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VOLUNTEER IN NEPAL
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Xue Ying Fiona WangAccommodation and Meals For Volunteers in Nepal: What to Expect?
Accommodation Options in Nepal
Wondering what your stay will be like while volunteering in Nepal ? RCDP takes care of your accommodation and meals for volunteers in Nepal, so you can focus on your project and enjoy your experience.
Your accommodation depends on your volunteer program and location. In Kathmandu, you can stay with a local host family, at our volunteer house, or at your project site. Volunteers in Chitwan stay with a host family. Wherever you stay, you’ll receive three Nepali meals each day and have a safe, comfortable place to call home throughout your program.
If you are based in Kathmandu or Chitwan, you can choose from the following options:
- Volunteer House – Kathmandu: Share a room with fellow volunteers and enjoy Western-style toilets and meals prepared by a resident cook.
- Host Family – Kathmandu and Chitwan: Live with a vetted local family and experience everyday Nepali life firsthand.
- Orphanage Housing – Kathmandu: Stay in on-site accommodation and live alongside the children you’re working with.
Volunteer House (Kathmandu)
Looking for a comfortable place to stay while meeting other volunteers? The RCDP volunteer house is in a quiet residential area of Kathmandu, just a short walk from local shops, tea stalls, restaurants, and everyday city life.
The two-story house is managed by local RCDP representatives and offers comfortable rooms with beds, Western-style toilets, electricity, and running water. There is hot water and you will share your room and bathroom with another volunteer of the same gender and receive three meals a day prepared by the local house cook.
The house also offers access to laundry facilities and is close to internet cafés and restaurants. It’s a great option if you want to connect with fellow volunteers while having a little more independence during your stay in Kathmandu.
Please note: Availability depends on the number of volunteers working on a particular project.
Get More Info NowHost Family (Kathmandu and Chitwan)
Want to experience everyday life in Nepal from a local perspective? Staying with a host family gives you a more personal and authentic experience of Nepali culture. You can learn how traditional Nepali meals are prepared, understand everyday customs, and connect with local people. It’s also a great opportunity to practice the local language and build your communication skills.
RCDP Nepal carefully vets every host family before they welcome volunteers, with safety and comfort as priorities. Your host home will provide a comfortable bed, electricity, a Western or squat-style toilet, and a regular supply of water, although hot water is not available. You’ll also enjoy meals prepared with organic ingredients.
In most host family arrangements, you will share the home with one other volunteer of the same gender. Our host families have years of experience welcoming volunteers and enjoy sharing their home and culture. For many volunteers, it becomes a true home away from home.
Get More Info NowStaying at the Orphanage (Kathmandu)
If you are volunteering with children in Kathmandu, some of the orphanages we work with have rooms specifically for international volunteers. Living on-site gives you a closer look at the children’s daily lives and allows you to spend more time supporting the orphanage.
The accommodation includes shared rooms with comfortable beds for volunteers of the same gender, electricity, and meals prepared with organic ingredients.
Every orphanage where we place volunteers is personally vetted by RCDP, and all childcare placements follow strict child-protection guidelines. Living on-site never means having unsupervised access to children.
Volunteer in Nepal Program: Meal Options
Food is an important part of experiencing Nepal. During your volunteer program with RCDP, you will enjoy three local meals each day, giving you the chance to experience Nepali food and culture while keeping you energized for your work and adventures.
Breakfast usually includes tea, bread, and a boiled egg. Lunch and dinner are generally more filling, with meals such as rice or noodles served with curry, lentil soup, pickles, or dumplings (momos).
If you stay at the volunteer house, the resident cook will prepare your meals. If you stay with a host family, you will enjoy meals together with them. Vegetarian and vegan meals can usually be arranged in most cases.
Missing Western food or feeling homesick? You can always buy your own snacks, ask if you can prepare something yourself, or visit one of the many restaurants serving Western-style food.
Drinking Water
Let us provide you with a quick safety note: tap water in Nepal isn’t safe to drink directly. Your host family or volunteer house will provide filtered or boiled water. Bottled water is also widely available in local markets costing 20 cents per bottle.
Best of all, your accommodation and three daily meals are already included in your program fee, so you don’t need to budget separately for them.
Get More Info NowHow Far Is Your Accommodation From Your Project?
Your accommodation is chosen with your project placement in mind, so you won’t have a long daily commute. In Kathmandu, most volunteers live within 15–20 minutes of their placement and can usually walk, take a taxi, or use a public bus. Likewise, in Chitwan, host families are generally close enough to walk to the project.
Once your placement is confirmed, your coordinator will let you know the exact distance and the best way to get there, so you will know what to expect before you arrive.
What Should You Bring for Your Room?
Your room will have a bed, bedding, and basic furnishings, so there’s no need to bring your own sheets. A few useful extras can make your stay more comfortable, including a travel towel, a padlock for your bag, and a headlamp or torch for occasional power cuts.
If mosquitoes are a concern, consider bringing mosquito repellent or a lightweight mosquito net, especially outside the winter months.
Nepal uses 220–240V at 50Hz, so most phone and laptop chargers should work without a problem. You will just need a simple plug adapter. Nepal mainly uses two- and three-round-pin sockets, similar to those used in India.
Get More Info NowAccommodation and Meal (FAQs):
In most cases, you will share a room with one other volunteer of the same gender. This applies whether you stay at the volunteer house, with a host family, or at an orphanage placement. If you are the only volunteer at your project, you may have a room to yourself.
Your accommodation depends mainly on your program and location. Chitwan placements are always with host families, while volunteers in Kathmandu may be able to choose between a host family and the volunteer house. If you have a preference, let your coordinator know when you apply, and we will do our best to accommodate it.
Not usually. Most host families have a regular water supply, but hot water isn’t guaranteed. Some host families have solar water heating, but this varies by placement.
No. Tap water in Nepal isn’t safe to drink untreated. Filtered water is provided at host family homes and the volunteer house. Bottled water is also available at nearby shops.
Vegetarian and, in most cases, vegan diets can be accommodated. If you have a serious allergy or medical condition, please tell us in detail before traveling so we can advise you honestly.
Yes! At the volunteer house, you can wash your clothes yourself in the designated rooftop laundry area. If you prefer a laundry service, several affordable options are available nearby, giving you the flexibility to choose what works best for you.
Yes, Wi-Fi is available at the volunteer house, so you can stay connected during your time in Nepal. Some host families also have internet, although this varies by family and location. If reliable internet is important to you, you can purchase local sim and add data plan to use internet 24/7.
In such cases, let your in-country coordinator know as soon as possible. We take these concerns seriously and will work with you to resolve the situation, which may include arranging an alternative placement.
Yes, your program fee includes accommodation and three meals a day for the full length of your program.
Your accommodation and meals are covered from the first day of your program through the last. If you arrive early or extend your stay beyond your program dates, RCDP can arrange accommodation and meals for you at an additional cost.
Yes, you can request this when applying together. Let us know your preference, and we will do our best to place you at the same location.
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