Most Nepalis still have roots in the countryside. Walking through hill villages on a trek, you see a way of life shaped by terraced fields, seasons and family.
Quick answer: Village days start at dawn: feeding animals, fetching water and firewood, then work in the terraced fields of rice, maize, millet and vegetables. Families share labour at planting and harvest. Many young men and women work abroad, so villages often have more women, children and older people. The best way to experience it is a homestay.
The farming year
- Monsoon (June–August): rice planting in flooded terraces, a festive community event.
- Autumn: harvest, followed by the big festivals of Dashain and Tihar.
- Winter and spring: wheat, barley, mustard and vegetables.
Home and family
Houses are built of stone, mud and timber, often with a courtyard for drying grain. Extended families commonly live together. See family life in Nepal.
Change
Roads, mobile phones, solar power and money sent home by migrant workers are changing villages fast. Tourism, through homestays and teahouses, helps people earn a living without leaving.
Where to experience it
- Ghandruk (Gurung) and Bandipur.
- Tamang Heritage Trail.
- Tharu villages near Chitwan.