Looking for a unique experience in one of the diverse countries in Asia? Volunteer in Nepal will be the perfect choice. Stunning mountains, multicultural cuisine and a rich buddhistic culture are just a few aspects that make this land worth visiting. There are lot more astonishments waiting for you for sure.
If you are eager for an opportunity to combine your volunteer work with an adventurous and inspiring trip, you should take a closer look at Nepal and its programs. Different ways to volunteer as well as various climate zones, beautiful landscapes and cultural areas are giving this country its famous variety. As you may not know some important facts about Nepal and its habits yet, this article provides you with important features about people, country and culture as well as it gives an overview about the different domains that you can volunteer in.
[accordion]
[item title=”Top 6 fun facts about Nepal”]
- According to the Nepalese calendar we are already in year 2071
- The longest handshake between two Nepalese men lasted 42hr and 35min
- Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha
- Kathmandu has seven World Heritage Sights within 15 kilometres
- Nepal doesn´t have an Independence Day because it was never under foreign invasion
- As the only country in the world, Nepal has a non-rectangular flag
[/item]
[/accordion]
Social Projects in Nepal
Before starting as a volunteer in Nepal, you should evaluate your skills and preferences and expectations. On Volunteer World you will find lots of volunteer opportunities for different project types in Nepal. By clicking through the various categories, you will probably find the right project for you in Nepal. If you don´t have a preferred work field yet, the following overview might help you.
Education
Supporting the local education system by teaching English or other subjects is one of the most popular volunteer categories. With commitment and your own creative ideas you can make a great contribution to the prevailing system and help children and adults to find their way through foreign languages.
A specialty about education in Nepal: the current system is one of the youngest worldwide. Only when Nepal became a democracy in 1951, education was available for a wider community. Besides the recent development of an actual system, it´s hard to create access to education in small villages. In some cases, little villages in mountainous regions don´t have good infrastructure and therefore no proper schools or teachers.
If you are more into adult education, consider projects located in one of the Monasteries. Because of Nepal’s rich buddhistic culture there are many monks, which are fluent in Tibetan but don´t speak English at all. Join the on-site teams and make use of your own ideas on how to improve, manage or support the educational development. Volunteers are mostly deployed in community centres or schools within regions, that aren´t highly developed. Crucial for most projects isn´t a certain qualification, but a general passion for working with children.
Community
Especially for a cultural exchange it´s nice for volunteers to do a social project within a community focus. Thereby you can combine new cultural experiences with meaningful work in different areas. You can help to make a difference in fields of childcare, health care or construction work. As Nepalese people are known for their friendly nature and hospitality, they will honour your effort with great respect.
Environment
To be a volunteer in Nepal doesn´t mean that your work has to be in a social context. Besides working with people, there is also room to explore the rural site of Nepal. If you grew up in a big city this can be a good chance to get in touch with local fauna. Since 80 % of the population is contingent on agriculture, you can learn a lot about agrarian practices and come to a close connection with local farmers. Most of the farming still happens in a traditional way with typical Nepalese techniques.
Therefore, you can learn how farming and agriculture works without high-class machines. Besides working in agriculture there are many volunteers needed for rebuilding destroyed villages. As Nepal suffers from frequent earthquakes, there is still a lot of reconstruction to do.
Living costs for a volunteer in Nepal
To volunteer in Nepal is even possible if you looking for a low cost experience. An average meal costs $3.86. Nevertheless, you should budget at least a daily amount of $ 7.88 .
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Hotel $ 8.29 |
Big Mac Meal ® $ 9 |
Coca-Cola® $ 0.36 |
Eating out $ 3.68 |
Rental car $ 137.68/week |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Hostel $ 2.07 |
Marlboro™ $ 1.38 |
Beer $ 2.85 |
Fuel $ 1.03 |
Public transport $ 0.55 |
Best time to volunteer in Nepal
An important fact to consider when planning to volunteer in Nepal is the season during which you want to visit. Concerning weather conditions, Nepal has a lot to offer as it ranges from tropical to arctic areas. In general, the mid-land region has a pleasant temperature in every season. The Terrai region instead, which is located in the south, is more tropical and humid. The northern mountain region has a lower temperature than other areas and can be covered in snow sometimes.
Spring (March – May)
Spring in Nepal offers probably the most varying weather conditions and is one of the best times to stay. This colourful season impresses with the typical clear skies, dry weather and warm temperatures. Therefore, it is perfectly easy to fall in love with beautiful mountain views when you go for a trekking trip.
Summer (June – August)
Summer season is also known as the monsoon season. From Mid-June to Mid-September, most days are rainy with a few bright and sunny exceptions. If you want to visit Nepal during this period, bring a lot of spare clothes, because you are going to sweat as hell. With rain comes the high humidity that even gets higher in the night times.
Autumn (September – November)
Autumn or Post-Monsoon is a probably a good time for all those, who are very sensitive to sudden weather changes during their volunteer experience in Nepal. In this time of the year the weather offers a moderate climate about 20 °C (68 °F), which is perfect for physical volunteer work.
Winter (December – February)
Winter season can get quite cold in the mornings and evenings in Nepal. In higher elevations it even happens to be snowy at this time of the year. Even if you wouldn´t think of it in first place, it is essential to add warm clothes to your packing list from mid November until February.
What precautions should I consider as a volunteer in Nepal?
To protect yourself from diverse diseases or cultural faux-pas you should consider the following things:
[accordion]
[item title=”Health”]
- Try to avoid water, which is unboiled or unbottled as well as raw vegetables. As in many Asian countries, Nepal doesn´t have a common standard in water- or food quality
- Always wash your hands before eating
- Just eat with your right hand, because the left one is considered to be unclean
- If you want to check which vaccines you should get click here
[/item]
[item title=”Culture”]
- Don´t touch someone’s head or point with your feet at someone. Locals consider these gestures to be impolite
- If a local agrees with you or makes promises, it is always better to double-check
- Some entrance fees for temples are just valid for foreigners. Always bring money
- Agreement or disagreement is expressed quite differently. If you want to agree with someone, move your head slightly from one site to the other. If you would like to disagree instead, hold one hand up in front of you and move your wrist gently
- Once you touch food or water with your lips, it is contaminated for everyone else. So try not to eat from someones plate or touch a water bottle with your lips if it isn´t yours
[/item]
[item title=”Safety”]
- A common rumour aboutNepal is the legality of Marihuana. Well, it´s nothing else than a rumour so hands off!
- Don´t give money to beggars
- Avoid having food on you around monkey and temples
- Do not trek alone
- If you are planning to go for a trekking trip be sure to get essential information about helicopter rescue options
[/item]
[item title=”Packing Essentials”]
- Fleece Jacket
- Trekking boots
- Universal Plug (Nepal uses 220V)
- Flashlight, because Power Blackouts are daily routine
[/item]
[/accordion]
How to spend your free time as a volunteer in Nepal?
Besides supporting a social project by your volunteer work, there is a lot more for you to discover as a volunteer in Nepal. Make your trip even more special by plunging into culture, local cuisine or fascinating landscapes. Here are some features that you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Mountains
If you aren´t a big fan of trekking and hiking yet, you surely will be after your Nepal experience! One of the biggest attraction is the Mount Everest. But there are some insider tips that you should consider as well. One of the best places to go for beautiful landscapes and excellent trekking paths is the 10th highest mountain in the world – Annapurna. Located in the Himalayan Mountains, it is especially known for its stunning views. As one of five countries, Nepal borders on the Himalaya region, which extends until Tibetan territory. Even if you are a beginner, it is possible for you to explore the heights of this fascinating area. But be sure not to hike alone and just in the safe zones.
Culture
Famous for its deep connection to religion and spirituality, Nepal has a rich culture which is worth to be explored. Take some time to immerse with the ancient history of this small county and make your very own experiences with locals, festivals or sacred pilgrims.
[accordion]
[item title=”Buddhism”]
As the origin of Buddhism, a spiritual happening definitely should be one of your priorities on your To-Do list. Maybe your social project happens to be in buddhistic context, because you are volunteering in a Temple. But if not, you should visit some of the cultural hotspots in Nepal. If you want to learn more about Buddhism and its history, visit the pilgrimage site Lumbini. As the birthplace of Buddha, this temple site has a lot of religious and spiritual attractions and is even listed as a World Heritage.
[/item]
[item title=”Kathmandu”]
Definitely worth a visit is the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu. The best thing that you can do is staying for a few days to get to many facets of that city as you can. Highly recommended are visits to Durbar Square, the Swayambhunath Temple (as one of the world Heritage Sites) or the Garden of Dreams. If you are planning to do some travelling before or after your volunteer work, this is a good starting point for trips to National Parks or the jungle.
[/item]
[item title=”Dashain Festival”]
If you enjoy loud music, fascinating costumes and parties in the street more than cultural sightseeing, you should be around in October for the Dashain Festival. This happening is one of the most important in the Nepalese calendar and famous for its extravagant masks and ritual dances. It celebrates the victory of good over evil and lasts ten to fifteen days in most cities.
[/item]
[/accordion]
Nature and Wildlife
Unquestionably, you will fall in love with the high variety of different landscapes, vegetation or wild animals closely after your arrival. The best places for combining all aspects are various National Parks like Khaptad National Park or Chitwan National Park. Explore the wildlife by walking through the diverse Parks or go for a jungle trip. If you are more into adventure trips and want to get even closer with nature, try rafting, a jeep trip or wildlife watching.
Cuisine
If you enjoy variety and asian spices and herbs you will enjoy the Nepalese cuisine very much. As a potpourri of different asian influences, traditional Nepalese food combines the best ingredients from different countries in one composition. Above all, cultural variety formed local eating habits from simple to special.
The two most popular dishes are Dal-bhat-tarkari which is a soup made of lentils. Even more famous is Momo. This specialty is the number one appetiser in Nepal and India. As a kind of a dumpling, it´s filled with cheese, vegetables, meat or mashed potato.
We enjoyed our volunteering services in the village of Dhading where we knew lots of local culture and environment among warm hospitable services of local people. I felt totally educated. Hopefully we will see these guys again in future. – John (43), volunteer from the United States
Volunteer Requirements
- Most of the programs require a minimum stay of 2 weeks. If you want to stay longer, you are free to stay up to 16-20 weeks in most cases
- The average fee that you have to pay per week between 50$ and 800 $
- The minimum age in all programs is 18 years
- Your English skills should at least be intermediate
How to find volunteer opportunities in Nepal
You are curious about your opportunities to volunteer in Nepal? Explore the various Nepalese volunteer programs and projects on Volunteer World.
Featuring more than 500 volunteer programs and over 600 social projects in 70+ countries, Volunteer World is a one-stop resource for volunteer abroad opportunities and can easily help to find the perfect match for your Nepal experience. All volunteer programs in Nepal are presented simple and transparent so that you can find your preferred program in no time.
how i contact nepal project cordinater