Top 10 What to Expect From a Rural Homestay in Nepal?

By: Amanda Summers

When I first arrived in Nepal I met a man who suggested a homestay with his family in a remote village. I had no way of being prepared! Ever since then I have seen little posted on the practical nature of the experience. It’s a very popular activity that many tourists want to experience, but being prepared can enrich the experience even more. Don’t be too concerned with the scary items below. Each of these will only make you stronger and the experience richer.

1. Meteor showers are incredible. Check with astrological sites to see if there will be anything spectacular while you are here in Nepal. Plan your homestay to coincide with such events.

2. If you bring a gift for the wife/mother she may not be able to keep it. Please bring two gifts, one for the mother-in-law and one for the wife who will be serving you if the family lives in the traditional, extended family type home. Also, ask about appropriate colors if you are bringing scarves or other clothing. Red is not to be worn by widows in many places in Nepal and other countries in Asia. Scarves and the beautiful necklaces they sell near the temples make lovely gifts for $1-5.

3. If you need to use the toilet at night during your stay you may be asked to climb out the window and squat on the roof. In many areas it can not only be a challenge to go out to the toilet at night, but it can be dangerous as well due to wild animals.

4. There may be no mini market or pharmacy nearby. Bring everything you think you will need. If you wear glasses, be sure to bring an extra pair. If you bring the prescription from home you can get a pair made very cheaply in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur. Just make sure they do the grinding on site rather than sending out to India.

5. It may be required to do an unusual amount of walking and the Nepali have a very different understanding of ‘just down the road a bit.’ Be careful to bring trekking shoes that are well broke-in to avoid blisters.

6. You can meet an actual “Chief” and it’s worth making the effort to meet the chief of the village. He will be more likely to speak English and can give you information about the village and the area. If you get into trouble he is the person you should run to. He will love to meet you.

7. There are a lot of gay men out in the rural areas and they can fall in love rather quickly. If you are traveling with a cute guy you may want to keep an eye on him!

8. French fries: Cold, hard, and no salt-get over it. You will be served Dal Bhat, which will likely be served with varying degrees of cold. The women cook on the floor with no chimney. The good news is it’s served with love and a genuine hospitable spirit. If you are served meat you will want to make sure there is enough for your hostess to have some. She will eat last after everyone is satisfied.

9. Windows with glass are optional and the shutters work surprisingly well. You will need to keep them closed at night so critters do not fly, crawl, or climb in.

10. The home will likely have a distinct smell of a barn and you may actually share the downstairs area with a goat. Check to see if there will be a festival during your homestay because that is when meat is more likely to be served. Goat today, dinner tomorrow.

Here are a few bonus tips:

11. Your clothes will get surprisingly dirty. The home will likely be made out of clay. Your dear hostess will be happy to do your laundry for you, but she will not want to wash your underwear.

12. Children are everywhere! And they probably haven’t seen a Western tourist up close and in person. They are so inquisitive and may even want to touch you and they all want to have their picture taken. Please do not bring candy for them, as it only encourages begging.

13. Boys can be very mischievous. When I read this to my Nepali friends who were visiting me they both laughed. The kids aren’t usually violent, just curious, but beware of boys in groups! I’ve had motorcycle tires flattened, petrol siphoned out and one time they just moved the knob to the reserve gas tank and we ended up having to have the motorcycle towed back to the Valley.

14. The trekking trails are usually free of permits and can give some amazing views. Exploring with your homestay host family can be the highpoint of your vacation in Nepal.

15. It is always appropriate to try to blend in and interact with the local people. Everything will be different. Enjoy these differences and offer to help with chores. The more you interact the better you will enjoy the experience. Grinding your own coffee beans for your morning coffee using a stone grinding wheel, helping to harvest tea or rice, helping with a village project, etc. will make your homestay experience very special.

16. Be prepared for the climate in the area where you will be. Nepal has the greatest elevation differences of any other country on the planet. Pack accordingly; you won’t likely find a place to go shopping. You can rent down sleeping bags, walking sticks, etc. in Thamel at trekking shops.

Rural homestays are not for everyone and you may be wondering how I enjoyed my experience. Since that first month in Nepal, I’ve been on two other homestays and look forward to visiting other families in the remote areas of Nepal. If you are the kind of traveler who likes privacy, personal space and anonymity of a hotel, well, this has none of that. You will likely find yourself in a very old, small home made out of dirt where you have to share a bathroom, and maybe even a bedroom, with the family.

Keep in mind that you will be a guest in someone's home. You will find that you represent people from your country or even skin color to the simple people who host you. Take care to abide by a set of house rules even when they do not match your own. In Nepal, that may mean taking a cold shower outside with the women/men, helping with cleaning or cooking and no television, electricity or WIFI. You will probably go to bed near dusk and everyone wakes up before sunrise. Few understand the concept of being quiet while others are sleeping.

The rewards? You will experience life like you never have before and bring home a lifetime of memories of people you wouldn’t have otherwise met. These people will touch your heart and the experience will enrich your vacation and your life. Many tourists keep in touch with their homestay hosts for years. I have never heard a tourist complain about the experiences during a homestay, so please do not allow my candor to discourage you.

If you have a story, either of your own or one you heard about from other travelers about rural homestays, please leave a comment by sharing the story.

About the author

Expat Blog ListingAmanda Summers is an American expat living in Nepal. Blog description: I invite you to follow along with my assistant de jour and me as we explore Nepal-On a Budget.
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Contest Comments » There are 18 comments

Amanda Summers wrote 10 years ago:
(AUTHOR)

Please leave a comment about your homestay experiences. I haven't won anything for thirty years or so, so I think I am due. Comments need to be 10 or more words to help me with the contest.

Kamal Bhujel wrote 10 years ago:

Great article. Sounds like you've been to my village. No matter how hard it seems to be, all the tourists love the rural homestay.

Dan Miner wrote 10 years ago:

Wow! What an amazing and eye opening article. I had no idea. The notion of a homestay is intriguing. Kind of like being a temporary foreign exchange student. I’m sure it would show the reality of the culture, and not a touristy version of one. This article is filled with great advice. I can see how knowing these things before visiting could make a HUGE difference. If I know I might need to squat on a roof, then it wouldn’t come as such a surprise and I would be more open, and especially prepared, for it. Abstaining from certain colors is a great insight, it shows you care. I could go for some goat…

Rika wrote 10 years ago:

Wow, this was actually really eye-opening. I had NO idea about any of it! These are great tips and I will definitely pass them along to anyone heading to Nepal. I think a homestay would be an amazing experience but if you weren't prepared for the things you've listed, I think you might be in for a bit of a shock!

Sayar Shakya wrote 10 years ago:

My favorite part of a village homestay is seeing Western kids play with Nepali kids. It's really funny!

Francesca Copppola wrote 10 years ago:

I think it's important to plan enough time so you will really enjoy without being too tired from the bus ride.

Rashmi Nepal wrote 10 years ago:

I think volunteers need to consider these points very carefully. Otherwise they might not have a good time and will have to leave too soon.

Finola Murphy wrote 10 years ago:

You didn't mention about going to religious service. I went to a Buddhist meditation on a rural homestay. It was awesome hearing the monks ringing the bells and chanting!

Ramesh Giri wrote 10 years ago:

Great article. When I take people to homestays a lot of time they don't wear enough warm clothes.

Sanjaya Bhujel wrote 10 years ago:

The funniest thing I've ever seen on a village homestay was the Western kids playing with the Nepali kids. They have so much fun together.

Yap Shanni wrote 10 years ago:

I think the worst thing about the village homestay is the cold. Cold food, cold room at night, cold! But I got bad advice and didn't bring a good sleeping bag. Now I know you can rent them in Thamel, but they said I wouldn't need one. Overall, I think I would do it again. I fell in love with the people of Nepal. They are so special.

Stewart C McKay wrote 10 years ago:

Really interesting points. Some unexpected (number 7...) but I have a friend from Nepal and I hope to go one day!

Mike Maas wrote 10 years ago:

Very informative I especially like that while most articles by expats always focus on the joys of the experiences and how breathtaking and almost supernatural the experience was this article sums things up in a practical fashion. Great job Amanda it is nice to see someone posting a more realistic overview of what to expect.

Swastik Nakarmi wrote 10 years ago:

Sounds like you've been to a lot of village homestays. You didn't say if you are planning on going to another one. Do you like them or not?

Dipen wrote 10 years ago:

Good reminders. The homestay is one of the best ways to get to know the real Nepal.

Kindra wrote 10 years ago:

I really think this brings up some excellent points. The only thing I would add is that with traveling to homestays in South Asia, it is incredibly rare to plan too far ahead. Much better to figure out a homestay when you arrive in the town you want to stay in than to freak out about not having everything organized. It's a hard mentality for most Westerners to get used to (myself included) but it's so worth being spontaneous to get a much less touristy, much more accurate feel for the town/city/country.

Marline Lim wrote 10 years ago:

Good reminders. The homestay is one of the best ways to get to know the real Nepal.

Jurek Oleszek wrote 10 years ago:

Great article! Very informative and inspiring. This is the way of traveling that I prefer. After reading it I'm even more curious about experiencing a rural life in Nepal. Although I knew what to expect it gives many precise and fresh informations. And of course I'll try not to miss a meteorite shower! Thanks for reminding this beautiful spectacle.

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