Nepal is mainly a rural society, its rich culture and ethnic diversity are best experienced in the villages. A number of programmes enable visitors to stay overnight in private homes in traditional villages far from the tourist trails. Village stays offer a unique opportunity to get close to the people and the Nepali culture.

Rooms in local houses have been fitted with bathrooms and a few tourist-style comforts, host families are trained to prepare meals hygienically and a guide accompanies the guests to interpret. Participating villages tend to be located a couple of hours’ walk from the nearest road – close enough to be easily accessible, yet far enough to be culturally intact and shielded from outside influences.

Village tourism differs from trekking in a couple of important ways. Firstly, although some walking is involved and a trekking permit may even be required, exercise is secondary to the cultural experience, cross-cultural exchange being the main focus. Tourism and its economic benefits are far too concentrated in a few areas of Nepal, village tourism is seen as a way to disperse visitors and spread the wealth. Under responsible programmes local people get to keep over 50 percent of the profit made by the tour operator which in village terms is substantial. The money is then spent by the village on improvements.i.e a new drinking water project or school .

If you’re considering a village stay, it is important to question prospective operators closely about where the money is going, check also with the village. Get rich-quick operators can be expected to dive in with cut-price packages that give locals a much smaller portion of the profit.

If you are an individual or couple you should contact the companies well in advance and adjust your schedule to coordinate with already scheduled departures.

In Kathmandu
A few language institutes and other organisations in Kathmandu also organise informal home stays with individual families in and around the valley. Most of these are intended specifically to provide Nepali language proficiency, there is at least one programme set up for tourists just wanting to spend a weekend with a Nepali family.

Clothing and the body In Nepal :
Outside of the main tourist areas where Nepali’s have become accustomed to western styles of dress, the Nepalese are still typically conservative in their attitudes to clothing. Women should dress modestly with legs and shoulders covered, especially in temples and monasteries. A dress or skirt that hangs to mid-calf level is best, trousers are acceptable. A man should always wear a shirt in public and long trousers if possible.

Nudity is a sensitive issue, only women with babies or small children bare their breasts while feeding milk to their babies. When Nepali men bathe in public, they do it in their underwear, women bathe fully clothed.

Other conventions that pertain to the body. The forehead is regarded as the most sacred part of the body and the feet the most unclean. It’s not polite to touch an adult Nepali’s head, it’s an insult to touch someone with your foot. Don’t put your feet on chairs or tables when sitting and try not to point the soles of your feet at anyone. It’s bad manners to step over the legs of someone seated in a crowded place, Nepali’s will wait for you to draw in your feet so they can pass.

Nepalese views on displays of affection are the opposite of what most westeners are used to. It’s considered acceptable for friends of the same sex to hold hands or put their arms around each other in public but not for lovers of the opposite sex. Couples shouldn’t hug or kiss in public, nor in front of a Nepali host. Don’t shake hands with a Nepali woman as this form of contact is not traditional and acceptable.

Temples and Homes in Nepal :
Major Hindu temples or their inner sanctums are usually off-limits to non-believers, who are technically outcastes. Religion remains the best way of keeping a part of the Nepali culture sacred in a country where nearly everything is open to inspection and influence by outsiders. Where you are allowed in a temple etc, be respectful, take your shoes off before entering, don’t take photos unless you’ve been given permission and leave a few rupees in the donation box. Leather is usually not allowed in temple areas.

Don’t touch offerings, nor people when they’re on their way to shrines or are in the process of worshipping. A pedestal supporting the deity’s image usually marks the front of a shrine, and /or a lotus-carved stone set in the ground defines the territory of the shrine, where it’s particularly important to be respectful.

Similar sensitivity is due at Buddhist temples and monasteries. If you’re granted a meeting with a lama, it’s traditional to present him with a Khada (a ceremonial white scarf, usually sold nearby). Walk around Buddhist Stupas and monuments clockwise – that is, to keep the monument on your right.

If invited for a meal in a private home, bring an appropriate gift such as fruit. Take your shoes off when entering, or follow the example of your host. When the food is served, you’ll be expected to serve yourself first so you won’t be able to follow your host’s lead. Don’t take more than you can eat – it is polite to ask for second serving. The meal is typically served at the end of a gathering when conversation has been expended or business has been achieved, soon after the meal most people leave.

Ecotourism Traveller’s code:
These tips come courtesy of the Nepal Tourist Watch Centre, an organisation established to preserve Nepal’s heritage and environment through responsible tourism.

Privacy
Nepalese people do not have the same concept of privacy that westerners do. Nepali families are large and close-knit and houses are small. Nepalese people grow up constantly surrounded by other people, they like to be with other people and they will assume you do too.

Moreover, as a foreigner you will be an object of great curiosity, people may stare or even talk about you (in Nepali) among themselves.

Nepalese people are extremely friendly and often befriend you. They may want to exchange addresses and ask you to make true promises that you will write them a post card or letter. Sometimes they will ask you to help them to travel to your country, assuming you to be wealthy with enough to pay their airfare and powerful enough to provide them with a visa. In these situations it is important to be direct and explain the reality if possible.

Other things
Try to convey an accurate impression of your home country – both its good and bad points – play down materialistic standards of success,try not to flaunt technology and fashions which they cannot afford. Nepali society makes up by the richness in the traditions of family and community,so often mislaid in the west. There are major problems with refuse, especially in the larger cities. Nepal has had to deal with a sudden explosion of western bi-products, plastic in particular and does not have the infrastructure to fully deal with the problem. People are mostly unaware of good environmental habits , nany are likely to dispose of litter on the streets.
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Finally, be patient. Nepal is a developing country, things don’t always work or start on time. It’s unrealistic to expect to be like they are at home, you can’t change Nepal, and even if you could, it is not yours to change. Many things in Nepal are slow, inefficient or downright crazy, that’s just the way things are. Taking the attitude that “somebody’s got to teach them a lesson” or “if nobody complains it’ll never change” (real-life dialogue overheard in Kathmandu) will only make you and everyone around you miserable. Go with the flow, its Nepal you’ve come to experience – let it be Nepal, it is changing, but in its time.