Volunteer in Nepal!

Accommodations and Meals in Nepal

Your accommodations will depend on which project you are placed in, but we do try to meet your requests if you prefer one of these great options over the others.

Once you have applied, you will find the specific details of your accommodations in your personal placement documents. In Pokhara and Chitwan, our volunteers will stay with host families.

Keep reading to get a rundown on each housing option:

Volunteer House (IFRE Home Base)

Our volunteer house is located in the heart of Kathmandu and provides easy access to all parts of the city. It is a safe and comfortable 2-story home set aside for international volunteers, and manned with local staff, or with well-screened host families. This is a great place to connect with your fellow volunteers and experience life in the bustling city of Kathmandu.

You will share a room with other volunteers of the same gender and will share a bathroom with running water and a "western" style toilet. Single rooms are available; however, availability depends on the number of volunteers working at the project. You will have the ability to do laundry at the home base. Internet cafés, restaurants, grocery stores, and all the amenities you need while volunteering abroad in Nepal are all conveniently located within 2 km.

Facilities at a glance: Multiple shared rooms (same gender), comfortable beds, electricity, western toilets, regular supply of water (No hot water), safe and sound living environment, easy access to all parts of Kathmandu. Most necessary services are available within 2 km.

Host Family Accommodation

Staying with one of our socially respected and experienced host families gives you the unique chance to experience Nepali life up close and personal. You will get the chance to learn a new language and immerse yourself in fascinating Nepalese cultures and customs. Venture off the well-beaten Nepal tourist track and experience a true home away from home with our Nepali host families!

In most host family situations, volunteers in Nepal will share a room with another volunteer of the same gender in the family’s safe and comfortable home. Most of the host families have children, so you can enjoy helping the children with their English skills. The family will watch over and make sure you have a safe and enriching time abroad.

Facilities at a glance: Multiple shared rooms (same gender), comfortable beds, electricity, western toilet, regular supply of water (No hot water), safe and sound living environment, meals prepared from organic products.

Orphanage hostel

Many orphanages in Kathmandu have special rooms set aside to house international volunteers, so if you will be volunteering with orphans in Nepal, you may stay at your project site depending on your placement. This is a great chance to connect on an even deeper level with the kids you are there to help and get more involved in daily life at the orphanage!

Facilities at a glance: Shared rooms with same gender and shared bathrooms, electricity, meals prepared from organic products, safe and sound living environment, comfortable beds.

Accommodation possibility based on location:

Chitwan - . Host family

Pokhara - Host family

Meals while volunteering in Nepal:

Food is life and trying out new cuisine is one of the best parts about traveling abroad. You’ll be served three local meals a day as part of our program. Nepali cuisine is delicious and has influences from nearby regions such as India and other Asian countries that make it a truly unique dining experience.

Breakfast is usually simple with tea, bread, and boiled egg. For lunch and dinner, you’ll enjoy larger meals with dishes like rice, curry, spicy lentil soup, pickles, momos (dumplings), Chow Mein, and bamboo shoot curry.

If you’re staying in our hostel while volunteering in Nepal, our resident cook will prepare your meals. If you are staying with one of our host families, you will share meals with them, and you might even try your hand at learning to cook Nepali fare! Our host families can also cook vegetarian or vegan food and are conscious of allergies or diets.

If you will be out of the house during lunch hour, you can request a lunch to go. If traditional Nepali fare does not appeal to you, you are welcome to buy personal food and prepare it. Also, if you are placed in a city area, you can find varieties of western foods in nearby restaurants.

Enjoy getting a true taste for the country of Nepal!

Volunteer opportunities in Nepal

IFRE arranges many different volunteering projects in Nepal. You can teach English to disadvantaged children or monks, help with nature conservation, work in the medical sector, learn about photojournalism,work in an orphanage, and much more. Contact IFRE as soon as possible to take advantage of these exciting opportunities!