Ghalegaun

Ghalegaun sits at around 2,100 metres on a shoulder facing the Annapurna range, and it was among the first villages in Nepal to organise homestay tourism collectively: guests are allocated to households by a village committee on a rotation so the income spreads, and the arrangement has been widely copied. The village is Gurung, the community that supplied many of the Gurkha regiments, and the stay includes food cooked by the family, cultural performances of Gurung dance, and walks to viewpoints, tea gardens and neighbouring villages. The mountain view from the village is direct: Annapurna II and IV, Lamjung Himal and Machhapuchhre along the northern skyline.

What's there

• The mountain skyline - Annapurna and Lamjung Himal directly north.
• Community homestays - rotation allocation through the village committee.
• Gurung culture - food, dance and household life in the stay.
• Ridge walks - paths to viewpoints and neighbouring villages.

When to go

October to April for clear mountains; October and November are best. Spring brings rhododendrons on the ridges. Monsoon closes the views and makes the road difficult.

What to expect

Homestays are family houses with simple facilities, shared bathrooms and set meals. Cultural performances are arranged for guests and can feel staged. The jeep road up is rough and the journey from Pokhara takes most of a day. Booking goes through the committee.

Nearby

Besisahar lies below; the Annapurna circuit starts from there.

Key facts