Description
Starts: Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Ends: Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Starting in the temple-dotted capital of Kathmandu, you’ll have a warm welcome from our fantastic in-country team and be given a full orientation. It’s then on to Pokhora – with its laid back vibe and stunning lake front location, this is where (depending on your choice at booking) you will spend the next week either volunteering with the local community or heading out into the nearby mountain ranges for some trekking action! Once the group is back together again, it’s off to Chitwan National park for a jungle safari and some adventure activities before heading back to Kathmandu where it all began, for a farewell dinner and some emotional goodbyes to your new found friends.
TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
- City tour of Kathmandu
- Get off the beaten track and visit local communities in the Kathmandu Valley
- Discover the stunning lakeside town of Pokhara
- Explore the jungles of Chitwan National Park
- Embracing a beautiful culture
- Option to choose between volunteering at our projects, or trekking through the stunning Annapurna mountain ranges, in Pokhara
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
All accommodation includes breakfast and some other meals are included. Each location has comfortable guesthouses with hot showers, western bathrooms and air-conditioning with twin to quad share rooms. Accommodation during the trekking option will be more basic at lodges and camp stays, while there are home stays for the volunteering option.
Internet: WiFi is available in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan only.
Laundry: You can use the local laundry services that are quick, cheap and good in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
INCLUDES – All accommodation – All in-country transport – 24/7 support from our guides – All tour activities – Heaps of meals – Project donation
ITINERARY
DAY ONE:
Arrive Kathmandu and transfer to hotel. As today is the arrival day, our team will be busy working between the guesthouse and the airport. Once you’ve been picked up and you’re checked into the guesthouse, the remainder of the day is free for you to do as you please; catch up on your sleep, catch up on your Facebook or get out and explore the local area.
At around 7:30pm, there will be a very informal get-together for those who are already here. This is a great way to break the ice, have a cold beer and chat about just how insanely excited you are to be in Nepal!
DAY TWO:
After breakfast, we’ll have a group orientation. This will be a chance for our team to run through the itinerary with you and answer any of your burning questions. We’ll take you through the day to day stuff, explain more about the group split on day 4, give you a few hints and tips on culture, customs and traditions and make sure that you’re set up to get the most from your time with us.
There will also be a quick briefing especially for the trekkers today. One of the key points of this briefing is to make sure you have everything you need. If you’re missing anything that’s deemed important, there’ll be time to find it and buy it locally.
On completion of the meetings, we’ll head out for a tour of the fascinating Patan. We’ll also take you for a quick visit of the incredible Shining Stars Children’s Home. Part of your fee is donated directly to maintain this home. There are so many success stories behind the kids who live here and, without donations such as yours, these kids wouldn’t have a future.
Today you’ll see exactly why Kathmandu is on so many travelers must-visit list and why so many of those who do visit, return year after year.
DAY THREE:
This morning we start the drive to Pokhara which will take around 7 hours. On arrival, if time allows and if weather permits, we may have the chance to take a boat across the stunning lake here and hike up a hill to visit the Peace Pagoda; one of the must-see’s in Pokhara.
In the evening we’ll get together to run through the group split. The adventurous trekkers will meet up with their guides for a briefing whilst our lovely volunteers will hear from a representative of our NGO partner. We’ll have you fully prepared and ready to go for what comes next!
VOLUNTEERS: you can read more about your option underneath these trekking details.
DAY FOUR:
TREKKING (1950m/5 hours). This morning we drive to Khande which is around 45 minutes away, to begin our trek with a steep climb through the jungle and passing local villages until we reach Australian Camp, our lunch stop. If the weather is clear, we will be able to see magnificent views of the Annapurna mountain range. A gentle incline after lunch brings us to Pothana where we stay for the night.
DAY FIVE:
TREKKING (2550m/7 hours). Today involves a steep uphill climb for most of the day through thick jungle with beautiful views of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. We may be lucky enough to catch glimpses of some of the abundant wildlife including leopards, deer, monkeys and many species of birds that all live in this dense jungle. We reach reach Forest Camp in the afternoon.
DAY SIX:
TREKKING (2990m/4 hours). Today is a short distance but a steep climb through the rhododendron and juniper forest. As you reach the top, you will be rewarded with the most breathtaking views of Machhupuchhre (Fishtail Mountain).
DAY SEVEN:
TREKKING (3580m/4 hours). Another short day today! On the way to High Camp for lunch, you will have good views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, Tare Kang and Khangsar to the north.
DAY EIGHT:
TREKKING (4450m/8 hours). It’s an early wake-up call this morning so you can appreciate the most spectacular sunrise views of the mighty Himalayas. After breakfast, we climb to Mardi Himal Base Camp, which stands at 4500 meters. It’s a challenging day walking along narrow, rocky trails but it will all be worth it for the spectacular views of these majestic mountains. If the weather is clear, you will get to see up close Annapurna I (8091m), Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, Tare Kang, Khangsar, Annapurna III and Fishtail.
DAY NINE:
TREKKING (1850m/8 hours). We will re-trace our steps back down to low camp and then head southeast from the ridge through the dense forest towards Mardi Khola.
DAY TEN:
TREKKING (1460m/5 hours). Today we transfer back to Pokhara for some well-earned rest, probably a cold beer or two and to meet back up with the volunteers.
VOLUNTEERS: Read here for your very brief plan.
At the time of writing this, we cannot give you absolute, definitive, 100% nailed on details of the volunteering projects you’ll be working on. It would actually be quite remiss of us to tell you now exactly what you would be doing months in advance as it’s highly likely that what we plan to do will change in the coming weeks! We’re not being awkward but when you are working in a developing country, plans tend to mean very little when it comes to helping others. Fear not, however, as we are working with one of the most respected NGOs in Nepal, who have many years and thousands of hours’ experience in working in these communities.
This is a general breakdown of the volunteering posts that we have agreed to help with:
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Teaching School kids grade 5 to 8 with an age group of 11 to 14. Teaching will be as a classroom assistant and include English, Mathematics, arts and crafts and other educational activities
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Classroom and school decoration as well as setting up school libraries (as per the need of school management committee)
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Activities such as environment awareness, health awareness, sports and maybe even raising awareness of child marriage with women groups and/or youth clubs
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Basic maintenance work within the schools, health posts, communal buildings and youth clubs
The actual work will depend on various ‘factors’ such as where the work is most needed at the time your group arrives, the size of your group, logistics in Pokhara, budgets and more. You will be sent details of the volunteering portion of your trip closer to your arrival date so that we’re able to prepare you fully. If you have a particular skill that you feel could be put to good use, please let us know. We can’t promise that it can be utilized but we’ll do our best for you.
We guarantee that you’ll be working where needed. We won’t waste your time, our time, the NGOs time or the time of those people that our work will directly aid.
On day 10 you will meet up with those hearty souls who chose the trekking option and you’ll have an evening of swapping stories, photos and fun about how your last 6 days were spent.
DAY ELEVEN:
After breakfast we’ll have a quick chat about what’s going to be taking place over the next three days so that you can prepare your bits and bobs. Once we’re ready we’ll leave Pokhara and head south to Chitwan National Park. The transfer will be around 4-5 hours. On arrival in the national park, we’ll have a sightseeing trip – this is an especially stunning area of a country overflowing with stunning areas!
In the evening there’s a dinner and a ‘Tharu’ cultural program to welcome you to this area of the world – something NOT to be missed!
DAY TWELVE:
Today will be filled with activities so make sure you have a hearty breakfast! Canoe trip, jungle walk, jeep safari and a visit to an elephant centre! O…M…G…we spoil you!! This is going to be one of the highlights of your trip to Nepal so make sure that you and your camera are both fully charged!!
DAY THIRTEEN
Before breakfast, for anybody who’s up for it, we’ve arranged a special trip for a bit of incredible bird-watching. After breakfast we’ll leave Chitwan for the transfer back to Kathmandu. All being well, we’ll arrive around 4pm so there’ll be plenty of time to get yourself looking pretty before we have a final night dinner together at one of Kathmandu’s best restaurants. This has to be a night to remember to finish off the most unforgettable team-trip in Nepal.
DAY FOURTEEN:
It’s over – OMG! There will be time over breakfast to swap phone numbers, emails and memories before a tidal wave of hugs and hi-5’s! It’s going to be emotional but we promise that you’ll be completely in awe of every second that you’ve spent with our team here.
For those of you who need to head back to the airport, we can help you to find transport. For those sticking around a little longer, our team will be there to answer any questions that you have and to make sure you’re armed with all of the information that you need.
