Voluntrek — Tikot Village Volunteer Program
Voluntrek is a homestay-based volunteer placement in Tikot village, Myagdi district, in the Annapurna-Dhaulagiri foothills. You join an ongoing community project — typically classroom assistance at the village school — run by and for the people of Tikot. You do not arrive with a plan; you join one already in motion. Placements run a minimum of two weeks; the named partner organisation is to be confirmed.
About this trek
Voluntrek is not a trek and not a volunteer holiday designed around the visitor. It is a placement in an existing project run by and for the people of Tikot village, in the Annapurna-Dhaulagiri foothills of Myagdi district. You live in a village homestay, eat what the household eats, and contribute to whatever the project needs that month — most often classroom assistance at the local school.
We do not run orphanage placements, short-stay child-contact programmes, or any activity that displaces a qualified Nepali teacher. Placements run a minimum of two weeks for that reason — short stays cause more disruption than they offset. The partner organisation coordinating placements in Tikot is to be confirmed. Voluntrek pairs naturally with either the Taste of Community Eco-Lodge Trek (6 trekking days) or the Classic Annapurna Community Eco-Lodge Trek, for trekkers who want to walk the region before or after their placement.
Where we fall short: we do not yet publish the household-payment breakdown for homestays in Tikot, the school's stated skill needs, or a child-safeguarding policy. Those are to be confirmed and on our list to fix before we accept new placements. We frame Voluntrek this way because the alternative — the volunteer-as-rescuer story — is both inaccurate and harmful. You are joining a project that is already running in Tikot; you are not the engine of it.
Trip Facts
- Best season
- Aligned to the school calendar in Tikot (estimated — operator to confirm)
- Group size
- 1–6 trekkers
- Start / end
- Walk-in from the Myagdi road head → Tikot village, Myagdi district
- Accommodation
- Homestay in Tikot village
- Minimum age
- 18+
Trek Highlights
- Homestay placement in Tikot village, Myagdi district — you live with a host family and eat what the household eats
- Classroom assistance at the village school, alongside the village's own teachers — you assist, you do not replace a qualified Nepali teacher
- A minimum-stay policy — short visits are not accepted, because they cause more disruption than they offset
- No orphanage placements and no short-stay child-contact programmes — we avoid the worst patterns of voluntourism
- Annapurna-Dhaulagiri foothill setting — terraced mid-hill farmland
- Pairs with the Taste of Community Eco-Lodge Trek (6 trekking days) or the Classic Annapurna Community Eco-Lodge Trek in the same Myagdi/Mohare ridge area
Day-by-Day Itinerary
The source page publishes no day-by-day itinerary. Voluntrek runs on the village's calendar, not a fixed schedule. The typical shape is arrival in Kathmandu, transfer toward Myagdi, and a walk-in to Tikot from the road head. The structured day-by-day will be filled in once the partner organisation is named.
Book a Departure
No published departures right now — get in touch and we'll set up a private date.
Upcoming Departures
Year-round
1 departureCustom and private departures available year-round on request.
What's Included
- Homestay accommodation in Tikot village
- Meals (the source says these are "mainly" covered by the charge — to verify)
- Placement coordination with the village school or current community activity
Not Included
- International and domestic flights
- Transfers from Kathmandu / Pokhara to the trailhead (to confirm)
- Travel insurance
- Nepal visa and personal expenses
- A full excluded list is still to be confirmed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a "voluntourism" trip?
We avoid the worst patterns of voluntourism: no orphanage placements, no short-stay child-contact programmes, no marketing that frames you as the village's solution. You are joining a project already running in Tikot. Where we still fall short — named partner, safeguarding policy, household-payment breakdown — is listed openly. Honesty is the safeguard here, not marketing language.
Will I be teaching children?
Possibly classroom assistance, alongside the village school's own teachers. You do not replace a qualified Nepali teacher. The school's specific needs each term are to be confirmed with the partner organisation.
How long do I need to stay?
A minimum of two weeks, and ideally a month. Short visits cause more disruption than they offset, so we do not accept stays shorter than the minimum.
What does it cost?
The source says only "a little charge to cover your food, mainly." No figure is currently published. We will publish a household-payment breakdown before accepting new placements.
Can I combine Voluntrek with a trek?
Yes. The Taste of Community Eco-Lodge Trek (6 trekking days) and the Classic Annapurna Community Eco-Lodge Trek run in the same Myagdi/Mohare ridge area and pair naturally with a Tikot placement.
What permits will I need?
A tourist visa for Nepal is required. ACAP and TIMS are likely required for the Myagdi trailhead area — to be confirmed.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. You need to be able to walk in to Tikot from the road head and to live without consistent electricity or hot water. The walk-in distance and elevation gain are to be confirmed.