Community Homestay Network expands Nepal tours in lesser-visited regions

Community Homestay Network (CHN), a community-led tourism operator in Nepal, has launched two new tours opening up lesser-visited regions of the country for 2026 travel.

The organization reported a 332 per cent increase in traveller numbers for the 2024 calendar year compared to 2022. 

Nepal Tourism Board is reporting a near-full recovery since the pandemic, with international visitor numbers showing a 98 per cent recovery for travel between January and October 2025, compared to the same period in 2019.

The eight-day "Eastern Nepal: The Road Less Taken" trip starts in Kathmandu and travels to Dhankuta, described as the "orange city," for an Indigenous Aathpahariya homestay, local market visits and hikes. 

The trip ends in Janakpur with a hands-on Mithila art session and a visit to Janaki Temple. 

CHN is also offering a "Farm to Table Experience at Kachide" in Dhankuta as a separate bookable day activity.

The nine-day "Live the Tharu Way: Journey through Culture, Wildlife and Rural Life" trip takes travellers to western Nepal, where the communities of Bhada and Bardiya are home to the Indigenous Tharu people. 

The itinerary includes wildlife spotting and homestays with local families. 

Activities include a Jeep safari searching for elephants, rhinoceros and Bengal tigers.

Shiva Dhakal, founder of Community Homestay Network, said community tourism is becoming increasingly significant.

"This style of community-based travel goes well beyond tourism, simultaneously helping to distribute wealth, to empower women and youth, and safeguard Indigenous traditions and cultures," Dhakal said. 

"Our two new itineraries provide a solution for immersive travel in emerging eastern and western Nepal at a time where overtourism is a real concern in many parts of the world. Our homestays and standalone artisan day experiences offer visitors a two-way exchange, building meaningful connections between travellers and local people."

CHN, which was named one of TIME's "World's Greatest Places of 2025," currently offers 50 different experiences. 

Forty communities in 23 destinations operate community homestays, while 10 communities provide cultural experiences led by local artisans.

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