Tour and Volunteering Program

Days 01 – 03: Orientation, Language and Cultural Immersion in Kathmandu :

You will be greeted at the airport by one of the VSN staff and taken to your local host family’s home, where you will stay during your orientation and volunteering in Kathmandu. Here you will be welcomed, accommodated in your own room and be provided with all your meals while in their care. With easy bus routes around town and the surrounding countryside, this is the perfect base for your introduction to Nepal. After arrival, your next 3 days will include the following:

• Introduction about your placement and volunteer responsibility
• Nepali cultural orientation out lining the dos and do nots of Nepal
• Nepali language classes (2 hours per day) and spend time studying your free Nepali language booklet
• Sightseeing tour of Kathmandu’s main sites and places of convenience
• Get to know the rest of the VSN team and volunteers

Kathmandu: Pashupati Nath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa :

8:00 – 9:00 Break fast 10:00 – 12:30 Survival Nepali language and Cultural Class 1:00 – 17:30 Sight seeing trip to Pashupatinath and Baudhanath Stupa. Pashupati Nath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa Pashupatinath is one of the world’s most sacred Hindu temples. During the annual Shivaratri pilgrimage, thousands of Siva Devotees come here to pay homage. On the other side of the sacred Bagmati River is a sacred funeral site, where bodies are taken to be cremated before the charred remains are swept into the waters that ultimately flow into the Gangas. The Boudhanath Stupa is thought painted in pastel colours and adored with colourful prayers flags. The Stupa is set in a Mandal design (the diagram of the Buddhist cosmos) with nine levels. Altogether108 Buddha images and 147 insets of prayer wheels adorn the base pf the huge circular edifice. Boudhanath is also home to Nepal’s largest Tibetan community with twelve thousand in all.

Sightseeing Trip to Swayambhunath Stupa and Durbar Square :

8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast 10:00 – 17:30 Sightseeing trip to Swayambhunath Stupa and Durbar Square. Swayambhunath stupa, Durbar Square and Thamel The Swayambhunath Stupa is situated on the edge of the city on a hilltop, and is believed to date back to around 500BC. Legend has it that a sage named Manjushree, who is credited with the creation of Kathmandu, saw a celestial lotus in bloom on the hilltop and blessed it. Swayambhu is an important pilgrimage site as well as a centre of art, architecture, religion and culture in Mahayana Buddhism. Durbar Square is Kathmandu’s focal point. Durbar Square holds the palaces of the Malla and Shah Kings who once ruled the city. Along with these palaces, the square also contains a series of temples, the oldest dating back to the 16th century. The square is also known as Hanuman Dhoka, a name derived from the statue of Hanuman, the monkey god, near the entrance. Thamel Thamel is located in northern Kathmandu past the government district in Tridevi Marg. It is a haven for tourists visiting the city as it contains numerous hotels, restaurants and shops that cater to tourists’ needs. Though some feel it is overcrowded and too commercial, it has been romanticized by its designation as a hippie hangout since the 1970s and retains its alternative atmosphere.

Drive to Chitwan :

Our journey across Nepal starts today after an early breakfast with a 5 hour drive through mountains along the winding course of the Trishuli River to Chitwan. After checking into your hotel our nature guide will brief you about the full jungle safari program that awaits you: the activities organized include a guided jungle and village walk plus a promenade along the banks of the Rapti River to watch the sunset over the sub-tropical jungle. After dinner in the evening you can enjoy a cultural program including a special performance by a local ethnic tribal community.

Full Day at Chitwan National Park including Jungle Safari :

Full Day at Chitwan National Park including Jungle Safari The Chitwan National Park has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site and preserves an important variety of wildlife, some of which is endangered and rare. During your visit you can be almost sure to spot water buffalo, egrets, woodpeckers, and deer in their natural habitat. The park is also home to rhinoceros, tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild bisons, gangetic dolphins, 500 species of birds and butterflies, as well as the near extinct Gharials crocodiles. A number of activities are available here – an elephant safari, a nature walk, bird watching, a jungle drive or a canoe trip. You may even take a bath with an elephant and learn how to wash your elephant!

Drive to Pokhara :

After another early breakfast you will have time to enjoy some more activities of your choice before we drive north to Pokhara, about 5-6 hour’s drive from Chitwan. The drive will take us back into the mountains, again following rivers for much of the day. Pokhara, also nicknamed the Lake City, is one of Nepal’s most beautiful places; it offers magnificent views of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and Machhapuchhare Mountains, the five peaks of Annapurna, and more. Pokhara is also the gateway for trekking into the Annapurna Region. After arriving in Pokhara, we will make a sightseeing trip to some of Pokhara’s marketplaces and landmarks. In the evening, we will explore the surrounding lakeside areas.

Explore Pokhara :

Today is a full day to explore Pokhara. In the early morning we can drive to the Sarangkot Hill to see the sunrise over the Himalayas. The rest of the day’s sightseeing includes a walk along the banks of Phewa Lake, admiring the stunning reflection of the Fish Tail Peak in the blue waters, a boat trip around the lake, and an hour’s walk on the other side to the World Peace Pagoda. We will also make a short visit to the holy Gupteshwar Gufa Cave (also called Shiva Gufa). Some of the other places to visit include the Seti River Gorge, Devi’s Fall and the mountain museum.

Drive to Kathmandu :

After breakfast we start our 200 kilometers drive back to Kathmandu, along which you can enjoy stunning Himalayan mountain views. Upon arrival in Kathmandu you will be taken to your hotel, where there is not much left to do but trade facebook details with your travel companions and organize photos. You can spend the evening leisurely, perhaps catch up on some last minute shopping and enjoy a celebratory dinner all together with Volunteer Society Nepal staff.

Fly Home, Farewell Our Friends :

Farewell Our Friends Your journey in Nepal sadly comes to an end today! We hope you enjoyed the tour with us, and are sure you’ll be back for another trip somewhere in the Nepali Himalaya again. Approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight, a representative from Volunteer Society Nepal will meet you to escort you to the airport. But there’s no need to feel sad about saying farewell, we’ll be here waiting to greet you again on your next journey.