Village Ways
India
- Mountains
- Rural
- Culture
- Nature
- Hiking
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Guided treks between community-owned guesthouses across a growing network of Indian villages
Village Ways links a network of village-owned guesthouses across India, starting in the Himalayan foothills in 2005 and now reaching Kerala's southern hills and Madhya Pradesh's forests. Trekkers walk between villages on ancient paths with a local guide, while porters carry luggage, staying each night in a guesthouse built or restored in the traditional style at the heart of the village. Meals are cooked locally.
Each guesthouse is owned and managed by a village committee, and the whole community shares in tourism income. Village Ways trains villagers in guiding, cooking and hospitality, and reinvests in maintaining and improving the guesthouses over time. Guests typically come away having stayed in three or four different villages, each with a distinct landscape and community.
Sustainability
Community & culture
- Village-owned guesthouses, Each guesthouse is owned and managed by a village committee
- Whole-village benefit, Tourism income is shared across the community rather than limited to those directly employed
- Skills training, Villagers are trained in guiding, cooking and hospitality by the company
Commercial
- Established since 2005, Two decades of operation with a growing network of partner villages across India
Sustainable Development Goals
- Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)
- Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
In brief
- Price bracket
- £££
- Type of tour
- Active · Culture
- Tour length
- Up to one week
- Activities
- Hiking, Cultural visit
- Setting
- Mountains · Rural · Jungle or forest
Best time to visit
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
March to June and September to November give the clearest trekking conditions
Kids
Suitable for families able to manage several hours of walking each day
Accessibility
Village paths and mountain trails throughout, not suitable for wheelchair users
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India
Kumaon Himalayas, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh
Guide price · £ <£100 · ££ £100–300 · £££ £300–800 · ££££ £800+ pp / night