Insight Nepal: Volunteering in Nepal

I volunteered with Insights Nepal back in 2017 and till today, I still considered my trip as one of the best work/travel experience that I've ever had.

One great thing about this program is that they can customised your experience based on your skills, background and interests. I work in Tech industry so upon registration, I indicated that I'm interested in working with children or teaching basic computer skills. I ended up spending 2 weeks at a local Montessori kindergarten. I helped out with teaching English and taking care of kids from 2y.o-5y.o. The headmistress, the teachers and all the kids were very nice to me even though they don't speak English. The kids there were so cute and I'm sure at some levels they did communicate very well :)

During my time in Pokhara, I stayed with my host family, who were also very kind hearted and caring. They cooked local meals and took time to show me around the city. They provided WiFi and I could use their computer if I need to. My host are vegetarians and they only cook vegetarian meals. I'm not vegetarian myself but I didn't mind the food at all. For me it was actually pretty nice to eat greens for few weeks but if you have special dietary requirements, don't forget to ask the program in advance.

The city, Pokhara, is so peaceful, one of the huge plus point of this program. I love the local people there, who I feel more authentic than business-oriented people that we encountered in Kathmandu. There're lots of sightseeings to do, ranging from hiking; bike riding; kayaking; majestic mountain view to lakeside. And I'm sure if you're interested in farming, there's something that could be done as well.

All in all, Insight Nepal to this day is still the best volunteering experience that I've had, at the very reasonable price. Highly recommended for anyone who loves something more meaningful than just being tourists.

My stay in Nepal was definitely too short. One month in Pokhara was last stop during my gap year after visiting few other countries in Asia like Japan, Vietnam, Singapore or Malaysia. One special think about Insight Nepal is that the program can be customized to your needs. I was supporting a local architect with her work as I am a structural engineer.

Next to a home stay, where I could really feel and experience how local people live, there was a hill with amazing view on Himalaya. I found my morning walks to the hill as perfect place and time for reflections about past year and future plans. This is only one of many more good memories from Nepal and the volunteering program I will keep in my mind for a life time.

I would like to come back to Nepal one more time, first to visit old places and meet friends, second to spend more time by myself hiking lower parts of the mountains.

I contacted Naresh via email about volunteering in Pokhara as an English teacher, and from his first response, I could tell that he was a really nice guy. Upon my arrival in Kathmandu, there was someone waiting for me at the airport who took me to my hotel and then put me on the bus to Pokhara. Naresh and my host brother were waiting for me at the bus park, and when I arrived at my home-stay the mother immediately told me to call her "aunty." My entire experience at my placement in the school and in and around Pokhara was full of similar experiences, as everyone was so warm and inviting (literally, everyone wants you to come to their house and meet their family). I can full-heartedly recommend this program to anyone who loves to meet new people and have amazing new experiences.

To describe my experience in a few words, absolutely mindblowing. I had the most wonderful time with the students and everyone involved in this program. Naresh Shrestha and his wife are the most caring people I have ever met, and they display lots of effection towards themself and others around them. Bless them!

Last year, I spent 9 months traveling in India Nepal and Africa all by myself. I wanted to have a good secure and immersing start. Insight Nepal gave me that, and more way more! I stayed with a Nepalese family witch took care of me as if I was one of their own! Most of them could speak English but Nepalese classes by Naresh gave me the opportunity to share more than smiles and gestures with the mom and with people in the city!
I worked 6 weeks with an organization helping AIDS patients to get the care they need, and organizing prevention and screening programs! As a medical student I learned a lot and shared as much as I could of my own knowledge!
For my last week, Naresh introduced my with to a very sweet guide who made me discover the beauty of the Annapurnas!

I definitely recommend this program!!!

What a wonderful experience!
From the Lonely Planet where I found Insight Nepal, to Pokhara where I've lived for almost three months, everything has been easy and magical. Insight Nepal found the perfect placement for me (Women's Skills Development Project), where I helped the business development for Europe. People were highly welcoming, I remember having cryed so much at my fairwell party when I realized I had to leave because I made so good connections with lots of them. Still now I miss them and we try to keep in touch sometimes.
I also stayed at the best host family in town, I enjoyed having a host sister, and a caring host mother.
Finally, Insight Nepal drove me to this amazing trek, where I discovered more on the beauty of this country; we went through Mountains, Jungles, Rivers...so diverse landscapes!
The culture and kindness of Nepali people is breathtaking.
No bad surprises, only pure discovery and happiness.
Naresh from Insight Nepal took care of everything. I highly recommend Insight Nepal for people who want to live an unforgettable moment of life in Nepal.

I volunteered in Pohkara with Insight Nepal about a year ago. I was a little nervous about going to another country by myself for such a long period of time. Naresh at Insight Nepal did a fabulous job coordinating my volunteering experience. He and his family welcomed me and made sure I was comfortable during my entire stay in Nepal. Insight Nepal works with host families that are very experienced with hosting volunteers. At the end of my volunteering experience, Insight Nepal also helped me organize a trek and set me up with an excellent guide. I would highly recommend this volunteer program.

We were placed, by program Director Naresh Shrestha, into a Tibetan Refugee Settlement. I was tasked with assisting at the carpet making facility where i helped with a minor aspect of production and gave tours to the foreigners, encouraging them to buy some carpets. (I later started an importing business importing these carpets to the US.) I loved the job and loved who i worked with. My boyfriend was placed as a teacher in the school, not a job he was well suited for, so he ended up repairing all the broken machinery in the settlement instead! We had a cook preparing our (very basic, very meaty) Tibetan meals. There was a hot shower which most of the other volunteers didn't get (for which i was grateful!) The window into that culture was very profound for me. I was captivated.