Volunteer in Nepal

6 programs available in Environment

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Community Conservation
Kathmandu, Nepal
Free 1 month - Extendable Age 21+ Wi-Fi available

Nature Conservation and Study Centre (NCSC) is a grassroots non-profit that works with local communities in Nepal for conservation. Our work mostly involves working with community forest user groups, local government, schools, and stakeholders to conduct wildlife monitoring and outreach programs. We also conduct scientific research to generate high-quality scientific data to evaluate the status and trend of wildlife in our project area. Our main goal is to build resilient and empowered communities who can lead conservation projects on their own.

€119 per week 1 week - 3 months Age 16+ Wi-Fi available

Welcome to the captivating realm of Maya Universe, an extraordinary volunteer destination that has enchanted countless individuals seeking purpose and adventure. For over a decade, our sanctuary of empowerment has welcomed volunteers from diverse backgrounds, offering an unparalleled experience. Immerse yourself in the warmth of our community, where lifelong connections is forged amidst the vibrant tapestry of Nepali culture. Engage in evening reflections and discussions, igniting your passion and preparing for rewarding days of making a difference. Embark on exhilarating hikes, indulge in hilltop breakfasts with panoramic vistas, and relish local dinners that tantalize your taste buds, all while basking in the breathtaking beauty of Nepal. Our experienced coordinators and skilled managers provides unwavering support, ensuring your personal growth and comfort every step of the way. At the heart of Maya Universe lies our thriving school, a beacon of hope and transformation. Witness the tangible impact of your efforts as you empower the local community and become part of their journey toward grassroots development. Escape to Maya Universe, where purpose meets adventure, and where you'll find yourself embraced by a profound sense of fulfillment and unforgettable memories. Join us and embark on an extraordinary volunteering experience that will forever changes your life.

€300 per week 1 week - 5 months Age 18+ Wi-Fi available

PSD Nepal works with rural communities to improve food security, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience through sustainable agriculture and ecosystem restoration. Our Sustainable Agriculture & Tree Plantation Volunteer Program supports practical initiatives that improve livelihoods while protecting natural resources for future generations. Volunteers work alongside local farmers, schools, community groups, and youth clubs to establish kitchen gardens, school gardens, community nurseries, off-season vegetable production, fruit tree plantations, and environmental restoration projects. These activities help increase household food production, improve nutrition, generate income, restore degraded landscapes, and strengthen resilience to climate change. Participants gain hands-on experience in sustainable farming while learning about traditional agricultural practices, organic farming, climate-smart agriculture, composting, soil conservation, and community-based natural resource management. Whether you are passionate about agriculture, conservation, or rural development, this program provides an excellent opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental and livelihood projects while experiencing rural Nepal.

Climate Change, Health & Research
Kathmandu, Nepal
€300 per week 4 weeks - 12 weeks Age 18+ Wi-Fi available

PSD Nepal (Partnership for Sustainable Development Nepal) is a registered non-profit organization established in 2002, working in climate action, public health, environmental conservation, education, and sustainable community development. Through partnerships with universities, research institutions, government agencies, and international organizations, PSD Nepal conducts interdisciplinary research that supports evidence-based policies and community resilience. The Climate Change, Health & Research Internship offers students, researchers, and early-career professionals the opportunity to gain practical experience at the intersection of climate change, environmental science, and public health. Interns contribute to ongoing research projects examining issues such as air pollution, climate-related health risks, environmental monitoring, disaster resilience, water and sanitation, and community adaptation. Depending on current projects, interns may assist with literature reviews, field surveys, environmental monitoring, GIS mapping, data management, statistical analysis, report writing, scientific publications, and stakeholder engagement. Placements combine office-based research with field experience, enabling participants to understand how scientific evidence informs policy, supports decision-making, and strengthens community resilience. This internship is ideal for students and professionals seeking hands-on research experience while making a meaningful contribution to sustainable development and climate resilience in Nepal.

Himalayan Plastic Recycling & Upcycling
Kathmandu, Nepal
€300 per week 1 week - 5 months Age 18+ Wi-Fi available

PSD Nepal (Partnership for Sustainable Development Nepal) is a registered non-profit organization established in 2002, working across education, environmental conservation, public health, climate action, and sustainable community development. Through partnerships with local communities, government agencies, and international organizations, PSD Nepal develops practical solutions to some of Nepal's most pressing environmental challenges. Our Himalayan Plastic Recycling & Upcycling Volunteer Program is one of Nepal's pioneering community-based environmental initiatives. The program addresses the growing challenge of plastic pollution in the Himalayan region by promoting waste collection, segregation, recycling, upcycling, environmental education, and community participation. Volunteers work alongside local communities, recycling partners, schools, and environmental organizations to help strengthen sustainable waste management systems rather than simply conducting one-time clean-up campaigns. Activities may include plastic collection drives, supporting recycling centers, upcycling plastic into useful products, delivering environmental awareness sessions, documenting project activities, and promoting responsible tourism. A key component of this initiative is PSD Nepal's Himalayan Plastic Removal Project in the Langtang region, where plastic waste is collected, sorted, and transported for recycling while creating local income opportunities and increasing environmental awareness within mountain communities. Whether you are passionate about sustainability, environmental conservation, climate action, or simply want to make a meaningful difference, this program offers practical, hands-on experience while helping protect one of the world's most fragile mountain ecosystems.

€300 per week 1 week - 5 months Age 18+ Wi-Fi available

Partnership for Sustainable Development Nepal (PSD Nepal) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 2002 with the mission of empowering vulnerable communities through education, environmental conservation, healthcare, women's empowerment, youth engagement, and sustainable development. Registered with the Social Welfare Council and affiliated with the NGO Federation of Nepal, PSD Nepal has over two decades of experience implementing community-driven development projects across Nepal. Our work focuses on creating sustainable solutions together with local communities rather than for them. We believe that meaningful development happens when local people actively participate in the planning, implementation, and long-term management of projects. Volunteers are an essential part of our work. Since 2003, we have welcomed more than 2,200 volunteers from Nepal and around the world who have contributed to education programs, environmental conservation, health camps, research, climate change awareness, plastic recycling initiatives, youth empowerment, and community development activities. Current volunteer opportunities include: - Teaching English and leading creative activities in schools - Climate change education and environmental awareness - Tree planting and reforestation - Plastic recycling and upcycling projects - Community health and hygiene promotion - Research and documentation - Women's and youth empowerment programs - Community workshops and awareness campaigns - Media, photography, videography, and social media - Grant writing, fundraising, and organizational development Volunteers work alongside our experienced local staff and community members while learning about Nepali culture, traditions, and sustainable development. Every volunteer directly contributes to improving the lives of children, families, and marginalized communities while gaining meaningful international experience.

Travel tips

Travel tips for Nepal

Nepal:

Nepal has a simple problem that tourists rarely see: there are not enough good jobs. People leave their villages, young people leave the country, and families depend on money sent home from abroad. In many rural areas, roads are rough, schools have limited resources and healthcare is not easy to reach. That is where volunteering in Nepal can become interesting. You can teach, work on a farm, help in a school or join a community project and see how people actually live. You will not change Nepal in two weeks, and you should not pretend that you will. But you can be useful, learn something and see a country beyond the usual tourist story. 'Host and Volunteer' brings together volunteer opportunities in Nepal and connects you directly with local hosts. The mountains are beautiful. Life underneath them is much more complicated.

“Nepal Volunteering Q&A”

What volunteer opportunities are available in Nepal?

Nepal gives you plenty of choices: schools, English classes, farms, construction, community projects, conservation and animal welfare. But location matters enormously. A project in Kathmandu is one thing. A school in a village reached by a rough road is another. Do not choose a project from a photograph of mountains and assume you know what daily life will be like.

Can I teach English in Nepal as a volunteer?

Yes, and there is a good reason English is valued. Nepal has a large migrant workforce, with many families depending on income earned abroad, and English can open doors to education, tourism and international work.

But here is the reality. Speaking English does not make you a teacher. If you have no teaching experience, start with conversation, reading, games or classroom assistance. Listen to the local teacher. You are there to help, not to redesign the education system.

Do I need previous volunteering experience to volunteer in Nepal?

No. You do not need a certificate proving that you are a professional do-gooder.

You need to be useful. Can you teach? Use a computer? Take photographs? Build something? Work with children? Help on a farm? Organise an activity? Even being punctual and willing to do unpleasant jobs is more valuable than a long speech about wanting to make a difference.

Can I volunteer on a farm in Nepal?

Yes, particularly if you want something far removed from ordinary tourism. Farming is still fundamental to rural Nepal, and projects can involve vegetables, crops, animals and organic farming.

Expect actual farm work. Dirt under your fingernails is more likely than a perfect Instagram photograph. Depending on the season, you could be planting, carrying things, harvesting or working in rain and heat.

Can I volunteer in rural Nepal?

Yes, but do not romanticise it.

Rural Nepal can mean beautiful landscapes, strong community relationships and a much slower pace of life. It can also mean poor roads, unreliable electricity or internet, limited healthcare and fewer educational and employment opportunities. Many young Nepalis leave their villages to find work elsewhere, including overseas. If that sounds uncomfortable, good. You should know it before you arrive.

But poverty does not mean stupidity or helplessness. Rural Nepalis know how to farm, build, trade, raise children and survive with resources that would frustrate many foreigners within a week.

Can I volunteer with children in Nepal?

Yes, especially in schools and education projects. Just remember that you are working with real children, not collecting heart-warming memories for your social media account. A short-term volunteer should not be given responsibility that belongs to a trained teacher. Help with lessons, English, reading, sport or activities, and understand the boundaries of your role.

Can I combine volunteering with travelling around Nepal?

Yes. That is one of the advantages of Nepal. Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Gorkha and the mountain regions offer very different experiences. But if you spend three days in a village and then rush to the next tourist attraction, you have travelled through Nepal. You have not necessarily experienced it. Staying longer gives you the chance to notice the boring things too: how people work, what they eat, how children go to school and why young adults leave. Those details tell you more about a country than another photograph of Everest.

What is volunteering in Nepal really like?

Expect some inconvenience. Nepal's infrastructure can be frustrating, particularly outside the major cities. Roads can be difficult, electricity can fail, internet connections can disappear and basic facilities may be very different from what you are accustomed to.

Nepal has also had to deal with serious natural disasters. The 2015 earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000, and floods and landslides continue to affect communities.

So yes, Nepal is beautiful. It is also a country dealing with poverty, migration, disasters and uneven access to services. You should be prepared to see both.

Can I find different Nepal volunteer projects in one place?

Yes. 'Host and Volunteer' lets you look at different local projects and contact hosts directly. Use that freedom properly. Ask what you will actually be doing, where you will sleep, what is included, what you are expected to contribute and what the community needs. Do not hand over money simply because a volunteer website has a picture of a smiling child and a Himalayan mountain in the background. Ask questions first. That's how you avoid a bad volunteer experience.