Panauti Community Homestay

Overview

Panauti is a Newar town an hour and a half south-east of Kathmandu, at the confluence of two rivers, with brick lanes, courtyard houses and a thirteenth-century temple. It has none of Bhaktapur's coach parties.

The homestay network here is the reason to come. It is owned and run by a group of local women, guests rotate between households so the income is shared, and a portion goes to a fund the members allocate themselves. No operator takes a cut.

What you actually do

Not very much, which is the point. You cook with your host, eat what the family eats, walk the town, and go out to the fields in the morning if the season has work in it.

There is a cooking session — dal bhat, momo, a fresh achar — and a village walk with a local guide. The rest is unstructured.

The temple

Indreshwar Mahadev, traditionally dated to 1294, is a three-tiered pagoda at the Khware, where the Punyamati and Roshi rivers meet. The confluence is considered sacred and draws pilgrims at Makar Sankranti. The carved roof struts are among the finest and least restored in the valley.

Being honest about the rooms

A room in a family home. A bed, a window, shared space. Some houses have Western toilets and hot water; some have neither, and the network tells you which before you arrive rather than after.

If you want a hotel, Dhulikhel is twenty minutes away and has good ones. If you want to stay in someone's house, this is the best-run version of that in Nepal.

Onward on foot

A four-hour walk over the ridge reaches Namo Buddha, one of the three great Buddhist sites in the country, which makes an easy and satisfying third day.

Best season

September to April. Autumn brings Dashain and Tihar, when the town is at its most active and the households at their busiest — ask before booking during Dashain, as many hosts have family staying. The monsoon is green and quiet.