Volunteer in Nepal’s lush, lowland jungle with one horned rhinos, Bengal tigers & Asian elephants
At a glance: For those with an interest in nature and who prefer lowland jungles to icy mountains then a placement in Chitwan or Butuwal will be just the thing.
Chitwan: Teaching in Schools, Orphanage, Health Clinic, Construction
The name Chitwan means ‘heart of the jungle’ and is also the name given to one of Nepal’s most visited National Parks. This lowland area of jungle and reclaimed arable land is the centre of Nepal’s agricultural production. Matched to this, people flock to see elephants, Bengal tigers and the famous one-horned Rhino in the parks.
We offer a teaching or health placement in Sauraha, the jumping off point for Chitwan National Park. The town is a thriving tourist centre, but you will be placed around 20 minutes walk from the middle in a rural area. Your homestay will be simple with a pit toilet and cold running water, but with proximity to the tourist infrastructure of Sauraha you can always head into town if you miss an occasional night of pizza and beer.
Butawal: Teaching in Schools, Health Clinic, Construction
Lying at the foot of the Chure Pahad (fragile hills), Butawal is an important city of 75,000 people on the main route from India to Nepal. Most of the population is made up of Pahadi people from the villages in the surrounding hills, but many are also from the lowland regions as well. The colorful Batauli bazaar at the foot of the hills is a great place to see the comings and goings of the local people as well as pick up examples of the local woodworking. The town is also famous for it’s Siddha Baba temple where devotees release pigeons in exchange for the granting of wishes, the Jitgadhi fortress, and it is only a short distance from Lumbini; the world famous birthplace of Lord Buddha
The placements are in town and you will be lodged in a homestay with developed facilities. You will likely have a flushing toilet and a shower. The shower will probably be cold, but with the tropical climate of the terai this is usually a refreshing relief for the volunteers.
