Venture into the Heart of Nepalese Culture

  Nepal

• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu

Dates: 4 week placements throughout the year

Description: Nestled in the Himalayan region, Nepal is a picture of perfection with magnificent snow-capped mountains, vast rolling plains and mysterious wooded valleys. This beautifully diverse terrain not only makes it one of the most beautiful destinations on earth but also makes it ideal for trekking, and as you ramble over the picturesque countryside on this unique tour you'll certainly agree. This is a great chance for travellers to observe the extraordinary Nepalese culture and will provide endless opportunities for you to practice your new language skills. On top of that, you'll be spending two days white-water rafting on the crystal clear waters of one of Nepal's superb rivers, where you can swim, relax and take in your incredible surroundings. But what makes this experience really special is your time living with a local family where you'll have the chance to get right to the heart of the local culture. This is a rare opportunity to become more than a tourist, to begin to understand a culture, a country and its people from within.

Highlights: This tour starts in Kathmandu, where on the day after your arrival you will start 4 days of orientation and cultural immersion designed to prepare you for your time with a Nepalese family and to provide you with opportunities to more fully experience life in Nepal. During this time you will learn about Nepal, its cultures and customs, Nepali language and community interaction skills. This learning will be through a mix of lectures, language classes and a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu valley.

On your 6th day you will transfer to your homestay, where you will stay with a local Nepalese family. For the next 3 days you will accompany the children of the family to their school, taking an active part in their classes. You will attend the classes with the children and have the opportunity to work with them on their English studies, and other subjects such as Social Studies, Mathematics, Science and Environmental studies. You will also play sports, or do drama with them and engage in outdoor activities and excursions, allowing you to acquire general knowledge about the local area.

For the remaining two days with your homestay family, you will visit the farms where the men work and / or visit nearby villages. At the farms you will get an idea of different types of activities, such as planting or harvesting, dependent on the season, and may get an opportunity to try some of them out. Your family may also take you to nearby villages to visit family members and to see sights such as interesting temples and monasteries.

On day 12 you will transfer to a hotel in Chisapani where you will prepare for a village trek. On day 13 you will commence the trek from Chisapani, on to Gosaikunda Lake and back to Kathmandu via Dhunche. While trekking you will be able to observe the traditional lifestyle of Nepalese families and enjoy fascinating views of beautiful landscapes, snowcapped peaks and Nepal's flora and fauna. This phase also allows you to use your language and cultural skills, experiencing the real Nepal in a way most tourists will never be able to. You will overnight at lodges along the way.

On day 21 you will return to Kathmandu, and the following day you will set off on 2 days of rafting. Depending on the season, your experience could be of gliding on calm, jade-colored waters surrounded by magnificent scenery or of rushing through roaring white rapids in the care of expert river guides. Either opportunity provides clean sandy beaches to enjoy lunch and cool, clear pools in which to bathe.

From the rafting you depart for a 3 day / 2 night Jungle Safari, trekking through Chitwan National Park, a large area of low, heavily forested hills that border India to the south. The park is a haven for wildlife such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, the lumbering yet agile one-horned rhinoceros, leopards, various deer and bear species, wild boars, and over 40 other species of mammal. Although not included in the price of your tour, you will have the opportunity to take an elephant ride, a canoe trip and nature walks if you wish. Day 26 will be the last day of your Jungle Safari and you will return to Kathmandu where you have a free day on day 27, before being transferred back to the airport on your final day (28).

Cost in US$: 2495

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Post Services Include:

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i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: Founded in 1994, i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 15,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 300 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

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