After the pandemic brought Village Ways' sustainable adventures in India to an abrupt halt two years ago, the operation is back and stronger than ever in the Himalayan foothills. Their wonderfully low-impact village to village tourism offers a privileged insight into traditional ways of life yet does nothing to displace the traditional agricultural livelihoods of these beautiful mountain communities.

This month (Sept. 2022) in Upper Kumaon, nine remote villages in the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary and the Saryu and Pindar valleys will open their doors once again to Village Ways' international guests and, for the first time, most of the charming village-owned guesthouses in the Binsar Sanctuary have en suite facilities, thanks to a generous donation from a benefactor. The holidays are mostly privately guided walking holidays on which individuals or a small group of friends discover the genuine warm hospitality against the dramatic backdrop of the great peaks, high in the beautiful foothills. However, in October Village Ways offers a group trip, Glittering Diwali (21 – 31 Oct 2022) that will focus on village culture, and next year they introduce the first community-run Birding Festival (25 March – 10 April) in the Binsar Sanctuary, where over 200 species of birds can be seen. 

The social enterprise began 15 years ago, when it became clear that these struggling rural villages in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand State would die from out-migration to the cities, without the introduction of a new income stream. They were fortunate enough to be thrown a lifeline by Village Ways who were formed specifically to provide responsible walking holidays that linked a series of specially created guesthouses, almost mini-hotels in each of the villages.  These traditional buildings, now with new en suite facilities, were converted into inspiring guest accommodation in which travellers are hosted by a trained village team. They provide delicious vegetarian food, plenty of comfort and a taste of authentic rural life like no other. Uniquely, the local communities are required to embrace their own tourism enterprise: committees are established locally and the income that is generated is shared among the whole community. The holidays are truly a force for positive change.

Manisha Pande, co-founder and Managing Director of Village Ways, had a burning desire to help the local hill communities. Over the years she has become a leading commentator on responsible tourism in India. Commenting on the Village Ways model, Manisha says, “Our partner villages were chosen not just for their inherent beauty but also for the need of the village communities to embrace their own tourism enterprise. Working in partnership with the villagers, we have encouraged low-impact tourism that runs alongside, but does not displace, traditional livelihoods. So the farmers keep farming and do not abandon it to devote themselves to tourism. It can be a delicate balancing act, but we have worked hard to get it right. The result is a privileged and rewarding experience for guests and a sustaining, secondary income for the community.”

There are seven different itineraries in the Himalayas, with further holidays in Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan set to re-open later in the season. All the Himalayan itineraries include a 3-night stay at the Khali Estate, a renowned mountain hotel that is steeped in the history of modern India.

SAMPLE HOLIDAY

Ramsay's Ramble

Village Ways' original walking holiday in the Himalayas is a gentle way to discover the majesty of the Binsar region, with its beautiful forest walks, mountain vistas and abundant wildlife – the valleys are alive with bird song. Guests stay six nights in four of the Binsar villages (Dalar, Risal, Kathdhara, Gonap and Satri), walking between them in the footsteps of Sir Henry Ramsay, a British general in the Indian Army. He served in the 19th century as Commissioner of this historic region of Kumaon, and built the Khali Estate. There are opportunities for visitors to discover the local farming methods and help with the harvest if they wish. Guests enjoy locally-sourced food and can pick up some cooking tips, join in with a game of cricket or relax on the terrace as village life unfolds. 

Price: 11-night Ramsay's Ramble holiday with Village Ways (villageways.com) costs from £998pp in a party of 4-6, or £1,320pp in group of 2-3 people including an overnight in a B&B in Delhi, full board in the Khali Estate (3n) and in the villages (6n in 4 villages), guide and porter services, picnic lunches, all internal travel within India, 1 overnight train journey, and GST tax. Flights to Delhi extra.

For further information contact Village Ways (01223 750049, villageways.com). 

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