Here's a chance to see the real Nepal
March 2011 - when the Rhododendrons are in flower (hillsides of them!)

  Not just a sight-seeing trek, but spending time with villagers.
Read to and talk with the children to improve their English.

The trip will be organised for Rotarians and others who wish to volunteer their assistance to our
Rotary-registered project.  There'll be opportunities to assist the villagers, but there'll also be
plenty of time for sight-seeing.  The proposed route is similar to what we did last
September with our children and grand-children.  Highlights include:

• Sight-seeing in Kathmandu - Durbar Squares (Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur), Swyambhunath, Pashupatinath, Bhoudinath Stupa
• Visiting Rotary projects in Kathmandu and Pokhara
• Flying from Pokhara to Jomsom in the Kali Gandarki valley then driving to Muktinath, close to the Tibetan border
• Returning down the Kali Gandaki valley - a mighty river that joins the Ganges in India
  
• Climbing 1,000 m. to Paudwar village (you'll need to be reasonable fit to do this)
• Spending time with villagers, learning about our project, giving villagers an opportunity to practice their English
• For those with the energy, a climb to Khopra Ridge (4,000m) for superb views of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas
  
    (the banner photo above was taken from Khopra Ridge)
  
  (for the less energetic a climb to Bhal Kharka will still give great views, from the Kali Gandaki river up to the peak of Dhaulagiri.
• A special night of cultural food and dancing back in Kathmandu before returning home.
  
  
  We won't be loading the cost of the trip, but a primary objective is to interest people in supporting our project.
  You may have expertise to offer, though our real need is money.
  Maybe the trip will inspire you to donate to the cause, or perhaps to take on a fund-raising role.
  What you make of it is up to you.
  

This is not a trip for the faint-hearted.  You should look at the photos (especially Paudwar access and accommodation and, if you're contemplating the extra climb, Khopra Ridge) to be sure your ready for it.

We've not yet calculated a budget, but we expect total cost ex Melbourne to be in the range $3,500-$4,000.

An advantage of going as Rotary volunteers (whether you're a Rotarian or not) is the
potential for tax-deductibility of travel expenses and excellent Rotary insurance cover.
  These are of course subject to conditions including a reasonable amount of volunteer work, a medical check
(which you should have anyway) and a Victorian Government "Working with Children" Check.

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