Nepal: Mountain Adventure

Arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to Nepal. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight to Nepal.

The flight to Nepal is long, but will be worth it when you step out int o the mountains!

Arrive into Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu (KTM) 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 explore Kathmandu’s to the culture, hustle and bustle of Nepal.

Students will share comfortable rooms with private bathrooms in a comfortable guesthouse.

Wake up to the cool mountain air and enjoy your breakfast. Head out for your first adventure in Nepal: white water rafting! Get a safety and skills briefing from our rafting partner company and set out on your rafts down the river. You’ll pass through Snell’s Nose, Monkey Rapids, and Teen Devi Rapids today, and experience being in the isolated nature of beautiful Nepal.

After a long, exciting day, head to the shore to camp in the wilderness overnight, relax, and share stories before another big day out on the river.

After a relaxing morning and breakfast, head out to Rayale village. It is located Southeast of Kathmandu valley. This village is the perfect example of unity and diversity where Hindu and Buddhist people are living together. Upon arrival you will be welcomed in a traditional way with a Tika and garland. Once you arrive meet with the head of the village and visit the local community members’ houses and see how they live and what their daily routine is like. Play cricket or soccer with the village students, learn Nepali dance, and enjoy evening chiya with your homestay families. You can expect daily debriefs with your group during which you’ll start to reflect, unpack your experience, and explore your identity.

Wake up to the cool mountain air and enjoy your home cooked breakfast. For the next two days you’ll put on your service shoes and dig into the ongoing projects of the village. You will be building protection for the clean water source in the valley to ensure safe drinking water for the village.
Spend the morning with your homestay family for breakfast then meet as a group for your service project. Have lunch together and then jump back into service in the afternoon.
Evenings will be spent exploring the village and the culture of Nepal. Play cricket or soccer with the village students, learn Nepali dance, and enjoy evening chiya with your homestay families. You can expect daily debriefs with your group during which you’ll start to reflect, unpack your experience, and explore your identity.
After all the adventure and sit down in the evening, 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

After breakfast, hop on to your vans to head out to the starting point of the Namo Buddha trek. Namo Buddha Hiking – “The finest trekking route in the KTM valley.” Namo Buddha Hiking route, at 2565m. This is best known for its culture that is still conserved and followed. It is one of the few hiking routes near the valley that takes you to the Stupa’s flattering colorful prayer flags and peaceful environment. Culturally, the reason is home to Tamang and Newari ethnicities. Be ready to experience some amazing views of
Rhododendron bushes, sacred and ancient temples and monasteries including Namo Buddha, Indreshwar Mahadev Temple, and the Brahmayani Temple and of course the views of the snow peaked Himalayas.

Nagarkot is touted as having the best mountain views near Kathmandu with a chance at seeing Everest. Nagarkot trek is one of the perfect short trek destinations to the east of Kathmandu, away from the city crowd. This trek allows you to experience typical Nepali hospitality while enjoying amazing natural sceneries – including panoramic sunrise views over several mesmerizing snow-capped mountains.
After all the adventure and sit down in the evening, 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.

Wake up to the cool mountain air and enjoy your breakfast. After leading the rustic life in the mountains head back to Kathmandu. Boudha stupa is semicircle shaped and contains the relics and remains of Buddha. The stupa's massive mandala makes it one of the largest spherical stupas in the world. Boudha Stupa was listed in the world heritage list by UNESCO in 1979 and it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Kathmandu.. After visiting Boudha, stupa heads out to learn about the “THANGKA PAINTING”. It
is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala. Thangka paintings are important tools to depict Buddha and his teachings as well as that of other deities and bodhisattvas. The most prominent subject is the Bhavachakra (Wheel of Life) which is how the Art of Enlightenment is visually represented.
After having lunch, head out to the cultural and spiritual fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism monument called Swayambhunath Temple which is also famously known as Monkey Temple”.
Swayambhu is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. The Tibetan name for the site means “Sublime Trees”, for the many varieties of trees found on the hill.
It’s all to do with a group of monkeys that have lived in the northwest part of the Swayambhunath temple complex for generations. It’s said that they came into being when the Buddhist deity; Manjushri spent time on the hill that the temples are set on.

Wake up for a hot breakfast, and hop into your vans for Kathmandu. Say your namastes and dhanyabads with your new friends 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!

Arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in the morning for your connecting flight or ride home.