Chitwan
 Chitwan is about 150km from Kathmandu
city, which is very good destination for the tourist. Chitwan is in the
middle of the Terrai, a vast, flat and fertile area that borders India
and stretches right across Southern Nepal. Our projects are based around
the small city of Narayangadh. Volunteers live with Nepali families in
villages around Narayangadh and usually travel into the town to
socialize with each other on weekends, eat western food and use
facilities such as the internet which are unavailable in the home stay
villages. Your placement can be in a school, hospital,
Community forest, Community Adult Education and some type of
social work.
People in the Chitwan region are primarily Tharu
although the area is much more multi cultural than most of Nepal as
people continue to migrate to the area from all over the country. The Tharu traditional dance and songs are performed in resorts and lodge
entertainment. The Tharu people are known for their farming
skills, industrious nature and intelligence. Although they have a low
income, the Tharu are mostly self sufficient due to their farming
abilities.
Chitwan's National Park is the main attraction in the region. This
park is regarded as the best national park of Nepal, and is also the
most developed one. Elephant Breeding Centre, Crocodile Farm are two
other must see locations in the park.
Main activities in Chitwan include Jungle Safari,
Bird Watching and Boat Tour. Jungle Safari is the most popular one. You
will journey into the deep forest riding on elephant back, you will
witness the preserved natural assets of Nepal, birds, flora and fauna.
World's one of the most endangered species, Bengal Tigers are found
abundant in Nepal, many in Chitwan national park. If it's your day, you
might see them too. The other major animal you will see is the
one-horned rhinos whose famous place to live on earth is none other than
Nepal. The park is also famous for bird watching, and boat tours. A walk
to nearby villages is also a recommended thing to do.
General Chitwan Information
 Accommodation
Volunteers in the Chitwan area either home stay with traditional Nepali
families or have their own room in their orphanage. The accommodation is
typically Nepali and basic by Western standards, often with traditional
Nepali toilets and showers and in many places electricity supply can be
erratic.
Due to the numbers of volunteers that have worked in
Chitwan most of the families have lots of experience looking after
volunteers and our volunteers will be very well looked after. Nepali
people are extremely welcoming and you will treated like a member of
their family. During your time in the house you will be encouraged to
participate in activities around the home such as cooking, washing and
generally caring for the house and family as if you where a member of
the family. We believe this is best way to experience real Nepali life.
Weather
The Terrai is the lowest and therefore usually warmest part of Nepal,
although like the rest of Nepal it has 2 main seasons, the dry season
from October to May and the wet/monsoon season from June to September.
The Terrai can get very hot especially between April and July when
temperatures can rise above 35 degrees.
Food
The staple food for people in Nepal is "Dal Bhat" which most families
will eat at least once a day and consists of rice (Bhat), lentil soup (Dal)
and vegetables in curry (Tarkari) and/or meat (Masu) and a small amount
of pickle /sauce (Achar). This usually eaten without cutlery the right
hand which can be extremely messy for those not used to it. Many younger
Nepali's have started using cutlery though and this is also perfectly
acceptable for volunteers if they don't like covering their hands (and
possibly arms, clothes and faces) in curry. Other foods in the Terrai
region tend to be very Indian influenced and based around potatoes, rice
and curries. Volunteers usually eat with there home stay families during
the week but travel into surrounding towns for more continental food on
weekends.
Activities
The main attractions in the area is Chitwan National Park, a wildlife
reserve for rhinos, elephants, tigers and 50 other species of animals,
and over 400 types of birds. Volunteers can enjoy elephant safari,
canoeing, animal watching, animal breeding projects, animal
rehabilitation centers, cycling, and 4WD safaris here.
|
