The Teaching in Mountain Schools Program offers volunteers the opportunity to support children and teachers in remote communities. It is an opportunity in experiencing the natural beauty, culture, and everyday life of rural Nepal.
Many schools in Nepal’s mountain regions have limited educational resources and few opportunities. Therefore, many parents sends their children to study to cities. The rural students get less opportunity to practice English with fluent speakers’ foreign teachers. Local teachers work hard, but they often manage large classes with basic teaching materials. Volunteers can make a positive contribution by assisting teachers, encouraging students, and introducing creative and interactive learning activities.
This program is suitable for gap-year students, university students, teachers, retired professionals, families, and travelers who want to experience Nepal beyond the usual tourist routes. ac arcu finibus porttitor. Suspendisse suscipit ac orci nec cursus. In arcu felis, aliquet non bibendum quis, iaculis sed felis. Duis et est sit amet ligula luctus mattis nec eu diam. Fusce elit ligula, vestibulum nec accumsan ut, dignissim vitae sem. Vestibulum consectetur lorem et mauris molestie venenatis. Donec diam est, malesuada in malesuada et, pharetra nec nunc. Proin blandit, ipsum nec placerat faucibus, elit nulla posuere nunc, vel mollis massa purus non orci. Aenean sollicitudin rhoncus blandit. Praesent ut velit dui.
What Will Volunteers Do?
Volunteers mainly assist with English-language teaching, but activities may vary depending on the school’s needs, the volunteers’ experience, and the students’ age groups.
Typical activities include:
- Teaching Basic English vocabulary, grammar, reading, and conversation
- Helping students improve pronunciation and speaking confidence
- Organising educational games, songs, storytelling, and group activities
- Assisting local teachers during regular classes
- Supporting art, music, sports, environmental education, or computer lessons
- Helping students prepare presentations, debates, or cultural performances
- Developing simple teaching materials using locally available resources
- Sharing ideas and teaching methods with local teachers
- Participating in school events and community activities
Volunteers are encouraged to make lessons practical, enjoyable, and suitable for the students’ learning levels. The purpose is not to replace local teachers but to work alongside them and provide additional support.
A Typical Day
The school day normally begins between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. and finishes between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Volunteers may teach or assist for three to five classes each day.
A typical day may include morning assembly, classroom teaching, lesson preparation, lunch with teachers, sports activities, and informal interaction with students.
School schedules may change during examinations, public holidays, festivals, local events, or seasonal farming periods. Flexibility and patience are therefore important.
Program Locations
Placements are organised in mountain or hill communities outside Kathmandu. Depending on availability and the time of year, volunteers may be placed in a small village school, community school, monastery school, or rural learning centre.
These communities may have limited transportation, internet access, electricity, hot water, and modern facilities. However, volunteers are rewarded with peaceful surroundings, beautiful mountain views, warm hospitality, and meaningful cultural interaction.
Some placements require several hours of travel by local bus or jeep, followed by a short walk to the village.
Accommodation and Meals
Volunteers usually stay with a local host family, in a school guest room, community homestay, or simple local lodge.
Accommodation is basic but safe and comfortable. Volunteers normally receive a private or shared room with a bed, mattress, blanket, and mosquito net where necessary.
Meals are generally traditional Nepali food, such as rice, lentils, seasonal vegetables, curry, noodles, roti, potatoes, eggs, and local snacks. Tea is commonly served throughout the day.
Living with a host family provides an excellent opportunity to learn about Nepali culture, food, traditions, and village life.
Who Can Join?
Previous teaching experience is helpful but not compulsory. Volunteers should be open-minded, responsible, patient, and willing to work in a simple rural environment.
Participants should:
- Be at least 18 years old, unless joining with a parent, guardian, or organised school group
- Have a reasonable level of spoken English
- Respect local customs, school rules, and child-protection guidelines
- Be willing to prepare lessons and participate actively
- Dress appropriately while teaching
- Be flexible about schedules and available facilities
- Submit the required application documents before arrival
Program Duration
The recommended minimum duration is two weeks. Staying for four weeks or longer allows volunteers to understand the students’ abilities, build stronger relationships, and provide more consistent educational support.
Placements may be available throughout the year, although schools can close during major festivals, winter holidays, examinations, and government-declared holidays.
Program fee
| Duration | Fee in US $ |
| 2 weeks | 450 |
| Additional week | 100 |
What Is Included?
The program normally includes:
- Pre-arrival support and program preparation
- Airport pickup upon arrival in Kathmandu
- Orientation about Nepalese culture, safety, volunteering, and teaching
- Placement arrangement with a mountain or rural school
- Introduction to the school, local teachers, and host family
- Accommodation during the volunteer placement
- Breakfast and dinner with the host family
- Local transportation assistance to the project location
- Teaching guidance and suggested classroom activities
- Support from the Gap Bridge Nepal local coordinator
- Emergency assistance during the program
- Gap Bridge Nepal volunteer identification card, where required
- Certificate of participation after completing the program
International flights, visas, travel insurance, personal expenses, vaccinations, sightseeing, and optional activities are not normally included.
What Is Not Included?
- International or domestic airfare
- Nepal visa feesTravel and medical insurance
- Vaccinations, medicines, and personal medical expenses
- Lunch, bottled drinks, snacks, and personal food items
- Personal expenses, laundry, telephone, and internet charges
- Sightseeing entrance fees and recreational activities
- Trekking permits, national park fees, or special-area permits
- Private jeep, domestic flight, porter, or trekking costs when required
- Hotel accommodation before or after the volunteer placement
- Airport drop-off at the end of the program
- Optional tours, trekking, rafting, jungle safaris, or cultural activities
- Expenses caused by weather, road closures, flight cancellations, natural disasters, or other circumstances beyond our control
Why Join This Program?
Teaching in a mountain school is more than a volunteer placement. It is an opportunity to exchange knowledge, learn from a rural community, and understand how children study and grow in geographically isolated areas.
Volunteers can help students become more confident, curious, and motivated while also gaining valuable experience in communication, leadership, teaching, and cross-cultural understanding.
Participants return home with meaningful memories, new friendships, and a deeper appreciation of Nepalese life beyond the cities and popular trekking trails.
Combine Volunteering with Travel
The program can be combined with trekking, wildlife tours, cultural sightseeing, meditation, monastery stays, or other Gap Bridge Nepal programs.
Gap Bridge Nepal can help participants create a personalised itinerary based on their available time, interests, experience, and preferred level of adventure.