Nepal & India Gap Semester | Pacific Discovery

My expectation was completely different from my experience, as I had a lot of anxiety about coming on the trip and being around people 24/7 for 2 and a half months, but those people became my family and the program was so much more incredible than I could have imagined. I would absolutely recommend the program to others. I think this program was incredibly life changing for me, as I now have so much more confidence in myself and what I can do, because I pushed myself farther than I ever thought was possible on this program. I also think that I've come off this program with a greater appreciation for traveling and seeing new places, as there's so many incredible people to meet, places to see, and adventures to be had all around the world. I will definitely keep traveling after this program and I know that the people I have met along the way and on the trip will stay with me forever.

I was looking for a trip that was going to be educational and authentic and fun. Without a doubt, I found it! Nepal and Tibet are truly incredible places, and coming home, I feel like I really got to connect with each of them and live like a Nepali. There were so many nights that I spent talking/singing/dancing with the locals, and I felt so lucky every day, and so grateful for every experience, be it trekking, rafting, getting lost in the cities, paragliding, yoga, or mountain biking, and for every other wonderful moment. The Pacific Discovery staff was awesome, teaching us everything from the very basics of travel to the pressing social and political issues in Nepal. Our leaders trusted us and supported us completely, and they were my friends above all. I would do this trip a thousand times over, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Overall, the best decision I've ever made!

Traveling to Nepal and Tibet with Pacific Discovery was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Each day was a new adventure, whether we were trekking the Annapurna circuit, or helping a Nepali village build a pig pen. Even though the views were breathtaking it was the people that made an impression on me the most. Our guides, and the families we met were the most generous people I have ever met in my life, and I was so sad to leave them. PD gave me a real and authentic experience and I couldn't have asked for a better trip. The leaders were always there to help and I look up to them in so many ways. I wish I could relive it again and again.

This program had been my dream for over two years. Finally as a junior in University I was able to make this amazing experience a reality. The friends and memories made in the 9 weeks is not comparable to anything else I have ever experienced. Prior to the trip I was still unsure where my education was leading me. After seeing a part of the world in such a unique way through Pacific Discovery, I have clear career goals and all new aspirations for my future. Overall I would recommend this trip to anyone looking for an experience of a lifetime!

My son recently went on Pacific Discovery's Nepal and Tibet program for a gap semester prior to starting his freshman year of college. As a spring admit, he was initially at a loss as to what to do with his fall semester. We are so glad we found Pacific Discovery. He had an amazing, stretching, rewarding experience. Highly recommended!