Volunteer in the heart of the Himalayas amongst the rugged Himalayan region people that have made Nepal famous At a glance: For those seeking a taste of rural Nepal, these mountain homestays will place you right into the midst of the famously hospitable Sherpa people.
Pattale:
Pattale is situated at the height of 3,000 metres above sea level and it is the perfect destination for Everest sight-seeing. It is the best viewpoint from where you can observe dozens of mountain ranges including the one with the highest and the third highest mountains in the world. Pattale is the best and nearest destination to go for Everest sight-seeing from the Capital.
Salleri:
Numbur-Himal Salleri is a small Himalayan town that serves as the headquarters of the Solukhumbu District. It is everything you would imagine from the Everest mountain region: beautiful landscape; hillsides dotted with villages, a lively weekend bazaar, a Tibetan refugee camp, and many spectacular Buddhist monasteries. Recently road has been connected with Salleri and a regular jeep service operates from Kathmandu. The duration of the Jeep drive is about 10 hours. The nearest airstrip is at Phaplu, about a 20 minutes uphill walk from Salleri.
Garma:
Garma is a small village and is a populated locality in Salleri which is 2162metres above sea level. If you are looking to experience remote mountain life then this is your best choice. You will be far from modern services and amenities, but the opportunity of living with the Sherpa people will be a once in a lifetime experience. Many volunteers love the isolation and peace of the mountain lifestyle and do short trips to get closer views of Mount Everest (8,848m), Lhotse (8,501m) and Ama Dablam (6,556m).
Accommodations and foods are in simple lodgings at the local host family with a shared bathroom with pit toilet but will have running water. There is now also basic internet in the town you can use.
We have the following program in Garma and Salleri:
Okhaldhunga:
Okhaldhunga Amidst a scenic wonderland, Okhaldhunga offers a truly Nepali experience. The district headquarter is Okhahdhunga which is at the height of 1849 m. from sea level. It is a small town surrounded by hills dotted with small farming villages. Okhaldhunga’s pristinely breathtaking scenery, immortalized by 20th-century poet Siddhicharan Shrestha, invites visitors to a number of local hikes and treks, including a three-hour walk to Pokali, the second largest waterfall in Nepal. During certain times of the year, the crisp, clear skies give a view to the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, providing a perfect excuse to relax in front of the world’s tallest mountain range. Sitting at just over 5000 feet, Okhaldunga is an ideal destination for immersion in a genuine Nepali village. The magic of this town is conveyed in both its hospitality and natural beauty. Although a narrow dirt road now connects this district to the rest of Nepal, the hilly terrain makes travel to Okhaldhunga difficult at best, and at times quite treacherous. For most, a two-day walk from the town of Katari continues to be the best and safest way to reach Okhaldhunga. From Kathmandu, the short bus route is about 200 km which is rough and takes a day. Rumjatar is the only airport in Okhaldhunga district which is connected with Kathmandu and Biratnagar Airport. There are 3 flights a week.
Okhaldhunga also offers the setting to accomplish many things, working hand in hand with the community in such areas as education, English instruction, sanitation and waste management, health, youth activities, infrastructure planning and development, and more. Your trip to Okhaldhunga is an all-inclusive opportunity to live and work in the “real Nepal”, far away from city life. The Okhaldhunga district, with Okhaldhunga as its capital, is part of the Sagarmatha zone of eastern Nepal, one of 75 districts. It spans an area of about 1,100km2 and has a population of over 150,000 people.
Please note that English speaking is much more limited in rural areas than in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan. If you want to volunteer in remote, rural areas then please be willing to learn some Nepali.
Sagarmatha Janta Sec. School, volunteering placement in Okhaldhunga for teaching Laligunras School, volunteering placement in Okhaldhunga for teaching Road to Okhaldhung Big grinding stone (“Okhal Dhunga” in the Nepali language) with historic importance by which the place is named.