Gandaki, 8 December: Homestay business is operating in 27 villages of Annapurna Circuit, a world-famous trekking destination. These homestays have been providing warm hospitality to a large number of tourists from home and abroad every year. Picturesque geography, rural lifestyle, traditional food and intimate hospitality are the specialties of homestays.
Those homestay villages nestled in the lap of the Himalayas are filled with visitors during the tourist season. Anyone who reaches there can enjoy the biodiversity, Himalayan life, civilization and culture. Some reach the homestay villages by hiking and some by road. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), more than 400 homes in the area are providing homestay services. Some of the homes are also running independently.
The shelters have the capacity to accommodate more than 2,000 guests daily, said project chief Dr. Rabin Kadaria. According to him, shelter services are being operated in 12 shelters in Lwang village, seven in Ghalel, 27 in Tuse, 16 in Mirsa, 12 in Kavre and six in Koleli village under the Area Conservation Office of ‘ACAP’, Lwang (Kaski).
Under the Area Conservation Office, Sikles, 24 households in Sikles village, 14 in Tangting, 10 in Yangjakot and 11 in Warchok are providing the service. Under the Area Conservation Office, Ghandruk, 10 households in Sabet, 15 in Narchyang, six in Khiwang, under the Area Conservation Office, Bhujung, 43 households in Ghalegaun, nine in Ghanpokhara, 28 in Bhujung, 19 in Siurung, 22 in Pasgaun and 12 in Chapamipra are providing the service. Similarly, 15 houses in Odar, 14 in Thanchowk, 26 in Tachai under the Area Conservation Office, Jomsom, 11 in Thini, and eight in Lubra village have been providing services to tourists. The service is operational in five houses in Marang, five in Chhoser, and six in Jungjung under the Area Conservation Office, Lomanthang.
Dr. Kadaria, the project chief, said that various support, including management training, has been provided to the homestays operating within the Annapurna Conservation Area. “Homestays have a great contribution to the development of rural tourism, it has linked the village to economic activities,” he said. “After the homestays came into operation, it has also helped in promoting local products and creating employment.” Homestay villages located in destinations both short and long distances from the tourist capital Pokhara are increasingly preferred by domestic tourists. The growing traveling culture in Nepal in recent times is also supporting homestay tourism.
Manju Gurung, chairperson of the Lwang Community Housing Management Committee in Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-8 of Kaski, informed that the housing in Lwang village has the capacity to accommodate up to 400 guests in a single night. “The main visitors here are domestic tourists. The number of foreign visitors has decreased somewhat after the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “It is easy to come and go since it is close to Pokhara. Lwang village is suitable for sightseeing in any season.”
The crowded Gurung settlement has added to the charm of Lwang. There are single-storey houses in Lwang painted in white and ochre. Stones are also laid on the roofs, courtyards and roads of the houses. The traditional houses give a glimpse of hill architecture. Lwang village, a unique place of nature and culture, is known as an attractive rural tourism destination. Gurung, chairman of the Gharbas(Homestay) Management Committee, said that Lwang has made a leap in rural tourism since the Gharbas(Homestay) came into operation in 2067 BS (2010).
Gurung and welcoming tourists
Located at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level, this village offers a captivating view of the sunrise over the Himalayan peaks of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna and others. Local and foreign scholars have also come to Lwang village to study and research Gurung culture. The locals show the Gurung culture and traditions to the guests. They taste local food, teach how to cultivate the fields, and teach the methods of cooking. They also introduce tourists to home-made products such as doko and sekhu made from reeds.
The kitchens of the households use the grains and vegetables grown in the village. Tourists spend one to two nights in Lwang village. Those going to Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Trek also rest in Lwang village before proceeding on their way. Lwang village is also a popular choice for film shooting. Films such as ‘Prasad-2’ and ‘Dui Numbari’ were shot in this village.
The tea plantation at the edge of the village is another tourist attraction there. The tea plantation spread over 1,200 ropanis gives a glimpse of Ilam. Tourists also visit the tea plantation to observe it. Tea from Lwang village has been exported to Europe. Like Lwang, other Gharbas(Homestay) villages here are also known among domestic and foreign tourists with their own specialties. Along with the Homestay, the hotel business has also flourished in those areas. Spread over 7,600 square kilometers, ‘ECAP’ includes 89 wards of 16 local levels of Kaski, Lamjung, Manang, Myagdi and Mustang.
The Annapurna Circuit is a world-renowned trekking destination. This region is a favorite among tourists due to its natural beauty, biodiversity, mountain life, civilization, culture, etc. In the last fiscal year 2080/81(2023/2024) alone, 222,180 foreign tourists visited this region.
Tea plantation
The provincial government and local levels have also been supporting the promotion of community housing within the Annapurna region. The Gandaki provincial government has been providing grants to housing entrepreneurs every year, including the promotion of community housing as a pride project. Gandaki province is an area where the housing business has flourished in the current fiscal year as well. There are also ongoing housing outside the Annapurna Conservation Area. The first Sirubari housing project in Syangja, Nepal, also falls in this province.
