FAQs

Q. Where does my money go to?

We are a charity supporting the programs where you will be volunteering. A minimum of $100 is used from your fees as a donation directly to your placement, making you both a volunteer and donor. In addition to the costs associated with paying the rent, buying food for your meals, providing Internet and 24/7 staffing, many of our staff come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are now attending college, nursing school or other medical programs from the funds we earn by hosting you in Nepal. The Mountain Fund keeps just 10% of the fees to support ourselves leaving 90% of the money in Nepal, helping Nepalis.

Q. Why volunteer with Mountain Volunteer Nepal?

The Mountain Fund received the coveted Sir Edmund Hillary Medal for our service in Nepal over the past decade. We are not a placement organization but rather a real, working NGO in Nepal, committed to improving life for all Nepali people. Since 2007 we’ve hosted hundreds of volunteers from more than 22 countries. Mountain Volunteer Nepal is highly selective about the programs we send our volunteers to work in. We require our partner programs to exhibit the highest standards of honesty, integrity and service.

We are not a traditional volunteer placement program. The places you will volunteer are our long-term partners that we financially support at The Mountain Fund. Unilke many volunteer placement programs, we are actual working partners with these programs. 

Q.  What are the Program locations in Nepal ?

Our volunteering programs are located in the capital city of Kathmandu. We have limited opportunities to work in very remote, rural communities as well. Ask us about these programs, they aren't for everyone and involve living in very rustic conditions in villages that are nearly "off the map."       

Q.  When do I need to arrive in Nepal for my program?

All volunteers need to arrive one day before their program start date. We do not have fixed start dates. You are welcome to come at any time that fits with your travel plans and schedule.       

Q.  What will happen once I arrive in Nepal ?

Volunteers are picked up from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu by the local staff who are also a part of extended Mountain Fund family. Those volunteers who will be already in Nepal will be met by the staff at a designated meeting point decided beforehand. After you have been picked up ,you will be transferred to your accommodations.        

Q.  When will I know specific details of my placement ?

Once you have applied, we will send you details of your placement usually within 10 working days.        

Q.  How do I get to the program location ?

Our experienced and friendly staff will take you to your placement the first day and introduce you to everyone after giving you a basic orientation about the program/city/culture etc. In subsequent days, you would need to commute between the placement and accommodation by taxis. In some cases, the placement would be located at a walking distance from the place of stay. We are on hand to support you, 24/7       

Q.  I want to know more about accommodation arrangements ?

We provide you with accommodation from your start date to the end of the program. Accommodation is provided on a shared basis in our own Mountain Volunteer home. The accommodations are neat and provide a comfortable stay during your volunteering period in Nepal. We have 24/7 internet, including wireless, so feel free to bring your laptop. The house is staffed 24/7 and located in a VIP area of Kathmandu. Please visit this link to take a look at where you will be staying. Your room is clean, very comfortable and you'll be living in one of safest possible places in Kathmandu. Check out the photos right here 

Q.  What will be the food arrangement ?

All volunteers are provided with 2 Nepali meals depending on their work schedule. (breakfast and dinner) Our meals are normally vegetarian and we will advise you in advance of any meal containing meat. All meals are prepared with great care and our menu runs the gamut from local dishes prepared with fresh ingredients to western fare such as French toast, omlettes, tacos or spagheti. Great care is taken to be certain the food is prepared hygenically and with the best ingredients possbile.              

Q.  What is the age range to volunteer ?

Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the beginning of the program. There is no upper age limit. You must be fit to travel and work.        

Q.  Can couples or families join the volunteer program ?

Yes, couples and families are welcome to join our programs. We make special housing provisions for families joining our volunteering programs.

Q.  What immunizations/vaccinations will I need ?

We recommend you speak to your doctor before coming or the CDC pages for Nepal.         

Q.  Are there more expenses once I arrive in Nepal ?

Your program fee covers you for food , accommodation and airport pick up. You will need to cover yourself for your personal expenses, such as traveling, telephone, internet, shopping, sightseeing etc. Traveling within Nepal is cheap; however, you should carry around $50 per week for your basic personal expenses. You may want to consider medical insurance as well. You can arrange travel insurance by clicking here to visit the MEDEX site.       

Q.  Where can I change my money in Nepal ?

You can change money in any bank or at the airport by showing your passport .Money changers are available in plenty in Kathmandu as well.        

Q.  Are there ATM’s in Nepal ?

There are plenty of ATM's in Kathmandu especially in the Tourist areas. It's a wise idea to let your bank know you are going to be traveling to Nepal, just to make certain their system doesn't shut off your debit card as a measure to make sure it's really you that is traveling. 

Q.  Is there phone and Internet available on projects ?

We have 24/7 Internet and computers at our house. The Internet may or may not be available at the place you are working each day. To make phone calls you can use the phone booths and we'll show you how to find them and use them. Our computers at the main house also have Skype (an internet phone application) installed.        

Q.  What hours will I volunteer every day ?

Volunteers usually work for 4-5 hours a day depending on their program. You will be working from Sunday to Thursday and sometimes on Friday too. Saturday is the official day off in Nepal.        

Q.  Are we able to do any sightseeing or traveling in weekends ?

You will usually have 2 free days per week, you can utilize this time for anything you like. All costs are at the volunteer's expense.Volunteers go for short trips to Pokhara , Chitwan or Nagarkot to view the magnificent views of sunrise and sunset from the Himalayan range. We can make any travel arrangements for you from our house. Let's be clear, this is your trip, you can come and go as you please. All we ask is that the place you are volunteering is aware of your schedule, is't simply polite is all and Nepali culture values politeness.       

Q.  What visa do I need to get, will I get any help?

You need to apply for a tourist visa. You can easily get tourist visa for Nepal in your home country. It usually takes about 7 working days to get a visa for Nepal. However you can get VISA ON ARRIVAL at Kathmandu International Airport as well. It is much easier to obtain. We will provide up to date information on this in your pre-departure briefing.        

Q.  Do I need travel Insurance ?

We suggest it, yes. It's up to you. Here is a link for where you can get travel insurance. Click here to visit the MEDEX site.

Q.  I hear many people become sick from drinking water in Nepal. How can I prevent this?

All of the water in our home is filtered and safe. In the tourist parts of town you can easily obtain bottled water.

Q.  My stomach has difficulties with spicy food, what is the culinary situation like?

Our cook tones down the food at our house to suit western tastes. You can always add more chili or spices if you'd like or ask to have the food prepared with less spice, that's not a problem. 

Q.  I have never been to Asia before, should I prepare myself?

Nepali people are very forgiving of our western ways. If you read books about Nepal prior to coming you may think that you need to adhere to a very strict code of conduct. Most of the rules that travel books have relate to behavior that Nepali's expect from each other. All you need to know to get along are these basic rules; Be polite, dress casually but conservatively, don't be loud or act in an aggressive manner. Ask before taking, using, etc. Behave as if your mom is watching you.

Q.  I would like to bring things that the children might like or need. Can you give some examples?

Many people want to bring notebooks, pens or balloons. However, these are readily available in Nepal. It is better to bring educational toys or a book (in English!) on games to be played in the classroom or in the playground.

Q.  What are some essential things to bring that I might miss and that I cannot find in Nepal?

If you have a sleeping bag; bring it in the winter months. Although all rooms have blankets, you will probably prefer your own bag. Besides, it is nice to have if you go on a weekend trip. A good flashlight is hard to find in Nepal, most seem to fail after a week or so. If you plan to do some trekking your own hiking boots are a must. Flip flops (and shoes in general) over size 9 or up are very difficult to find at the market. Bring some house slippers in the winter. It's customary to take your shoes off and wear either flip flops (summer) or slippers (winter) in the house.

Q.  Will I have access to a toilet and a bathroom?

Our house has modern toilets, showers and hot water. Away from our house the toilet facilities can be questionable. The places you are volunteering will be fine and in the tourist restaurants the toilets are always at least tolerable. Out trekking, it's a different story. Nepali's do not use toilet paper so if you are leaving the house, good idea to bring some along. We have it at our volunteer house.

Q. What type of electrical adapters will I need for my electronic devices?

Click here to learn about Electrical Plug/Outlet and Voltage Information for Nepal.

Q.  Why should I pay to volunteer?

A good question; many volunteers are disappointed about this as they expect free food and accommodation in return for their services. It takes a lot of effort to seek out good, honest places for you to volunteer and places that can support western visitors with language skills and understand of our culture. Conditions are always shifting and changing in Nepal so we have plenty of Nepali staff on hand to help and support you at all times. They need to make a living and support themselves too. There's a lot of logistics that goes into making sure you have a perfect trip. Please review the other information in these FAQ's about The Mountain Fund. We aren't here to make money from your help in Nepal, nearly everything you spend is going to work helping the people of Nepal. When you are shopping around for help planning your volunteer time in Nepal, be sure to ask others that question, the answers may amaze you. 

Q.  Can I get the e-mail addresses of the people who have volunteered in the past to get an idea of what it is like?

We don't give out email addresses, however we have Mountain Fund and Mountain Volunteer sites on Facebook and anyone there will be happy to reply to your questions. In addition, we have Mountain Fund and Mountain Volunteer groups on facebook that you can join and connect with past volunteers. We also have our own discussion board at www.mountainvolunteer.net  where you can ask past volunteers anything and everything you want. We don't have secrets here. 

Q.  My question is not here, what can I do?

Please send an e-mail to mountainvolunteer@me.com and we will answer it asap!