It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visa for your trip.
For your program, you will need a tourist visa. For most nationalities, there is no need to plan ahead.
Please ensure that you are in compliance with immigration and airline requirements regarding visas and entry into the country, such as proof of a return flight within a maximum of a few days. The duration of the visa depends on your nationality.
The Nepalese Immigration website https://www.immigration.gov.np/ has more information on visa requirements and outlines the procedure for obtaining a visa on arrival.
Please ensure you are not transiting through India, additional documents will be required and our partner will not provide them.
Attendees usually use wifi in cafes to keep in touch. Nepalese SIM cards are cheap and accessible. You can buy recharge cards for calls at reasonable prices inside and outside Nepal. If you have an old “unlocked” phone, you can easily buy the SIM card. Otherwise, mobile or cell phones are affordable in Kathmandu, or in major cities. It is advisable to bring passport photos as they are required to purchase a SIM card. There are also places in Nepal where you can get passport photos quickly and cheaply.
There are many local laundry services that can be availed easily for a small fee.
Nepal often experiences water shortages, please speak to the staff or host family to find out if it is possible to wash your hands.
The local currency is the Nepalese rupee.
Participants typically spend around $200 a month on phone, lunches, drinks and other luxuries.
If you want to do more trips and activities, you will need to budget more.
We recommend traveling with a credit/debit card (Visa cards are more widely accepted in Nepal) as your main source of funds, but it’s wise to have some cash on hand. ATMs are available in major cities and you can exchange money easily. You can only buy Nepalese rupees in Nepal. It is therefore recommended to carry around $50 to $100 to change them on arrival, as well as your visa.
Nepal experiences many religious and cultural festivals throughout the year, as well as school holidays and exam periods, especially in June/July and October/November. During these periods, we may organize activities and programs different from our usual programs. During these times, you may participate in local community children’s vacation programs, create lesson plans and resources to support our work, facilitate adult access to education, and more.
In most situations, except perhaps on the river where swimsuits are acceptable, lots of exposed skin is a disrespect to many Nepalese. One of the best ways for a Western woman to dress modestly is to “dress Nepali”. Many female volunteers feel very comfortable wearing the traditional custom-made “Kurta Salwar”. The dress code during your free time can be more relaxed than that at work, and Nepalese are happy to make exceptions for foreigners. Nepalese are happy to make exceptions for foreigners. That said, be respectful and try to keep your shoulders, knees, and stomach covered.
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