Nepal: Himalayan Village Life and Service

Arrive into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture. After some rest and lunch, head out to learn about local culture and religion, visit the city’s temples, and get introduced to the hustle and bustle of Nepal.

Hop into vans and head to Sun Koshi River for your first big adventure. After a safety and skills training, charge into class II-III rapids, enjoying the thrilling turns and taking in the beautiful landscape of the Nepali backwoods. Set up camp on the riverbanks, where you’ll stay that night. Relive that day’s biggest moments with your group and listen to the surrounding sounds of nature as you fall asleep.

Hike to a nearby village in the morning to meet your homestay family, who will great you with a traditional welcome ceremony. Stay for the next few nights, getting to know village members and learning about Nepali village life where families are dependent on agriculture, there are minimal city services, and education stops at fifth grade. Spend meals and downtime with your host family, getting to know them and learning about local customs.

Wake up to the cool mountain air and enjoy a home-cooked breakfast with your host family. Spend the next several days participating in ongoing service that could include earthquake relief projects, construction work, or educational enrichment activities. Adopt the slow pace of village life and learn what makes this village unique. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.

Say goodbye to your host families and spend the day hiking to Namobuddha, a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site and home to a beautiful monastery. Explore the monastery and have lunch at a local dhaba before settling in for the night in the mountains. After a half-day hike with your group, telling stories along the way, arrive for a night in the mountains at a local guesthouse for a hot meal and a good night’s sleep.

Rise early for the van ride back to Kathmandu, watching the mountains and winding roads unfold until they open into the city cradled in the shadow of Everest. Drop your things at the hotel and explore the city sights to learn about Nepal’s unique climbing history and how the country responded to the 2015 earthquake. Kathmandu is the intersection of many Buddhist and Hindu cultures, as well as a host of other global influences.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

After your last hearty Nepalese breakfast, explore the market and spend your final few hours at Boudhanath, a famous Buddhist monument. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure

Grab breakfast at the hotel this morning and then head to Pokhara airport for a quick flight back to Kathmandu. Arrive in Kathmandu in the early afternoon and head to the hotel for lunch. After freshening up at the hotel you’ll head out to the famous Boudhanath stupa – another UNESCO World Heritage site and the locus of Buddhist monasteries in the Kathmandu valley. Tour the Boudha area, shop in the markets, and then head to a restaurant for dinner.

Tonight cap off your program with a group closing ceremony and a look back on all you have learned over the past two weeks. From rivers to mountains and from the jungles of Chitwan to the peaks of the Annapurnas you’ve experienced the best of the Himalayas!

Overnight: Hotel, Kathmandu

Depending on your flight timing today you may spend some time in the bazaars of Kathmandu, shopping for one last souvenir, or you may head directly to Kathmandu International Airport to catch your flight home.

Say your namastes and dhanyabads with Team Nepal at the airport and keep your eyes on the mountains.We hope the people you’ve met, experiences you’ve had and lessons you’ve learned will help guide you in all future endeavors. Safe travels and we hope to see you again soon!