Rustic Village Homestay 3
This tribal village is inhabited by the Mahadeo Koli tribe. Traditional hunter gatherers for generations; these villagers are warm, simple and full of wonder. Your holiday in this village is a curated experience of culture, nature and brilliant untouched landscapes.
Savour the rural life while trying your hands at various household chores and seasonal farm activities. Engage with the villagers to take a sneak peak into their minds, dreams and aspirations. Enjoy a trek to the Harishchandragad Fort to experience a piece of the Indian history and mythology.
Engage in a true cultural immersion and see the rural magic come alive and embrace you with colours that one is sure to cherish for a long time. Not only this, this trip also enables a glimpse of the rural economies and education system. All-in-all, a trip designed to bring you close to nature and discover the authentic rural India.
Daily Plan
In the spirit of relishing the village peace and calm, the schedule is not strictly time bound. However, below is an outline of the plan.
It is suggested to arrive on a Friday.
Day 1
7:00 am Leave from Mumbai
12:30 am Arrival and traditional welcome
1:30 pm Traditional lunch prepared by a local family who will host you at their home.
4:30 pm Black tea (infused with lemongrass) and biscuits will be served at the campsite
5:00 pm Small hike up to the Sunset Point. This is an easy to medium level hike that will take about 3 hours. The sunset view from the top is serene.
8:00 pm Dinner will be served by a local family who will host you at their home.
9:00 pm A campfire can be arranged for you at night. Should you want to call it a day right after dinner, please inform your guide.
Day 2
6:30 am Start your day early, go for a morning stroll to the lake.
7:30 am Black Tea (infused with lemongrass) and biscuits will be served at the campsite.
8:00 am Breakfast at a village house.
9:00 am onwards,
Today you will participate in various activities that are a part of the day-to-day rural life. Some of the activities are as follows –
- Work at a farm: Based on the season, participate in the work that’s happening on the farm- transplant paddy in monsoons, harvest in winters etc.
- Work with the cattle: Indian farmers regard their cattle the status of God. You can feed the cattle, bathe them and join them for a walk. Witness the lovely friendship between man and animal. Usually, the kids take the cattle for grazing and you can accompany them on this journey.
- Fill water pots: 24 hours flowing water supply isn’t available in the village. So, women and children, walk to the nearby fresh water storage tank or hand pump and fill their matkas (earthen pots) and bring it back to the house where water is stored in smaller tanks for cooking, daily chores, bathing, washing etc.
- Cow-dung Flooring: Villages across India use cow-dung as a natural cleaning and disinfecting agent. They coat their walls and floor with cow-dung. This acts as an insulator and keeps houses cool and clean. The disinfecting properties of cow-dung also keep various infections away. You are welcome to try out this unique activity.(not carried out during monsoons).
- Spend some time playing village games with some excited bunch of kids, interact with locals and try a hand at drawing Rangoli or learn how to drape a ‘Nauvari saari’ (Nine yards of elegance) from our village women.
- Cooking: People in the villages put in a lot of love and hard-work in their food. Starting from tilling their land, to growing the crop, harvesting it and then processing the grains with traditional methods and cooking for their families. People in this village primarily grow rice. Women start their day early and take out the grains, de-husk it, pound it and grind it using age old traditional tools and then
use the flour to make bhakri (an Indian rice bread cooked on open fire). You get to participate in all of these activities. Also, don’t forget to try your wood chopping skills. Most houses still use firewood to cook their food.
Following are the timings for various meals during the day –
1:30 pm Lunch
4:30 pm Tea and Snacks
7:30 pm Dinner
After dinner, don’t forget to lie down and gaze at the sky. Due to lack of ambient light, the stars look mesmerizing.
Also, during the monsoon months, take a small walk around the village after dinner, to enjoy the magical dance by a million fireflies.
Day 3
A day trek to the historical Harishchandragad Fort.
It is suggested that you start early by about 6 am. A local jeep will take you to the starting point which is an hour away; accompanied by your guide all through. This is a medium-level trek and will take about 6 hours to complete. There is an ancient Lord Shiva temple inside this Fort. There is also a Shiva Lingam cave. Legend has it that whether a person is tall or short, if you walk through this cave, the water will only touch your waist. On your way up, do checkout the beautiful view of Konkan Kada at Harishchandragad. On a clear day, you can see the Konkan coast from here. Also, since the wind force is crazy around this area, if you throw water down from this scarp, it tends to fly upwards. It’s quite amusing.
Don’t forget to carry water and some snacks on the trek. You should be back to the village by lunch time.
Take it easy in the evening, relax, swim and spend time playing some local games with the kids at the village.
Day 4
Visit to the local Weekly Village market (only every Monday) and school.
9:30 am Local weekly markets are held at a nearby town every Monday. Make sure to include a Monday in your trip. By the virtue of plenty of vibrant colours and diversity, village markets provide brilliant photo opportunities. Not only this, you can also interact with local sellers, understand their ingredient story and all about organic farming.
11:00 am Visit the local village school. Interact with the teachers and students to take a sneak peak into the aspirations of young minds of rural India.
12:00 noon Relax or take a dip in the river.
1:00 pm Lunch hosted by a local family.
2:00 pm Head back to Mumbai.
Accommodation
A choice of accommodation can be selected between the double or 4-occupancy camping tents or a village homestay for those who wish to have a closer experience of the village life.
The village homes are basic and rustic where mattresses are laid out on the floor. Your stay may be arranged in a separate room within the household. Fresh and clean mattresses, bedsheet, pillows and blankets are provided for the guests in either choice of accommodation. Western washrooms have been especially built for the guests at the campsite or outside the house. Please bring your own toiletries, soap, sanitizer, paper towels, toilet paper and footwear suitable for a rough terrain.
Consumption of alcohol, drugs or smoking is strictly prohibited anywhere within the village or campsites.
Food
When you are at the village, your vegetarian meals are freshly cooked and served by a local family who will host you in their house for meals. The village houses are simple, basic and rustic tribal homes. Customized menu options are not available. Traditionally, people sit on the floor or at the verandah and enjoy their meals.
Tea served here is traditionally black tea infused with lemongrass. Milk is not available for consumption here due to a cultural belief that the cow’s milk is meant for the calf only. If you need milk in your tea, it is suggested to bring your milk or milk powder or cream or coffee sachets alongwith as per your preference.
It is recommended to carry along your bottled drinking water for the stay as the village is far away from the main city shops.
Things To Note
This is an empowerment project. Your trip is providing livelihoods to the community. From stay to guides, to food and overall functioning of the project is run and managed solely by the local communities. The community is your host. Kindly treat them with respect. Please avoid asking them to carry your luggage, look after your children or run errands for you or your family/ friends. We also kindly request you to not give any tips or gifts to the villagers. The communities respectfully earn their livelihood through hard work. This is not an occasion for charity.
Package Details
Package Name: Rustic Village Homestay 3
Duration: 3 nights, 4 days
Total Cost: EUR 1370/- per person, all inclusive.
This price includes:
- Local transport to and from Mumbai
- Accommodation: camping tent or homestay
- All meals listed in the program
- All activities listed in the program
- English-speaking Guide to accompany all through
This price does not include any flights, visa, local purchases, food, travel or any additional activities that are not already listed in the program. Please read our T&C document carefully regarding our no cancellation, no rescheduling and no refund policy.
By making a booking, you agree to the terms and conditions laid down by the organizer, Holiday In India.
Testimonials
Anna
What an eye opening experience! I had the most incredible experience in this village with the warm hospitality of the villagers. I loved our long talks, the walks around the village, the trek to the fort, the simple food and basic homes. The village experience is something that I will carry with me forever, everywhere I go. I saw happiness where I thought there would be helplessness. I carry so much respect for the indigenous tribes here because of their ability to co exist in such a diverse plethora of communities, different religions and habits, and yet stand united. I feel 10x more enlightened.
Experience nature at its best with a perfect example of sustainable ecotourism. Truly a beautiful rustic experience. Booking our trip with Holiday in India was seamless and the team on ground was very helpful. The place is beautiful and makes you forget city life completely. It has many natural resources to boast of such as a river and quite a few lakes. Would encourage anyone looking for a break to definitely go to this place. If you are planning to travel in winter make sure that you carry enough woolen clothing with you.
James
Monica
We wanted a break from all the chaos of city and this is the perfect destination. Calm and silent place. Food is pure and healthy. Living in tents was an awesome experience. We went during the monsoon, so the best part of the trip was literally a million fireflies. We helped the villagers in their chores, tried our hands at the farm activities. We need to support these kind of initiatives more. Definitely recommend this experience to all.
F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Choose a package and write to us with your details. We will get in touch with you.
2. Make 100% advance payment to confirm your booking.
3. Leave the hassle of planning, scheduling and multiple bookings as per your chosen package, in our able hands.
4. Sit back and enjoy the experience of a lifetime!
By making a booking, you agree to the terms and conditions laid down by the organizer, Holiday In India.
The trip is available all year round. However, the village dresses up differently in different seasons and the farming activities differ depending on the time of the year viz. sowing or harvesting etc. The fireflies can be spotted around the onset of monsoons i.e. between April to June every year. June to September is the monsoon season, October to February is Winter and March to May is the Summer season. Remember to check the temperatures before you travel and pack your clothes accordingly for the respective time of the year.
It is recommended to make your booking/s at least 3 months in advance in order to ensure a spot at the program of your choice.
Once a booking is made and confirmed by us, it cannot be cancelled or rescheduled for whatsoever reasons. Please be sure of your travel plan, dates and package before making the booking/s with us.
All payments are made through a secure payment link that will be shared with you via e-mail during our booking correspondence. A booking will be confirmed only after the 100% amount is received in our account.
The prices mentioned are all inclusive for the respective package/s viz. choice of wellness program, accommodation, meals for the duration of the scheduled stay, airport transfers, and activities mentioned in the daily schedule. There are no hidden costs.
However, should you undertake additional local outings (that are not already mentioned as part of the planned program) or purchases or decide to enroll in any additional program/s directly at the venue or decide to extend your stay – in such scenarios, you will need to bear all additional expenses at actuals; payable directly at the venue.