General Kathmandu Volunteer
Information
Accommodation
Volunteers in the Kathmandu area either home stay with local families or
if working in an orphanage they often stay in the orphanage. Nepali
people are extremely hospitable and volunteers will be well looked after
however the accommodation will be typically Nepali and therefore basic
by Western standards. Toilets and showers are usually Nepali style and
the electricity supply in Kathmandu is unreliable with scheduled 3 hour
power outages for much of the year. We have four different home stay
families in the area all of whom have lots of previous experience with
looking after volunteers. Volunteers staying in orphanages are given
their own room within the orphanage.
Weather
Weather in the Kathmandu valley is some of the most moderate in Nepal.
In summer (May to September) the temperature rarely rises much above 30
degrees, the monsoon season (June to September) is less dramatic than
most areas and winter temperatures (December to February) are usually
above 10 degrees during the day with snow being extremely rare. It can
get quite cold at night especially in the higher elevations around
Kathmandu.
Food
The staple food for most Nepali families and in orphanages is "Dal Bhat"
which consists of rice (Bhat), lentil soup (dal) and vegetables in curry
(Tarkari) and/or meat (Masu) and a small amount of pickle /sauce (Achar),
other popular Nepali foods are either Indian or Tibetan influenced with
lots of curries, breads and potato based dishes. There is a massive
selection of international food in Kathmandu although most of this is
around the Thamel area. Volunteers can either eat with their host family
or go out to eat, although the variety of locally available food will
depend greatly on where in the area they are located and their proximity
to Thamel. Volunteers from other areas of Kathmandu usually travel into
Thamel on weekends to socialize with other volunteers and eat Western
food. A typical meal in Kathmandu will cost anywhere from 50 – 300
rupees ($1-$5).
Activities
There are numerous things to see and do around Kathmandu. Among the
highlights are the Three Goddesses Temple, Durbar Square, Swayambhunath
(Monkey Temple), Mahakala Temple, Pasupatinath and Bodhnath and shopping
and bargaining around the touristy Thamel area.
Chitwan
Chitwan
is about 150km from Kathmandu city, which is
very good destination for the tourist. Chitwan is in the
middle of the Terrai, a vast, flat and fertile area that borders India
and stretches right across Southern Nepal. Our projects are based around
the small city of Narayangadh. Volunteers live with Nepali families in
villages around Narayangadh and usually travel into the town to
socialize with each other on weekends, eat western food and use
facilities such as the internet which are unavailable in the home stay
villages. Your placement can be in a school, hospital,
Community forest, Community Adult Education and some type of
social work.
People in the Chitwan region are primarily Tharu
although the area is much more multi cultural than most of Nepal as
people continue to migrate to the area from all over the country. The
Tharu traditional dance and songs are performed in resorts and lodge
entertainment. The Tharu people are known for their farming
skills, industrious nature and intelligence. Although they have a low
income, the Tharu are mostly self sufficient due to their farming
abilities.
Chitwan's National Park is the main attraction in the region. This
park is regarded as the best national park of Nepal, and is also the
most developed one. Elephant Breeding Centre, Crocodile Farm are two
other must see locations in the park.
Main activities in Chitwan include Jungle Safari,
Bird Watching and Boat Tour. Jungle Safari is the most popular one. You
will journey into the deep forest riding on elephant back, you will
witness the preserved natural assets of Nepal, birds, flora and fauna.
World's one of the most endangered species, Bengal Tigers are found
abundant in Nepal, many in Chitwan national park. If it's your day, you
might see them too. The other major animal you will see is the
one-horned rhinos whose famous place to live on earth is none other than
Nepal. The park is also famous for bird watching, and boat tours. A walk
to nearby villages is also a recommended thing to do.
General Chitwan Information
Accommodation
Volunteers in the Chitwan area either home stay with traditional Nepali
families or have their own room in their orphanage. The accommodation is
typically Nepali and basic by Western standards, often with traditional
Nepali toilets and showers and in many places electricity supply can be
erratic.
Due to the numbers of volunteers that have worked in
Chitwan most of the families have lots of experience looking after
volunteers and our volunteers will be very well looked after. Nepali
people are extremely welcoming and you will treated like a member of
their family. During your time in the house you will be encouraged to
participate in activities around the home such as cooking, washing and
generally caring for the house and family as if you where a member of
the family. We believe this is best way to experience real Nepali life.
Weather
The Terrai is the lowest and therefore usually warmest part of Nepal,
although like the rest of Nepal it has 2 main seasons, the dry season
from October to May and the wet/monsoon season from June to September.
The Terrai can get very hot especially between April and July when
temperatures can rise above 35 degrees.
Food
The staple food for people in Nepal is "Dal Bhat" which most families
will eat at least once a day and consists of rice (Bhat), lentil soup (dal)
and vegetables in curry (Tarkari) and/or meat (Masu) and a small amount
of pickle /sauce (Achar). This usually eaten without cutlery the right
hand which can be extremely messy for those not used to it. Many younger
Nepali's have started using cutlery though and this is also perfectly
acceptable for volunteers if they don't like covering their hands (and
possibly arms, clothes and faces) in curry. Other foods in the Terrai
region tend to be very Indian influenced and based around potatoes, rice
and curries. Volunteers usually eat with there home stay families during
the week but travel into surrounding towns for more continental food on
weekends.
Activities
The main attractions in the area is Chitwan National Park, a wildlife
reserve for rhinos, elephants, tigers and 50 other species of animals,
and over 400 types of birds. Volunteers can enjoy elephant safari,
canoeing, animal watching, animal breeding projects, animal
rehabilitation centers, cycling, and 4WD safaris here.
Pokhara
Pokhara is in Mid-Western part of Nepal which
is about 200km west of Kathmandu and can be reached in 5 hours
by bus. It is a good tourist destination where you can enjoy the
beautiful Annapurna Range and close look of Fish Tail Mountain.
Pokhara itself lies on the banks of Lake Phewa, a huge,
beautiful lake. Your placement can be in School, Social Work,
Environment. Pokhara starting point for major trekking routes
such as the Annapurna Circuit, Sancutary and Jomsom treks, a
number of short day treks in the surrounding hills may be
taken.
General Pokhara
Information
Accommodation
Our volunteers stay with local Nepali families in the mountains around
Pokhara. Nepali families are extremely welcoming and all our host
families have experience looking after volunteers. The houses are
however basic by Western standards, most with Nepali style outdoor
toilets and showers and the electricity supply is not always reliable.
All of the houses are located close to the volunteers placements and all
have fantastic mountain views.
During your time in the house you will be encouraged
to participate in activities around the home such as cooking, washing
and generally caring for the house and family as if you where a member
of the familly. We believe this is best way to experience real Nepali
life.
Weather
The climate around Pokhara depends very much on elevation. Pokhara
itself is at only 884 meters and the climate is generally warm and more
moderate that Kathmandu, although it gets hit harder than Katmandu by
the monsoon season which runs from June until September and can get very
humid at times. The best time to visit the region is between October and
November when its cool and views of the mountains are clear from
December through to February snows make much of the region and the
longer treks inaccessible and it can get extremely cold at night. March
and April are also good time to visit although May and June can get very
hot during the day making trekking unpleasant even at high altitudes.
Even at this time it can get very cold at night in the mountains so
volunteers should be prepared for this.
Food
During the week volunteers usually eat with their host families. The
staple food for people in Nepal is "Dal Bhat" which most families will
eat at least once a day and consists of rice (Bhat), lentil soup (dal)
and vegetables in curry (Tarkari) and/or meat (Masu) and a small amount
of pickle /sauce (Achar). Other traditional Nepali food are quite
similar to Indian food with lots of curries and potatoes although in the
mountainous regions Tibetan foods such as thugba (noodle soup), momos,
Tibetan breads and tsampa are particularly popular. At weekends
volunteers often travel in Pokhara where there is a huge variety of
Western food available. Some of the placements are also close to
trekking trails and the trekking lodges also sell a variety of Western
food.
Activities
As well as the huge amounts of trekking, there are numerous other things
to do around Pokhara. Highlights include boating on Lake Phewa Tal (the
second largest lake in Nepal), paragliding, numerous temples (both Hindu
and Buddhist), Rani Ban (the Queen’s Forest), local museums, Patale
Chango (Devi’s Falls), Yoga Ashram Centers and Tashipalkhel (a Tibetan
area including a Monastery and village).
Nawalparasi
