Volunteer At This Beautiful Lodge In Panchgani And Stay For Free

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What Is It?

La Maison in Panchgani is a beautiful and homely bed and breakfast run by an Indo-French couple {and their newly born baby}, who started this in order to escape the city life.

Volunteer At Their Organic Farm

Opened on March 21, 2016, by Meherdad and Lauren, the b&b offers four rooms in total – two big rooms with spectacular view of the Dhoom lake and the misty hills with an attached bathroom and two smaller rooms with a balcony.

However, what really excited us was the volunteering opportunity they offer at their lodge, known as ‘Wwoofing’ {Willing workers on organic farms}. Wwoofing is simply helping out at an organic farm in return of free accommodation and that’s precisely what they offer. You can help the couple plant potatoes and other seasonal veggies and really work your way around the tiny two farming plots they have up and going. It’s not an all year round thing {mainly post-monsoons} but they’re welcoming a few people who’d like to lend a helping hand to them.

They’ll be providing the volunteers with free accommodation. All you need to do is work for three hours on the farm, and you get one night free stay. Meals have to be taken care by the volunteers, however breakfast, lunch and dinner can be provided to the wwoof-ers for an cost of INR 250. They only accept maximum 4-5 people at one time {depending on the availability of the rooms} and would prefer people who genuinely want to get away from the city and want to surrender themselves to the nature – so respect the calmness and quietness of the place.

What Is Unique About It?

The gorgeous breathtaking view, the scenic isolation and homemade French breakfast. Lauren tells us her idea of a lodge is not to just let people come, pay and stay {the universal concept}. Instead she wants to offer people extended services like working at their farm hence the seasonal woofing opportunity.

They stay put up in the lodge as well – so you’ll always have company in them – and they’re more than happy to assist you in exploring their part of town. Lauren would happily provide you with breakfast {at the aforemnetioned cost} that’ll include her French homemade jam, musseli, crepes, juice or French toast. We recommend this lodge to anyone who is looking for a peaceful quick getaway to rejuvenate themselves – just think green, hills and quiet.

How Do I Get There?

It’s approximately five kilometres from the main Panchgani Market and accessible via roads so be prepared to arrange your own transport. Volunteers, however, may get their transport sorted out by La Maison itself.

So, We're Saying...

Why bother checking into an everyday hotel when you can stay with the kindest couple at their beautiful lodge amidst the lush green hills of Panchgani? For people looking to volunteer – it doesn’t get better than this – hills, farming and away from the city. That’s the millennial’s dream, isn’t it?

Price: Big rooms {INR 2,500 per night for two people}, Small rooms {INR 1,500 per night for two people plus INR 150 for breakfast}

#LBBTip

If you’re a solo traveller, get in touch and they’ll sort you out with some activity there in return for staying there.