Nepal is still a country of discovery, a country different enough to learn and experience new things, far from the increasingly uniform and standardised destinations all over the world. It is, therefore, an ideal destination for those of you who want your children to get a different and more enriching out of their travel experience.
One of the most enriching things is they can interact with local children. In Nepal, children are fortunate and can still play in the street with ease. Perhaps not so much in certain areas of Kathmandu, but in most of the country. As is often the case, once the first shyness is broken, most children are quick to interact without language being a barrier. A smile, a ball, or anything else that might interest both parties is the perfect excuse for them to start playing.
Nepal is a safe country. There are no mandatory vaccinations to enter the country and you only have to take the same precautions as when they play and run in the streets of the village or in the middle of nature. A scratch heals just as well in Nepal as it does at home.
However, it cannot be said either that the tourism industry in Nepal offers experiences and activities aimed at children. Here are some of the options we have been making and compiling, work we are still doing. Many activities are designed directly for children, others are activities that children can enjoy just as much -or more- than adults, although they may need to be adapted.
We have described the activity in a general way and, in some cases, we give an approximate price indication. However, as these activities will be part of your trip, whether you do it with us or on your own, the price may vary. In the case of hiking or trekking activities, you can go directly to the description of the itinerary for more specific information.
As always, the best moments are those that are not arranged, those that appear spontaneously. Don’t hesitate to ask us anything you want as many times as you need, and also make suggestions if you want. They will be welcome and we will do our best to help you.
NOTES
Many of the activities presented here are not “commercial” activities, which means that the people who take care of them may not speak English. In many cases, there will be a guide who will accompany you and who will also act as a translator. For activities with children, we try to use female guides. For languages other than English, please inquiry.
Naturally, the cost of travel, payment of the activity or the gratuity to those who carry out the activities, the guides if there are any, etc. will be very variable. Please contact us.
With the Kailash Home kids
https://planhimalaya.com/with-the-kailash-home-kids/
- Afternoon and dinner
- Near Kathmandu
The experience of spending an afternoon with the group of children, girls and boys who live at Kailash Home is priceless. These children come from families without economic resources from remote mountain areas. In Kailash Home, they have an option to continue studying beyond basic education.
We usually go there in the afternoon when the students have finished school and this is the time when we can share a ball, a game or an informal chat with them once the initial shyness has been broken. Naturally, it is an ideal place to go with children and the idea is we all arrange the meal and have dinner together, with some of the kids. The experience varies from visit to visit because it is very personal to each of you and the energy of the moment, but so far, everyone has been delighted.
A fun morning or afternoon learning Nepali
- One or two hours, morning or afternoon (depending availability)
- In Pokhara
In Pokhara is the school of Prem and its name is curious enough: Cosmic Brontosaurus Language School. It is a very good school for learning Nepali and the classes are usually held outdoors, in a somewhat secluded area in the middle of small houses with orchards and forest, under a shed that protects from the sun and rain.
Although it is not a school specifically aimed at children, we can assure you that they will prepare a special class for you where you will learn the basics of Nepali. It’s fun and you will be able to learn how to write your name and other basics of the Nepali language. A very enjoyable time for both children and adults to learn new things.
Mud-making in Bhaktapur
- One or two hours, morning or afternoon
- In Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu
Bhaktapur is a beautiful village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and very close to Kathmandu. Among temples, palaces and red brick houses there is the Potters’ Square, where, as the name suggests, pottery workshops and the straw and wood kilns are sited. We have contact with some of the workshops that can teach you how to make small figures with clay while you have a good time. A good activity for children to exploit their creativity.
More and more prayer wheels at Bouddha
- Morning or afternoon
- In Kathmandu
Although Kathmandu is already an interesting city in itself for everyone, for the youngest visitors the part that might interest them most is the Bouddhanath Stupa. This large stupa, which is one of the symbols of Kathmandu and Nepal, is located in a large circular square where no vehicles can enter, so it is very safe in this sense. The square is large, full of restaurants and terraces where you can have a drink or a relaxed meal. The large eyes of the stupa will attract the attention of the little ones, but the most interesting is the 108 prayer wheels that surround the stupa. A good challenge will be to roll them all while circling the stupa clockwise.
The simplicity of rural life in Raipur
https://planhimalaya.com/homestay-en-raipur/
- 3 days
- South of Pokhara
In Raipur, a small cluster of a few houses on a hill, we have the Champa’s house, where her father, a retired ghurka from the Indian army, lives. It is a traditional construction of the area and is a “real” private house. By this, we mean that it is not working to accommodate “tourists”. Although we check that its condition meets a minimum, it has few luxuries and the rooms are very simple Nepalese style, but we have done some work on the bathroom to make it more comfortable. It is clean, the surroundings are beautiful, the food cooked by the guide is excellent and the treatment is immensely cordial, welcoming and, above all, natural, without artifice.
Here you won’t meet other tourists, you’ll have almost no connection, there are no bars or restaurants, but you’ll live a genuine experience that will bring you closer to a part of the reality of the country without filters. For the little ones, it is a real experience to be able to stay in a pure rural environment, without any concessions to modern life. And for those who are not so young, it will be a challenge to enjoy the time without gadgets, observing nature, the inhabitants, the work in the countryside, etc.
Wooden boat on the Phewa Tal
- One or two hours, morning or afternoon
- In Pokhara
When we talk about Pokhara, we are mainly talking about the Lakeside neighbourhood which, as the name suggests, borders Lake Phewa. Pokhara is always an interesting place to go with children because it is very quiet, with wide pavements, the promenade around the lake, the option of renting bicycles and exploring the surroundings. For children, one of the most popular activities is sailing in the traditional wooden boats on the lake. There are several places where you can get them, and you can take a leisurely trip to the small Barahi Mandir temple on a nearby island, cross the lake, or just sail around aimlessly.
Walking with elephants in Chitwan
https://planhimalaya.com/walking-with-elephants-in-chitwan/
- Two or more days
- In the Chitwan National Park, from/to Kathmandu or Pokhara
Since we work with Tiger Tops and their Elephant Camp, visiting Chitwan National Park has taken a dramatic turn in terms of respecting the animals and making the stay much more environmentally friendly. Of course, visiting Chitwan is not exclusively for the little ones, but they can get a lot out of it. You sleep in spectacular and very comfortable tents with en-suite bathrooms. Much of the camp’s activity is about the elephants which are calmer, more sociable and tolerant animals than those in other places. So children will be thrilled to be able to have these large animals so close to them. Here we do not go over the elephant backs, the elephants walk with us through the jungle, making the activity much more interesting and closer to nature.
Nepali food and music
- One or two hours, morning or afternoon
- Kathmandu, Pokhara and others
Learning to cook will always be an activity that some of the children can enjoy very much, adding that they can learn to cook simple dishes that are part of a culture far away from their own. Unlike the Nepali classes, here we do not need to go to a school and we can organise the activity in a private home, making sure that there are girls and/or boys in the house. The activity can start by going to the market to look for the necessary products, which in many cases are not exactly the ones we have in our shops, to cook them once at home where the girls and boys will be the real chefs, ending with lunch or dinner.
As for music, it’s a bit the same. If they have an interest in music and some knowledge of playing an instrument, we can organise a practice related to some of the traditional Nepalese instruments, which will usually be stringed instruments like the sarangui, wind instruments like the bansuri, or percussion instruments like the madal or damphu.
Buddhist monasteries with students
- Morning or afternoon
- Near Kathmandu or Pokhara
If you are interested in visiting a Buddhist monastery and you have children with you, we can try to go to a monastery that provides education for local children. There, we can see if you can play or do an activity together, an experience that will always be interesting for both parties. Many Buddhist monasteries offer free education for underprivileged or Tibetan refugee children. One option is to sleep and eat in the monastery accommodation itself, completing the experience and also providing a financial contribution that is usually used to support the students.
It is no secret that Nepal is a trekking and hiking paradise, especially with the Himalayan mountains as a backdrop. Of course, the youngest members of the family may not be able to tackle all the treks, but in general, they can surprise us when it comes to trekking for a few days adapted to them. In most treks, the accommodation is in lodges, more or less comfortable, and there are usually enough of them to be able to easily shorten the journey for our children. From few-hour treks, such as those from Naudanda to Sarankot (Pokhara), Ramkot (Bandipur) or Namobuddha (Dhulikhel), to small treks of a few days, such as the Australian Camp (ideal), the Millennium Trek, Poon Hill, or Helambu.
Learning about the local flora and fauna
- Morning or afternoon
- Various destinations
There are different options in this regard. We can always organise the activity you want with time to spare. Activities can range, for example, from trying to organise tree planting or adding to an already scheduled tree planting, to a visit to the small local Annapurna museum in Pokhara, with a comprehensive collection of butterflies and rare animal reproductions, and more.
Amusement parks
- Morning or afternoon
- Near Kathmandu or Pokhara
There aren’t many amusement parks in Nepal, and we can’t say they’re very modern either, but there are a few if you like.
At Lakeside in Pokhara, there is a fairly modern park, the Pokhara Disneyland, with a highly visible Ferris wheel, bumper cars and other more or less daring attractions. Much more modest and “retro”, with younger children in mind, is the Chachawhee Fun Park near the airport.
Near Kathmandu, beyond Bhaktapur, we find the Kathmandu Fun Valley, a recreational area with swimming pools, slides, Ferris wheel, restaurants and all kinds of activities … Nepal style. Recently built is the Chandragiri Amusement Park, very modest but suitable for the little ones. Its main attraction is taking the Chandragiri cable car to access the park.
WE ENJOY TALKING WITH YOU
Contact us to obtain the complete dossier of this itinerary, inquiry for all the information you need and ask us any questions you may have.
