Overview
Ghale Gaun homestay, a well-planned and designed program by Trekking Planner, where all age-group and various types of people can join in. An ideal and perfect cultural Himalayan holidays, for family group, school/college students to high corporate executives, as this trip allows you to be in fresh cool mountain air, in the harmony of fascinating local culture within the backdrop of high Snow Mountain range.
A great place to experience Himalayan village age-old farm activities, where one will be able to quiet your mind and reduce stress to aid relaxation by learning how to mediate within a serene environment.
Ghale Gaon, a blend of traditional and modern influence represents here in everything from cuisine to the arts with a scenic panorama of high Annapurna, Lamjung, and Manaslu Himalayan peaks.
Ghale Gaon Experience, an exclusive Himalayan holiday to soak into local culture an opportunity to interact with local natives, one of the highlights of this trip and doing things as the villagers.
Around Ghale Gaon there are various ways that one can enjoy like taking a short scenic pleasant hike, or just relax and marvel the awesome views of dramatic landscapes of white-mountain range, and rolling green hills.
This lovely neat village with stone-paved path steps and walking path, houses are made of stones and of special mud plaster with slate stones, where every house has a courtyard to dry their seasonal harvest and as well a gathering place.
Ghale Gaun homestay begins with an exciting drive heading beyond Kathmandu valley or from Pokhara, as the drive leads through many villages and towns a chance to see more of Nepalese rural life and farm activities.
An interesting day drive of some hours taking more than five hours to reach our Himalayan Hill destination at Ghale Gaon. Where you will be received with local traditional ceremony, villager welcomes with marigold garland and silk Buddhist scarf called ‘Khada’.
After a joyous and merry reception check into your rooms in a well-built hut, serving as Home-Stay, a great way to enjoy your time traditionally as village impressive life.
During your stay, enjoy fascinating moments with a short hike to view-point with glorious panorama of Annapurna Himalaya with towering Machhapuchare the famous Fish-Tail peak, includes views of Lamjung Himal and Manaslu Mountain range.
Rest of day get into local activities and witness busy traditional life of village communities, with joyful and exciting evening where local teenage performs traditional Nepalese and Gurung dance and folk songs.
Enjoying wonderful and overwhelming stay in Ghale Gaon, depart from this lovely village with farewell ceremony, and then exciting drive brings you back at Kathmandu, after a great memorable and exciting time on Ghale-Gaon Experience.
- Enjoy ancient culture and old traditions that still exists in Himalayan villages
- Explore lovely rural farm villages adorned with time-less heritage and custom
- A wonderful visit around Nepal Mid-West Himalaya with stunning views of peaks
- Memorable experience of local glorious culture with dramatic mountain views
- Detail itinerary for Option # 1:
- Detail itinerary for Option # 2:
- Kathmandu to starting point/Ghale Gau and ending point/ Ghale Gau to Kathmandu transportation by publish bus/private vehicle
- National Park entrance fee and Trekkers’ Information Management System( TIMS card)
- A highly experience, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English speaking, well-trained, Government license holding guide. Price includes his salary, food, drinks, accommodation, transport and insurance.
- 02 guest to 01 porter with their insurance, salary, food, accommodation and equipment
- Twin/Double shearing accommodation in the mountain during the trekking
- Three meals a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner and tea/coffee during the trekking.
- First aid kit box
- Trekking Planner’s sleeping bag, down jackets, T-shirt, cap, duffle bags, city and trekking route maps – if necessary.
- Arrangement of emergency evacuation service (should have insurance for emergency evacuation and will be paid by your travel insurance company)
- All applicable government and local taxes per the itinerary
- Your Nepal Visa fees (should bring small accurate fees in USD and 02 passport size photos)
- All the International air fare to and from Kathmandu (no need to pay departure tax for international flight)
- All meals and accommodation in Kathmandu and in Pokhara
- Personal travel and health insurance as well as insurance for helicopter evacuation
- In case of extra nights’ accommodation, lunch and dinner in city due to early arrival and late departure as well as early back/return from mountain/trekking (due to any reason) than the given time period of itinerary. We can help you arrange extra nights accommodation.
- Your personal expenses such as (laundry, baggage charge, phone calls, battery recharge, bar and beverage bill, boiled or bottle water, hot and cold shower, extra porter.. etc)
- The tips to the trekking crews and drive
- Extra expenses due to flight delays, strikes, weather condition or any event out of our control
- Anything not included in service includes column
- Duffel/Rucksack bag/Suitcase (We provide one complimentary Trekking Planner duffel bag that is to be returned after the trip)
- Day pack
- Trekking shoes
- Sports shoes or sandals
- Sun Hat/cap
- Warm woolen cap
- Warm fleece jacket or puffy jacket
- Waterproof Gore-Tex layer
- Pullover or warm sweeter
- Raincoat
- 4/5 pairs of good quality socks
- Hand gloves
- 2/3 pairs of trekking trousers
- 3/4 pairs of trekking shirts
- 3/4 pairs of underwear (non cotton preferred)
- Sun glasses
- Water bottle
- 4 season sleeping bag (Optional/we can provide one if you need it. It is to be returned after the trip)
- Flash or Torch light
- Camera and batteries
Seasons:
Ghale Gaon can be visited nearly all months of the year-round, the best time is spring from March to May, with autumn/fall to pre-winter seasons of mid-September to early December months.
Springtime lively surroundings, when wild-flowers especially the rhododendron are in seasonal bloom. With clear blue sky most of the day but cooler morning and late afternoon till night time.
The other peak season around Himalaya as well for Ghale Gaon visit in autumn-fall and pre-winter times of middle September to mid-December months where you can walk with pleasant mild temperatures, with crystal clear blue sky facing super panorama of high snow-capped mountain range.
Culture, Religion, tradition, and custom:
Ghale Gaon and villages around Lamjung district and Annapurna Himalaya range mainly populated by Gurung people, as well call Tamu of Mongolian and Tibetan origin. Practice Buddhism religion as well their ancient cult called Bon a pre-Buddhist religion. Worships nature like mountains, rivers, forest, and ancestral spirits as well.
The name Ghale one of the sub-caste of the Tamu Gurung ethnic tribe, the hill people of Nepal Himalaya region.
Although a Buddhist, but quite different from other Tibetan Buddhism as they follow Shamanism, where every village has a witch doctor to wade evil spirits and to heal certain illnesses as well, do not have Buddhist monasteries only a few
Gurung villages have monasteries. However, every house is festooned with Buddhist prayer colored flags called Lung-Ta (Wind Horse) that represents blue for sky, white as cloud/water, and red for thunder or fire, green for vegetation with brown on the bottom for soil.
Gurung are mainly farmers as well as Shepard raising live-stock like sheep, goats, buffalo and cow/ox, besides being farmers they are skilled craftsman where women weave their traditional dress for the wool of animals.
Gurung is also famous as brave Gorkha soldiers in foreign infantry like in British and Indian Army, as well in Singapore police and security and bodyguards for the Sultan of Brunei.
At Ghale Gaon where you can witness traditional customs that still retains with many interesting rituals taking part in folk dances known as Jyaure, Serka, Dohori, Ghatu, Sorathi, Jankri are performed for the guests accompanied by different musical instruments with dancers in traditional dress.
Where all visitors are warmly welcomed with garlands, traditional dance called Ghatu, while having time around lovely villages where you can observe woolen handicraft products clothes, bags made from nettle fiber (Allo Cloth), and scarf.
Climate & Weather:
Himalayan climate can be unpredictable sometimes even in good best seasons, where April and May to the first week of June will be the best time during spring times, when days are longer with enough sunlight hours.
Morning and night time as well in shade can be cold, other months from September and October great times for rafting, most days are clear for views of mountains and beautiful landscape scenery.
Although much colder months of autumn season with extreme cold during morning and night time, where sunlight much shorter.
Visa:
Visiting Nepal one can obtain entry visas from your home country at Nepalese Embassies and Consulates, if not one can easily get a visa on arrival at Nepal international airport in Kathmandu, or any port of entry.
Emergency Contact:
For travel within Nepal Himalaya where all travelers and adventurers require to fill our company form with emergency contact to relatives and families or close friends, as well keeping in close touch with the Trekking Planner for immediate helps either medical or unforeseen reasons.
Arrival:
On arrival picked and received by our attentive airport representative or guides and staff for short transfer to your respective hotels in Kathmandu.
Accommodations & Food:
On Ghale Gaon Experience trip, with overnight in best available lodge in village community Home-Stay, meals provided from Continental, Chinese, Nepalese or Indian foods. All meals are well cooked, hygienic, and freshly served in a warm environment.
Drinking-Water:
On this trip, serves safe drinking water boiled and filtered for drinking.
Health:
Where all travelers require sound good health to join on all our moderate to adventurous trips around Nepal Himalaya with healthy medical background and history.
Vaccinations:
Check with your home doctors and season of visit to Asian countries where immunization and vaccines requires against certain diseases.
Travel Insurance:
Where all travelers to Nepal Himalaya require Travel and Medical Insurance to cover against unfortunate accidents and sickness covering Helicopter Service Rescue, or other means of fast transport to reach safe places and nearest hospitals.
Age Requirements:
For Ghale Gaon Experience, where all age groups from family with young children to 70 years old can join in, this involves if one can get medical insurance from your home countries.
Getting Into Nepal:
To reach Nepal one can reach by overland from India or Tibet, the main arrival from international flight to reach Kathmandu and Nepal international airport.
Communication:
At present nearly all villages and towns do have facilities of ISTD and STD or cell phones or Sat phones, where one can easily communicate to your family or Trekking Planner in emergencies.
SIMS cards available on showing your passport copies with a small charge as per your time in Nepal.
Money:
On paying the full package of the trip, where you need some extra money for your expenses to buy souvenirs or for extra entertainment on route rafting like having extra snacks and drinks.
Culture:
Culture the main thing to observe by travelers to Nepal, where the country with two main religions Hindu and Buddhism with their own special interesting culture and custom.
Photography:
Photography can be taken all around Nepal, where some public and private areas of Government, religious monuments, and some old people might not allow photographs, where your guide will advise you on restricted places.
Gratuities:
Tipping after getting satisfied with the service rendered by the helpful guide, staff of the hotels, drivers including porters where you feel like it deserves gratitude like tipping.
Extra benefits like tips, is highly expected by crew members of rafting as traditions since tourism came in Himalayan countries.