Volunteer & Travel Overview

VIN is dedicated to promoting the most affordable and exciting travel and volunteering programs in Nepal for the betterment of local communities in need and for the enrichment of the lives of global travelers. Its unique and innovative ways of working make it a highly competitive and popular travel and volunteer placement agency in Nepal, providing a truly satisfying and fulfilling experience for all travelers.

Volunteering with VIN gives you a rewarding volunteer and travel experience that nourishes the soul by providing insight to the local cultures and different ways of life across Nepal while helping to volunteer with its local communities. This is the reason why each year, more and more people are choosing to volunteer in Nepal through VIN, as it brings them a one-of-a-kind global perspective. We heartily welcome you to join our meaningful volunteer programs in Nepal and change the way you see the world! Together, let’s make a difference.

We aim to support the work of local communities through the placement of local and international volunteers therein and offer a wide variety of volunteer programs within our working area. We provide unique opportunities for safe and memorable volunteering and travel experiences in Nepal. Our summer volunteer programs provide ample opportunities for in-country travel and allow one to grasp the singular culture while living with a local host family.

Our volunteer programs can range from 1 week to 5 months, but we have designed the 3 to 5 week “Summer Volunteer Opportunity” with your travel plans in mind. By offering low cost volunteer programs in Nepal, we invite you to join our volunteer programs in orphanages, healthcare, the environment, teaching English, women’s empowerment, street children, medicine, Tibetan monasteries, and lots more.

VIN has designed two different Summer Volunteer Program options:

• Summer Volunteer and Trekking Program (Cost: €1099)
• Summer Volunteer and Travel Tour (Cost: €675)

Project Overview

Start dates: 1st and 3rd Monday of each month

Program Duration: 3 to 4 weeks (2 to 3 weeks volunteering and 1 week traveling) – You can also extend your volunteer time with VIN at a cost of €50 (Euros) extra per week.

Program Cost : €675 (Euros), including transport to Chitawan Jungle Safari

Eligibility and Skills Requirement

• Minimum age 18 years
• You do not need any formal training or experience to participate this program, but whatever skills and experience you have will be taken into account when arranging your day-to-day activities.
• Volunteers need to be independent, enthusiastic and adaptable, hard-working with an open-minded attitude.
• All applicants should have: a desire to help the people of Nepal, flexibility, self-motivation, openness to a new culture and a willingness to learn.

Program Highlights

• 3-5 day program induction including Nepali language, culture, sight seeing.
• Home stay with local families in rural setting in Kathmandu for cultural immersion.
• Volunteer with orphans / disadvantaged children, construction work, teaching program, women’s empowerment, youth / children’s clubs, and more!
• Tour of sister cities within the Kathmandu valley, each with their unique cultures and attractions.
• night / 3 day jungle safari to Chitawan National Park
• night / 3 day trip to the city of Pokhara, renowned for its pristine lakes, caves, waterfalls, mountains, etc.
• Very personalized small group experience
• Friendly program leader for volunteer program and local guides for trekking
• Hiking in the outlying areas of Kathmandu

Induction

Program Induction Phase (Five Days)

Day one: VIN’s staff will receive and welcome you at the airport and place you at a hotel in Kathmandu (during program induction time you will stay there)

Day two: Half a day sight seeing to world heritage sight seeing, e.g. Patan Darbar Square, Pashupatinath (world famous Hindu temple); after lunch you will be given an orientation about VIN’s community programs, logistics and contarcts and one hour Nepali Language instruction

Day three: Half a day sight seeing to Baudhnath and Swoyambhu (monkey temple); and program orientation. Nepali language instruction.

Day four: Program orientation, cultural talk and Nepali language instruction.

Day Five: Health talk, Nepali language and transfer to the respective rural community host family

Volunteering

Home Stay and Volunteering Phase (Fifteen days)

Volunteers will teach at community schools or orphanage homes to children aged 4-14 years old. Volunteers will be instructing English language courses, as well as other disciplines depending on their interest and ability. The program involves informal teaching and thus does not require any formal training or prior teaching experience. VIN has partnerships with 10 schools, two orphanage centers, 7 early childhood development centers, 9 children’s clubs, 12 women’s clubs and 1 youth club. You are free to choose to work with any groups that appeal to you. All of the programs (excluding orphanage) are in the same community and you can get involved in more than one area. We have chosen a small community (population around 5,000) and work with different sectors therein so that we can monitor the impacts. Your work will be of great service to the community.

Traveling

• Sightseeing of ‘sister’ cities (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktpur) of Kathmandu valley, each with their own languages and cultures, world heritage sites
• Visits to Darbar Square, Baudhanath and Swyambhunath (Monkey Temple) Stupas, Pashupatinath (place of cultural and religious significance for Hindus), Budhanilakantha, Patan.
• Trip to Nagarkot or Dhulikhel for beautiful mountain views.
• Day hikes in Jitpur
• night / 3 day jungle safari to Chitawan National Park: The city is 200 km south of the Kathmandu valley and Chitawan is famous for its wildlife and jungle safari. You will have opportunity to see many diverse forms of wildlife (e.g. tigers, one-horn rhinos, elephants, deer and various species of birds. You may also enjoy elephant bathing and Tharu cultural dances!
• night / 3 day trip to Pokhara Valley, 200 km west of Kathmandu and famous for its beautiful lakes, mountains, falls, caves, etc.

Departure

Shopping and Departure Phase (two days)

The volunteers will stay at Kathmandu in a hotel and can use their time for exploring more of Kathmandu and do some shopping if you wish to. Our staffs will help you if needed and the last day our staff will drop you at the airport. Hopefully we shall meet again!