I was expecting to sleep on a straw mat and drink yak milk tea in the Himalayas, but I ate momos and drank milky tea with goats. I was also surprised by how much life goes on as it has for centuries here in this remote village.
A Day in the Life of one of the most remote villages in Nepal.
You wake up and the first thing you notice is how cold it is. You can feel the chilly wind blowing through your room and it makes you shiver.
It’s early morning in the Himalayas, one of the highest mountain ranges on Earth (and home to Mount Everest), but at this altitude, there are no tundra-like conditions; instead, everything grows in abundance and thrives in the alpine climate that exists above 12,000 feet (3,658 m).
You look out your window and see snow-capped mountains everywhere you look. There are no trees here; just grasses or mosses with small flowers poking through them here and there. You see some wildflowers growing in patches along with some bushes that may be edible for animals if they don’t mind eating something bitter (or maybe even poisonous).
It’s quiet here; there aren’t any cars or buses running around town today so most people will have to walk wherever they go – which could take them hours depending on where they need to go!
Watching the sunrise and meeting other travellers
- You’ll see the mountain ranges, including peaks over 6,000 meters (19,685 feet), in all their glory. If you’re lucky enough to be there during sunrise or sunset, the colours are absolutely breathtaking!
- The locals are friendly and helpful. They enjoy meeting travellers and will invite them into their homes for tea or dinner if they can’t afford to stay at a hotel themselves.
- The food is good—not as spicy as in other Asian countries, but still tasty, with lots of meat on offer. It’s also very affordable!
- The scenery is breathtaking, with lush green hillsides dotted with flowers and terraced fields full of crops like potatoes and barley. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another world…and that’s exactly what happened when this village was first discovered by Westerners in 1856!
The village, high up in the mountain ranges above Kathmandu
The village is at an altitude of 2,800 meters and lies at the end of a rough road. It is a one-hour drive from Kathmandu, where you can catch a domestic flight to Pokhara and then rent a car or taxi to take you up into the mountains. The village is also an hour’s drive from the nearest airport in Surkhet.
The village is home to around 1,500 people who live in mud brick houses with thatched roofs and no running water or electricity. Most of them are farmers who grow rice, millet and corn on their small plots of land or herd goats while they wait for rain during the dry season (April–September).
Family dinner, local dancing and singing
To end your day, you’ll have dinner with your host family. You’ll have the chance to talk about your day and share photos from the village with your family. The entire family will be present for dinner, including grandparents, siblings, children and even pets! If you’re lucky enough to be invited back into a home for dinner during your stay in Nepal—take them up on it! It’s a great way to learn more about Nepalese culture and learn about life outside of touristy areas.
After dinner is over (and after being stuffed well beyond capacity), it’s time for some local entertainment: dancing and singing! In Nepal it’s common for people to gather together at night under a tree or other open space where they can sing songs together while dancing around with traditional instruments such as drums made out of animal skin stretched across wooden frames (called dhols) or bamboo flutes called sarangi lutes). These spontaneous performances may last several hours depending on how many villagers are participating—so if you’re late getting there don’t worry too much because no one cares how late you get there as long as they know you’re coming!
Sleeping at a local homestay and making momos with the family
After lunch, you will make momos (the national dish of Nepal) with a local family. Momos are steamed dumplings made with meat or vegetable fillings and served with a spicy sauce. They’re popular street food in Nepal but also served up as part of any meal at home.
Momos are popular because they’re packed full of protein and carbohydrates—a combination that keeps you going all day long!
Life goes on as it has for centuries, in this remote village in Nepal
In this remote village in Nepal, life goes on as it has for centuries.
The people are happy, friendly and welcoming. They’re curious about you and what you’re doing here. They work hard, but they also enjoy their lives. The older generation will tell you stories about how things used to be and the younger generations will ask questions about your life in America or Europe (or elsewhere). Even though they only have very basic tools at their disposal, they use them with pride to build houses out of wood and stone; fix bikes with rubber bands; take care of their animals; grow crops like rice paddy fields and vegetable gardens at the foot of a mountain; plant trees where possible; keep livestock such as cows or goats; raise chickens and ducks inside their homes because there isn’t enough space outside (or maybe because someone stole all five cows from our neighbour’s house last night); etc… But: these people live in harmony with nature, which surrounds them every day—without ever taking anything away from it!
Conclusion
There are many experiences to be had in this region of the world and we hope this has inspired you to explore more.