Friends for Asia offers a range of Kathmandu volunteer projects to suit every budget and every taste. There are many reasons why Kathmandu is a great place to volunteer, not least its vibrant atmosphere, beautiful architecture and its rich Hindu and Buddhist cultures.
Joining a volunteer project in Kathmandu is a unique way to experience life in this Himalayan gem. Our volunteers live with Nepali families, work with Nepali adults and children, get a unique take on Nepali life and eat the local food. No tour operator can offer an experience to match volunteering in Kathmandu.
Volunteering in Nepal provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a truly amazing country. Our volunteers immerse themselves in Nepal culture amid some of the most stunning scenery in the world while making a real and lasting contribution to the lives of thousands of people.
Situated high in the Himalayas between India and Tibet, Nepal has long been as a favorite among travelers and mountaineers. Home to eight of the world’s highest mountains, Nepal’s beauty is legendary. All our Nepal volunteer projects are located in the capital Kathmandu or Chitwan (located about 100 miles west of Kathmandu near the Indian border).
Nestled between the breathtaking peaks of the Himalayas, Kathmandu is one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. It has long been a popular stopping off point for backpackers, trekkers and mountaineers. All our Kathmandu volunteer projects are located in and around the city.
Our Kathmandu volunteer projects are designed to immerse our volunteers in daily Nepal life while helping the most disadvantaged in society. Friends For Asia volunteers can find themselves working with children in orphanages, teaching at schools, or helping to empower disadvantaged women. The list of valuable contributions our volunteers can make goes on and on.
We offer a range of Nepal volunteer projects to suit every taste. From working with kids at a Buddhist monastery to educating villagers about environmental awareness, volunteers have plenty to choose from. Projects usually last between two weeks and three months, though some projects can be extended to five months depending on the time of the year.
At Friends for Asia we believe that our Nepal projects give our volunteers an experience that tourism or independent travel cannot match. Volunteers are immersed in Nepal culture as they work with Nepali children and adults during the day and live full-time with Nepali host families. Nepal has a rich and unique culture with its own customs and traditions and volunteering here brings a unique perspective on life in this amazing country.
Volunteers eat the local food and tune in to the rhythm of local life for the duration of their stay. With its beautiful architecture and rich Buddhist and Hindu traditions, simply walking the streets of Kathmandu is an enlightening cultural experience.
We advise all our Nepal volunteers to do their own research on the customs and traditions, and even learn a few words of the language, before they arrive.
Kathmandu, like all of Nepal, has two seasons – wet and dry. The wet season runs approximately from June to September, with the dry season lasting for the rest of the year.
Temperatures during the wet season can rise to 30C (86F) and nights are warm. Winter temperatures can rise to 20C (68F) during the day but it often drops below freezing at night so volunteers are advised to bring plenty of warm clothing.
Daytime temperatures in the dry season can fall to 10C (50F) or below and nights are often below freezing. Although the city is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, it rarely snows in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu Valley is in the Warm Temperate Zone of Nepal (elevation ranging from 1,200–2,300 metres (3,900–7,500 ft)), where the climate is fairly temperate, atypical for the region. This zone is followed by the Cool Temperate Zone with elevation varying between 2,100–3,300 metres (6,900–10,800 ft). Portions of the city with lower elevations have a humid subtropical climate, while portions of the city with higher elevations generally have a subtropical highland climate. In the Kathmandu Valley the average summer temperature varies from 28–30 °C (82–86 °F). The average winter temperature is 10.1 °C (50.2 °F).
The city generally has a climate with warm days followed by cool nights and mornings. Unpredictable weather is expected given temperatures can drop to 3 °C (37 °F) during the winter. During a 2013 cold front, the winter temperatures of Kathmandu dropped to −4 °C (25 °F), and the coldest temperature was recorded in January 10, 2013 at −9.2 °C (15.4 °F). Rainfall is mostly monsoon-based (about 65% of the total concentrated during the monsoon months of June to August), and decreases substantially (100 to 200 cm (39 to 79 in)) from eastern Nepal to western Nepal. Rainfall has been recorded at about 1,400 millimetres (55.1 in) for the Kathmandu valley, and averages 1,407 millimetres (55.4 in) for the city of Kathmandu. On average humidity is 75%.
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Kathmandu got its name from a wooden pagoda that was located in what is now the centre of the city – the word literally means wood house. The Kathmandu Valley has been inhabited since at least 300 BC. The indigenous people of the valley are known as the Newa but a steady flow of immigrants into the area has meant intermarriage with other cultures.
Today Kathmandu is a multicultural city, but the two strongest influences continue to be Hindu and Buddhist. Traditionally this area has been famous for the religious piety of its inhabitants, and this explains why there are so many temples and other holy sites locally. The city was also once on an important trade route between India and Tibet, and this too has left its mark. The city has well over one million inhabitants and it attracts hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists and pilgrims each year. There are also believed to be at least 30,000 Tibetan refugees living in Kathmandu – predominately on the southern edge of the city.
Many languages are spoken by the locals in Kathmandu including:
It is difficult to provide an exact date for most of the festivals in Kathmandu because they change each year. This is due to the fact that these dates are often decided by astrologers working with a lunar calendar. The most important festivals in Kathmandu include:
Some of the most interesting places to go in Kathmandu include:
There are plenty of options when it comes to finding things to do in Kathmandu including:
Some good options for sports and other physical activities in Kathmandu include:
There are some good options for people who want to experience something off the tourist map in Kathmandu such as:
One of the major hassles for newcomers to Kathmandu is the lack of posted names on many streets. It is possible to visit most of the main attractions by foot, but it can sometimes feel like taking part in an obstacle course. One of the most fun ways to navigate the city is by rickshaw – these are plentiful around the Thamel area. It is also possible to hire a bicycle or a motorbike from most of the tourist areas – an international driving license is needed to hire a motorbike. There are also plenty of taxis that can be flagged down on the street or arranged by hotels, guest houses, or restaurants. When choosing a rickshaw or taxi it is strongly recommended that people negotiate a price first of all.
Kathmandu is a good base from which to explore the rest of Nepal. Some suggestions for where people might want to go next include:
Nepal is an ethnically and culturally diverse country, and one outcome of this is that there is an impressive array of local cuisine. Nepalese food has been strongly influenced by both India and Tibet, and in places like Kathmandu there is a growing interest in western dishes. Much of the local cuisine (particularly from the Himalayan region) can taste a bit bland if people are used to spicy or savory food, but the diet in Nepal receives a good deal of praise for its health giving properties.
The nearest thing to a national dish in Nepal would be dal bhat. The basic ingredients of this are rice and lentil soup. Many Nepalese will eat dal bhat twice a day. There are many different versions of this meal, but the most popular is dal bhat tarkari which also comes with curried vegetables.
Modern Kathmandu is home to many ethnic groups, but the indigenous people of the Kathmandu valley are the Newar (Newa). The Newar have their own cuisine which is said to consist of about 200 dishes. A Tibet and Chinese influence is obvious in their food. They also have foods that a similar to western dishes such as:
It is common in Nepal to associate certain types of foods with particular religious festivals. Chatamari was once only eating by the Newar people on festival days. Kwati is a type of curried sprouted bean soup that is also associated with festival days of the Newar. On all of these special days there is usually a good selection of vegetarian as well as non vegetarian dishes available.
It is illegal to kill a cow in Nepal so beef dishes are not common. The meat dishes tend to be made from chicken, pork, mutton, or water buffalo. The most popular chicken dishes include:
Popular pork dishes include:
Mutton dishes include:
The Newar people have at least 80 different recipes that include buffalo meat.
The Nepalese excel when it comes to their vegetarian dishes. It is important to realize though, that many dishes will contain dairy products so they will not be suitable for vegans – it is usually possible to have a vegan option for the same meal when requested. The most popular vegetarian dishes in Nepal would include:
The most popular Nepalese desserts include:
There are a few dining rules that visitors to Nepal should be aware of including:
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