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What is the eco
village?
The eco village concept
is to provide travelers with a traditional Nepali village experience,
with an ecological base, yet providing some home comforts.
“Eco village – Astam” is
composed of several cottages made of split stone with slate roof. Each
room is spacious, has an attached bathroom with western toilet and
comfortable beds. The cottages are set amongst an eco-farm within a
traditional Nepali village. The backdrop is the majestic Annapurna
range. Fishtail mountain looms in all its glory!
Some cooking is done on
bio-gas in order to reduce the traveler’s impact on the local
environment
When I’m at the eco
village?
Stumble a few paces from
your cosy bed & take in the serenity of a sunrise reflected in the
Annapurna range – 360 degree view! A cup of tea will arrive, almost by
magic to help you greet the dawn.
Enjoy a leisurely
breakfast with most produce coming from the eco- village or sourced
locally. What do I fancy today? Banana pancakes? Omlette? Hash browns?
Veg rosti?
At night, gather around
the fire pit and enjoy a delicious meal. Whats up tonight? Pizza?
Spring rolls? Pasta? Chow mein? Dal Bhat? Momos? BBQ?
Suggested
itinerary (This can be tailor made to suit
your needs)
Day 1
Arrive at the eco
village, settle in & simply relax in preparation for the sunset.
Day 2
Village walk in the
morning. Local school visit in the afternoon. Stay as long as you like
& perhaps read some English to the eager school children.
Day 3
Visit the medical
clinic. A pleasant 1 hour walk through the village.
Day 4
Walk to lower Astam
school
Day 5
Bird watching (two hours
walk through jungle)
Day 6,
Walk to the river & go
for a swim or fish
Day 7,8…
Enjoy a rest day or even
help Shiva (owner) chase the chickens out of the organic vegetable
garden!
Learn how to:
Weave bamboo baskets (doki)
Make flour from local
seeds
Milk cow
Nepali cooking class
Want more action?
You can trek to Armala
and Lowing Ghalel (Gurung villages) from the eco-village. This takes
about 5 hours & you can stay overnight with a Nepalise family. Visit
the tea gardens whilst you are there. Return to Astam or direct to
Pokhara.
Start or finish your
trek to Annapurna Base Camp or Poon hill from the
eco-village.
Talk to the lads about
the newly opened Mardi Himal trek
How do I get there?
Astam eco-village is
easily reached by road and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. However,
it is more enjoyable to walk from the highway.
Option 1
(easiest): Drive to Astam (75 minutes)
Option 2
(medium): Drive to Hemja (40 minutes) & then
walk to the eco-village via the mountain track (2 hours). (Why not
take your time and ask the lads to organize morning or afternoon tea
on the way?)
When you stay or trek
with us you can be confident that your impact on the environment will
me minimized and you will be supporting:
Upper and Lower Astam
schools
Local environmental
projects (Bi-gas, and recycling)
Astam medical clinic |
