Nepal: Community Service and Cultural Immersion

Fly into the stunning Kathmandu Valley, framed against the backdrop of the mighty Himalayan Mountains. After a long flight, you meet your Global Works Leader and we retreat to our comfortable hotel near Kathmandu. After resting up, we begin the trip with orientation activities and a visit to some of Kathmandu’s most important landmarks. This includes the Boudhanath Stupa, which is the largest Buddhist Stupa in the world, and Swayambhunath Monkey Temple, which sits atop a mountain with beautiful 360 degree views of the valley below.

We transfer to the village of Chitwan and spend the next several nights based at our ecolodge nestled in the jungles of the Chitwan National Park. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work! Tasks include sustainable community development projects, assisting teachers in elementary school classrooms, and tending to animals and their habitats in the local wildlife refuge. Of course, we leave ample time to participate in daily exchange activities with school children, learn local dances, and to explore the stunning natural beauty of the region.

After a last breakfast in Chitwan, we transfer by bus to Lumbini where we visit Maya Devi Temple, the birthplace of Buddha. We also visit the World Peace Pagoda Stupa and see the many monasteries built by different countries, each in their own style and architecture, to mark this sacred location. The next morning, we meet with Buddhist monks in training. We spend a “day in the life”of these 8-14 year olds, learning about their experiences, meditating, playing soccer, and teaching English through games and activities that we design for our new friends.

After we have breakfast at the monastery, we return by bus to Kathmandu to prepare for the closing chapter of our journey. We dedicate time to visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we can visit the pottery market, the famous peacock window, as well as the five-story Nyatapola, the highest pagoda temple of Nepal. We have the opportunity to shop for final souvenirs and then enjoy a farewell dinner at a nice restaurant in Kathmandu. The next morning we start our journey home, sorry to go, but excited to share our experiences with friends and family.