Location
  • Nepal
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
16
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo

Pricing

Starting Price
100
Price Details
IFRE is a 501(c)3 organization, so your program fee will be tax deductible. IFRE Volunteers is proud to offer the world’s best fee.
Our programs are now more affordable than ever. We are proud to focus on the humanitarian aspect of our business, not on profit. We work very hard and smart to keep our costs down, especially for the volunteers because we know the value of your donated time and efforts.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Meals Transportation Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Airfare Transportation Visa
Oct 13, 2020
May 29, 2024
2 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Do you have the urge to help others? Do the majestic mountains of Nepal call your name? Volunteering in Nepal is a perfect way to fulfill these desires. Lying in the lap of the glorious Himalaya Mountains, Nepal is a magnificent country with deserving people who will truly appreciate your help.

It also offers widely divergent ethnic groups, colorful festivals, and an abundance of unique flora and fauna to become acquainted with. Join one of IFRE’s volunteer programs in Nepal and experience the warmth and hospitality of the beautiful Nepalese people whose lives you will touch.

With opportunities to serve the communities by teaching English, assisting with the health care program, or volunteer with nature conservation, and other fields in three fascinating cities, volunteer opportunities in Nepal are highly rewarding and beneficial to all involved.

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • The world’s most affordable volunteer programs – starting at $100.
  • Low Fees are paid directly to host families and projects with absolutely no middlemen!
  • Experience the personal satisfaction of improving the lives of those in need who desperately need assistance.
  • Your one-time low fee cover accommodations, food, project costs, and support by expert and trustworthy local staffs.
  • Your safety is our utmost priority. We fully understand it can feel intimidating to be far from home in an unfamiliar country. But you’ll never feel alone with our 24/7 expert support staff and services.

Related Programs

Program Reviews

4.54 Rating
based on 13 reviews
  • 5 rating 69.23%
  • 4 rating 23.08%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 7.69%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.3
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.55
  • Value 4.4
  • Safety 4.8
Showing 1 - 8 of 13 reviews
Default avatar
Allie and Maisie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Khawalung Monastery

It's the kind of volunteer program that grows as you reflect. We were only there a week and the first few days were difficult. We didnt feel welcomed by the teaching staff who used us as time off. We were given little training and no level of expectation. So we worked a few classes a day, mainly sitting in on a teacher if the was one. The resources were good but often the class being taught wasn't what was timetabled and it was hard to teach without the text book. We felt a bit displaced to be honest. But the other volunteers were great and so we're the moms, both young ones and the seniors monks. We went to prayers when we wanted and respected their culture and kindness. It's an open minded monastery with girls as well and the volunteers are able to chat amongst all the monks. By our last two days, we had grown in confidence and took decisions about what and how we would teach. And the teachers then sat in on us.
All.in all it was such a privilege to get close to such a different environment and be privy to conversations and experiences so different to home. Without realising it at the time, we have learned so much, both from a teaching perspective and from a visitor one. It's an experience we will treasure.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
It can be a bit overwhelming to begin with as you're out of your comfort zone but it's one of this things where the more you put in the more you get out. You could sit in bed all day or give yourself the energy to emerge. There's no one telling you what to do so it requires self motivation which is worth it.
Pros
  • Living inside a seemingly closed cultural environment
  • Encourages and requires courage
  • Introduces skills you didn't know you had.
Cons
  • Being left to your own devices can be isolating
  • Not really teaching, you're improvising
  • Tough at the beginning till confidence grows
Default avatar
Arthur
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Photojournalism in Nepal

This was my first time in Nepal, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but as soon as I arrived I felt welcomed and made myself at home very easily and quickly.
The food prepared for us was always amazing, and the location of the guest house in Kathmandu was a short walk from the town centre.
I was on the photojournalism course, which was an amazing experience in itself. The first week was a bit tough to get in the working rhythm. I also thought I would be having photography classes, as the program presented it in such a way - but ended up having a few talks with the teacher to understand what my work was and that was sufficient for me to get on my way.
Overall it was an amazing experience where I learnt a lot and met amazing people. 100% would reccomend.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would go trekking and explore the remote areas of Nepal more
Pros
  • Close to city center
  • Lovely food
  • Beautiful views
Cons
  • Outside of the city center
  • Not many people
5 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Shao Wei
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Photojournalism volunteering

The project itself was a wonderful stage for me. Kathmandu is full of festivals, events and beautiful moments. The coordinator will help you figure out your topic and offer you information around it and any related things that are happening in the city. You can build your portfolio with them and experience life as a photojournalist. The program does require you to be highly proactive. After all, it's a stage, you are the performer. I'm glad and happy that I joined the program and met wonderful people. The hostel feels like a second home to me.

What was your funniest moment?
Got misunderstood to be nepalese, and was somehow ended up walking in the middle of rally.
Pros
  • Profile building
  • Experience photojournalism
  • Experience local culture
18 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jess
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Kathmandu 2024

The language and culture course in Kathmandu was fantastic. It gave me an opportunity learn about Nepali culture as well the basics of the language. It afforded me the opportunity to be a conscientious traveler, not just a tourist. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. I would recommend this program for anyone staying in Nepal for an extended period. The staff at the home stay provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day and they made a concerted effort to serve appealing food for foreign visitors.

What was your funniest moment?
Nepali people eat rice and dhal with their hands, they thought that I was strange when I was eating with utensils.
Pros
  • Friendly and helpful staff
  • Great initiation to Nepal
  • Good opportunity to learn a foreign language
21 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Tyler
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

HORAC Nepal

This has been a great experience. I was pick-up from the airport and taken to the hostel and had a day to rest! I was also feed at the hostel and was told about Nepal and its custom and about the orphanage I was going to. The orphanage has been great the kids are the best part! The staff is so nice and helpful always answering my questions and helping me. The orphanage and apartments are safe too. The staff is so helpful as well letting you know things to see and places to avoid to be safe. Being with the kids is the highlight of the trip and an experience I will never forget!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would write down everyday it’s a unique experience and the best way to always remember it is to write about your days here at the orphanage.
Pros
  • The children!!
  • The staff!
  • Good price!!
23 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Bob
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

3 weeks teaching young monks in Kathmandu

My contact, Pratima, was well organized and helpful the whole time. Efficient and easy airport pick up. Orientation at the volunteer house. Got me a new sim card. Next over to my homestay which was with a very nice Grandad/Granddaughter pair. Then she helped with my first lessons and meeting the monks. Spending time with the kids was very fulfilling and I enjoyed it a lot. Everybody I met was helpful and cheerful. One day the main monk had some business across Kathmandu and invited me along and we spent the day, along with a couple of his friends who spoke very good English, in a historic area. Overall it was a great experience both with the kids and with some site seeing.

What was your funniest moment?
It was AFTER the program. I took the program seriously but just for fun I taught these young Buddhist monks the Vulcan Salute. The volunteer after I left was teaching them some gestures and I had told her what I did. Among other things she silently gave the Vulcan Salute. She told me most of the class came back with "Live long and prosper"!!!! So I know some amount of what I taught stuck.
73 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Corey
2/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching monks

These children need help.
They have very little english, math, basic life skills. They need an education.

I understand the logistic difficulties finding full time volunteers to teach wich makes a teaching programme difficult to organise.

My host family was so dirty, the father asked me for a few loans and feeling horribly sorry for him and his family, igave him some money to help him out.
He still owes me alot of money and i have since found out his ridiculous gambling problem, alcoholism. A family of 3 with no jobs taking money from volunteers when it could be helping the kids, insted the money we pay goes to roulette at the 2 local casino's. (People are free to do as they please but im not happy about funding a casino.)

My host family was extremely controlling and i felt pressured into doing things they wanted to do... then paying for it.

The organisation had no direct contact with the monestary and had no idea of schedule, skill level of the kids or anything. My host family knew 1 monk and that was the only connection.

What would you improve about this program?
A more direct contact between the organisation and the place of volunteering
93 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Hello Corey,

Thank you for taking out time to time to write us an honest feedback and for pointing out the issues you faced in the project. We deeply apologize and regret that we could not help you in time. We would have really appreciated if you had comer forward and informed us of the situation during the program and before you lent the loan to the host family. We were not aware of any of this. We had followed you up but received no response from you during the program. However, we take full responsibility for the situation and though we cannot change anything now, we will ensure that such a thing will not happen to any of our future volunteers.

Default avatar
Sophia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible Experience

I volunteered for 6 weeks in Chitwan doing forest conservation where I helped to build a small farm for which vegetables would be grown and given to the nearby orphanage. Through this I learned how to grow cucumber, okra, soybean and pumpkin and different conditions need to grow each one. Despite it being quite physically challenging i really enjoyed it in addition to the stunning views and great staff. I also appreciated how they listening to my ideas regarding plating trees where we ended up playing roughly 270 jackfruit and mango trees in the nursery. Thanks you also to my lovely homestay for their hospitality and amazing food! Overall I would definitely recommend this project as it really improves your tolerance, persistence and communication skills with the local people.

What would you improve about this program?
I would like if there was a more scientific approach for learning about the flora and fauna in Nepal. For example learning about particular species about their behavior and interactions. In addition to more experimentation with growing plants and maybe an introduction to grafting.
90 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Hello Sophia,

Thank you for volunteering with us and for taking out the time to write us a feedback. We are happy to know that you learned new things at the project and enjoyed your time during volunteering. Also, thank you so much for all the extra effort and research you put into the project. We hope to see you again someday and wish you all the best for your future!

Questions & Answers