Volunteering / Gap Year in Nepal
This is a unique blend of various activities particularly devised for students taking a gap year. The multi activities holiday includes a volunteering service focused on the development of local community, cultural exchange activities, a soft adventure trek in a magnificent Langtang region and guided visits to the cultural and historical legacies of Kathmandu valley.
To make volunteer work most exciting and highly educative, we have conceived an idea of ‘homestay program’ where we put students together with local families of the region, at least 2 to 3 students share a family and we make sure that all the students are given a warm hospitality and maintain top hygienic level while catering to the guests. We are very hopeful that this program offers students a highly rewarding holiday where they can interact with local families involving themselves in various volunteering activities such as teaching in local schools, helping local health post, assisting in various community services and so on.
The activity concludes with a weeklong trek to Langtang region. The trek starts from Syabru Bensi after 5-6 hours drive from Nuwakot. Following a trail upstream Bhote Kosi river through ethnic Tamang villages, lush green forests and wide spread Kyangin valley.
Surrounded by snowy peaks from all fours sides, we ascend up to Kyangin at 3800 meter, where we get an opportunity to ascend Kyangjin Ri [4350m], from where the 360 degree mountain views are truly spectacular. After an ascent of Kyangjin Ri, we retrace our route back down the valley to Syabru Bensi and then drive back to Kathmandu. The trek is not considered strenuous, yet, it remains challenging as it reaches the altitude of 3800 meter at Kyangjin Ri at 4350 meter.
Volunteering in Nuwakot village, staying with local family, soft adventure trek in Langtang & exploration of three medieval kingdoms of Kathmandu valley.
Read some of our trip reports and testimonials:
Read Hong Kong Student Group volunteering & cultural exchange program in our blog.
Cheadle Hulme School Group, UK – Nepal Tour
Multi Activity Tour for KGV School Students
Canadian International School Group Tour
Student Group tour to Langtang
Read volunteering experience in Nepal by Norwegian volunteers in our blog.
Detailed Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrive Kathmandu
Soon after landing on Kathmandu airport, our representative and driver will escort you to your hotel. We will then make apt preparation for the trip..
- Day 2
Sightseeing Kathmandu
After early morning breakfast, we set off for our sightseeing tour around the major attractions of Kathmandu like Kathmandu Durbar Square, Hanuman Dhoka, Pashupatinath temple, Kumari temple, Boudhanath, Swayambunath etc. This culturally stimulating and exciting trip explore every facets of Kathmandu..
- Day 3
Sightseeing Kathmandu- evening briefing and discussions on further activities
On this day also we continue sightseeing more of Kathmandu city. After we get enlightened on the historical, cultural, traditional and cultural aspects of the city, we head back to our hotel. Amidst the comfort of the hotel, we get thoroughly briefed out on all the necessary and important details of the trip..
- Day 4
Bus to Nuwakot, participate in volunteer services
We take a bus from Kathmandu to Nuwakot. Our mission is to benefit the community of Nuwakot with our volunteer service.
- Day 5-31
Continue volunteer service
We spend 27 days in Nuwakot contributing for the empowerment and development of the local community through our volunteer service. We can live with local family of the community to internalize their reality. This gives us clear perspectives and insights about the socio-cultural practice of the place. In the end besides the target group, we also benefit from our good cause. We can participate in various volunteering activities like teaching in local schools, helping local health post, assisting in various community services etc..
- Day 32
Drive to Dhunche (4-5 hrs) [1950 m]
After we are done with our commitment, we make arrangements to venture into trekking adventure. From Nuwakot, we drive to Dhunche. On driving to Dhunche, we find ourselves at an altitude of 1950 meter amidst the spectacular vistas of majestic Himalayan peaks..
- Day 33
Syabru Bensi to Lama Hotel (2748m)
The trail initially crosses the Bhote Kosi, flowing down from Tibet, literally a few kilometres away, and then gradually climbs up through the sub-tropical forests, teeming with bird-life, to join the trail from Syabru. We then follow the river, climbing through uninhabited forest of oak and rhododendron and maybe catching a glimpse of langur monkeys roaming through the trees. We climb along a steep trail to our camp in the forest. .
- Day 34
Lama Hotel to Langtang Village (3500m)
As we continue climbing there are occasional glimpses of Langtang Lirung between the trees. At Ghora Tabela (3000m), the trail emerges from the forest. Once there was a Tibetan resettlement project here, but now it is a Nepalese army post though it has no permanent inhabitants. The trail continues to climb gently and the valley widens, passing a few temporary settlements used by herders who bring their livestock to graze in the high pastures during the summer months. There is a monastery which we can visit shortly before arriving at the village of Langtang, the headquarters of the Langtang National Park. The houses of Langtang and its neighbouring villages are of the flat-roofed Tibetan style, surrounded by stone walls enclosing fields of buckwheat, potatoes, wheat, turnips and barley. .
- Day 35
Langtang Village to Kyangjin (3800m)
The trail climbs gradually through small villages and yak pastures as the valley opens out further and the views become more extensive. After crossing several small streams and moraines, the trail reaches the settlement at Kyangjin. Here there is a small monastery and a government-operated cheese factory. We should arrive at Kyangjin by lunch time allowing time to acclimatise and explore the area. It is a dramatic setting, with snow covered peaks surrounding us in all directions. .
- Day 36
Rest Day in Kyangjin
A day to rest and explore the area. We can visit the monastery and the cheese factory, walk up the moraine to see the spectacular ice faces and tumbling glaciers of Langtang Lirung or ascend Kyangjin Ri (4350m), directly behind the village, for a breath-taking panorama of the Langtang peaks. .
- Day 37
Kyangjin to Lama Hotel (2784m)
From Kyangjin we retrace our route, following the Langtang Khola to Langtang village and on to Ghora Tabela. After lunch we continue the steep descent to Lama Hotel. .
- Day 38
Lama Hotel to Syabru Bensi (2000m)
We continue retracing our steps to Syabru Bensi. .
- Day 39
Drive back to Kathmandu
After we have our share of adventurous and memorable trekking experiences, we head back to Kathmandu..
- Day 40-41
Free day in Kathmandu
We have two days to pursue any activities of our choice. We can either rest or go shopping, sightseeing or roaming aimlessly around the city..
- Day 42
Depart Kathmandu
Transfer to the airport in time to catch you flight home..
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Happy Explorers
The sceneries and the landscapes during High Passes Trek where we also had an opportunity to meet kind local people and the wildlife activities at Chitwan are the best memories of this Holiday. The service of Explore Himalaya was very good.
Community Service
We work with the motto "Tourism for Development". Explore Himalaya Community Service Project was conceived to empower underprivileged segments of Nepal.
