The Land of Truth

Volunteering in Nepal

Leave your handprint at the roof of the world

Any time spent in Nepal is life-altering. From the majestic Himalayan peaks to the friendly, warm and welcoming Nepalese people, a gap year in Nepal is an experience like no other.

Though the country has a connection with Hinduism that runs deep throughout the communities, its history has been marred with conflict. Today, Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and many Nepalese people live in disadvantaged communities. They face many challenges, such as a struggling education system, poor health and sanitation, and limited awareness of their impact on the environment.

But you can help to inspire change.

Volunteer in Nepal

On a GapGuru experience in Nepal, you’ll play a part in making a real, long-term impact on the lives of the community. You could be helping to ignite a passion for learning at the local schools, leading woman’s health workshops or sharing your love for art or sports with the children of the community.

Through a range of carefully-crafted programs built in partnership with our charity, the FutureSense Foundation, we’re in Nepal for the long haul. Join us in creating lasting change that will improve the lives of a community in need of help.

Why Gap Year in Nepal?

Why GapGuru?

Extensive Gap Year Experience

Over the past 18 years, we’ve guided more than 6,000 students through unforgettable gap year experiences.

Ethical Gap Year Programs

All our programs work towards the UN’s Global Sustainable Development Goals and are backed up by our charity, the FutureSense Foundation.

A community of support

You’ll be guided by our GapGuru Advisors and Mentors before, during and after your gap year experience.

Don’t just take it from us…

Why visit Nepal

This was an amazing experience

This was an amazing experience, loved every second even through the challenges. Working on improving the environment and volunteering at the park where so rewarding but also the workshops carried out as a team where great to experience.

I loved experiencing new cultures

This was such an amazing experience that changed how I look at the world and taught me more about what it means to be a global citizen. It also made me realise how much I want to travel in the future.

A wholesome, fulfilling experience

I’d highly recommend this experience to any students. Not only does it look great on a CV but it was tremendous fun to do as well. Overall, a really fantastic experience.

learnt so much and had an amazing time.

Absolutely amazing. Any issues I had in organising the trip, eg flights or vaccines, they told me exactly where to go for the best info. I was completely prepared for my trip, what I would be doing, and the expectations. I learnt so much and had an amazing time.

Your Gap Year in Nepal

All you need to know

Nepal Highlights

The Himalayas

Nepal is home to the incredible Himalayas, the largest mountain range in the world! In fact, after Antarctica and the Arctic, the Himalayan ranges are home to the third-largest deposit of snow and ice on this planet! Nepal’s highest mountain is Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, towering a whopping 8,848.86m above sea level! In the Nepali language, the mountain is called Sagarmatha which means ‘Forehead of the Sky’ and by the local Sherpas, the mountain is referred to as Chomolungma which means ‘Goddess Mother of the World’.

Kathmandu Valley

When on a GapGuru experience in Nepal, you’ll be based in the Kavre district on the outskirts of Kathmandu City. Kathmandu is set in a valley surrounded by the Himalayas and is famous for its many temples. There are many sight-seeing opportunities in Kathmandu, with most tourist attractions originating from as early as the 14th Century- some are even 2,000 years old!

You’ll have the opportunity to get out into the foothills of the mountains for breath-taking panoramic views of no less than five peaks of the incredible Himalayan mountain range.

Our hub is based near the centre of town, just a stone’s throw from local shops and cafes.

Language

There are an incredible 123 languages spoken across Nepal, but Nepali is the first language, covering around 44.64% of the population.

The language originates in the Sinja valley of Jumla dating back to the 11th Century. Historically speaking, the language was only spoken by the Khas people of Karnali Region, which gets its name ‘Khas Speech’. Today over 17 million people speak the language across the globe.

Here are a few phrases of Napali to get you started, but we encourage you to try and learn a few more from our team and the community while in Dhulikhel.

English	Nepalese Pronunciation	Nepalese
Good morning	Namaste	नमत
How are you?	Aaramai Hunuhunchha?	आरामैनुछ
Thank you	Dhanyabaad	धयवाद
My name is…	Mero naam … ho	मेरोनाम……हो

Nepalese History and Culture

History

The Kathmandu Valley has been populated for over 2,500 years, so the area is rich in history.
Its religious and political histories are long and intertwined, and there’s a lot for anyone on a gap year with an interest in the subject to discover.

From the founding of Buddhism under Prince Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BC) to the shift to Hinduism in the 11th century, to a more recent war with the British in 1815 and a 10-year period of unrest from 1996, that resulted in the slaughter of nearly 12,000 people.

Today, the monarchy has been abolished, and Nepal is now a Federal Republic. The constitution allows for an elected President and Prime Minister, who run the government through a two-house parliamentary system.

Culture

Religion in Nepal

Though Nepal was where Buddhism was founded around 1,000 BC, the country is now predominantly Hindu. Over 80% of the population follows Hinduism and less than 10% follow Buddhism. Nepal is in fact the only Hindu kingdom in the world, with a constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy.

Nepalese time

The Nepalese are not known for their punctuality. ‘10 minutes’ often really means 30 minutes. Adjusting to their way of timekeeping can be frustrating at times, but embracing differences is one of the main reasons for going on a gap year!

Greetings

Like many Asian cultures, Nepalis greet one another with a small bow. It’s polite to accompany this with ‘namaste’, meaning good morning or good afternoon.

Culture Shock

Culture shock can happen to anyone experiencing a new culture for the first time. It’s the shock your mind and body go through when your daily life changes and you have to get used to a new routine and way of life.

There is only so much you can do to prepare before you arrive in Nepal. We’ll make sure you have everything you need to know but it won’t be until after your first few days in the country that you’ll better understand the local culture.

Head to our Gap Year Advice section to find out more about culture shock, how to recognise it and the best ways to handle it.

The Community

During your time in Nepal, you’ll be working with children and their families in the Kathmandu valley.

Many of the families live under the poverty line and have limited access to education, health services, and valuable life lessons that could increase their income and livelihood.

Most people from the community have very limited English but are eager to engage and try. Energy, body language and creative ways of communicating go a long way!

Our Nepal programs are long-term and designed to create lasting change. You’ll be a part of that, making an impact on the day-to-day lives of the people of Dhulikhel. The friendships you forge with people from the community will stay with you for a lifetime.

Where you’ll be staying

You will be staying at a local, family-run guesthouse. All the rooms are dorm style, so you will be sharing with 2-4 other participants from your group.

The accommodation is safe and regularly cleaned, with plenty of chill-out spaces for you to relax in during your spare time. But be aware that the amenities will be a step down from your home comforts here in the UK. This is all just part of the challenge of embracing the local culture and understanding the way that many people in the world live their daily lives!

If needed, fans are available in summer or small heaters and extra blankets in winter. The beds will likely be harder than you’re used to and the pillows are not as soft.

There are shared bathrooms throughout the guesthouse that include either a western or drop toilet, shower and sink. The hot water in the building is solar-powered, which can be unreliable in winter. There are kettles for hot bucket showers as a backup if this happens.

Meals

Meals are served family-style and are vegetarian to ensure that we can provide you with safe food and also reduce our carbon footprint.

We can cater for all dietary requirements, so long as our team are made aware of these before your arrival. You’ll have access to free safe and clean drinking water at all times.

Breakfast

We keep breakfast simple to give you time in the morning. Expect toast, jam and eggs with coffee and tea. Some mornings you even get the chance to try a traditional Nepalese breakfast curry!

Lunch

We keep breakfast simple to give you time in the morning. Expect toast, jam and eggs with coffee and tea. Some mornings you even get the chance to try a traditional Nepalese breakfast curry!

Dinner

You will have dinner at your accommodation and this will be local foods such as Dal Bhat, fried rice, or chapatti curry. Our team of cooks may occasionally provide western meals such as pasta, but be prepared for a lot of rice and potatoes!

Your Typical Day

Though each program is unique you’ll follow a similar routine regardless of what you’re doing.

You’ll rise around 7:00 am for breakfast at your accommodation, then head out to your project location around 8 am for morning activities. After lunch back at the accommodation or at your activity, you’ll head out again for the afternoon session.
The sessions are between 2-3 hours in the morning and afternoon, with time built into the day for resting, planning and group debriefing.

The evenings are for group bonding activities run by your in-country team learning about Nepalese culture. The evenings are also time for exploration where you can get out and discover Dhulikhel!

Weekends

Your weekends are yours to spend as you like, but we’ll work with you to create an unforgettable itinerary.

You might stay in Dhulikhel and visit some of the local tourist hot spots like walking the ‘Thousand Steps’ to the Kali Temple or exploring the Dhulikhel old town.

But a stay in Nepal wouldn’t be complete without at least a little hiking, and there’s plenty right from your doorstep in Dhulikhel. Or you might want to pass the day or the whole weekend in the capital.

There are so many ways to spend your free time so if you want any help organising activities, let us know before or during your stay and we’d be delighted to help.

Budgeting

Although all meals are included in your programme, whilst you are in Nepal you’ll want to buy snacks and try the local foods.
Here’s a list of a few standard items to help you budget for your trip, however, approximately £5 per day should be adequate for your time in Nepal.

100 Nepalese Rupees (NPR) = £0.67*

Sweet treats


Dairy Milk Chocolate	140 NPR
Mars Bar	95 NPR
Oreo – 50gm	25 NPR
Coconut Cookies – 150gm	50 NPR


Digestive Biscuit – 300gm	200 NPR
Mari Gold – 3000gm	100 NPR
Potato Chip Biscuit – 95gm	45 NPR
Parley G – 25gm	150 NPR

Savoury snacks


Crisps – 80gm	75 NPR
Samosa – 1pc	25 NPR
Momo’s 10pc	140 NPR
Chowmin – 1 plate	150 NPR
Chat (veg) – 1 plate	80 NPR
Pani Puri – 1 plate	60 NPR

Drink & Fruit


Per bottle – 1ltr	100 NPR
Banana 12pc	120 NPR
Mango 1kg	200 NPR


Papaya 1kg	150 NPR
Orange 1kg	200 NPR
Apple 1kg	380 NPR

*Correct as of October 2022

Your support

Our Gap Year programs have the best of all worlds: independent, impactful travel with a support network that’s there whenever you need it.

During your stay in Dhulikhel, you’ll be in the care of our dedicated Nepal GapGuru mentors. They not only ensure you never feel too far from home but they’re also there to help you make the most of your time in Nepal.

Our Nepal team are based in Dhulikhel where they live and work in the community year-round. They currently support 624 local students and their families. Current projects include STEM, English, Climate Action, WASH, Stress Management and Women’s Health. This means that when you visit Nepal, you will be able to contribute to long-term programmes and see first-hand the work FutureSense Foundation do.

Om Baral

Country Operations Manager

Om is the Country Operations Manager for the FutureSense Foundation Nepal team and has been a part of the team for 4years. Om has a decade-long experience as an English Teacher at Nepalese Schools. Om also has a Master’s Degree in Community Development from Murdoch University in Australia and a Bachelor Degree in Education from Tribhuvan University in Nepal.

Neer Tuldahar

Community Coordinator

Neeru is the Community Coordinator for the FutureSense Foundation Nepal team and has been with the team for 3years. Neeru is sociology graduate and has a wide experience in global issues and working on projects to positively impact the disadvantaged communities. Neeru loves working with young people and for her, the best part of working with the Foundation is seeing young people leaving their handprints on the world through the programme deliveries. In her spare time, she loves travelling around, reading books, playing piano and watching Ted Talks.

Nepal Program Pricing

We like to keep our pricing simple. We’ve been doing this for a while and have confidence that our experience allows us to shape truly impactful gap year programs in Nepal.

We’ve done the hard work meaning you don’t need to scroll through hundreds of program choices. Our cherry-picked destinations and activities are the best of the best to help you create a Gap Year that you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Our Nepal programs run for a minimum of four weeks. You can add additional weeks to your Nepal program or combine it with another one of our destinations.

And if you want to include some independent travel let us know and we can help you organise it around your programs.

Prices Include

Safe Accommodation
3 x nutritious meals (Mon –Fri)
All pre-travel materials
Training & orientation
Pre-travel, in-country & post-travel care
In-country transport
Airport pick-up & drop-off
GapGuru Mentor

What we can help you with

We know that sorting this stuff out can be hard so we’re more than happy to help!

Things to do in Nepal

Your Nepal Bucket List

Hiking in Nepal

No gap year program to Nepal is complete without a trek in the majestic mountains.

Most local treks follow well-trodden foot trails that have been in use for hundreds of years, so don’t worry if you’re not an experienced hiker. Trek any of these to discover hidden villages and hamlets, where you can stop and sample the local chai.

Some popular longer treks with gap year travellers include the Annapurna Circuit and Everest base camp. If you’re interested in taking these on, let our GapGuru advisors know and they’ll help you build it into your itinerary.

Hiking Nepal

Kali Temple

One of the sites not to miss in Dhulikhel is the Kali Temple which to reach you must hike a thousand steps. The Kali Temple is located on the hilltop of Dhulikhel. The view from the temple is incredible, taking in the breath-taking Himalayan ranges, rolling hills, and scattered settlements. Make sure to grab a photo at the selfie rock!

Kali Temple

Dhulikhel Old Town

Dhulikhel, like much of Nepal, features incredible Newari architecture. The old town lies at the southern end of Dhulikhel and is an assembly of old ethnic Newari houses. Strolling around the ancient buildings is a great way to experience authentic culture of Nepal.

Built to accommodate multi-generational families, a prevalent practice in Nepal, the houses in Dhulikhel’s old town area are often occupied by twenty or more family members.

The houses feature beautifully carved doors and windows and the town is made up of narrow streets.

Dhulikhel was based on an ancient Hindu aesthetic philosophy of planning and architecture. The position, shape, scale, and dominance between temples, buildings and public squares lead to a mindful living experience.

Dhulikhel

The Royal Chitwan National Park

For a spot of wildlife, head to the Royal Chitwan National Park. This is one of Nepal’s largest forest regions with a wide range of wildlife. You might spot the rare great One-horned Rhinoceros, several species of Deer, Sloth Bear, Leopard, Wild Boar, Fresh Water Dolphin, Crocodile and maybe even a Royal Bengal Tiger.

Chitwan

Kathmandu

We recommend spending your free weekend in Kathmandu. You can leave Dhulikhel on Friday afternoon and then come back on Sunday evening in time for dinner! There are so many amazing things to see in Kathmandu, from incredible UNESCO World Heritage sites and markets to the eclectic backpacker neighbourhood, Thamel.

Kathmandu is set in a valley surrounded by the Himalayas and is famous for its many temples. There are many sightseeing opportunities in Kathmandu, with most tourist attractions originating from as early as the 14th Century – some are even 2,000 years old! Durbar Square and the medieval royal palace plaza are must-sees during any visit to Kathmandu. And there’s so much more, from a visit to the Garden of Dreams to a stroll through the Old City to shopping at Asan Tole to experience the true hustle and bustle of the City!

Our team will be able to help you arrange everything for your weekend when you arrive in Nepal, so you don’t need to do any planning before you go. Kathmandu has a huge range of accommodations to fit any budget – from quirky hostels to more decadent hotels.

Kathmandu

Nagarkot

Located 30km east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is a great weekend getaway for gappers in Nepal looking to take it easy for a few days and capture some up-close views of the Himalayas.

There are a few things to do in Nagarkot, including a hike up to a viewing tower to take in the breath-taking views of the iconic mountain range and surrounding countryside to paragliding for those looking for something more thrilling!

Nagarkot

Lumbini

Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace, and non-violence. It’s found 250km southwest of Kathmandu. The broken Ashokan Pillar, remnants of an old monastery, images of Buddha’s mother Maya Devi, and much more are still preserved in Lumbini.

For gap-year travellers interested in history this is a very worthwhile trip. It’s accessible by air from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa and takes about 8 hours by bus or car.

Lumbini

The FutureSense Foundation

Be a part of something bigger

When gapping with us, you’ll be supporting our partner charity, the FutureSense Foundation.

Through our programmes and initiatives, the FutureSense Foundation works towards achieving a ‘Fairer World’, a world in which each person has the opportunity to meet their aspirations for a better future.

On your gap year, you’ll see first-hand the work that the FutureSense Foundation does and be a part of our long-term, sustainable programs.

Nepal volunteer programs

How do you want to make your impact?

On our programs, you’ll be immersed in our community development projects to help increase our impact in the area. That could be through health promotion workshops, teaching conversational English and life skills to school children, planting trees with the community, or building new classrooms.

However you want to leave your handprint, we’ve created the best programs to help you make the most of your time in Nepal.

Health & Wellbeing

Help bring awareness of vital health issues to improve the lives of the children and adults of the Dhulikhel community.

Education

Work with local schools to deliver workshops on a range of topics, from conversational English to Environmental Awareness.

Climate Action

Work with children and adults to raise awareness of climate change and turn that awareness into action.

Expression

Become an activity leader to give the local children skills that they can take on into adulthood for a better chance of employment.

How it works

The GapGuru Way

At GapGuru we have the experience to keep things simple for you. With close to two decades shaping over 6,000 trips, we know exactly what makes an impactful, meaningful and memorable gap year. Simply choose your start date then follow these three simple steps:

STEP 01

Choose where you'll make your impact

Pick from five incredible destinations, electing the number of weeks you want to spend in each. You’ll be playing your part to help create a brighter future for some of the most disadvantaged communities around the world.

STEP 02

Decide how you'll make a difference

Select from four activity types that have been designed to be as impactful as possible. All of our programs are built off the back of the FutureSense Foundation, ensuring you’ll be a part of creating lasting change for our communities.

STEP 03

Choose your add-ons

Select additional programs to add to your gap year experience. These can be in the same country as your core activity or in any of our other unique destinations across the globe.

What to learn more about Nepal?

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Contact us today

Chat to our Gap Gurus

If you have any questions at all about what to do, where to go, or how to plan your gap year, get in touch with our GapGurus today. With nearly two decades in the business, we’ve probably had the question before!

Need Gap Year Advice?

Whether you’ve already booked a gap experience with us or are still looking, get in the know about everything ‘gap year’. Our comprehensive Gap Year Guide covers everything you need to know, from why you should take a gap year, to information for parents, travel tips, and more.

Volunteering in Nepal

Leave your handprint at the roof of the world

Volunteer in Nepal

Why Gap Year in Nepal?

Why GapGuru?

Extensive Gap Year Experience

Ethical Gap Year Programs

A community of support

Don’t just take it from us…

Why visit Nepal

This was an amazing experience

Sarah

I loved experiencing new cultures

Mia

A wholesome, fulfilling experience

Harrison

learnt so much and had an amazing time.

M. Gray

Your Gap Year in Nepal

All you need to know

Nepal Highlights

The Himalayas

Kathmandu Valley

Language

Sweet treats

Savoury snacks

Drink & Fruit

Om Baral

Neer Tuldahar

Prices Include

What we can help you with

Things to do in Nepal

Your Nepal Bucket List

Hiking in Nepal

Hiking Nepal

Kali Temple

Dhulikhel

Chitwan

Kathmandu

Kathmandu

Nagarkot

Lumbini

The FutureSense Foundation

Be a part of something bigger

Nepal volunteer programs

How do you want to make your impact?

Health & Wellbeing

Education

Climate Action

Expression

How it works

The GapGuru Way

STEP 01

Choose where you'll make your impact

STEP 02

Decide how you'll make a difference

STEP 03

Choose your add-ons

What to learn more about Nepal?

Related articles

Contact us today

Chat to our Gap Gurus

Need Gap Year Advice?

Contacts

About GapGuru

Useful Links

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