Nepal Volunteer Programs from $20/day | Most Affordable & Trusted

Nepal will forever hold a special place in my heart after the trip my sister and I just had. From IVHQ helping prepare me for the trip, to Vertical Ascent setting up all of my touring and checking up with me throughout my stay, to the amazing volunteers I worked with and stayed with in the same host family, to the most kind hearted host parents, and the most inspiring group of students I got to teach and watch over throughout the day volunteering at SERC School for special needs children, I have nothing but amazing things to say. If you are thinking about volunteering in Nepal through IVHQ, do not hesitate and book your trip! The volunteer portion of your day will be so joyful and fun and after you get off your shift for the day you still have time to tour. I stayed in Kathmandu for my two week placement and got to tour and experience Nagarkot, Thamel, New Road, Bhaktapur Dubar Square, Swayambhunath aka Monkey Temple, Garden of Dreams, and spent a weekend in Chitwan. I definitely hope I will have the opportunity to go back to Nepal to visit the kids I was working with, my host parents, and to tour more of Nepal. Nepal is such a beautiful place!

It is quite an interesting experience to me in Nepal, where I have acquired much inspiration and happiness. Once you go out to see the different world,you can have an amazing memory and time to enjoy.
The program I took part in was Childcare in Nepal. The routine work is to look after, accompany and teach children. Sometimes I assist local teachers to do some daily work.The children there are beautiful with big eyes and they are around three years old. Yet they are too young to understand English so we mainly communicate by facial or body languages. They are cute and willing to play with volunteers. It is quite interesting to communicate with them by that way and gives me lots of fun. Sometimes I talk to them using simple Nepali language where I learn from the local, but you know ,this time is always short. hahaha. You can give your creative ideas and teaching methods of your country to the teachers, talking and exploring with them so that you can build a fantastic class. It is quite a good opportunity for me to see diversities and different culture there.
Besides that ,what I want to mention is that children are like to eat candies and chocolates and volunteers need to learn to give them in a proper way such as when they perform well in class they can get a bonus. It is significant to give sweets to children as a bonus or inspiration rather than a simple give. Some children may ask you to bring sweets another day and we need to tell them every effort counts since they are young and important to develop. Actually, this action helps the class more interesting and active and you can truly enjoy time there.
The homestay there is very good to me and I really enjoy the scenery there. This is my first time to Nepal and take part in program. Everyday can be wonderful only if you put efforts and try to make it happen. I miss Nepal and people there.:)

My time volunteering in Nepal was unique and an experience I will remember for years to come. In order to fully enjoy your time as a volunteer you have to be open minded, and have the ability to be flexible. You never know where the program coordinators are going to need you the most, and what your placement will be until you arrive in the country. Having an open mind will not only make your experenice more enjoyable but allow the job of your coordinators to be easier as well.
I was originally placed in the Katmandu Valley for childcare but was switched to the beautiful city of Pokhara, a popular tourist destination in the country. I stayed at a beautiful homestay with a local family, and for a country so different than my own I felt like I as at home. My placement itself ended up involving me, along with two other volunteers, to be teaching English to students older than we were. It took us by surprise as the three of us had signed up for a childcare position but the ability to keep an open mind helped us to enjoy the experience and be thankful that we were helping in any way possible. The following week the program coordinator switched the three of us to a daycare where we were able to fulfill more of a childcare role. I would recommend this program to anyone who is looking to make a difference in a country that could use its help, but I would say don't go into this program thinking you'll be doing certain things... Come with a open mind and this experience could change your life!

After the massive earthquake earlier in 2015 I decided that I would be going to Nepal, and it would happen soon. In October I booked my flights and in the middle of November I found myself alone at the airport in Kathmandu. But I was never worried. I was picked up and driven to the guest house where all the volunteers would spend some days before heading off to our placements.
I think that's one thing I'll remember after volunteering in Nepal. I was never worried.
Because even though I wasn't speaking to the program coordinators very often, I felt safe and happy. Even when I was placed teaching English to people older than myself (I had signed up for childcare), I knew that things would be okay. After just a few days I was moved to a daycare for young children. One thing that you just have to get used to, is the fact that the people you're working with does not speak English very well. You might be very confused at times, but it's a part of the experience. I have to say that I have been frustrated at times, especially when I suddenly was teaching English (which isn't even my first language), but I have learned that there are people here who only wants the best for you and are trying very hard to make you happy.
Because even though the people in Nepal doesn't have much, they are the most friendly and smiling people I have ever met. They always do their best for you, because you are worth so much to them.
I think the family I'm staying with plays an important role in making me feel safe here. I thought I was very lucky with my host family, but after talking to other volunteers here it seems like every family is amazing (and makes amazing food).
I would recommend volunteering in Nepal to everyone. I love Nepal, and my trip back is already being planned.

I've spent 2 weeks in Nepal.Nicky and I helped in an orphanage.We lived in the mayor's house(the mayor of the urban area of Pokhara).Everyday we walked to the orphanage in several minutes. We helped with the kitchen,cutting decayed and wormy potatoes, peeling immature bananas.All these foods can be cooked into something tasty by adding curry. We also have the same meals with them. I made dumplings for them and luckily they like the dumplings.Although they don't have many kinds of good foods, they have pretty much sources for knowledge. They went to private school being taught in english and there are volunteers from all over the world going there.They may don't have many things we live with, but they are happy with what they live on, and have enough spiritual foods.

Being a volunteer with IVHQ was a very great experience for me, especially in Nepal, which is one of the poorest country in the world. I was taking a break from my concert photography job, and using this volunteer trip as my getaway. As a person who really loves children, my childcare placement was perfect for me. It's very delightful and grateful to meet and play with children in the orphan house, because I learn about how to communicate with them in English, which is not our first language (I'm from Indonesia, so I speak bahasa Indonesia as my first language). They taught me how to speak Nepali, and I taught them bahasa Indonesia little bit. Not only the language, but also about our culture and religion. It was very awkward moment when I had to do meditation before dinner, I'm a Muslim so I don't do meditation. I told them why I don't do meditation and they understood, then we share knowledge about our religion between Hindu and Islam. Diversity is most welcome in Nepal. I was worried about the communication because I don't speak Nepali, turns out most of Nepali people speak very good English. I didn't finished my program because the Ministry of Foreign Affair of Republic Indonesia flew all Indonesian back to Indonesia after the earthquake. Yes, I'm still disappointed but humans can't control a natural disaster. So I went back to Indonesia 2 weeks earlier. It was good and terrifying experience at the same time. But I promise myself to go back to Nepal to meet the children because my departure was so sudden. I miss Nepal already.

I arrived in Nepal ready and eager for the experience and challenge of international volunteering, and I (along with the other members of my volunteer group) was deeply disappointed and enraged by what we got. In fact, out of a large group of volunteers, all of those planning to stay more than 2 weeks terminated their stay early. It's almost like the descriptions on the websites are just made up by staff who've never actually been to the placements. The "orphanage work" description says that we'd be staying in a homestay and would work all day with needy children, helping them in all areas of their life. In reality, we were grouped into one-bedroom apartments or hotels and the children were gone ALL DAY at school and we were only with them for an hour in the evening to help with homework. When we showed the IVHQ staff in our local placement what the website said we'd be doing and the schedule they provided us of our daily routines, they laughed and couldn't believe it-- saying that that's never how it's been and that it's "impossible". There were even several volunteers who were scheduled to teach in schools for a month DURING the children's school holidays when no one was there!!! Clearly the staff doesn't care at all about the impact of its program. Meanwhile, the staff all drove the nicest cars we'd seen anywhere in Kathmandu, and other than that we couldn't figure out for the life of us where on earth our dues were actually going. It would have been infinitely better in EVERY way, and we all could have made a significantly greater impact in the communities, had we just traveled there and volunteered on our own without this ridiculous excuse for a volunteer program.

Im staying for five months and the three months that i have been here so far were great. Lots of fun friendly staff and host family! Everyone was quick to help and i was placed right where i wanted to be. The only downside was the lack of things to do at the placements. Most of my days were lazy days because nobody had any work for me at all which was nice at first so i could explore around but now I have no things to do at all. If there was a construcion program or a pure water building program that would be great but most of the time people at the orphangaes and schools dont step to need volenteers. So a variety of program would go a long way here.