Alternative Destinations (AD)

The answer is NO. Very few have actually seen the real Nepal. Nepal is not just snow-clad mountains or jungles full of wildlife. It is not just white water rapids, a few temples or the people. This is not what most of Nepal is. Nepal is what people do and think about the world and themselves. Have you met anyone who got a glimpse of this Nepal? Perhaps not. If you're intrigued by this and want to know more, then read on!

Do you want your travel to be more meaningful for you and for other people?

Not many people think about it. But there are more and more people like you. Obviously, everybody enjoys travelling and everybody pays for it and this helps to develop the national economy. But in countries where the tax system is less effective, the income generated does not reach the majority of people. In fact, money from tourism often increases inequalities in society. You may not be able to change everything but you can make a difference by the way you travel and the agencies you use. Alternative Destinations is one of these agencies.

AD is a travel agency established by social activists involved in development in Nepal. It aims both to help enrich your travel experience as well as to distribute income more equally. At least half of the money generated from the business is channelled towards development work.

You may want to visit places where most tourists never venture. AD takes you there! Whether you want a complete escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life or whether you want to get involved in something to do with your line of work for a few days, AD is here to support you. If you are a brilliant genetic engineer, why not consider designing a plant that gives off light so children can read at night in remote villages? You may be a communication expert; why not think about possibilities of satellite communication. You may be a great educationist; why not think about changing the whole education system in a village? Perhaps you haven't yet thought of these possibilities - AD wants to help develop opportunities for your creativity.

We would like to take you to a village far away from modern life which has developed its own way of life over hundreds of years. We want you to feel the difference with all your senses rather than just being an observer. You can be involved in whatever areas you are interested in. You could spend a week working on an organic farm, experience the festivals with people from one of the ethnic groups, or join in environmental work with local people.

When you are in town, you may choose to stay with a family rather than in a hotel. It may be possible to place you in a family related to your area of professional interest: medicine, engineering, law, environment, education, development and so on. You will not just be helping to distribute income more evenly; these families will also contribute part of the money you pay to some of the most needy areas. AD has made an official agreement with a development NGO to channel at least 50% of the profit towards its work. In turn, AD gets support if some of you wish to visit the areas they are working in. We also can use their publicity materials for AD's purposes. Our aim is to make the development work less dependent on grants.

We can also make arrangements for groups of students to make organised educational tours and have the necessary experience and background to cater for national and international student groups.

As a post-modern traveller, (by the way, please note that we already 56 years ahead of the Gregorian millenium!) we don't have to tell you about treading lightly - socially or ecologically. You should also try to ensure you minimise the immediate negative impacts of your travel. We can supply a full list of ideas about how you can do this when you decide to travel with us, as we are here to help you. If this leaflet attracts your attention, then you are the sort of generous and socially responsible person we are looking for. We have met many responsible international travellers, particularly trekkers. For starters, here are some guidelines for you to consider:

Do not give things out to people - children in particular. We can organise a way for you to help if you wish to do so. Do not promise to send anything from abroad, except information and books. Do not tempt people by inviting them to your place. Think systematically and critically.