This is the newest offering from Outshine Adventure. If you would like to experience the life of the rural Nepalese, this might be for you. The home stay can be part of your larger Nepalese experience, or the whole of your holiday. It is up to you!
The location of the home stay is in Achanetar Village, nestled between the rivers Khahare Khola and Ankhu Khola. The picturesque hills are layered in rice fields, with many small villages. The only things that you will hear, are the distant, soothing sounds of the rivers, and the local wildlife.
The home stay is your chance to experience the traditional Nepalese way of life that has hardly changed in centuries (electricity only came to the village in 2012) – away from the established tourist regions.
Please note, this is not a hotel, nor a guest house – but the home of Nepalese people. If you are expecting modern comforts, such as hot showers and Western toilets, this experience is not suitable for you.
The home stay family will make you welcome, give you a place to sleep and they will share their meals with you. (There is no menu. You will be given the same food as what the family is eating. However, if you are vegetarian, please let us know in advance, as the home stay family will take this into account when preparing the meals). The home stay family must continue with their life, such as looking after their animals and tending to their farm, and so you will need to be able to entertain yourself at times (a good book, for example, would be one idea).
The typical life in the rural area is early morning starts (around 5 am), and early nights (9 pm). Please be aware of this, and do not keep your home stay family up late.
During the home stay, there are many things that you can do, such as walking in the surrounding hills (unlike with the usual Nepal trekking, these walks can be as long or as short as you like), visiting the nearby villages (you will learn more about the Hindu caste system) and swimming in the rivers. You can also shadow your home stay family as they go about their daily tasks (but please do not be too intrusive.)
The home stay family does not speak English. Some people in the local village will have basic English (especially the younger members, who like to try out the English that they have learnt at school). You may therefore wish to have an English speaking guide to accompany you on your home stay visit (especially if you would like to combine the home stay with some camping), who would be able to act as an interpreter, as well as leading you on hikes in the area – and answer your questions regarding the rural lifestyle.
There is a shop near the home stay that sells snacks, drinks (including alcohol – but please respect your home stay, by not drinking excessively) and some other basic things. But we recommend that you take with you insect repellant, toilet paper, a torch and some basic first aid. The home stay will provide water coming from the local streams, but you may wish to take some water purifying tablets for your peace of mind.
Before going on a rural home stay, it is compulsory that you attend a briefing workshop (lasting about one hour) in our office in Kathmandu. We will instruct you on what to expect and what not to expect during your rural home stay. We will let you know about the expected behavior (such as correct dress) whilst you are at your rural home stay, including the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ (such as not entering the kitchen without permission). We will also give you a quick lesson in some basic Nepalese to help you during your stay. This is also your opportunity to ask us any questions before you make your trip.
We would recommend a rural home stay of about 2-4 nights to give you a true flavour. One night only is also possible, but due to the time required to travel to the home stay, we would recommend that you combine this with some nights camping. Longer stays (up to a week) are also possible, for those who need more time to relax and ‘do nothing’ in idyllic surroundings.
The rural home stay experience is only available between September to May, due to the roads being impassable for buses during the monsoon season.