Namaste from Nepal!
Nepal is not just a destination; it is a living story of culture, faith, and community. At Community Homestay Network (CHN), we believe tourism can do more than showcase landscapes—it can transform lives. By placing communities at the heart of travel, CHN empowers local hosts, artisans, and leaders to shape experiences that honor their heritage, generate equitable benefits, and foster meaningful connections between travelers and the people they meet.
Our network spans 40+ community homestays and 10 artisan experiences, reaching over 2,000 community members, the majority of whom are women. CHN’s leadership in responsible, community-driven tourism has been recognized globally with the ICRT Global Awards and as Gender Equality Champion of the Year, while our work has been featured in the BBC, National Geographic Traveler, The Times, and The Guardian.
The broader landscape of tourism in Nepal shows strong growth and movement toward sustainability and community inclusion. Research highlights Nepal’s rich natural and cultural heritage as foundational assets for long-term tourism growth, identifying community-based tourism as a key pathway for extending economic benefits beyond traditional hotspots to rural and underdeveloped regions (Kadayat and Upadhyay, 2024, nepjol.info).
This trend is mirrored in European source markets. More than half of global travelers now consider the impact of tourism on local communities and the environment, with European travelers among the most engaged (Booking.com, 2025, news.booking.com). European travelers are increasingly seeking authentic, immersive experiences that directly benefit local communities, creating strong market demand for community-based tourism products (CBI, 2024, cbi.eu). Research further shows that 86% of European travelers are willing to pay extra for sustainable travel experiences, and 68% actively seek interactions that support local communities, making community-focused tourism both ethically responsible and commercially strategic (Future Market Insights, 2025, futuremarketinsights.com).
For this familiarization trip, CHN is proud to collaborate with Royal Mountain Travel (RMT), one of our associate organizations with longstanding experience in Nepal’s tourism sector. This collaboration brings together CHN’s deep-rooted community networks, impact-driven approach, and professional experience in designing and delivering community-centred journeys with RMT’s operational expertise. Together, we ensure journeys that are thoughtfully designed, responsibly operated, and grounded in both purpose and professionalism.
Today’s travellers seek more than landmarks. They seek connection, authenticity, and purpose. This itinerary invites you into the heart of Nepal’s living traditions, where festivals, faith, and community converge to tell the story of a nation in its own voice.
We proudly present:
“Stories from our Himalayas”
A journey into the living natural, spiritual and cultural heart of Nepal, guided by local communities and shaped by a shared vision of more conscious, inclusive tourism.
Trip Summary
This 10-day journey begins in Kathmandu with a sound bath and welcome dinner at Avata Wellness Center before flying to Pokhara and continuing by jeep to the peaceful Magar village of Narchyang (more details about the destinations are listed below). While there, you'll hike to Upper Narchyang, visit waterfalls, and soak in natural hot springs. Next, travel north into Mustang to explore Jomsom and optionally hike to the remote village of Thini. The following day takes you deeper into the high Himalayan culture with a visit to Lubra, home to one of the last remaining Bon monasteries. Returning south, you’ll experience the warmth of Gurung hospitality in Hemjakot through a hands-on cooking workshop in the Community Homestay with other local activities. Afterwards, unwind in Pokhara before flying back to Kathmandu. The trip concludes with local cultural activities and meaningful conversations in the capital before your departure. (Detailed itinerary below)
Why This Circuit Matters
Engage with the rich indigenous heritage of Mustang by connecting with the Bon community, whose traditions have shaped the cultural fabric of the region for centuries.
Support women-led community homestays in Narchyang and Hemjakot, where tourism directly uplifts rural households and encourages local leadership.
Traverse fragile Himalayan landscapes through a carefully planned non-adverse journey that respects the terrain and the communities that call it home.
Participate in cultural exchange by learning age-old practices, from sacred cooking to artistic expression, that are preserved through intergenerational wisdom.
Trip Highlights
Begin your journey with a grounding sound bath at Avata Wellness, followed by a welcome dinner that awakens your senses to Nepal’s culinary and cultural richness.
Travel to Narchyang, a village tucked beneath the Annapurnas, where waterfalls sing, hot springs heal, and Magar hospitality welcomes you like family.
Ride along dramatic Himalayan roads to reach Jomsom, the windswept heart of Mustang, where sky and stone carry centuries of trade, faith, and resilience.
Step into the timeless village of Lubra, one of the last surviving Bon enclaves in Nepal. Here, monks chant ancient mantras in a monastery shaped by wind and time in a monastery which is almost 800 years old.
Share laughter and fire-cooked meals in Hemjakot, where Gurung hosts invite you to make dhindo and nettle soup with love and earth’s freshest ingredients.
All along the way, meet the women, elders, and artisans who hold the keys to Nepal’s living heritage, and walk beside them as honored guests, not just visitors.
