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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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There is nowhere quite like Kathmandu; a maze of cavernous alleys shoot off the dirt streets offering you your only hope of avoiding the rickshaw drivers as well as a million different colours, smells and rug designs! Take tea while you watch the circus go by and save your energy for a valuable volunteer project. You’ll help out in a children’s home which provides an alternative for children who would otherwise have to live on the streets or with their parents in jail. Your days will be free while the children attend school but there’s plenty to do, like exploring the many attractions in Kathmandu, plotting trips to the mighty Himalayas or visiting Chitwan National Park, home to one or two animals you may not expect to find here.
When you book this trip US$75 of your fee is used to purchase school books, pay school fees or equivalent through our Big Giving programme.
Welcome to Nepal! Today you will be met at the airport and taken directly to the guesthouse which will be your home for the duration of your stay. You will have the rest of the day to rest and recover from your journey. If you are feeling adventurous you can head out and start exploring your surroundings!
If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Kathmandu on the specified arrival date we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation, please call us for more information.
Today is orientation day. You’ll receive a full orientation on this day from the team in Nepal. All new arrivals will have their orientation together, and this will cover important information such as what it’s going to be like at your project, dos and don’ts, fun things to do in Thamel and Kathmandu and how to stay safe on your trip. This is your prime opportunity to ask any burning questions that you haven’t yet had answered and to meet your fellow volunteers!
Once the orientation is completed it’s your chance to get out and explore all that Thamel has to offer.
Today is the first day visiting your project and is all about settling in and getting to know your way around. In the afternoon the i-to-i team will introduce you to the staff at the project who will be your day-to-day contacts, and arrange your schedule. You’ll spend the rest of your day learning the ropes and starting to get stuck into some volunteering. In one of the Homes, and if you are feeling up to it, you may also teach a couple of lessons to the children in their school before accompanying them in the bus to the Home.
Now you know your way around you can really get to work! Community work is very varied although one of the main aims of the homes is to provide help to individual children with their homework and English speaking on their return from school in the afternoons. You may also be involved in keeping the project clean and tidy to offering cuddles and attention to these needy children. You’ll get out what you put in so use your initiative and don’t be shy! Interaction involves helping with homework after school hours although you may also get involved with playing games of your own invention with the children on a Friday afternoon.
Weekends are free time for you to rest and explore. You can stay close to home or head out of Kathmandu if you prefer. Nepal has much to offer its visitors from trekking, white water rafting, Everest flights and safaris and you will easily find people who can arrange this in Thamel. The in-country team will be happy to point you in the right direction and include their own helpful trekking Guide at your disposal.
The following weeks will follow a similar pattern of working at the project working with the children and relaxing and exploring during your free evenings and weekends. Time will fly by so make the most of every minute in this bustling city!
Having said goodbye to all your new friends, taken your final photos and packed your bag full of souvenirs you’ll travel back to the airport. The return transfer from the guesthouse to Kathmandu airport is not covered within your project fee, but the one-way taxi-charge (for a normal, non airport taxi) will be around US$5.
In Nepal we work with a number of Community Development projects based in and around Kathmandu and you will be placed at one of these dependant on need and availability.
There are various homes set up in Nepal for vulnerable children who need care and attention. The families of the children are unable to look after them when they are orphaned, abandoned or neglected by their parents. The homes provide a safe place for these children to live as well as the opportunity to improve their education and build a brighter future.
When a child’s parent goes to prison in Nepal, if there is no alternative family member to look after the child then they have to go to prison with their parent too. The homes we work with will also sometimes take in these children so that they do not have to spend years living in the prison system or on the streets.
The children who live in the homes are aged from 6 up to 16 years.
Despite the difficult start to their lives these children are friendly and enthusiastic. You should be patient and sensitive, and prepared to persevere with them to bring out the best in them. This project suits those who can find the initiative to organise themselves and the children well and overcome the lack of communication due to language barriers with the children.
The staff at the homes are very dedicated but there often aren’t enough pairs of hands to go around. Volunteers play a vital part in contributing to the care and daily lives of these children including making their lives more enjoyable with fun activities that they can learn!
By interacting with international volunteers the children can learn about different cultures which will enhance their knowledge and view of the world; and by learning English from these foreign visitors they will enhance the job opportunities open to them in the tourist industry. You’re helping to improve the prospects of these children and offering them a brighter future.
The projects are in various locations in and around Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Nepal is a fascinating country with beautiful mountain scenery.
There’s plenty to keep you busy in Kathmandu: trekking, white water rafting, Everest flights and safaris as well as monasteries to explore and many restaurants and bars to relax in.
Children are at school during the day, so working hours for volunteers are late afternoons. There will also be the opportunity to do some teaching in local schools that the children attend for a couple of classes in the afternoon. On average, you’ll volunteer for around 2 to 3 hours each day, but if you’re keen to work longer then please say as your extra help will be appreciated!
The main aim of the project is to give help to individual children with their homework and to help them become more confident with their English, the children do not come across native English speakers very often! You should also be flexible as you may get involved in a variety of activities. You will help the staff care for the children in groups and help the children with subjects such as science, social studies, mathematics as well as English, (all taught from textbooks in English). You will also take part in teaching sessions and you may be able to get involved in organising your own games and activities on a Friday afternoon.
Don’t be shy or self conscious and if you have a special skill or interest please feel free to introduce it to the children!
All of the projects are under resourced so you will need to use your initiative when planning activities with the children! If you’d like to make a donation then things like stickers, craft materials, stationary and books are always welcomed and should be given via the head staff-member. A lot of these resources can be purchased when you get to Nepal, which will have the added bonus of helping the local economy as well as saving space in your luggage! Sponsorship of individual children can also be arranged with the Home and your Coordinator, but you should not feel under any obligation to donate if you do not wish to.
Books with English words, flash cards and souvenirs from your home country (flags, postcards, traditional items etc) are a great way to introduce yourself to the kids at the project and help them to learn about you and your culture.
Please remember that you a role model for the children and should therefore dress appropriately. You should not wear revealing clothes, or t-shirts with slogans that may cause offence, and keep skirts and shorts at least knee length.
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you fora the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do.
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Nepal. Here's what will happen:
You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day. You will be taken to the Student Guesthouse (see contact details below) which will be your permanent accommodation during your stay.
Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:
Student Guesthouse PO Box 5555 Thamel Kathmandu Tel +977 (0) 14 251 448Your orientation will take place the next morning at the Student Guesthouse and will introduce you to life in Nepal, places to go, what to do, as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. Chris has a wealth of knowledge about life in Nepal so please do ask him lots of questions! You will be shown to the project the next day, Tuesday where you will start your work as a volunteer either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
EU Customers – find out more here >>
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment f
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 46.00
You’ll be staying in a private room at the Student Guesthouse in the Thamel district of Kathmandu. If you are a couple and would like to share a room this is also possible on request.
The guesthouse is an extremely friendly, family-run hotel situated in the centre of Thamel which is also home to volunteers from our teaching project in Kathmandu. Rooms are clean and furnished in a simple style. You’ll get breakfast and dinner at the hotel which is a combination of Western and Nepalese food.
Your bedroom will have bathroom facilities attached to your room and you’ll have your own shower and western style toilet. There is hot water available but as with many developing countries it can be intermittent and may be available only in the mornings.
There is a reception area in the hotel with a television, internet, local and international phones. Laundry facilities are also available at a reasonable charge through the guesthouse.
The Student Guesthouse is located right in the middle of Thamel in Kathmandu. Thamel is the main tourist district within the city and is packed full of bars, restaurants, internet cafes, shops and tour companies. You really will be able to get everything you need within walking distance from the hotel and it’s easy to catch taxis and rickshaws too.
The projects are located at various locations in Kathmandu and your journey will either take up to 45 minutes by public transport or up to 45 minutes walking. You’ll be accompanied the first couple of times you go to the project so you can learn the way, and if you are walking the daily journey will be a great opportunity to soak up the Nepali atmosphere.
Nestled between India and China, Nepal has endured tumultuous periods that have enriched its culture but, at times, rocked its foundations. The earliest inhabitants are recorded as being the Kiratis who arrived in around the 7th century and it was also around this time that Buddhism was beginning to be practised in the country. With the dominance of the Licchavis people from the late 5th century until the 9th century, Hinduism replaced Buddhism as the main religion. They introduced the caste system that still exists today, and the period is regarded as a golden age during which Nepali art and architecture flourished. A blip in the country’s advancement occurred during the reign of the succeeding Thakuri dynasty which was marred by invasion and conflict. Following the prosperous period of the Mallas which saw the country divided into city-states each with their own armies, the Shah dynasty set about unifying the country. King Prithvi Narayan Shah from the kingdom of Gorkha, considered to be the founder of the nation, conquered the Kathmandu valley from the 18th century onwards. The expansion of the Shahs and Nepal’s growing boundaries led to conflict with the Chinese in Tibet and the British in India.
A swift shift in power took place in 1846 when Jung Bahadur Rana, a noble from western Nepal, engineered a revolt that led to the annihilation, known as the Kot massacre, of the nation’s most powerful figures. He became prime minister and made the title hereditary. In 1951, the system of rule changed when the Shah’s power was restored and King Tribhuvan set up a new government with a cabinet of Rana and Nepal Congress Party ministers. The path to democracy was short lived and by 1959 the King rejected the notion of a democratically elected government and resumed direct control.
It wasn’t until 1990 that a multi-party democracy was established but has since been threatened by what is known as the People’s War, an insurgency by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). The country was shaken in 2001 when the crown prince murdered members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and ended his own life. Until April 2006, King Gyanendra held absolute power after dissolving the government for its proposed lack of success in dealing with the Maoist rebels and corruption; a state of emergency was declared. The King has since relinquished his power to political parties and with the 2007 elections looming, long-term stability is yet to be realised. Meanwhile, the government and the Maoist signed a peace deal in November 2006, making steps toward a permanent ceasefire and an end to the conflict that has so far claimed thousands of lives.
The most popular time to visit Nepal is October to November, the start of the dry season when the temperatures are agreeable and the high elevated areas are at their most accessible for trekkers. December to January are less crowded but still an opportune time to reach the mountainous heights though the weather can get colder at higher elevations and there is the possibility of snow to contend with. February to April is also a good time for trekking and to see flora in bloom. The temperatures are mild but can reach high temperatures in low elevated areas. Trekking and scenic views are obscured by the onset of the monsoon season from mid June to September. Although trekking is still possible, frequent rains make for muddy roads, a greater chance of landslides and the reappearance of unsightly leeches.
There’s no denying that Nepal has some of the best named airlines in the world, where else could you board carriers called Yeti Airlines, Cosmic Air and Buddha Air? Fanciful names aside, there is a good choice of carriers available that serve the major routes and remote locations with the main flight hubs based at Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nepalganj and Britanagar. Royal Nepal Airlines is the national airline and has an extensive network of flights. It’s not uncommon for flights to be cancelled due to bad weather and is essential to reconfirm flights. Booking domestic flights a week in advance is advisable.
Bus travel is the main mode of ground transportation. These slow moving road hounds are cramped but cheap, and safety is major issue with crashes not all that uncommon. For a less daunting experience it’s best to ride on one of the designated tourist buses that mainly operate between Kathmandu and Pokhara. These are worth the extra cost for the added comfort and safety features. Night time bus travel should be avoided. Trains are limited to one line that runs from Jankapur to the Indian border; foreigners are not permitted to cross the border.
A convenient option is to rent a car with a driver (it’s not possible to rent a self-drive car). It’s sure to be quicker and more comfortable than travelling by bus and can work out more cost-effective than flying, depending on where you want to go and for how long. Rental can be readily arranged in the main populous areas and at hotels and guest houses. Small motorcycles can be rented but are best kept to day trips due to the rocky road conditions and lack of engine power.
Local transport covers a myriad of options including buses, tempos (three-wheeled buses), rickshaws and taxis. Bikes can be rented in Kathmandu and Pokhara and is probably the quickest and most pleasant way to get around. Good old fashioned walking is not to be sniffed at, especially in a land that is a trekker’s mecca, as it can be the most reliable form of getting from A to B.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.
Buddha Air
Cosmic Air
Royal Nepal Airlines
Yeti Airlines
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
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