Budget Homestay village · Ghandruk
Ghandruk Gurung homestays
Stay in a Gurung family house in Ghandruk rather than a lodge. Rooms are simple and often share a bathroom, but you eat home-cooked dal bhat with the family and wake to Annapurna South over the rooftops. Money stays with village households.
Photo: Bijaya2043 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsGhandruk has a long-running community homestay arrangement in which families in the older part of the village open a room or two to visitors. Houses are built of stone with slate roofs, and rooms are plain: two beds with thick quilts, a window and sometimes an attached bathroom. Hot water usually comes from solar panels or gas, and is best in the afternoon.
Meals are the point. Families cook dal bhat with garden vegetables, greens and pickles, sometimes millet bread or buckwheat pancakes, and you often eat in the kitchen beside the stove. Book through your trekking guide or the village homestay counter; do not expect online booking. Tell the family in advance about food needs.
Why we use it
- Eat home-cooked Gurung food with the family
- Income goes directly to village households
- Annapurna South views from the older village
Best for
The photo shows Ghandruk, not the property itself.
Trips that stay here
Sleep here on a trip
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Pokhara, Poon Hill and Ghandruk on a budget
Tourist bus and shared jeep; three days on foot
Around the stay
Ghandruk
Ghandruk is a large Gurung village at about 2,000 m, 32 km north-west of Pokhara, with Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machapuchare filling the skyline. Reach it by jeep and short walk, or as part of the Poon Hill loop. It needs an ACAP permit and, under current rules, a licensed guide.
Photo: Bijaya2043 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Ghandruk's stone lanes and Gurung museum
A slow walk through Ghandruk's flagstone lanes, past slate-roofed houses and terraces, with a stop at the Gurung museum…
Photo: Thapaliyashreeram · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Poon Hill dawn on the Ghandruk loop
The classic short trek of Nepal: up through Ulleri to Ghorepani, sunrise from Poon Hill at 3,210 m, then across foreste…
Photo: SPakhrin · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Dinner and a night in a Gurung homestay
Stay with a Gurung family in Ghandruk's homestay programme, eat dal bhat with seasonal vegetables and pickles cooked on…
Questions
About Ghandruk Gurung homestays
How do I book a Ghandruk homestay?
Through your trekking agency or guide, or in person at the village homestay counter. Payment is usually in cash.
Are homestays in Ghandruk clean and safe?
Rooms are simple but generally clean. Families are used to guests. Keep valuables with you, as you would anywhere.
Is a homestay cheaper than a lodge in Ghandruk?
Prices are similar once meals are included. The difference is the experience of eating and staying with a family.
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