Village Ways: 21 Years of Reviving Himalayan Communities Through Tourism

Village Ways: A Pioneering Tourism Model Breathing New Life into India's Mountain Communities

Over the past 21 years, Village Ways has been at the forefront of low-impact tourism in the remote Himalayan foothills, supporting traditional ways of life while offering visitors a rare glimpse into pristine landscapes and vibrant wildlife. Founded by Manisha and Himanshu Pande, who manage the Khali Estate hotel within the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, this initiative aims to address urban migration by creating sustainable economic opportunities through community-based tourism.

The Colourful Heart of Kathdhara Village

Kathdhara village, home to just 22 families within the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region, is a spectacle of colour and tradition. As evening light casts a rosy Himalayan salt hue across the clouds, bright red chillies dry before cornflower blue doorways, while pink saris and orange marigolds contrast against verdant terraced fields. During Diwali celebrations, fairy lights add sparkle to the scene as villagers tend homes and gardens, welcoming visitors exploring the area on walking holidays with Village Ways.

A Collective Community Effort

Launched in 2005 with only five villages, Village Ways now involves more than 30 communities across India, from Madhya Pradesh to Kerala. The model focuses on collective enterprise, with committees making joint decisions and revenue distributed evenly among all participants, from cleaners to porters. Accommodation typically consists of village-built guesthouses sleeping up to eight people, rather than traditional homestays.

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Preserving Forest and Tradition

Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1988 across 47 square kilometres, protects broadleaf oak forests and wildlife while altering local relationships with the environment by prohibiting tree felling and hunting. Village Ways provided an alternative livelihood, transforming former hunters into guides who share their knowledge of the land and wildlife with visitors. This renewed pride in local customs and traditions has helped sustain village life.

Walking between villages reveals pristine pine, oak, and rhododendron forests—particularly spectacular during March and April blooms. Himalayan oaks play crucial ecological roles in water storage and land stabilisation through their extensive root networks. The sanctuary hosts diverse wildlife, including leopards, porcupines, and over 200 bird species such as crested serpent eagles, leaf warblers, black-headed jays, and noisy parakeets.

Gonap Village and Beyond

Gonap village, with only seven families, welcomes visitors with chai and warm pakora against staggering mountain views where Eurasian griffon vultures soar on thermals. No roads connect the five villages in the Binsar circuit, making walking paths essential for easy exploration. For more challenging hikes, higher-altitude routes in the nearby Saryu and Pindar valleys near the Tibetan border offer additional adventures.

The Historic Khali Estate

The Khali Estate, built 150 years ago by British commissioner General Sir Henry Ramsay, serves as a picturesque base with stone rondavel cabins and cosy sitting rooms featuring roaring fires. Ramsay contributed to local infrastructure development, founded a leper colony in Almora, and regulated tree felling. The estate also served as a retreat for the Nehru family and an ashram for Mahatma Gandhi.

Village Ways recently launched the "Khali in Kumaon" itinerary, incorporating Binsar walks with visits to Nainital hill station, Almora—where a local primary school receives support—and sites related to conservationist Jim Corbett and Gandhi's homespun cotton movement at Anasakti ashram.

Celebrating Impact and Looking Ahead

During anniversary celebrations, villagers from across the region gathered at Khali Estate for talks, feasting, and dancing. The Village Ways charitable trust supports healthcare in remote villages by training local women to run mobile clinics. Since inception, the organisation has hosted 7,000 guests, benefiting approximately 5,000 people from artists to taxi drivers, with 470 villagers directly involved in decision-making through tourism committees across six states.

Despite challenges like ageing village populations and post-Covid declines in international visitors, Village Ways continues expanding its ethos across India. This collaborative tourism model, which treats communities as partners rather than subjects, benefits both locals and travellers, fostering mutual respect and warmth in an increasingly divided world.