GIVE Nepal Volunteer Excursion in the Himalayas

My experience with GIVE in the Himalayas was the once-in-a-lifetime type. We started off exploring Kathmandu. We then made our way from city to town to village, using cars and then hiking to get to Langtang. In between, we stayed in tea houses and enjoyed the local’s hospitality and traditional food. All the way to Langtang we observed the breathtaking Himalayas towering us from all around. We did construction work in the village and met many wonderful people. I’ll never forget the views and the love.

I did not expect to love this trip as much as I did, I went into it not knowing anyone and ended up forming beautiful bonds and relationships with my fellow givers. The hike to Everest Base Camp was nothing like I've ever done and it was challenging but worth it. I cannot recommend traveling with give enough because they are wonderful to work with and they opened my eyes to how I can make an impact with my travels. The group I went with are still very near and dear to my heart, we laughed and cried together when it got tough, but I made it through the trip and came out a much better person than I was before. I cannot thank the wonderful staff we had assisting us enough because it was them that made it so wonderful.

Volunteering in a small village in Nepal was incredibly humbling. Working alongside some of the most motivated, inspiring people I have ever met in one of the most beautiful places in the world is an experience I’ll never forget. It’s incredible to say that I have Nepali friends and to know that I am a friend to some of them. Aside from the locals, I had the opportunity to meet and work with the most likeminded people I’ve ever encountered, despite surface level differences. The special thing about GIVE is the people it attracts. There’s a certain something deep inside of people that motivates them to take a leap like this, and it’s this particular something that is now at the root of some of my closest friendships. I am so thankful for the opportunities that have arisen since the first big leap and cannot wait for the next!

My trip to Nepal with GIVE was immersive and impactful. Throughout the trip all of the volunteers were given opportunities to meet with the locals, learn their language and culture, and understand their traditions. Hiking through the Himalayas was one of the most magnificent experiences I've ever had, as well as challenging. While hiking was rewarding for its physical challenge, the work done and relationships formed with the people of Langtang was most rewarding when realizing the impact it made. In addition to the adventure and connections made in Nepal, all of the volunteers and GIVE leads were incredible to meet and share a great experience with.

Traveling to Nepal was my second trip with GIVE, and it was beyond incredible. We trekked through the Himalayas for several days, during which I learned so much about both myself and the world. Upon arriving to Langtang, we were greeted with nothing but hugs and smiles. There is great devastation within this community, yet you would never know based on the love and gratitude you are showered with. From the people you meet, food you eat, and beautiful places you see, this is a life changing experience you do not want to miss.

This trip with GIVE was a defining memory in my life thus far. Being exposed to the wonderful cultures in Nepal and the Tibetan frontier was amazing, and GIVE made the entire experience fun and seamlessly integrated.
The group leaders are experienced and do an excellent job of creating a feeling of community within the group, which is especially important for adjusting to a very different environment.
The landscape was beautiful, the volunteering was impactful, and the trip was fun! I will certainly be returning to Nepal before too long, hopefully with GIVE.

GIVE delivers on the experiences they describe; if you are authentically compassionate and open-minded you will leave this program with invaluable insights, friendships, and memories.

Although there's no way to guarantee your satisfaction with every detail of the trip, the volunteers, interns, employees, and leadership of Growth International Volunteer Excursions are visibly committed to creating meaningful, memorable settings for personalized experiential learning and development.

You'll be with good people.

I went on the GIVE Tibetan Frontier trip in summer of 2019. If you are a prospective traveler, know that the hiking here can be intense, there is a day that involves hours of uphill, and you will be doing some form of hiking for some period of time basically every day of the trip. While sometimes this was exhausting, it was also rewarding. I would definitely do some cardio exercise before going on this trip. I absolutely loved the Nepali people, especially our guides. They will tell you their stories and welcome you like family. They will make sure you are cared for on hikes and be amazing DJs and dance party hosts. Life is a small Nepali village is incredibly different, and getting to experience a traditional family home, a yak farm, and spend time with the community members is a great part of this trip. In our group, a lot of people only got to do education and work with the kids once or twice. Unless something changes with the program, I think this is important to know so that if this is something you're really interested in, you will likely not get to spend a lot of time with the kids. The time that I spent with the school kids was a lot of fun, and they are really cool and sweet and taught me a lot. The Nepali atomsphere is very laid back and I always felt safe in the village. There were times during transportation by car where I felt anxious about safety. If you have any issues with riding on the edge of a mountain, this is something to be aware of. I'm from a very flat and low elevation, but I did not have any trouble with adjusting to the altitude. The volunteer work was labor intensive. We carried sand bags uphill. We chiseled rocks and mixed cement and built walls for a school. I recommend helping build the wall because it's very satisfying work. There were also some paint jobs available, which was also enjoyable. Overall, this is a trip to go on if you really want to connect with young Nepali people, and work alongside them to make a difference in the kids lives in this area. The kids here often have to leave their families to get an education, so helping to build a school is something that is really valuable and amazing for these people, and that is the motivation that will get you up the mountain!