Seven homestays comprise the Nuwakot Community Homestay, in the village of Belkot. This is quite a poor village, even by Nepali standards, so the lifestyle is simple here. The accommodation is also simple, but adequate to meet your needs. Clean linen will be provided for the beds.
As at all Community Homestays in Nepal that are part of this project, you’ll have a private room that’s in close proximity to your host family. So, you can enjoy private time when you feel like it, but also socialise with your hosts when you want.
Bathrooms are located outside, detached from the main house, as is common in rural Nepal. Toilets are squat-style. Toilet paper will be provided.
Your stay includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the homestay. Authentic Nepali food as it is prepared in rural areas is filling and nutritious, usually made with fresh and locally grown ingredients. While Nepali dal bhat is famous and you’ll get many chances to eat it during your travels in Nepal, it’s always interesting to see the regional variations. Your hosts in Belkot will prepare the meal with local touches, depending on what’s in season and available.
About Belkot, Nuwakot
‘Nuwakot’ actually means ‘nine forts’, and Belkot is one of those nine that once stood around the Nuwakot area. Nuwakot district is a culturally and historically rich area, as well as being naturally attractive. There’s lots to see and do here.
In Belkot itself, a highlight is watching your hosts and the other villagers at work on their farms. The village is surrounded by terraced farmland, which is dazzlingly green after the rains. A walk with your hosts around the community is included in your stay package. If you happen to be in town during the right season (early monsoon), you can even help plant rice.
Belkot is a poor village that suffered a lot of damage from natural disasters. If you’re interested in volunteering at the local high school, your generous donation of time would be greatly appreciated. Volunteering allows you to stay in the village a bit longer and become more intimately acquainted with Nepali village life. Even if you can’t volunteer, you’re welcome to visit the school.
The nearby town of Nuwakot also shouldn’t be missed. The 18th-century palace is a fine example of the architecture of the era, with finely carved windows and door frames set into the brick building. There are also beautiful temples nearby.
Climate and Weather
Belkot is at an altitude of about 1000 metres, which is several hundred metres lower than Kathmandu. That means its climate is hotter than Kathmandu’s. The warmer months (April-October) can get very hot, with highs around 31° C. Winters are cooler but generally sunny, with highs around 20° C.
Best Time to Visit
Nuwakot can be visited year-round, although the roads getting there can become difficult to traverse during the monsoon season (June-September). If you do come earlier in the monsoon though, rice-planting time is a good season to visit because you can join in. Otherwise, October to May is the best time to visit, as the weather is generally clear.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Nuwakot: Ancient capital city of the Kathmandu Valley
Voluntarism in Nepal from Melbourne University with Royal Mountain Travel
Exchanging Culture for a Concrete Future
Project Nepal: Volunteering in Nepal Post Earthquake
