A Trek to Ghalegaun : Enchanting hospitality and culture
–Ramesh Tiwari
“To trek -the word is Afrikaans and originally meant a journey by ox cart across South Africa -is to do far more than hike through beautiful mountains. Trekking is very different from backpacking, it is an outdoor experience, yes, but it is also a cultural experience. There are villages nearly everywhere in Nepal- in the remotest arid valleys and on the steepest terraced mountain sides- and these villages are what make a trek in Nepal unique”, writes Karl Samson in Fommer’s comprehensive Travel Guide. Such a unique trek might be the exploration of Annapurna Circuit,Langtang and Everest region for the tourists visiting Nepal.
A travel to Nepal is incomplete without trekking different trails and destinations, where tourists can enjoy both natural beauty and cultural diversity of the people living in the rural areas. Most of the treks in Nepal go through altitude between 1000 to 4000 metres above sea level. Trekking and mountaineering have been the most popular tourism products for thousands of tourists over the years. Treks and visits to Ghalegaun,Ghandruk,Sirubari ,Manakamana, Sauraha and other destinations have lured thousands of tourists visiting the Himalayan country each year.
Ghalegaun,about 203 km west of Kathmandu, has been developed as a model village to attract tourists, where the visitors experience homestay hospitality of the local community.Ghalegaun,Ghanapokhara,Bhujung,Pasgaun,Khudi, Bhulbhule,Puma village,Kapur Gaun,Kaulepani and other various villages in Lamjung district of Nepal are promoting community based hospitality through “homestay” modality.
Ghalegaun,once the capital of the Ghale kings centuries ago, is an exotic pristine village both rich in natural beauty and ethnic culture. The village, located at 2,070metres (6791 feet) above sea level with 120 houses and 450 inhabitants, is renowned for culture and hospitality of the Gurung community. Nearly 50 households of dalit community, specially BKa, don’t host visitors and dalit women are interested in producing handicrafts. Most of the people are Gurung and Ghales in the village and Brahmins, Cheetris and people of other ethnic communities live in southern lowland areas. Most of the households are equipped with TV cable channels in the area paying RS 200 per month in Ghalegaun vicinity.
A total of 40 households offer homestay facilities to the visitors in the village. No restaurants and hotels are available in Ghalegaun. According to the Village Tourism Development Committee; more than 11,000 people visited the beautiful village including more than 400 foreign tourists in 2011.
The village, a popular tourist destination for community based rural tourism, is being promoted by so many travel and trekking agencies in Nepal. Various trails have been developed for trekking to Ghalegaun specially from Besisahar,Ghanapokhara, Khudi and Pokhara. After six hours of travel by vehicle from Kathmandu, a tourist can proceed to the destination. Ghalegaun is reached after 3.30 hours of dusty and risky road travel from the nearest town of Besisahar,district headquarter of Lamjung district.
Lamjung district is the gateway to the Annapurna region and the name is derived from Lama-dzong or the castle of the great Lama. The world famous Annapurna circuit trek begins from Manang Chautara of Besisahar. The northern frontier of the district is dominated by high Himalayas like Annapurna II (7959m ), Lamjung Himal (6974m ), Manaslu (8163 m )and Himchuli( 6747 m ).Magnificent views of majestic western Himalayas including Machhapuchhare ( 6693 m ) , Annapurna (8091 m ) ,Annapurna IV ( 7525 m )and other smaller peaks can be seen from Ghalegaun and Ghanapokhara areas.
The north-western part of the district is covered by Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). The Annapurna Conservation Area , renowned as one of the best trekking areas in the world, boasts of more than 478 species of birds, 39 species of reptiles,22 species of amphibians, 100 different kinds of mammals including snow leopards and blue sheep. Ghandruk, Ghorepani, Pun Hill, Annapurna base camp (ABC), Jomsom and Manang of the Annapurna circuit attract thousands of trekkers each year. ACAP office in Ghalegaun promotes environment- friendly tourism in the region, where villagers are seen very conscious in making the village clean.
The famous Marsyangdi river is considered lifeline for prosperity of Manang, Lamjung, Tanahun and Gorkha districts.The 69-MW Lower Marsyangdi hydroelectric project is already operated , where as Middle Marsyangdi hydropower project ( 70 MW )is under construction and another 600 MW Upper Marsyangdi-2 hydro power project is being developed by Himtal Hydro Power Co. in the districts of Lamjung and Manang.Marsyangdi river rafting ( starting from Nagdi and ending at Bimalnagar – 370m) is popular for beautiful views of scenery and valleys like other rafting rivers of Nepal.
Ghalegaun,located at Uttar Kanya VDC of Lamjung with 61 VDCs,is an exquisite village committed for eco-tourism and a home to the world-famous Gurkha soldiers. Most of the youngsters have left the village dreaming a happy and prosperous life abroad. A visit to Uttar Kanya temple,Gurung museum, tea plantation, school and play ground areas, and tour of the village with narrow paved lanes between stone walls lined by tin – roofed houses is a worthwhile experience.
Ms. Chanda Devi Ghale, an owner of homestay in Ghalegaun, welcoming the visitors with bouquets and home-brewed ‘Kodoko raksi’ said,” As foreign tourists and Nepalis are more interested to visit this village, each household is committed to welcome the guests and manage their stay well in a family environment.”
The management committee staffs fix the household for homestay of the foreign and domestic tourists, so that each household would be economically benefited. The average rate for food is Rs 200 and Rs 100 for bed per person excluding 15 per cent service charge in Ghalegaun. Most of the food items and vegetable are transported from Besisahar in the villages of Ghalegaun,Bhujung,Pasgaun,Puma, Siurung,Naun,Bahundada and Nagdi. The transport fare from Besisahar to Ghalegaun is Rs 250 (one way -for 30 km in minibus) and Rs 280 in jeep per person.
The Hindu and Buddhist festivals are celebrated in the village including Lhosar,Dasain and Tihar.Age-old cultural dances like Jhyaure folk dance,Ghantu,Dohori, Krishna Charitra ,( at times of ceremony ),Serka,Ghyabring and Jhakri nach ( at time of sorrow)with traditional instruments and costumes are performed on various occasions. A trek to honey hunting village sites nearby Khudi and adjoining areas is another attraction of northern part of Lamjung, where people from the Gurung community climb the cliff of height of 200 metres on the support of homemade ladder for honey hunting during May/June and October/November each year.
The book ‘ Honey Hunters of Nepal ‘ (1988) by Eric Valli and Diane Summers documents the Nepali tradition of honey hunting on cliffs. Snow capped mountains, hills, rivers,chirping of birds, rhododendron forests and greenery are memorable attractions of the villages of northern Lamjung.
A trek to Ghalegaun and homestay there is an enchanting experience for the visitors in their life time, who are eager to explore rural life of Nepal.Ghalegaun is being developed as a model village of practicing eco-tourism as Ghandruk, though there are problems of infrastructures, transportation and quality services to be provided to the tourists. Most of the people in the area are economically benefited through expanding ‘homestay’ culture.
If you want to experience Nepali village life and explore culture of Gurungs and other communities, a visit to Ghalegaun and Ghanapokhara will make your trekking pleasant and memorable. Last but not least, other parts of the country should learn from the success stories of community of the northern parts of Lamjung in terms of hospitality and homestay tourism for the betterment of their locality and society.
(The writer is editor of travel news online portal www.travelbiznews.com and former editor-in -chief of Gorkhapatra Daily.)
