A gap year in Nepal
Gap years in Nepal
Nestled between India and Tibet, Nepal is a dramatic choice for your gap year. With eight of the world’s highest mountains (including Everest) and breathtaking natural diversity, Nepal is crammed with picture-postcard views and stunning vistas. Famous for mountain-climbing and natural wonders rather than commercial tourist attractions, this beautiful country has yet to be spoiled by an influx of package-holidayers. There’s a saying among travellers to Nepal, which has now been adapted by the tourist board: “Once is not enough.” So perhaps this article should open with a warning: spend your gap year here, and you’d better prepare for a lifelong love affair with this spectacular country.
Volunteer Projects
Currently on igapyear you can find group tours taking in the best of Nepal, as well as a wide array of voluntary opportunities in conservation, teaching and childcare. Since you’re not permitted to stay within Nepal for a full year, many gappers choose to combine a Nepalese trip with voluntary or paid work in India or China.
Getting around
Flying within Nepal is easy, with plenty of routes and airlines heading out from the capital. From Kathmandu, you can travel overland to most of the cities by long-distance coach. Note that you can only spend 150 days in Nepal under the terms of a tourist visa – so make sure your itinerary is carefully planned around this. Take the train or bus from Southern Nepal to India, or travel to Tibet as part of a group (lone travellers are not permitted to cross the border).
Places of interest
No theme parks, shopping malls or gourmet restaurants to tell you about here. Nepal is different. Its charms lie in the wide open spaces, the ice-capped mountains and the fantastic nature reserves – you’ll find the cities are useful as bases from which to travel outwards.
Kathmandu
Nepal’s capital city is rich in heritage, with more temples than houses and more festivals than calendar days! This says a lot about the ancient community living here, whose lives are dictated by religious and cultural events. Pretty architecture, hidden gardens, historic temples and quiet streets make this city quite unlike other Asian capitals. Spend time marvelling at pagoda-style temples and quaint cobbled backstreets. Then move on – and discover the city’s inspirational backdrop.
Discovering a land of biodiversity
Nepal’s biodiversity is remarkable – it’s on a par with Costa Rica and Ecuador – with more than 800 species of bird, 500 types of butterfly, 57 types of orchid, and an abundance of rare animal species like the snow leopard and wild buffalo. You’re never far from nature in Nepal, since 18% of the country is protected: nine National Parks and four Nature Reserves invite you in to discover wild swamp deer, musk deer, black buck, the Royal Bengal Tiger, and the last of the Asiatic wild buffalo.
Discovering the Himalayas
Mountaineers come to discover the ultimate challenge in Nepal, where the world’s eight highest peaks are situated. At 8,848m, Mount Everest is the highest, but there are plenty of 6,000m peaks – currently 238 are open to the public. Mountaineering permits are issued by the government, so any climbing trips should be undertaken with an organised crew. Once your confidence is building, you can take a trek up part of Everest and enjoy the views from a Buddhist temple (on the north side) or Thyangboche Monastery (on the south side). If mountaineering sounds too strenuous you can always trek the level parts of Nepal instead – the country is well provided for walkers and horse-riders.