiding unwanted attention by dressing in a way that is respectful of local culture, etc. While ultimate responsibility for student behavior rests with the trip leaders (and students themselves!), SAPI strongly recommends that students never do any exploration or activities alone, but rather be in groups of three or more at all times.
As a policy, SAPI will never send a student or group into an area deemed unsafe by the US Department of State and we register all groups traveling abroad with the local US Embassy. If there are political and military events in the foreign country that have created a situation in which a student or group is in danger of imminent bodily harm, SAPI provides an evacuation service through our partner that will take our trip participants to the nearest place of safety and then to the home country.
SAPI communicates regularly with in-country staff during the course of a trip to ensure that everyone is informed about the group's whereabouts and status. Trip Leaders have regular access to phone service via SAPI cell phones as well as local land lines and students are able to communicate with friends and family back home periodically via email and public pay phones.
A unique aspect of the SAPI Program is our emphasis on small group sizes and low student-Trip Leader ratios. We do this not only to ensure a high quality experience for students and to make sure that student needs are met, but also to maximize the security and safety of the group. With smaller group sizes, Trip Leaders are able to manage student behavior risks more effectively and to remain flexible in planning. Trip Leaders can also respond more quickly to changes in local conditions, political circumstances, or student health.
- Whenever possible, SAPI will arrange for students to travel together to India on the most direct flights as possible.
- SAPI representatives will meet the students upon arrival at the airport and will escort them.
- All vehicles used for trips are licensed, registered and inspected regularly, and all vehicle drivers are licensed and insured.
- The trip route and program locations are located in small towns, several days' travel distance from the border with either China, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka, and to date, no political turmoil has affected any foreign nationals during our tours.
- Each accommodation place we use during SAPI tour has a security guard and a residence supervisor for 24 by 7 duty. The places have fencing and are guarded.
