• Application Deadline

    14.08.2022

  • Price

    1100 CHF
    See further down on application page for more info on what’s included and what not.

What’s awaiting you

Have you ever wished to explore the land of Buddha and Himalaya, Nepal? Are you curious to learn Nepal’s socio-economic condition, issues of Nepal’s marginalized communities, practices of wildlife and species protection, issues of animals in urban spaces and diverse cultural and traditional practices? Would you be excited to live like locals with Dalit people as well as go off track and learn about Nepal’s beautiful? Join the trip to experience all of these.

The Trip

The Trip starts in Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu, a melting pot of dozens of different ethnical cultures and multiple different religions. The intercultural trip will take you through heritage sites, local market, streets and natural environment of Nepal. The trip will start from Kathmandu valley where you will attend sharing sessions from local experts on various topics such as politics, history, conservation, wildlife, river and urban settlement and animal rights. Along with sessions you will also visit UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kathmandu valley. You will then travel to a village of Dalit community and live like locals. ‘Dalits’ are considered ‘untouchables’ who represents lowest strata of the Nepali society. During your stay in the village you will get opportunity to learn local traditional skills like iron work, bamboo work, basket weaving, making mud jewelry and learning to play musical instrument as well as get change to engage in a short community service work. You will then travel to an organic farm and embark on a short hiking. You will learn about issues and opportunities of agriculture, situation of consumption pattern and understand the issue of food in Nepal. After the farm stay and hiking, you will get chance to be like a ‘tourist’ in Nepal’s most popular tourism destination, Pokhara, then travel back to Kathmandu and wrap-up the trip.

Highlights

Overall theme of this year’s trip is understanding and experiencing culture and society, politics, conservation, wildlife and animal rights, river and experiencing stay with marginalized community-Dalit.

  • Visit historical places like Bouddhanath, Patan and Soyembhu (all of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites), visit major cities of Nepal, Kathmandu and Pokhara
  • Visit old Streets, local market, slum, economy and the initiatives cycle city
  • Learn about the Issues of animal- street-dogs, cows, birds, monkeys, Initiatives and rehabs
  • Learn about bio-diversity conversation and wildlife
  • Learn about Nepal’s diverse cultures and religions
  • Experience Homestay and live like locals
  • Work on Community Service Project
  • Enjoy hiking in Nepal’s beautiful nature with stunning views of the Himalayas
  • Experience a stay at an organic farm and learning about Nepal’s food system
  • Enjoy Nepal’s simple but exquisite cuisine.

Meet the Organizers

Bijaya Poudel

Bijaya, an Anthropologist and development practitioner, has a decade of experience working with community and youth especially focusing on peace-building. Bijaya received his Master’s degree in Anthropology from Tribhuwan University. Bijay served at Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON) – a national network of youth-led organizations. He represented Nepal in UNESCO Youth Forum in Korea, Rio Summit in Brazil and led a youth team to Scotland. Bijaya has co-organized several IFIL Study Trip to Nepal and since 2018 is member of IFIL’s board. He is the co-founder of Hands-On Institute which shares IFIL’s ideas and designs and executes educational travel programs in Nepal for academic institutions and organizations from around the world.

Bijaya is supported by his and IFIL’s long-term collaborator Tulsi Giri:

Tulsi Giri

Tulsi is an entrepreneur from Nepal working in the sector of organic agriculture and agritourism. He co-organized an IFIL Study Trip to Nepal in 2009 and the one of last year. He has travelled and lived in Switzerland few times, therefore he is very familiar with the country. He has experiences of hosting international group travels in Nepal and help building up several local NGOs in his home country. He studied Sociology & Anthropology and also has participated in different international courses on the issues of sustainability.

Detailed Programme

As per the suggestion from previous participants, the price of this trip to Nepal includes not only all accommodations, but also all meals (3 major meals per day), speakers’ fees, all local transportation including airport pickup and dropoff, all entrance tickets to UNESCO Heritage Sites, National Park charges and project/activity costs. Hence, pretty much everything.

  • 02.09.2022

    • Welcome, getting to know each other, program briefing, cultural orientation and Q&A
    • Lecture on ‘Know Nepal- Heritage and Culture’ by a member of an organization working on issues related to democracy and civil participation.
    • Heritage Tour of Swayambhunath, one of Katmandu’s oldest Buddhist temples located on hilltop of Kathmandu (It is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site).
    • ‘Human Rights and Social Inclusion in Nepal’ -Visit an NGO working in Human Rights, Social Inclusion and Issues of Dalit and the situation of human rights and social inclusion in Nepal with focus on situation of Dalit in Nepal.
  • 03.09.2022

    • Session on Nepali Politics: Past and Present
    • Learn about the Issues of animal- street-dogs and cows- Initiatives and rehabs: Today you will get opportunity to animal rights activists to learn about the animal rights issue in urban spaces, visit animal rehab.
    • Heritage Walk to Bagmati/Bishnumati Rivers, People and Initiatives: The Bagmati River (considered a holy river) 50 years ago was clean and flowing across a sandy flood plain. Today at the river is greeted by the apocalyptic sight of embankments of garbage, squatter settlements. The two-km stretch of the Bagmati from Teku to Thapathali is now a symbol of fetid urban decay. The tour will also take you through the slum settlements and their lifestyle there. Some activists who initiated the Bagmati conversation campaign will lead the tour.
    • Tour of Syambhunath Temple
    • Wild-Life and Conversation Issue in Nepal: We will invite an expert who is associated to FFW organization or ACAP in Nepal to talk about the issues of species and wildlife conversation in Nepal.
  • 04.09.2022

    • Travel to Aapshwara Community Dalit Homestay (5 Hours bus ride and 2 hours hike)
    • Reach Community and Transfer to Home-stays: Welcome by community, introduction and transfer to homes. All the participants will spend the rest of the day with their host families.
  • 05.09.2022

    Day in the Community

    • Village tour: During the day time we will visit around the village in a group or with our host family.
    • Meeting with Community Groups (Meet local youth club and women group) to understand their issues.
    • Learning traditional Skills: You will get opportunity to learn traditional skills like iron work at hearth, bamboo work, basket weaving, learning to play local musical instruments and making mud jewelry. You can choose one of two of the skills you want to learn.
  • 06.09.2019

    • Leave community and travel to a Farm near Pokhara
    • Reach farm and free evenin
  • 07.09.2022

    • Morning Yoga at Farm
    • Session on Food Consumption Pattern and Agricultural Practices in Nepal
    • Free Day at Farm – free day (rest and relax in the farm)
    • Barbeque in the evening
  • 08.09.2022

    • Breakfast
    • Trek to Australian Camp through Dhampus: It will take about 6-7 hours to reach Australian Camp. Australian Camp (Altitude: 2100m provides great Jungle scenery and panoramic views of Himalayas like Annapurna South, Fishtial, Mt Dhaulagiri,Tukuche peak,Dhampus Peak,Nilgiri and Hiuchuli.
    • Overnight at the Camp and Enjoy the natural beauty
    • Free Evening
  • 09.09.2022

    • Walk down to Lumle and Travel Back to Pokhara by bus
    • Visit Tibetian Refugee Camp in Hemja on the way: We will meet Tibetan refugee resident and learn about their life and stories.
    • Travel to Pokhara and stay overnight
  • 10.09.2022

    Free Day in Pokhara (Optional activities: Visiting Gorkha Museum, International Mountaineering Museum, Boating in Fewa Lake, Shopping etc). (Visiting Gorkha Museum, International Mountaineering Museum, Boating in Fewa Lake, Shopping etc).

  • 11.09.2022

    • Travel back to Kathmandu
    • Visiting one of a Swiss Development Agencies in Kathmandu to learn how Swiss Government is collaborating with Nepal on its development process.
    • Tour of Bouddhanath Temple
  • 12.09.2022

    • Tour of Patan Darbarsquare and Streets
    • Closing of the Program
    • Free Afternoon
    • Goodbye Dinner
  • 13.09.2022

    Transfer to Airport

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