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About Us

Experience Genuine Local Hospitality in Nepal
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Who we are

Feel at home in your community homestay in Nepal, where you will experience genuine local hospitality, learn about the real Nepal, and leave behind a positive impact.

Who We Are

Community Homestay Network (CHN) is a social enterprise that supports a network of community homestays in Nepal. We connect travellers with communities across Nepal, providing a unique opportunity to stay with Nepali families and immerse in real Nepali life. At the same time, local host families can share their culture and landscapes with the world while gaining access to a sustainable source of income through tourism. The authentic experiences we offer travellers are created to have a positive impact on Nepali communities, women and families, as well as on the travellers themselves. Learn more about our impacts here.

Community Homestay Network is a proud sister company of Royal Mountain Travel, a leading travel company in Nepal with over two decades of experience. Royal Mountain Travel is renowned for its commitment to sustainable tourism and for providing unique, responsible travel experiences that showcase Nepal's natural beauty and cultural richness.

What Do We Define as Authentic and Immersive Travel Experiences in CHN?

Authentic and immersive travel experiences with the Community Homestay Network (CHN) in Nepal go beyond the definition of traditional tourism by deeply engaging travellers with local cultures and communities. CHN emphasizes meaningful participation and ownership for local communities in developing and managing tourism activities. This approach ensures that economic benefits directly support sustainable livelihoods and cultural preservation efforts within rural, urban, and semi-urban settings. By building genuine connections between travellers and locals through shared activities, storytelling, and cultural exchanges, CHN promotes mutual understanding and respect. These experiences offer unique insights into Nepalese traditions and lifestyles and contribute to the long-term resilience and Sustainability of community tourism initiatives against the pressures of mass tourism.

Expanding Our Offerings

Beyond our community homestays and the experiences around them, Community Homestay Network (CHN) now offers a diverse array of immersive experiences that showcase the vibrant cultures and traditions of Nepalese communities. These experiences have been carefully selected to ensure they uphold CHN's values of community tourism, where the emphasis is on meaningful local participation and benefit. In places where accommodations may not be available or in bustling urban centres like Kathmandu and Pokhara, where diverse communities converge, the experience providers can share their heritage; these experiences provide a platform for cultural representation beyond mere lodging. Each activity, whether local artisanal crafts, artistic workshops, or traditional performances, is chosen to entertain travellers and safeguard and promote Nepal's cultural heritage.

At CHN, we believe in empowering communities through tourism. Economic benefits flow directly back into the communities hosting these experiences, supporting sustainable livelihoods for local families and artisans. This commitment extends to safeguarding Nepal's rich cultural tapestry, ensuring that each traveller contributes to the continuity and celebration of local traditions. By participating in these carefully curated experiences, visitors create meaningful connections with local hosts, gaining deeper insights into Nepal's diverse cultures. 

Destination Management Company (DMC)

Community Homestay Network (CHN) works closely with local agents to effectively manage and promote tourism destinations. This collaboration ensures tourism benefits local communities while providing travellers with authentic and memorable experiences. By partnering with DMCs, CHN leverages local expertise and resources to offer well-coordinated and sustainable tourism services that align with our values of community engagement, Authenticity, and Sustainability.

 

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When you book

At Community Homestay Network, we serve as the liaison between travellers and the communities of Nepal.

Once you book your community home stay or experience with us, we coordinate with the communities and families and help you arrange all your logistics.

When you arrive at your homestay, the host family welcomes you warmly, like a friend and family member. During your stay in our community homestay, there are many ways you can get involved in the daily lives of the host family and the locals in the community. You can cook local dishes, explore the surroundings of the community, participate in local festivals, learn local crafts, and help out with daily work.

There’s no better way to experience and learn about Nepali culture and life and to share your own culture and ideas, too. Discover new perspectives, get inspired, and make your time in Nepal memorable! Check out our blog to read about the community experiences of past travellers.

 

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How it works

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Our story

2023

Through collaborative efforts with organizations like Planeterra, PUM International,ICIMOD, USAID Trade and Competitiveness, and FWEAN, we've provided comprehensive training in hospitality, sustainability, and marketing to over 200 participants across 15 communities.

Partnering with ICIMOD and others, CHN is spearheading efforts to build Dhankuta as a resilient, green destination while showcasing its cultural richness.

Organized the “Community Haat Bazaar” in collaboration with Planeterra in effort to promote Community led initiatives in Nepal.

2023 Annual Report

2022

In 2022, we are able to host 1829 travelers to 18 different communities within our network. We added 11 new communities to our network while facilitating various peer to peer learning sessions for community homestays in Eastern Nepal in partnership with ICIMOD.

Starting this year on, we have also joined hands with Lower Koshi Basin Initiative-ICIMOD to identify, develop and promote the concept of CBT in Dhankuta Municipality, Nepal.

In collaboration with Planterra, CHN organized its first Nepal Network Planeterra Partners Discussion Group.

Partnered with Imagine Nepal to promote the hidden gems of Nepal.

To encourage female travelers, CHN also supported Duluwa Outdoors's Fellowship Program.

2022 Annual Report

2021

Community Homestay Network is awarded as one of the winners for UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competitionfor SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and winner of Front Runners 2021 in the category ofExperience Revolution.

Project Koseli also received recognition from the World Travel Market 2021 Responsible Tourism Awardsas Ones to Watch and receives the Dr. Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize 2021 from ICIMOD.

Partnered with International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to develop and promote community homestays within Kangchenjunga Landscape in Bhutan, India and Nepal.

2021 Annual Report
Global Startup CompetitionFront Runners Innovation Summit Winner 2021World Responsible Tourism Awards 2021

2020

The COVID-19 crisis, which has brought an abrupt halt to tourism since March 2020, has put tourism-dependent communities under financial pressure. With aid from Booking.com's booster program, we introduced “Collaboration for Communities” a project that supports tourism dependent communities across Nepal develop, brand and sell authentic local products (eg. traditional handicrafts) and generate income.

2020 Annual Report
PATA Gold Award 2020

2019

Established several partnerships with amazing companies. We created a Home stay Management training & redesigned our website for a better service experience. Our network of Communities across Nepal reached 22

2019 Annual Report
IIPT Award 2019

2018

€225,000 grant received from Booking Booster, CHN has created more jobs, more promotions, more social investment, overall more impact.

Booking.com Booster Award

2017

Community Homestay Network P. Ltd was legally registered as a company and has been functioning through web platforms. The home stay program continues women empowerment project.

2016

The first dedicated staff were hired for the Community home stay program.

2015

With the increasing demand of various community home stays to be promoted with an international standard, we setup the website, www.communityhomestay.com

www.communityhomestay.com

2014

A new model of Community home stay was set up in Barauli, a rural Tharu village in Chitwan.

2013

With tourists coming in, ten more houses joined to become Panauti Community Homestay which is currently one of the most popular community home stays in Nepal. With support from Royal Mountain Travel, Belkot Community Homestay in Nuwakot got a new platform for upliftment and promotions.

2012

With the motive of women empowerment and responsible tourism, It all began with just one house and one woman in Panauti, a place rich in culture but almost no tourists to observe.

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Meet our team

We are a Kathmandu, Nepal based startup made of hip youth, driven to use tourism for good. We are mountaineers, artists, musicians, serial entrepreneurs.