Tourists started coming to Lamjung’s Homestays

• Janak Shrestha

Lamjung. Nature and culture are the distinct originality of Lamjung. The picturesque village settlement here attracts everyone. The hospitality of the local residents is equally good beyond descriptions.

The homestays here are the most visited tourist destination of the district, including the Ghalegaon, Kaulepani near Bensishahar Municipality-3, Lamjung Durbar, Rainaskot Municipality-9, Rainascot, Marsyangdi Village Municipality-3, and Siurung.

With the onset of the third wave of Corona infection, the deserted homestay is slowly gaining momentum with the influx of tourists. Homeowners, who have been frustrated by the decrease in income due to the non-arrival of tourists due to the risk of corona infection, are now looking optimistic.

Ganga Bahadur Ghale, housing manager of Ghalegaun, said that they are hopeful that the income will increase and people’s lives will be easier as soon as tourists start coming.  He said, “At this time, about 15/20 tourists have started coming daily.” Another housing operator, Dirgha Ghale, said, “With the arrival of tourists, there has been some income.

Before the first wave of Corona started, more than 500/600 tourists used to come to Ghalegaon daily during the tourist season. Now that the risk of corona infection has decreased and tourists are starting to arrive. The homestay operators expect tourists to come to Ghalegaon at the same rate.

In the past, homestay owners used to earn over Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 per month  The homestay house, which has been in operation since 2057 BS, currently has 37 houses in operation.

For the tourists visiting the house, along with the hospitality, cultural dances including their ethnic identity are also presented. Ghalegaon is located at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, endowed with abundant natural beauty.

From here the tourists can view Manaslu Himal at 8163 m, Ngadichuli (Dr. Hark Himal) at 7835 m, Annapurna Himal (second) at 7935 m, Annapurna Himal (4th), Machhapuchche Himal at 6963 m, Himalchuli at 7,893 m and Himalchuli at 9,863 m and Budva Himal at an altitude of 6672 m.

The government had declared the opening of homestays in the historic village town as the best homestay in Nepal in 2014. The committee has stated that the number of foreign and domestic tourists visiting Kaulepani has been increasing since then.  In 2016, Kaulepani was awarded Rs 10,000 by the Ministry of Food and Quality Control for being clean and non-organic.