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Expedition and Volunteer Program
Our programs run throughout the year and are available to both School / University groups and individuals. Our expeditions are designed to enhance classroom learning with real-world experiences. They can incorporate a wide range of educational activities in the natural sciences, history, tourism, or social studies fields. Expeditions are designed to meet your educational curricula requirements; fit the dates and budget of your students; and satisfy parents and teachers needs with high safety standards. All chosen expedition locations are ideal for running challenging and safe conservation activities, offering opportunities for trekking, wildlife conservation and community projects. Your students will discover rich wildlife, gain a cultural understanding of tropical developing countries, and develop their expedition management and leadership skills.
INTERGEO Tours Nepal school expeditions are completely tailor-made to your requirements. We offer a wide range of activities and experiences that combine physical, intellectual, social and environmental challenges. They can include trekking, biodiversity research, Jungle Adventure, White water rafting, community work, snorkeling, and adventure & cultural activities We provide a unique opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the depth of Nepali culture and to work with local communities. Our volunteer Adventure program specially designed to address the educational, health and environmental needs of Nepali people. We ensure our volunteers are provided with a meaningful community experience with a wealth of adventure activities.
Mission:
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We create an opportunity for local communities to work together with international participants so that both can have a better understanding about their respective cultural values and global friendships can be formed.
- Our mission is to provide affordable volunteer work and travel programs to visitors from around the world.
- We aim to increase awareness of the importance of education, environmental and health issues.
What you will be doing ?
Teaching English - at School / Monastery / Orphanage homes and Children's Centers Work with Orphan / Street Children Teach at Buddhist Monastery, Health and Sanitation Program, Home stay and Cultural Program, Building / Painting and Maintenance of Community Learning center or School or Orphanage homes
Requirements - There are no specific requirements for the program. The best things you can have are patience and a genuine desire to teach and help the children; plus a sense of humor!
Number of People – We can have from 2 people to 30 people in a group at a time.
Program Dates - Are very flexible, the minimum time for the program is one week and the maximum length of stay is 10 weeks.
Suggestions - Depending on the subject, volunteers can bring along teaching materials such as picture books, instruments, flash cards, art supplies, and songs. It's also useful to have sweets or chocolates to reward the children when they do well in class.
Accommodations - A simple room with a bed. We advise you to bring a sleeping bag and mosquito net with you or you can always buy here which is 2-3 times cheaper than back home.
Meals - Breakfast occurs at 7:30am and consists of a cup of tea and biscuits. Lunch is served at 10:00 am and is usually dal/bhat (rice, lentils, and vegetables). Dinner is at 6:30 pm and is also dal/bhat. The food is very simple but also extremely tasty and filling. Additional food such as biscuits can be bought at the local shop if you should still be hungry.
Volunteer and Adventure Program Fees
2 weeks Volunteer and Adventure Program - 400 Pound
Your 2 weeks will be broken up in this way and we cover all the cost for these activities:
1st day - Pick up from the airport + Welcome Dinner
2nd day - 2 hours Nepali language class (10:00AM-12:00PM) + Lunch break (12:00PM-2:00PM) + 1 hour Cultural information class (2:00PM-3:00PM) and 2 hours sightseeing in Kathmandu (3:00PM-5:00PM, Monkey Temple) + Nepali dinner 6:30PM
3rd day - 2 hours Nepali language+ 1 hour personal safety+ 1 hour Placement information+ 3 hours sightseeing (Pashupati Nath and Buddha Nath)+ Newari Dinner
4th day - Travel to Chitwan (5 hours bus ride from Kathmandu, bus leaves about 7:00AM) + evening jungle activities + dinner at Jungle resort
5th day - Jungle activities
6th day - Jungle activities and travel to volunteer Project sites
7th day - 12th day - Volunteer work at the Project
13th day – Travel back to Kathmnadu + Placement feedback + placement report writing + good bye dinner
14th day - Farewell and airport drop off
What includes on the program fees ?
Air port pick ups / Return Airport Transfers, Accommodation and main meals during training period and placement, 4 major sightseeing tours in Kathmandu with free entrance, (Kathmandu Durbar Square , Pashupatinath, Buddhanath, and Swoyambhunath, 2 days orientation on Language, Culture and Project, land transportation to placement and to Chitwan National park, jungle activities (Elephant safari to see the one horn Rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tiger, canoeing, Elephant Breeding Centre, Tharu Cultural Dance, Tharu village, visit Tharu museum, elephant bathing, Jungle walk), accommodation and 3 meals at your jungle lodge and park entrance fees, land transportation back to Kathmandu, last night accommodation and dinner in Kathmandu
Excluded:
Air transportation, any kind of drinks, telephone, laundry, donations and extra food
3 weeks Volunteer and Adventure Program- 500 Pound
Your 3 weeks will be broken up in this way: -
NOTE: If you wish to design your own itinerary for your student / volunteers, we will be happy to fit on your needs and interest.
1st day - Pick up from the airport + Welcome Dinner
2nd day - 2 hours Nepali language class (10:00AM-12:00PM) + Lunch break (12:00PM-2:00PM) + 1 hour Cultural information class (2:00PM-3:00PM) and 2 hours sightseeing in Kathmandu (3:00PM-5:00PM, Monkey Temple) + Nepali dinner 6:30PM
3rd day - 2 hours Nepali language+ 1 hour personal safety+ 1 hour Placement information+ 3 hours sightseeing (Pashupati Nath and Buddha Nath)+ Newari Dinner
4th day - Rafting on Trisuli River + Bus to Chitwan National Park + evening jungle activities + dinner at Jungle lodge
5th day - Jungle activities / Elephant ride etc
6th day - Jungle activities and travel to Volunteer Project site ( Chitwan Or Pokhara 7th day to 14th day – Volunteer Project site staying with Nepali Host Family
15th day to 19th day – Trekking (On the trek you will be staying at tea-houses)
20th day - Travel to Back to Kathmnadu / Placement feedback + placement report writing + farewell dinner
21st day - Good bye and airport drop off
What includes on the program fees ?
Air port pick ups / Return airport transfers, accommodation and main meals during training period and placement,3 major sightseeing tours in Kathmandu, 2 days orientation on Language, Culture and project, land transportation to placement and Chitwan National park, jungle activities (like Elephant safari to see the one horn Rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tiger, canoeing, Elephant Breeding Centre, Tharu Cultural Dance, Tharu village, visit Tharu museum, elephant bathing, Jungle walk), accommodation and 3 meals at the jungle lodge, park entrance fees, 4 days trekking (includes permit, guide, porter, accommodation and main meals), 1 day white water rafting, land transportation back to Kathmandu, last night accommodation and farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
Excluded:
Air transportation, any kind of drinks, telephone, laundry, donations and extra food
4 weeks Volunteer and Adventure Program- 600 Pound
Your 4 weeks will be broken up in this way:
1st day - Pick up from the airport + Welcome Dinner
2nd day - 2 hours Nepali language class (10:00AM-12:00PM) + Lunch break (12:00PM-2:00PM) + 1 hour Cultural information class (2:00PM-3:00PM) and 2 hours sightseeing in Kathmandu (3:00PM-5:00PM, Monkey Temple) + Nepali dinner 6:30PM
3rd day - 2 hours Nepali language+ 1 hour personal safety+ 1 hour Placement information+ 3 hours sightseeing (Pashupati Nath and Buddha Nath)+ Newari Dinner
4th day - 2 hours Nepali language + Godawari Botanical garden sightseeing + move to training village + dinner at host family free hours (internet, call home, shopping or relax) + western dinner
5th day - 2 hours Nepali language training, Come back to Kathmandu
6th to 17th day - Volunteer placement of your choice
18th day - Rafting on Trisuli River + Bus to Chitwan National Park + evening jungle activities + dinner at Jungle lodge
19th day - Jungle activities
20th day - Jungle activities and travel to Pokhara
21st - 24th day - Trekking (On the trek you will be staying at tea-houses)
25th day - Rest and Local sightseeing in Pokhara
26th day - Back to Kathmandu (Bus leaves about 7:30AM)
27th day - Placement feedback + placement report writing+ farewell dinner
28th day - Good bye and airport drop off.
What includes on the program fees ?
Air port pick ups / Return airport transfers, accommodation and main meals during training period and placement, 5 major sightseeing tours in Kathmandu (Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Buddhanath, Sayambhunath, Patan Durbar Square, 3 days orientation on Language, Culture and project, land transportation to placement, Trisuli River, Chitwan National Park and Pokhara, jungle activities (Elephant safari to see the one horn Rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tiger, canoeing, Elephant Breeding Centre, Tharu Cultural Dance, Tharu village, visit Tharu museum, elephant bathing, Jungle walk), accommodation and 3 meals at the jungle lodge and park entrance fees, 4 days trekking (includes permit, guide, porter, accommodation and main meals), half day white water rafting, land transportation back to Kathmandu, last night accommodation and dinner in Kathmandu
Excluded:
Air transportation, drinks, telephone, laundry, donations and extra food
6 weeks Volunteer and Adventure Program - 800 Pound
Your 6 weeks will be broken up in this way:
1st day - Pick up from the airport + Welcome Dinner
2nd day - 2 hours Nepali language class (10:00AM-12:00PM) + Lunch break (12:00PM-2:00PM) + 1 hour Cultural information class (2:00PM-3:00PM) and 2 hours sightseeing in Kathmandu (3:00PM-5:00PM, Monkey Temple) + Nepali dinner 6:30PM
3rd day - 2 hours Nepali language+ 1 hour personal safety+ 1 hour Placement information+ 3 hours sightseeing (Pashupati Nath and Buddha Nath)+ Newari Dinner
4th day - 2 hours Nepali language + sightseeing Patan Durbar Square + move to training village+ dinner with host family
5th day - 2 hours Nepali language training at the family+ 3 hours sightseeing to Bisankhu Narayan temple and Godawari botanical garden.
6th day - 2 hours Nepali language training, return to Kathmandu
7th - 25th days - Volunteer placement of your choice
26th day - Rafting and camping on the beach
27th day - Rafting and bus to Chitwan and Jungle lodge, evening jungle activities + dinner at Jungle lodge
28th day - Jungle activities
29th day Jungle activities in the morning and travel to Pokhara
30th - 36th day - Trekking (On the trek you will be staying at teahouses)
37th day - Rest and sightseeing in Pokhara
38th day - Back to Kathmandu (Bus leaves about 7:30AM)
39th day Rest and sightseeing to Budhanilkantha Temple.
40th day Placement feedback and placement report writing
41th day Farewell dinner
42th day Good bye and airport drop off
8 weeks Volunteer and Adventure Program- 1000 Pound
Your 8 weeks will be broken up in this way:
1st day - Pick up from the airport + Welcome Dinner
2nd day - 2 hours Nepali language class (10:00AM-12:00PM) + Lunch break (12:00PM-2:00PM) + 1 hour Cultural information class (2:00PM-3:00PM) and 2 hours sightseeing in Kathmandu (3:00PM-5:00PM, Monkey Temple) + Nepali dinner 6:30PM
3rd day - 2 hours Nepali language+ 1 hour personal safety+ 1 hour Placement information+ 3 hours sightseeing (Pashupati Nath and Buddha Nath)+ Newari Dinner
4th day - 2 hours Nepali language+ sightseeing Bhaktapur Durbar square+ evening dinner
5th day - 2 hours Nepali language + sightseeing Patan Durbar Square + evening dinner
6th day - 2 hours Nepali language training+ sightseeing to Godawari Botanical Garden move to training village
7th day - 2 hours Nepali language training at the family+ 3 hours sightseeing to Bisankhu Narayan temple.
8th day - 2 hours Nepali language training, Come back to Kathmandu
9th - 37th days - Volunteer placement of your choice
38th day - Rafting and camping on the Beach
39th day - Rafting and bus to Chitwan and Jungle lodge, evening jungle activities + dinner at Jungle lodge
40th - 42th day - Jungle activities+ travel to Pokhara
43th - 52th day - Trekking (On the trek you will be staying in teahouses)
54th day - Back to Pokhara from Trekking
55th day - Rest and sightseeing in Pokhara
56th day - Back to Kathmandu / Farewell dinner (Bus leaves at about 7:30AM)
57th day - Good bye and airport drop off
Tourist Visa Information
A tourist visa is valid for up to 150 days from the date of issue.
For more information about visas, please contact the Nepali embassy in your country.
15 days multiple entry - US$25
30 days visa multiple entry - US$40
100 days multiple entry - US$100
The government has revised the fee required to extend days of stay and visa renewal. As per the revised fee structure, Tourist Visa can be extended by paying US$2 or equivalent Nepalese currency per day.
Likewise, Multiple Entry facility can be obtained for the extension period by an additional US$ 20 and visa fee for the extended period.
Similarly, tourists can renew their visa by paying Nepalese currency equivalent to US$3 on the regular visa extension fee.
Embassies
You might want to register with your embassy whilst in Nepal - give them INTER GEONepal\'s details as your contact address in Nepal so that they will always be able to contact you through us.
For more details please use this link: http://www.tourism.gov.np/
Length of stay
We require you to work with us for a minimum of two weeks. The amount of time you are able to give has a direct impact on what you will be able to achieve and what you will take away from the experience. If you are here for longer, there will be even more opportunity to explore the country\'s natural beauty and take part in heart stopping adventure travel.
Health
Several vaccinations are required prior to coming to Nepal, some need a course of treatment before you leave. Visit your doctor or nearest traveler's medical centre to discuss your needs. Ensure you have adequate travel insurance. The vaccinations you may need include:
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Polio
- Hepatitis A & B
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever
- Rabies
- Tuberculosis
- Malaria
NOTE: Please consult your doctor before traveling. More information is available from the WHO\'s (World Health Organization) Travelers health information.
Money
Nepali rupees are the local currency. There are about 75 rupees to US$1, 55 rupees to AUD1, approximately 105 rupees to 1 Euro and 125 rupees to a Pound Sterling. There are ATM facilities in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara; US traveler\\\'s cheques can be easily changed. Credit cards, though accepted at most places, usually incur 3-4% additional charge. Generally, US$12-18 per day is sufficient for food and accommodation in a budget hotel or lodge. Nepali rupees can be obtained on arrival at Kathmandu airport.
Food and Drink
The local staple meal is dal bhat (rice with lentil soup, vegetables, and pickle). On trekking routes and in tourist areas, a variety of Western dishes are also served. Drinking tap water is not recommended unless it has been treated with chlorine or iodine tablets which are readily available. Otherwise you can get the water boiled or buy bottled mineral water.
Weather
The width of Nepal is only about 200 km on average, but within this short distance the altitude of the land rises from a lowly 60 meters to all the way up to above 8,848meter high. Hence the weather depends upon the altitude of the place in Nepal. However, in general Nepal has four climatic seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
- Spring starts from March to May. The temperature of this season fluctuates between 20 °C to 30 °C (68 °F to 86°F).
- Summer starts from June to August. These are also the pre-monsoon months with occasional evening-thunderstorms and hot temperature.
- Autumn starts from September and ends by November. During this period, the climate is dry and mild with temperature fluctuating between 20 °C to 30 °C (68 °F to 86 °F).
- Winter starts from December to February. The morning and evening are very cold while the afternoon is pretty sunny. The temperature during these months rises from 15 °C to 20 °C (59 °F to 68 °F).
People and Cultural Attitudes
Staring at things and people in Nepal is a national pastime, and is something you will have to adjust to. One of the most amusing things that you will encounter is the fact that the concept of personal privacy does not exist in Nepal. Also all your property will be treated as public property by your Nepali friends. And you will be expected to share their property as well!
Getting to Kathmandu
By Air:- Nepal has only one international airport which is in Kathmandu. So all international flights and the majority of domestic flight start or terminate here. Although a number of major airlines sell flights to Nepal, most of these do not operate direct flight themselves so most people will arrive on flight via Dubai, Bahrain, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Qatar or India. Among the airlines that fly direct to Nepal are Thai Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Austrian Airways, Korean airlines, Korean airlines and Indian Airlines as well as a number of smaller Indian airways. Nepal Airways operate flights to a number or locations although they do not have the best reputation for reliability. Tribhuvan airport is located about 20 minutes from the center of Kathmandu and all volunteers will be met by a INTER GEO Nepal representative at the airport.
NOTE: Most international flights require confirmation 72 hours before departure. Try and obtain the confirmation telephone number before you go to your placement, so that wherever you are 3 days before you are due to leave you can easily confirm that you still have a seat.
Overland:- Volunteers occasionally arrive in Nepal overland after traveling in either India or Tibet. It\'s possible to arrive in Kathmandu by bus, or sometimes a combination of bus and train from Delhi, Varanasi, Kolkata and Darjeeling among other places in India and also from Tibet. The majority of buses arrive at the city bus station in Kathmandu although arrival times can obviously vary dramatically so we will arrange arrival information with you once you have booked.
Meeting Volunteers
You will be met outside the airport terminal by a INTER GEO Nepal representative holding a placard with your name on it who will then take you to your guest house. Please provide us your flight information as soon as possible so that a punctual pick-up can be arranged. If you are planning to arrive by bus let us know when and what time you are arriving in Kathmandu. Just in case, give us a call.
Volunteers Work
The number of hours worked by volunteers will depend upon the area of volunteer work. The Nepali work week falls from Sunday - Friday with Saturday being the only day off. Volunteers work from 3-5 hours per day with the opportunity to work more if you choose. Times for each placement vary, when working in children\'s homes or at the monastery you will teach and help them in the morning before school and for a few hours after school. Hours are approximately 6:30-9:00am and 5:30-7:30pm. However these are just approximations, as we try and tailor your hours to the needs of the children.
Accommodation
Volunteers either stay at a home with local families or if working in an orphanage they often stay in the orphanage and volunteers working at monastery stay at the monastery. Nepali people are extremely hospitable and volunteers will be well looked after however the accommodation will be typically Nepali and therefore basic by Western standards. Toilets and showers are usually Nepali style and the electricity supply in many places can be unreliable. Most of our home stay families have lots of previous experience in looking after volunteers. Volunteers staying in orphanages or at the monastery are given their own room within the orphanage or monastery.
Application Process
Our application process typically takes two or three days, but can be speeded up if there is a need. When we receive your application, we will send a confirmation email to you with payment details.
Program Fees
The program fee can be paid into our bank account within 1 week of your confirmation email.
Letter of appreciation
Once you finish your placement, you will receive a INTER GEO Nepal's letter of appreciation stating the time and place you have worked.
Internet
Kathmandu has plenty of internet cafes, all of which charge the same kinds of rates. When you first arrive in Kathmandu, you'll probably be shocked at the slowness of the internet here. Get used to it. Once you leave Kathmandu things get slower and slower and taking an hour to open your inbox will become a regular occurrence. That\'s before you think about things such as electricity cuts and telephone line failures. By the time you return to Kathmandu, you'll be amazed at the speed of the internet there and when you return home you won't quite believe how fast you can send emails! Whilst in Kathmandu take advantage of the better internet to tell people that you may not be able to read emails or reply to emails for weeks at a time and that they shouldn't worry. Maybe also threaten them with dire consequences should they decide to send you attachments - attachments make it almost impossible to do anything with your email.
Haggling
Everywhere you go in Nepal you will find yourself haggling, especially once you speak a little Nepali. Practice haggling from day one and always offer less than what the shopkeeper asks.
Sightseeing
You'll usually get to see some of the sights in Kathmandu with INTER GEO Nepal, but you may want to see some places yourself as well. Try to get your INTER GEO Nepal identity card first, as it will help to get you into places such as Swyamhunath, Durbar Squares, and Bouddhanath for free.
Some temples may insist that you remove all leather before entering, so if you have a non leather belt and bag that may be useful. Many places in Kathmandu are so used to tourists that they may not say anything, but out in rural areas this may happen more often.
Clothes
When you first get here it's tempting to go out and buy yourself a whole new wardrobe simply because it's so cheap. DON'T. It's amazing how many volunteers lose or gain weight during their stay, so wait until you're ready to leave before buying clothes.
Shopping
As per clothes, when you first get here it's tempting to buy lots of things due to their low prices. Again, DON'T. Once you've spent some time in Nepal and seen the prices outside of Kathmandu, you have a better idea of the kind of prices that you should be paying for things. In addition, once you speak Nepali it's amazing how much easier it is to get a discount. Wait until the end of your trip when you have a clear idea of what money you have left, how much space you have and you know what kinds of things you really want to buy. Try and take someone from the office if you want to buy things such as Pashminas or Thangkas as they can help you find better quality items. Yak wool scarves/shawls, incense, jewellery and material. Pashmina, cashmere and Thangkas are more expensive but are still far cheaper than at home. And tailor made clothes are a fantastic bargain in Nepal - perfectly fitting trousers in your favourite material for a few dollars.
Books
If you want to read anything whilst in Nepal, you can buy books from several second hand stores in the Thamel area. Most of these stores will then buy the book back at 50% of what you paid, and they will also buy books that you brought with you and no longer need.
Laundry
There are plenty of places to get your clothes washed in Kathmandu. Most places charge by the piece or weight.
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