Ghalegaun Home Stay - 4 days - Kailash Himalaya Trek

Ghalegaun Home Stay – 4 days

Ghale gaun is the largest Gurung villages in the area.

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Highlights
- Spectacular and awesome view of Himalayas
- Enjoy hospitality of Gurung of Ghale and Bhujung gaun
- Easy walk to a nearby village and view points
- Familiarize with village life and participate in village activities
- You get to experience the wonderful culture, nature and pristine environment
- Enjoy local meals – organic vegetables, dhal - bhat with local chicken curry and
- Route: Drive to Dumre – Besisahar / Ghalegaun – Visit Bhujung village - Besisahar / Dumre - Drive to Kathmandu
Ghale gaun is situated at the altitude of 1700 meter at the foot of Lamjung Himal (aerial distance -26km). It is one of the largest Gurung villages around the area. From Besisahar, the high road to the starting point of Annapurna round trek, it is about an hour uphill drive through the mountain road. You get to see the beautiful view of the western Himalayan range. The most prominent peaks are Machhapucchre (6,693m), Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna II (7,939m), Annapurna IV (7,525m), Lumjung Himal, Boudha Himal (6,974m), and Himalchuli (6,747m). Goats and sheep herding is their main occupation beside agriculture. They use wools from these animals to make woollen goods like clothes, bags and carpets for their own use. The forest products like nettle fibre (allo-cloth) are used for making scarf, towels and shawls. They are skilled in producing bamboo goods. Apart from agriculture, their young lads are one of the main sources of Gurkha soldiers of Nepalis, Indian, and British armies. The famous Victoria Cross decorated soldier Jamdar Gaje Ghale (01 August 1918 – 28 March 2000) was from the same community. Though he is Ghale, a lineage of Gurung, he was born in Barpak in Gorkha. Ghale is a prominent lineage of Gurung. Gaje Ghale represented the best example of bravery. His dauntless courage and superb leadership and unflagging loyalty are the hallmarks of well known Gurkhas soldiers anywhere in the world. Gurkha soldiers, irrespective of anywhere, take pride in their valour.

Homestay has become popular in the Gurung villages of Marsyangdi Rural Municipality.
There are homestay program in Ghanpokhari (ward-1), Sirung & Dangai (ward-3), Chapa and Mipra (ward-4), Ghanikaon (ward-5) and, Bhisme and Nauko Bhalamchaur (ward-8) villages. More than seventy households are hosting homestay for tourists and local visitors. The villagers have improved their living conditions, walking trail and access roads to attract visitors; they have readopted organic farming. Village municipality has made a financial contribution to help villagers to make these improvements. The province governments are encouraging villagers in this tourism activity.

The first such program was started at Sirubari village near Pokhara. Due to the road in Marysngdi valley, the villagers who used to run tea houses and tourist lodges are also getting ready to attract trekkers by setting up their lodge in a homestay model to attract trekkers off the main road. To offset their deprived livelihood many villagers on the famous Around Annapurna walking trail are working to build an alternative trail to dusty and bumpy road. Their home stay facility is similar to homestay in the cities except in the village they run it to supplement their living.

Homestay is often managed by community run by women folks (Ama Samuha).
They usually provide service to the visitors throughout the day. Most villages are grouped together in a closed community. Accommodations are in a family neighbourhood. Rooms are often simple and sparsely furnished. They are double or triple beds. Bedrooms in most houses are on the same floor of the house or in the house closer to the host. Bathrooms are separate from bedroom for common use. A homestay in Ghale Gaon (village) you live with the assigned village family and participate in their daily activities, give a hand, or observe their village life. Meals are served in a traditional style. Meals consist of their staple food – dal bhat. It is a one-course meal with dal (lentil soup), cooked green vegetable curry, rice and chicken curry. Sometime dhido is served instead of rice. Dhido is prepared from the buckwheat or sometime corn flour. It is a stiff mixture of grounded- grain and water that tastes good when hot. All food items are locally produced like milk, vegetable and meat. Most are organic food sourced out from their garden and fields. In between two major meals, there is a light meal (tiffin). In the tiffin, you are served with tea, beaten rice or home-cooked bread – flour from millet and wheat, with dry vegetable curry.

Homestay Experience
Foreign visitors come to see terraced rice fields, mustard fields, experience traditional lifestyle and opportunity to interact with the local villagers. The chance to stay at a local home with their family makes it a very different travel experience. Bhujung is an interesting village very close to Ghale gaun. The houses built in stones and mud and stone-paved footpath blends with the environment. It is amazing to see a well-organized village. While in the village you get to experience the taste of ethnic food, see traditional handicraft and their small Gurung Museum. The panoramic Himalayan and mountain views in the background and short hike around make the trip very enjoyable. Gurung ethnic heredity and martial culture have been evolving throughout the history of Nepal. The host entertains their guests with a community show with their cultural music and dance program. Ghatu dance has always been a traditional Gurung dance that is performed with an elaborate costume. The dance depicts Gurung folklore. Though they practice Lama’s form of Buddhism the dance has a story of an age-old Hindu practice and the musical rhythm of the mountain in Nepal; again, the dialect of the song is very much that belongs to the southern plain. Nevertheless, they own this tradition.

In your free time you can stroll around, make a short tour around the villages and in autumn take a walk to view the tower or a viewpoint to see great views of the Himalayas. In the spring rhododendron flowers, in monsoon time rice planting and in autumn harvesting keeps visitors engaged. In the homestay that has closed by a river, you may go trout fishing with the villagers. The villagers make a special event to welcome and farewell their guests.

Local visitors find homestay at Ghale gaun a respite place from the city and chance to sample local culture and food, enjoy village environment and of course get to eat farmers meals. The Himalayan view, mountain landscape, simple living condition and natural places are added attraction.
Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (176 km) and to Ghale gaun (15 km) – 6 hour drive
Leave Kathmandu at 7 am. Arrive at Dumre at 11 am. Travel onward to Besisahar. Continue to drive to Ghale gaun – 1-hour drive. You get to see spectacular views of the Himalayan mountain and villages en-route. Upon arrival, you are welcome by the mothers’ group (Ama Samuha) of Ghale gaun. In Ghale gaun (homestay)

Day 02: Walk to Bhujung village. Overnight in Bhujung (homestay)
Early morning take a short walk to the view tower of the village. You get to see incredible sunrise view over Manaslu, Annapurna, and Lamjumg Himal. Return back for home-cooked breakfast. After a small break, you go for the village tour. Return back for lunch. In the afternoon you visit Bhujung village. It is a sister village. The hike to the village is about 2 hour. Bhujung is well known for wild bee honey hunting. En-route you visit a historic temple – Uttarkanya temple, and a tea garden. Return back to Ghale gaun. The evening is free.

Day 03: Travel back to Ghale gaun. Overnight in Ghale gaun (homestay)
After breakfast participate in the tour of Bhujung village. They will show you around about village life and activities. Return back for lunch. After an hour break walks back to Gale Guan. You reach Gale gaun around 2 pm. In the afternoon you are at leisure to take a rest or visit the village to see the daily life of the villagers. In the evening the village youth club and mother’s group entertain you with their cultural dance and music.

Day 04: Ghale gaun to Kathmandu – 7 hour drive
After breakfast, attend farewell ceremony organized by the host. Leave Ghale gaun at 9 am. Local transport brings you back to Besisahar. Travel back to Kathmandu.
Cost of the trip:
- NPRs 18,500 per person. We need 6 person to run the trip.
- Join In Fixed Departure cost NPRs 19,000 per person
- Accommodation based on double occupancy
Cost includes:
- Ground transportation to start and from end point of tour
- Accommodation – home stay (double occupancy)
- Meals - Breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner by the village host
- Tour guide and camp assistant based on group size
- Village tours and activities
For Booking see ‘General Information’ about the trips
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