Village Tourism

Village Tourism

Nepal is known throughout the world for adventure travel, white water rafting and jungle safari. A recent development in the Nepalese Tourism industry has been a new concept -Village tourism. Village tourism offers the tourists who wish to experience village life the opportunity to share the traditional lifestyle of village people from all sectors of Nepali culture.
The guests are taken to traditional Nepali villages where they spend a few days living with the local people and are treated as honored family guests. While staying in the villages, guests enjoy comfortable accommodation, delicious local food and drink and a hearty and memorable welcome. By living with the local you would be given the chances to know their culture. As you would be staying as a family member with your host family, you can participate in all their daily activities or chores.
Sirubari Village
Situated at an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level on the hills lies the beautiful ‘Sirubari Village’, a predominantly Gurung settlement. This small and beautiful village is the first model village designed to experience village based tourism in Nepal. The inhabitants of this small village have retained their traditional culture and tradition. A visit to the village offers one the chance to experience the traditional lifestyle, culture, and festivals. It has now become one of the major tourist attractions in the Annapurna region. The village has several gompas, temples and shrines dedicated to different deities. At 2,300 meters above the village at Dahare Deurali is a viewpoint, which is the highest point south of Pokhara. It offers panoramic views of Mt.Annapurna along with Machhapuchre (Fishtail), Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Manaslu, Lamjung and Hiunchuli.
 The villagers are dependant on agriculture and animal husbandry. Tourism in this area also helps to generate some income. The best time to visit this village is from September to June. While on a homestay, the accommodation is simple but comfortable with good bedding and clean toilet facilities. The food is delicious and you will be eating as one of the family. Each night there will be entertainment provided by the community. This will be in the form of traditional Gurung and Nepali dancing and singing. During your stay you will be able to really experience the life of a Nepali villager. You can take part in the family’s (with whom you are staying) daily chores, tending animals, tilling the fields, or just sitting in the sun talking to neighbours.
The Pacific Asian Travel Association (PATA) conferred their Gold Award 2001 to Sirubari in recognition of the efforts being made to preserve the traditional Nepali culture and heritage and for serving as Nepal’s first model tourist village.
 

Ghale Gaun
Ghale Gaun, is located in Lamjung district at an elevation of 2,200 meters, 20.5 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu and 12.5 kilometers northeast of Pokhara.This small village is enclosed by the majestic Annapurna (8091m), Annapurna II (7939m) Annapurna IV (7525m), Machhapuchhare (6693m), Lamjung Himal, Buddha Himal((6974m), Himalchuli (6747m) and many other smaller peaks with stunning Talyngo lake and Lami lake nearby. Gurungs are the local residents of the village and are renowned for their warm hospitality and friendly behavior.A visit to Ghale Gaun provides you an opportunity to interact with the local people, to explore its mystic high Himalayas, forests, lakes, rivers, etc. Passing through dense jungle and villages filled with rhododendrons blossoms, rivers, waterfalls, crossing over the Marsyangdi, Khudi and Midim rivers with panoramic views of Himalayas at the backdrop, will certainly leave you with memories of a lifetime experience. Visitors to Ghalegaun are welcomed with offering of garlands and tika while music and dances are performed and traditional farewell songs are sung when guests depart. Nepali New Year and Buddha Jayanti are celebrated with traditional dance called Ghatu. Activities around Ghalegaun include bird watching at Talangyo Lake and visits to the Utter Kanya Temple, Pempro Fall, Batase Cave and the Khudi hydroelectric dam site. Ghalegaun is also home to the famous honey hunters of Nepal. The Honey hunters collect honey from the nests of wild bees built on steep cliffs.This is an age-old tradition of the villagers living in this area. Local honey hunters show their exceptional skills by hanging themselves form cliffs as high as 300 meters using bamboo ladders and hemp ropes, while harvesting the honeycombs.

Bandipur
‘Bandipur’ is an ancient Newari town situated some 143 km west of Kathmandu, 7km above Dumre Bazaar, at an altitude of 1,005 meters. Pristine and culturally prosperous, the historical heritage sites, ancient temples, shrines, houses built with traditional style and architecture, are a traveller’s delight. Bandipur gives you an opportunity to observe Newari lifestyle, their cultures and customs. Although the town is largely inhibited by Newars, there are other communities also, such as Magars, Gurungs, Chettris, Damais, Kamis and Sarkis. Feast and festivals are observed every month with varieties of cultural song and dance. From Bandipur you can catch the breathtaking panorama of the Annapurna range, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Langtang. You can also view  Manakamana and Gorkha , with the great Chitwan plains stretching to the south. There are local families in Bandipur who offer homestays to the visitors.