Gap Tour

Nepal tour - Description:

This special Nepal tour leads you to all different regions of Nepal. The trip starts in the capital city Kathmandu, which is located in the hilly region. Further you visit the Himalayan region, where you can get great views of the highest mountains of the world. After that, with a stopover in the beautiful, green area of Palpa you continue your trip to the Terai region, located in the south of Nepal near the Indian border.
This region is fully different than the others. There it is flat, but if the weather is good, even from there you can see the high mountains of the Himalaya in the distantness. Everything is green, you can explore the wild jungle, ride on elephants, watch crocodiles while doing a boat trip on Rapti River and much more. After visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, you go back to Kathmandu.

The special thing of this tour is, that you don’t only visit the different areas of Nepal like a normal tourist does, you do it in a local style by staying in the house of host families, driving in local busses, and having some days of volunteering during your trip. By travelling like this, you experience the reality of Nepal, get to know different ethnic groups, interact with many different people, experience the traditional culture of the people and take part in it. During this trip you get an impression of the countryside, the culture, the lifestyle of the people, other tourists don’t get.  

We want you to experience the reality of this country, which is so rich in its landscape, its culture, its traditions and lifestyles and otherwise one of the poorest countries in the world. 

Experience the simple life of the people in the villages and be part of their society - not much possession but a beautiful hilly, green area around them, with no air pollution like in Kathmandu and the kindness and the positive thinking of the people who have so less wealth is incredible.

Nepal tour - Overview:

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and Transfer to host family
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu: Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambunath and Durbar Square
Day 03: Language and culture class and briefing of tour in the morning and then sightseeing in Bhaktapur (Durbar Square) and Changunarayan
Day 04: Transfer to the orphanage in Sundarijal
Day 05: Full day volunteering in the Orphanage: spend time with the children, help them with their homework, help in the kitchen,...
Day 06: Hike to the viewpoint Chisapani and enjoy the stunning mountain views
Day 07: Visit the surroundings of Chisapani, amongst others the Maiti Nepal women project where they support people who have been sold to India for prostitution, often by their own father or brothers, and sent back because of AIDS. In the afternoon visit Goat Farming Project.
Day 08: Trek to Shivapuri Peak and back to Sundarijal
Day 09: Drive from Kathmandu to Kuringhat and optional Rafting; then drive to Bandipur  
Day 10: Drive via Pokhara to Dhampus (you have great views of the Himalaya from there)
Day 11: Full day in Dhampus. Interact with the locals, who are mostly Gurung (ethnic group); they show you how to wear their traditional clothes, you can help on the fields, talk about their culture...
Day 12: Walk or drive back to Pokhara and free time 
Day 13: Full day in Pokhara; optional Paragliding, Hike to Stupa, boatstrip, visit of caves, waterfall...
Day 14: Drive to Palpa (Tansen)
Day 15: Full day in Palpa: Visit school in Palpa and interact with the children. Get knowledge about the school system in Nepal and inform them about yours. Visit hospital to get knowledge of the Health system in Nepal. 
Day 16: Drive to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Overnight in monastery
Day 17: Do meditation in the monastery with the monks; do sightseeing by driving in a Riksha or hire a bicycle; try to drive Riksha yourself... 
Day 18: Drive to a small Tharu village called Nawalparasi, located in Chitwan and secluded from the tourist areas there and watch traditional dances
Day 19: Full day in Chitwan: jungle activities with your host family, go fishing with the locals, canoeing to see crocodiles...
Day 20: Drive to Sauraha, which is a well-known tourism area in Chitwan. Do elephant safari and canoeing, visit the elephant breeding center...
Day 21: Drive back to Kathmandu and visit of Thamel in the evening, where you have a farewell dinner
(on the way you have time to think about the previous weeks. You can decide if you want to extend your journey to do more trekking or volunteering in another project.
If you want to do Volunteering in one of the projects you have been visited during this trip, we can organize this for you. You have to pay an agency fee of 70$ and will stay as many weeks as you want in the project without organisation. You pay the family for example 1000NR for one day (accomodation and meals) and work in the project. So all money you spend will go directly to the family and the project which you have chosen.
We will advise you and answer every question you have!)
Day 22: Extension program or departure and flight back Home.

I am sure you will remember this trip!

 

Nepal tour - Highlights:

- Trekking with great views of the Himalaya
- Visit all 3 different regions of Nepal in one tour: The Himalayan region in the   north, hilly region in the middle and the flat Terai region in the south near the indian boarder
- Visit of Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha
- Visit of the most important sacred places in Kathmandu
- Spend time in the quiet, peaceful villages and experience the simple life of the people there
- Visit different Volunteering projects 
- Interact with people of different ethnic groups and the people of the projects you visit
- get to know the reality of the peoples life in Nepal


Living arrangements:

Accomodation: Home-stay with local family, orphanage & 2 days in a monastery
The homestay is nice but basic and usually has squat toilets, electricity and running water. You should know that there are often power cuts that can last for 10-12 hours.  You will stay in traditional guesthouses while trekking in the mountains.  
These facilities are basic and there is limited access to electricity.  
Food: all meals included
Minimal Age: 15
Beginning: every 10th of each month
Duration: 22 days
Language ability: average English
Locations: Kathmandu and surroundings, Chitwan, Palpa, Pokhara, Lumbini
Internet: There is not always internet at the accommodation but you will have occasional access to WiFi.
Laundry: Launderettes are available in Pokhara and Kathmandu if you want to use them or you can wash your clothes by hand like the locals

Nepal tour - Details Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Arrival in KTM and transfer to Volunteerhouse/host family. This day is no programme. If you arrive in the morning you have time to relax or explore the area around your house. In the evening you have a welcome dinner with your host family.

Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu 
Today you visit the most important sightseeing locations of Kathmandu.
After breakfast you drive to Swayambunath, the "Monkey Temple" of Kathmandu, a buddhist place of pilgrimage with a small stupa. There are many monkeys bopping around, so you should keep hold of your camera, mobile and other things, that the monkeys are not able to grab them with their speedy fingers.
After that you visit Kathmandu Durbar Square with its pagodes, the home of the living goddess Kumari.
Then you drive further to Pashupatinath. It is an important pilgrimage place for Hindus and a lot believer from India come there every week. There are lots of temples and at the shore of the holy Bagmati River, the believers burn there dead relatives. Then you go to the big stupa of Boudha, which is also known as little Tibet and enjoy your dinner at the rooftop of the hotel with view of the Stupa. 

Day 03: Language and culture class and sightseeing at Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Changunarayan
In the morning you get a detailed briefing of your upcoming trip and the projects you will visit. You also learn the most important words and small sentences of the language and some cultural rules, which you should follow during your stay.  After breakfast you explore the ancient kingdom Bhaktapur together with your guide. The gorgeous temples and artful woodcraft remind us of the past.
You visit the Durbar Square, the Dattatraya temple and some other places.  
Then you drive about 30 minutes to the Changunarayan temple. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and temple of god Vishnu.
Both Changunarayan and Bhaktapur are listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Day 04: Transfer to the orphanage in Sundarijal
Today you are transferred to the orphanage in Sundarijal. There live 46 children, orphans or children, whose parents are very poor and can't afford the fee for school. You spend some time with them, talk or play with them and help with the homework or cooking.

Day 05: Volunteering in the Orphanage
Today you spend time with the children and get to know there daily routine. 
Normally they get up about 5 - 5.30 in the morning. You can help in the kitchen and prepare breakfast for the kids. After that you can get them dressed for school and then walk them to school. Then you can help in the kitchen. One main task there will be peeling potatoes. To cook for 46 kids is a lot of work! You can also go with the people on the fields and work there.
When the kids come back from school about 16pm you can teach them English and help them with their homework. You can also go to play football with them. There is a big playground about 6 minutes away from the orphanage by foot.

Day 06: Hike to Chisapani
Today you hike to Chisapani, a viewpoint from where you can enjoy stunning mountain views of the Himalaya. You can also talk with the locals there. What are their occupations and how is their daily life there?

Day 07: Visit the surroundings of Chisapani
Today you visit the surroundings of Chisapani, amongst others the Maiti Nepal women project. This organisation fights about human trafficking in Nepal
If families in Nepal are very poor the parents or brothers sometimes sell girls to India or men promise them a better life when they follow them. The girls come for example to Mumbai and have to work as prostitutes there. They have a really bad life there, always in danger of beeing raped or getting AIDS. In this project are living women who were sent back to Nepal because they got AIDS. Some of them went back to their villages, but some of them are living in the project now. They have no real chance to marry in their life and it is difficult for them to live life now. 
Spend some time with them and ask them questions. 
Later in the afternoon you visit a farm with many goats. If you want you can help the locals with cutting grass or other farming activities. 

Day 08: Trek to Shivapuri Peak and back to Sundarijal
Today you hike Shivapuri Peak, from where you have again great views of the Himalaya. After that you go back to the orphanage in Sundarijal. If you want you can just relax or spend time with the children. 

Day 09: Drive to Bandipur
Today you drive from Kathmandu to Kuringhat. If you want you can do rafting at Trishuli River. Then you drive further to Bandipur. It is located in a hilly region with fantastic views of the Himalaya.

Day 10: Drive to Dhampus
Today you drive to Dhampus. From there you can again enjoy the view of the Himalaya. 

Day 11: Full day in Dhampus
This day you spend in Dhampus. You can interact with the locals, who are mostly Gurung (ethnic group) and will be happy to tell you more about their lifestyle and the differences to other ethnic groups in Nepal. If you want they can show you how to wear their traditional clothes and you can take pictures of it. You can also help on the fields, cut grass, plant rice...

Day 12: Walk or Drive back to Pokhara 
Today you drive back to Pokhara. If you want you can walk this way. After that you have free time in Pokhara. Pokhara is a famous tourist town, because of its location at Phewa Lake and the good view of the Himalaya. You can explore the town by yourself or just relax.

Day 13: Full day in Pokhara;
Today you have time for sightseeing in Pokhara. If you want you can do Paragliding in the morning. Then you hike to World Peace Pagoda from where you have a good view of Pokhara below you and the Himalaya in front of you, enjoy a boatstrip on Phewa Lake and visit Mahendra cave near Pokhara. If you want you can go out for eating in one of the good restaurants at the lakeside in the evening. 

Day 14: Drive to Palpa
Today you drive to Palpa, a hilly region with Tansen as headquarter. After arrival you explore Tansen.

Day 15: Full day in Palpa
Today you visit the school in Palpa and interact with the children. Ask them about the school system in Nepal and inform them about the school system in your home country. The children will ask you many questions like 'how does it look in your home country, is it clean there, are there mountains, which food do you eat there' and many more.
Later you get the chance to visit a hospital and get some insights about the daily work there. You can ask questions about the health system in Nepal, which is really different of that in Europe. 

Day 16: Drive to Lumbini
Today you drive further to the south of Nepal, to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. There you stay in a monastery and get to know the daily life of the monks. If you want you can relax or explore the area around the monastery.

Day 17: Full day in Lumbini
You have many opportunities to spend your time today. Do meditation in the monastery with the monks or go for sightseeing with your guide by driving in a Riksha or hire a bicycle. You can also go by foot. In Lumbini is a big park with many monasteries, sponsored by different countries of the world. If you want you can try to drive Riksha yourself. You also visit the birthplace of Buddha. 

Day 18: Drive to Chitwan
Today you drive to a small Tharu village called Nawalparasi, located in Chitwan and secluded from the tourist areas there. You will stay in the house of a host family and watch traditional dances.

Day 19: Full day in Chitwan
Today you stay in Chitwan. If you want you can make an elephant safari and explore the jungle from the safe back of the elephants. You can also go with one member of your host family canoeing and watch the crocodiles. If you want, you can help them with fishing and you can prepare the meal all together in the evening. 

Day 20: Drive to Sauraha
Sauraha is another village in Chitwan and a well-known tourist area in this region. You find a big variety of hotels and restaurants there and agencies which offer jungle activities. The village in that you stayed before is very small and a non-tourism area in which you could get to know the locals way of life.
In the morning you do an elephant safari. From the back of the elephant you have the chance to see four different kinds of deer, rhinoceros, bore, monkey, leopard, sloth bear and if you are really lucky you can espy the impressive Royal Bengal Tiger. 
After having lunch you have a canoe ride along the Rapti River. An excellent opportunity for bird watching and watching the 2 species of crocodiles here; the Marsh Mugger and the fish eating Gharial very close to you. After that you will have a short jungle walk which leads you to the Elephant Breeding Center.
If you like you can also go bathing with the elephants and in the evening enjoy the sunset at the riverside.

Day 21: Drive back to Kathmandu
Today you drive about 6 hours back to Kathmandu. On the way you have time to think about the previous weeks. You can decide if you want to extend your journey, for example do more trekking or volunteering.
In the evening you go to the touristic center of Kathmandu, Thamel. There are innumerable shops, cafes and restaurants, a great place for shopping some souvenirs or gifts for your family at home - if you bargain good, the price will be very cheap. Then you have a farewell dinner there.

(If you want to do volunteering in one of the projects you have been visited during this trip, we can organize this for you. You have to pay an agency fee of 70$ and will stay as many weeks as you want in the project without organisation. You pay the family for example 1000NR for one day (accomodation and meals) and work in the project. So all money you spend will go directly to the family and the project which you have chosen.
We will advise you and answer every question you have!
If you want to work in another project you can book one of the Volunteering Projects listed on our website.)

Day 22: Extension Program or Departure and Flight back Home.
If you don't book an extension program, you are transferred to the airport and fly home.

Inclusive

- Airport pickup and drop off

- Local in-country team and 24 hour emergency support

- Sightseeing as described in the program (in Kathmandu and surroundings, Pokhara, Dhampus, Palpa, Lumbini, Chitwan)

- Hiking in Shivapuri National Park

- Momo cooking lesson

- Accomodation (in host family, orphanage and 2 nights in monastery)

meals during your whole stay

- Information and guidance before and during your trip (for your trip as well as optional trekking tours or visits which are not included in the programme)

- Nepali Sim-Card for your mobile so that you can call for a very cheap price

- Handling cost for the organization of your stay

Exclusive

- Visa for Nepal (EUR 35,- or USD 40,-)

- International flights

- Sightseeing which is not described in the program

- Personal expenditure: e.g. drinks, souveniers, laundry, snacks, etc.

- Vaccination and travel insurance

- Extra payment in case of illness, rescue, changes of the program because of acts of nature beyond control, and additional expenses for overnight accommodations, etc. resulting from this 

What To Bring?

Gap Tour

Please book your trip at least 2 weeks before your preferred start date!

Price per person: $1090