Understand Nepal > adventure > Village Tours
Rich of traditional lifestyle and diverse culture, villages are the gems of Nepal that have kept the beauty of ancient culture alive. Villages are simply the areas with frozen time and people who have their way of living despite any changes in the modern world. Village tourism is new and surprisingly getting a lot of interest in tourists because they get an opportunity for comfortable cultural immersion.
More than 75% of Nepalese are still dependent on activities like fishing, agriculture, animal husbandry, etc. which means the village is the source of livelihood for the majority of people in Nepal. Village life might be difficult, but it connects you to nature, cultures, and traditions, and binds you with your ancestors. It teaches about farming, cultivation and harvesting, and natural skills that schools and colleges cannot explain. Visitors enjoy watching locals excitingly doing their things, and it attracts tourists to villages.
As tourists have shown a lot of interest in learning about village lifestyles of different ethnic groups, villages tourism has included community homestays which provides an opportunity to live like a villager in the house of a villager for as many days as an outsider wants with services like a comfortable bed, local food and drinks, being part of traditional shows, getting to wear traditional costumes, and enjoy local music and dances along with performing different domestic chores.
Villagers in Nepal are quite impressive when it comes to welcoming their guests. Different ethnic groups have different ways to welcome a visitor on their house. Still, common culture among all ethnic groups is greeting with a broad smile on their face and treat them like gods as there is a famous quote in Sanskrit that villagers follow: “Atithi Devo Vaba” which translates “guest is god” in English.
Traveling on four-wheelers, sleeping on a 5-star hotel with ac room, eating different expensive food, and feeling luxurious are amazing. Still, all these facilities are boring if there is no change in your life. Traveling to a village or staying in a village might not be as comfortable as in hotels. Still, it acts as a meditation, connects you to a different side of life, and lets you experience what most of the country has been experiencing.
Every village is different from another may be in terms of ethnic dominance, cultures, language, or lifestyle. Still, every village is unique, and villagers from every village are kind enough to let a visitor enjoy their way of living. There are several unspoiled villages in Nepal. Some villages are customized with homestays for local living experiences for the visitors. In other villages, you will have to ask for permission to stay in their house, if possible.