After a lovely morning exploring the beauty and charm of Bhaktapur, our group headed a short distance away to Nagarkot, a beautiful village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas roughly 28 kilometers east of Kathmandu. Nagarkot is a popular tourist destination for its majestic Himalayan views, and rich culture and village life. We would spend two days at the Nagarkot Community Homestay as part of our trip with the Community Homestay Network in Nepal.
The Nagarkot Community Homestay located in Bastola gaun (village) began roughly 13 years ago when Suraj Bastola, one of six brothers, hatched the idea of offering tourists a unique experience to stay as guests in their homes.
After surviving the 2015 earthquake that destroyed their village, the community united and persevered, rebuilding one home at a time and slowly reopening their homestay program to tourists. Today, the community welcomes roughly 600 visitors to their village each year, significantly impacting the families’ economic, cultural, and social well-being. Now, many of the children study abroad at university thanks to the additional earnings from the homestays. Women have also seen their children’s health improve and their cultural traditions thrive.
When we arrived, our group of ten journalists and travel advisors were welcomed by the host mamas dressed in the traditional dress of red saris. One by one, we each received a marigold garland and a red dot (tika) on our forehead. After a brief welcoming ceremony, we split into pairs and were introduced to our host mamas. I was rooming with Sara, a delightful woman from the UK who is a travel advisor, and we were staying with Laxmi Bastola and her family.
