Andaman & Nicobar Eco Study cum Training Program 2026

Six days in the Andaman Islands with the YHAI National Office, mixing history, reef and rainforest. You walk the corridors of the Cellular Jail, see the coral of North Bay, wander the ruins of Ross Island, spend a day on Radhanagar beach on Havelock and set off before dawn through the Jarawa reserve to the mangrove creeks, limestone caves and mud volcano of Baratang.

Port Blair, officially renamed Sri Vijaya Puram in 2024, is the base for the week. Its Cellular Jail, built between 1896 and 1906 and remembered as Kala Pani, held political prisoners of the freedom struggle and has been a National Memorial since 1979; the evening sound and light show tells their story.

Highlights

• North Bay - fringing coral reefs for snorkelling and glass-bottom boat rides; its lighthouse appeared on the back of the older Rs. 20 note.
• Ross Island - the British administrative headquarters of the islands until the mid-1940s, now ruins of a church, bakery and Government House among the trees, roamed by spotted deer and peacocks. It was renamed after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 2018.
• Radhanagar beach on Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) - a long sweep of white sand backed by forest, rated among the top 10 beaches in Asia and Blue Flag certified.
• Port Blair's museums - the Chatham saw mill, set up in 1883 and described as one of the oldest and largest in Asia, the Samudrika naval marine museum, the Anthropological Museum, the Fisheries Museum, the Forest Museum and the Mini Zoo.
• Chidiya Tapu - the southern tip of South Andaman, known for birdwatching and sunsets.
• Baratang - a speedboat ride through mangrove creeks, limestone caves and the only known mud volcanoes in India.

Fee

• Rs. 20,999 per person
• Children up to 2 years: free
• Children 2 to 6 years: Rs. 6,500 (no bed)
• Children 6 to 10 years: Rs. 10,500 (with bed)

The Fee Includes

• Sightseeing by AC vehicle in Port Blair and by non-AC vehicle on Havelock
• Boat charges
• Port Blair to Havelock and back by private ferry, or by government ferry in executive class
• Permit charges and entry tickets
• All meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner (MAP plan)

Extra, at Your Own Cost

• Swimming at Corbyn's Cove
• Snorkelling and the glass-bottom boat ride at North Bay
• The optional Elephant Beach tour from Havelock

Contact

• 011 4599 9015 / 7827 999 000
• Email: trekking@yhaindia.org
• Youth Hostels Association of India, 5 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021

Who Can Join

• Ages 10 to 75. YHAI membership is mandatory.
• Under-10s and over-60s may be allowed, offline only, if medically fit and experienced. They must submit an indemnity bond on plain paper, a medical fitness certificate and the registration form. The final decision rests with the management, subject to availability.

How to Join

• Online: book at www.yhaindia.org.
• Offline: send the registration form and fee to the Youth Hostels Association of India, 5 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021.
• NEFT/RTGS: Punjab National Bank, A/c name Youth Hostels Association of India, A/c 1736000100169954, IFSC PUNB0173600 - attach the payment challan to your form.
• Demand draft: in favour of "Youth Hostels Association of India", payable at New Delhi.

How to Reach

• Reach Port Blair by flight or by ship; check-in is at 10:00 AM on day 1.

Stay and Food

• Double-sharing hotel stay
• Healthy, nutritious meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner

What to Bring

• Waterproof shoes and flip-flops
• Four pairs of socks
• Cotton T-shirts
• Windcheater, raincoat or poncho
• A sweater and woollen cap
• Sunglasses (not blue lenses)
• Daypack or knapsack
• Power bank
• Torch and spare batteries
• Water bottle
• Personal medicines and basic first aid
• Masks and hand sanitiser

Rules

• No smoking, alcohol or drugs
• Stay only at YHAI accommodation
• Keep the trail clean - no littering
• Your membership card is mandatory at reporting
• Be respectful - misbehaviour means expulsion
• The route and schedule may change with the weather or local administration

Safety

• Participant safety has been planned in detail, with trained field staff and volunteers on site. YHAI is not liable for accidents or illness.

Cancellation Method

• Cancel at least 5 days before your reporting date - online at www.yhaindia.org if you booked online, or by email to trekking@yhaindia.org if you booked offline.
• Only cancellations made this way, in time, are eligible for a refund or credit shell.

(a) 100% Credit Shell

• Valid till December 2026, for any YHAI adventure program.
• Transferable once to family or friends; a transfer cannot be reversed.
• If your next program is cheaper, use the balance by December 2026; if it costs more, pay the difference.
• A program booked with a credit shell cannot be cancelled.

(b) 50% Refund

• On the same 5-day notice rule.

If a program is cancelled because of a natural calamity, government restriction or permission issue, YHAI refunds only the program fee - not other personal expenses such as travel. YHAI's decision is final and binding.