Nepal private group holiday & community project

country:	Nepal
price:	From £1699 (15 days) including flights from the UK. Single supplement £105. From £1199 excluding flights. Price depends on bespoke options such as destinations, durations, touring and board. Minimum of 10 people required for this trip.

Your own group tours

Nepal holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Volunteer on a range of local community projects based in the Chitwan National Park and get to see the highlights of Nepal on this bespoke group trip for 10+. You may like to take in the sights of unforgettable and mystical Kathmandu, go jungle trekking by elephant back, see the beauty of Chitwan, sail across the enigmatic Lake Phewa at Pokhara and marvel at the soaring Himalayan peaks.

Below is a suggested itinerary, though all itinerary destinations and durations can be tailored to fit your particular group and its aims, whether more challenging for charity fund raising or corporate csr trip, or even as a volunteer holiday for a bespoke group.

Kathmandu: The historic capital of Nepal, Kathmandu has long captured the imagination of travellers worldwide. Literally hundreds of Hindu temples sit alongside Buddhist stupas and Tibetan monasteries, with their evocative prayer flags flapping in the breeze. Enjoy sightseeing in the city which is a living museum with a unique experience around each corner!

Chitwan national park: From the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu to the peace of Royal Chitwan National Park via a spectacular journey through the Nepalese countryside. You may like to be based here for several days, giving you the chance to participate in a range of voluntary projects in one of the park’s villages, and to appreciate the amazing variety of wildlife to be seen in this protected area. You may choose to take an early morning elephant safari, a canoe trip down the Rapti River, or a guided jungle walk, all accompanied by a top naturalist.

Pokhara: Visit this city on the shores of Lake Phewa, surrounded by some of the world’s highest mountains - in no other place do mountains rise so quickly! Wake up early to see the sun rise over Fishtail Mountain with the snow caps of the Himalaya reflecting the morning’s first rays of sunlight – a most incredible sight! Trek to the Peace Stupa and enjoy a boat ride on Lake Phewa before returning to Kathmandu.

project details

The ‘Tharu’ are indigenous people of the Terai Plains in southern Nepal. Several of their villages are located within the Royal Chitwan National Park and despite their proximity to the tourist enclaves, conditions are, quite frankly, basic to say the least.

Work with local projects led by local community leaders to volunteer help to improve the health, education and lifestyle in some of the villages. Examples include teaching English, helping out at the local school, training women in basic health and hygiene procedures, assisting with the construction of community buildings, and vocational training for the youth.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Fly from London to Kathmandu.
Day 2:	Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer your central hotel.
Day 3-4:	Sightseeing in and around Kathmandu. Perhaps you'd like to visit Durbur Square, Pashupatinath, Patan Durbar Square, Bouddhanath Stupa and Swayambunath Stupa?
Day 5:	Transfer to Chitwan National Park.
Day 6-10:	Chitwan National Park. Spend 5 days dividing your time between village development projects with the residents of Chitwan and seeing the rich variety of game which inhabits the national park.
Day 11:	Transfer to Pokhara.
Day 12-13:	Pokhara. Sightseeing in and around Pokhara, including trekking and a boat ride on Lake Phewa.
Day 14:	Return to Kathmandu for a final night.
Day 15:	Return flight from Kathmandu to the UK.

a taste of volunteering trip - what's it all about?

This type of trip is ideal for people who are unable to take very long periods off work but who are interested in volunteering to work with communities in need, or in wildlife conservation. These shorter trips combine volunteering with an opportunity to see the main sights in destinations. Find out more about 'taste of volunteering'

how this holiday makes a difference

This tour offers you opportunities which few other tour operators do. Instead of just ‘seeing’ Nepal as a mere tourist, a spectator of sceneries and events happening to other people, this tour will provide you with the chance of actually getting involved with projects which benefit the communities in which you are staying. Furthermore, all the hotels we use in Nepal are vetted to ensure they come up to our rigorous environmental sustainability standards, that the hotel staff benefit from ‘staff friendly’ employment practices, and earn a fair wage for a fair days work.

Therefore we can guarantee that the money you spend in these hotels directly benefits local people. But it doesn’t stop there. As well as seeing the majesty of the Himalaya, the beauty of Kathmandu, and the natural beauty of Chitwan National Park - getting up close to Black Rhinos, Bengal Tigers and 41 other species of mammal – this tour gives you the option of working to help improve the lives of the Tharu people, a primitive but fascinating people indigenous to the Terai plains in Southern Nepal.

Whilst wishing to preserve their unique culture and heritage, we are working with a local organisation to assist the Tharu to remain self sufficient whilst adapting to life in a rapidly changing Nepal. Our travellers can get involved in a wide range of projects, from helping the Tharu in the annual task of re-building their mud huts, to teaching English conversational skills, sharing basic health and hygiene tips, helping out in a local school, offering vocational training to the Tharu youth, or assisting the Tharu with their daily tasks.

Why this operator is different

Because we oppose the exploitation of the environment, animals, hotel and tourism staff or indigenous peoples by tourists, or for tourists
Because our holidays are now ‘carbon-neutral’ – we include the cost of off-setting in the price of our trips (not a an opt in/opt out extra)
Because we only use hotels which have strong and positive links with local communities, and who have adopted environmentally responsible practices, such as limiting pollution, sound water management and recycling
Because we believe in ‘fair trade tourism’, and oppose the exploitation of tourist industry workers. We support the work of Tourism Concern (www.tourismconcern.org.uk) and encourage others to join their campaign
Because we try to use hotels which are locally owned, ensuring the revenue benefits local people (NOT corporate chains), and who employ ‘staff friendly’ policies
Because we encourage reducing water usage. We also encourage the use of environmentally safe detergent, and recommend avoiding using modern-style ‘moist toilet tissue’ which is very hard to break down
Because we oppose prostitution and sex-tourism, which is always based upon exploitation.
Because we oppose 'cultural imperialism’
Because we try to be as 'paper free' as possible, and recycle wherever possible
Because we believe sustainable development can only be achieved through managed aid, fair trade and responsible tourism.
Because we believe that life enhancing travel is not about seeing a place, but experiencing a place, its people, its cultures, foods and ways of life

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.