NEPAL
RETREAT & FUNDRAISER
LIMITED TO 15 SPACES
A rare opportunity to come together as a group, travel far from home, move out of our comfort zone, practice yoga & actually put the teachings in to practice in contributing to the wellbeing of our planet and fellow humans.
This is a tailor-made trip, coordinated directly with Conscious Impact, to contribute to rebuilding the lives of those effected by the 2015 earthquake that shook Nepal and the surrounding Himalayas.
We will live simply and sustainably on the beautiful terraced land on which the Conscious Impact camp is established, in the village of Takure, a small community nestled in the foot hills of the Langtang mountain range.
Joining as volunteers, housed simply in tents on old rice terraces, we will cook & eat delicious vegetarian meals together (learning from the local women), celebrate the most auspicious Nepali festival of the year Dashai with local families, practice yoga & meditation daily, immerse in Nepali culture & contribute to working in the local community under the expert guidance of the resident team.
The intention of the camp is to minimise impact by responsibly utilising resources, harvesting materials, managing rubbish and respecting cultural customs. We will learn how to live off this land, from the local community, whilst also learning from the benefits of the sustainable living technologies volunteers have brought to Takure.
PROJECTS WE WILL GET INVOLVED WITH
Rebuilding & sustainable construction: After the 7.8 earthquake, Takure village took a hit that destroyed 98% of its buildings. Conscious Impact has been at the fore front of helping rebuild homes, schools and the local orphanage by specifically focusing on using natural building techniques. Volunteers are given the opportunity to get their hands in the soil and feel the satisfaction of learning to build with earth. This could include making CSEB’s (compressed stabilised earth bricks), try out traditional cob methods, building with bamboo and learning how to make earth-bag homes.
Agriculture programme: Conscious impact works differently to that of a standard disaster relief NGO. The team are in for the long haul and are committed to the sustainability of the whole community and regeneration of the land. CI understands that for the village to thrive and not just survive they need to do more than just help with house reconstruction. CI has created its Agricultural Programme to help create an effective local economy and at the same time teach about climate change, carbon sequestration and reforestation. The programme gives local farmers the opportunity to engage in regenerative agriculture initiatives, such as: coffee, permaculture design and agroforestry. As a volunteer working in a sub-tropical climate you’ll get an opportunity to harvest rice, reforest land with organic coffee & fruit trees and learn the importance of compost. Not to mention looking after Concious Impact’s own vegetable garden with the potential of sharing and enjoying the fruits of your labour in your evening meal!
Girls & Youth empowerment programme: The importance of education is becoming more valued within the rural Nepalese communities. The Youth Outreach Program is a way for Conscious Impact volunteers to engage with students & young adults in the village. The main focus is to provide access to activities and information currently absent in the standard curriculum. As volunteers you’ll help assist at the local primary school, after school programmes, homework clubs and girl empowerment workshops. Come and experience the vibrance and be humbled by these children with their big smiles and enthusiasm to learn.
For more information on Conscious Impact visit:
https://www.consciousimpact.org
KATHMANDU
The trip includes 3 nights and 2 days in Kathmandu (either side of our time in camp) for a combination of group excursions (see itinerary) and personal free time.
“For many, stepping off a plane into Kathmandu is a pupil-dilating experience, a riot of sights, sounds & smells. Whether you’re barreling through the traffic jammed alley ways of the old town in a rickshaw or marvelling at the medieval temples, Kathmandu is intoxicating.. the 2015 earthquake brought devastation to parts of the city but the soul of the city endures.. stroll through the backstreets and the cultural & artistic heritage will reveal itself in hidden temples overflowing with marigolds, courtyards full of drying chillies, and tiny hobbit-sized workshops”. Lonely Planet
LIFE ON CAMP
What to expect, an average day:
6am Rise (to the sound of the tinkle of a bell outside your tent)
6.30am Morning sunrise meditation & yoga
7.30am Breakfast
8.30pm Morning community project / work period
12pm Community lunch gathering
1.30pm Afternoon community project / work period
5pm Afternoon sunset yoga
6.30pm Dinner
7.30pm Evening circle.. group reflections, puja, star gazing, trade circles, intention setting, chanting, dancing. We are also hoping to spend an evening in the homes of local families.
Food
About five hours northwest of Kathmandu, Takure is inhabited primarily by members of the Brahmin and Chhetri castes of Hinduism. Out of respect for their beliefs, we have chosen to join them in abstaining from meat and alcohol. Breakfast and dinner are cooked together as a community and two local women cook us traditional dal bhat (rice and lentils) for lunch each day.
Water
Water is sourced from a few local springs, however it is still a limited resource. After a hot day in the sun we are able to enjoy refreshing cold showers at camp or hand wash our sweaty work clothes. Thanks to the Sawyer Filter Drip Systems, there is clean drinking water on tap through out camp to keep us hydrated.
Sanitation
There are dry compost latrines, which eliminate the need for excessive amounts of clean water and handle the waste responsibly.
Weather
The autumn is a beautiful time in Nepal, ideal for trekking, sunny days, evening showers, and hillsides overflowing with lush vegetation reminiscent of the monsoon rains.
Community Engagement & Festival
The Nepali community is rich in Hindu and Buddhist tradition. Our time on camp coincides with the 15 day Hindu longest, largest & most auspicious Nepali festival of the year Dashain which honours conquest of the gods over the evil demons. The symbol of power, Goddess Durga is worshiped during this festival. Tradition is that people will leave the city and return to the villages for celebration, of which we will be a part of, engaging with the villagers in festive feasts and dancing in the roads to the music of the Madal (Nepali drum). In the afternoons, we can walk five minutes to the local tea shop to share cups of hot milk tea and laughs with community members while practicing our Nepali. PLEASE NOTE: this festival involves ritual of sacrifice of animals, we have requested that we will not be expected to take part in or witness these particular rituals.
Yoga & Meditation
We will practice together in the morning and evening, on the rice terraces overlooking the Himalayan mountain range. Asana will be appropriate to the conditions, time of day and to the physical work we may have done/about to do, drawing on local culture, ethics of yoga philosophy, and the Buddhist influences of both teachers. We will keep things simple, just a mat and the earth. Beginners welcome.
Trek
Love to walk? Conscious Impact have a day hike planned for us with awe-inspiring views… bring your walking boots :)
Cost/Donation: £1110 per person
How is this cost calculated & what does it include?
$700 Donation to Conscious Impact. Where does the cost of your contribution to Conscious Impact go? 75% FUND THE PROJECTS. “These donations allow us to employ locals from the village, purchase building materials, and allow our education and agriculture programs to grow”. 25% SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS ON THE GROUND. “Donations also allow us to feed each volunteer three meals per day, pay for the land we lease, and to make long-term investments in our volunteer camp through the installation of a clean water system, electricity, and wifi.”
Contribution to travel & accommodation costs (only) of your 2 yoga teachers. All yoga & meditation is included as an offering to the well being of the group, with no actual cost to attendees of this retreat or other volunteers at camp.
All meals for 7 days in camp.
Return transfer to Camp.
3 nights Hotel Accommodation in Kathmandu.
What’s not included:
Flights
Tent. There are some used tents on camp but we recommend bringing your own.
Sleeping bag - appropriate for over night in the Himalayas!
Yoga mat.
Spending money in Kathmandu, including lunch & evening meals.
We will prepare a ‘kit list’ with our recommendations so you are fully prepared.