bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Marco Ferrarese

For once, I don’t mind waking up at 4am.
The predawn cold at 3,300 metres is harsh but cannot detract from the spectacle: Nilgiri (7,061 metres), Tukuche (6,920 metres), Annapurna South (7,219 metres), Hiunchuli (6,441 metres) and Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres) – some of Nepal’s, and the world’s, highest mountains, in all their glory.
The first rays of a new sun glow against the tips of that jagged silhouette and the peaks start dripping liquid gold.
Moments later, rays shimmer against the fishtail-like face of the 6,993-metre Machhapuchhre, erasing the geography of stars above as quickly as a rolling shutter rises. My wife and I are the only people watching these petrified gods awake.

I discovered the Mohare Danda lookout, in the Annapurna region of central Nepal, through the Community Homestay Network (CHN), a Kathmandu-based organisation focused on raising the status and income of local women through tourism.
It’s a moderately challenging hike to the dramatic viewpoint. It can be accomplished in three days – plus three more to circle back down to where a road connects to the city and airport of Pokhara.

Few visitors can spare more than a few days for a Himalayan walking adventure and relatively short teahouse treks around the Annapurna region’s Poon Hill have become popular, with road connections and internet coverage improving yearly. So popular, in fact, that Ghorepani, the starting point for a Poon Hill trek, has been transformed from a peaceful lower Himalayan hamlet into a fully fledged traveller village.
“The drawback?” says Ashish Gupta, my guide from Royal Mountain Travel, of which the CHN was a corporate social responsibility project until 2017, when it became an entity in its own right. “Imagine sharing those idyllic mountain views with 500 people every day in high season.
“Promoting Mohare Danda is an effort to counterbalance the increased local dependency on tourism and unequal distribution of its profits in a large region that rarely sees the same amount of tourists headed to Poon Hill,” says Gupta.

Mohare Danda overlooks the same stretch of the Annapurna range and the route to it, through villages and meadows, opened in 2010. Initial efforts to promote the trek were dashed by Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake and Covid-19 further discouraged locals from investing time in appealing to tourists who had yet to return in significant numbers.
The CHN is reviving interest by coordinating the trek with homestays run, for the most part, by local women, rather than with Poon Hill’s more commercialised teahouses. The result is a more intimate trekking experience; one that could bring cash to a part of the Annapurna Conservation Area that has few other means of income.

“Most of the revenue generated from the tourism industry in Nepal has been distributed to highly commercial business owners rather than the communities,” says network founder Shiva Dhakal.
We start our trek in Galeshwor, crossing a hanging bridge slung over the Kali Gandaki River and climbing steeply through forest to the Bas Kharka community homestay (1,522 metres), which opened with the trekking route, in 2010.

Two women of the Magar ethnic group welcome us with tea in their kitchen before showing us to comfortable beds set inside a row of traditional houses made of stone slabs hewn from the mountain. Since receiving guests, they say, they have been able to thrive in their village and improve the facilities of the rooms they offer.
We rise at 5.45am to a glorious view of Dhaulagiri, the seventh tallest peak in the world, and set off soon after.
By 8am, we have climbed to the Kothi Dil viewpoint (2,006 metres), from where it’s an hour downhill to Dandakateri, a village strung out through corn fields on a ridge. Without stopping at the community dining hall, we continue walking to our next overnight stop.
Nangi village (2,660 metres) stands above a long valley. In its community hall, which may have a homely central kitchen-cum-dining hall but, with a dedicated housing block, cannot be considered a homestay, piping hot solar-powered showers soothe aching muscles.
As it’s still early, we explore Nangi and the community paper factory, which has not reopened since closing during the pandemic.

“Locals are discouraged from investing more time into it because there are still very few visitors coming to Mohare Danda, even though we are just one and a half hours away from Poon Hill,” says teacher Toya Pariyar, who helps manage village activities. As he shows us notebooks and thick, fibrous paper sheets made from the Daphne tree, Pariyar explains that these handicrafts used to be sold to trekkers.
“The revenue was invested in education and community development”, he says, adding that he hopes that this October and November (peak tourist season), Nangi will have seen at least a few of the 10,500 visitors Poon Hill saw in the same period last year.
Our third day starts at 5.30am, with clear views of Dhaulagiri. We snake uphill for two hours through an alpine forest alive with the sound of chirping birds until we reach a bump in the mountain and descend onto the Hampal Pass (2,994 metres), a grassy meadow that falls away to a valley.
It takes another couple of hours of huffing and puffing along this trek’s highest crests until we reach Mohare Danda, where the air is thick with fog, hiding whatever views the vantage point may have.

We bed down early in the trekker shelter (which is not part of the CHN network), in a room furnished with little more than two twin beds, thick blankets and a naked light bulb, unaware that the beginning of our fourth day will present one of the most unforgettable mountain views on Earth – that from Mohare Danda lookout.
To say the climb has been worthwhile is an understatement. Dhaulagiri disappears behind the clouds, but we can still see a watchful Annapurna South as we descend to Upper Phulbari village, passing through some of Nepal’s largest and oldest rhodo­dendron forests.
At noon, we reach Shikha village (2,000 metres) and, staying at a teahouse, we feel the difference immediately; the interaction and curiosity one experiences in a homestay are absent in a place accustomed to a constant flow of visitors.
Before retiring to en suite rooms upstairs, guides and trekkers sip their drinks in the spacious main dining hall without much interaction.
The following day, walking past Tatopani and Ghara – villages of narrow alleys and traditional houses made of stone, with flat rock roofs and wooden doors and windows – we descend on a stretch of motorable road, part of the Annapurna Circuit, to the village of Narchyang (1,340 metres), where Annapurna north base camp treks begin.

We settle into the Narchyang Community Homestay, a CHN member and a proper Nepali home – a communal dining room next to a large kitchen; a corridor leading to the rear and the outside toilet passing five rooms able to accommodate 10 people – fronted by a long garden from where we can see a waterfall on the mountains across from us.
Tonight brings us our final battle: learning how to cook the national dish, dal bhat, under the expert supervision of the mother and daughter of the family who own the home, who explain the steps with a smattering of English and hand gestures.
They sit behind me and look bemused at every move this foreigner makes around their stovetop. The final test comes as I serve the hot meal on brass dishes, and mama tucks in.
“Good”, she says, and even if she’s only being kind, it’s a reaction that proves the worth of this novel network of less-trodden trails.


Foreign tourist arrivals to China suddenly surge as visa relaxations fuel travel searches

Why for travellers in Japan’s Hokkaido region ski towns Niseko and Rusutsu still reign

The hottest travel destinations for your holidays in 2025

Malaysian influencer Kim Seri says she’s ready to face jail over South Korea travel fiasco

Asia travel

Nepal trekking – without the crowds but with community spirit

Sunrise views from the 3,300-metre-high Mohare Danda viewpoint. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

A clear view of Dhaulagiri peak from the Mohare Danda lookout at dawn. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

The trek encompasses some of Nepal’s largest and oldest rhododendron forests. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

On the trail’s highest crest towards Mohare Danda. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Descending from Mohare Danda’s lookout through the rhododendron forest towards Phulbari village. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Locals on the Mohare Danda trekking route. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Toya Pariyar displays products inside Nangi’s now closed paper factory. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

A Community Homestay Network property along the Mohare Danda trek. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

A warm Nepali welcome at Narchyang. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Uncovering Hanoi, Vietnam’s rich culture and cuisine

Hanoi, Vietnam’s captivating capital blends ancient history with modern energy. Photo: Getty Images

Hanoi, Vietnam’s Long Bien bridge, over the Hong River, connects the districts of Hoan Kiem and Long Bien. Photo: Shutterstock

A traditional Vietnamese baguette filled with pate, meat and vegetables. Photo: Shutterstock

Pho tai gau is made with thin slices of beef on top of noodles. Photo: Pham Thi Thuy Duong

The Long Bien bridge was built between 1899 and 1902 and has become a symbol of Vietnamese resistance against imperialism. Photo: Thomas Bird

Hoan Kiem Lake is considered to be the soul of the city. Photo: Thomas Bird

The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was built during the Ly Dynasty, in the 11th century, on the foundations of a 7th-century Chinese fortress. Photo: Thomas Bird

Train Street is a popular Hanoi attraction. Photo: Shutterstock

Pham Thi Thuy Duong standing inches away from a train passing along Train Street. Photo: Thomas Bird

How sustainable boutique hotels are revamping the environment and local communities in India

A tiger drinks from a lake at Pench National Park, near Jamtara Wilderness Camp in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Photo: Jamtara Wilderness Camp

Franklin Dolder is a naturalist at Utsav Camp Sariska. Photo: Reem Khokhar

Accommodation at Utsav Camp Sariska is in 12 stone cabins and bungalows. Photo: Utsav Camp Sariska

Sariska Tiger Reserve is reportedly the first reserve in the world with successfully relocated tigers – it also has peacocks. Photo: Reem Khokhar

Nestled in the valley of Sumdoh, formerly a part of the Great Silk Route, the Lungmar Remote Camp is a remote bush camp-style property amid red-hued mountains. Photo: Lungmār Remote Camp

Lungmar Remote Camp is not just a property doing conservation in the area – their goal is to be a model that impacts communities across Central Asia. The snow leopard is found in 12 countries, and in every single one of those places, it faces the same challenges in its conflicts with humans. Photo: Lungmar Remote Camp

The two styles of accommodation at Lungmar Remote Camp include the Predator Suites, which are decorated with woodwork and local mud-plaster, hand-woven Changpa rugs and Silk Road brocades. All suites have windowed views of the surrounding mountains. Photo: Lungmar Remote Camp

Snow leopards are one of the big draws at Lungmar Remote Camp. Photo: Lungmar Remote Camp

Stays at Lungmar Remote Camp fund corrals for local farmers in rural Ladakh, protecting their flocks. Photo: Lungmar Remote Camp

This four-poster bed on a “machan” is part of Jamtara Wilderness Camp’s revenue sharing model that ensures farm owners earn from staying guests and enjoy a diversified income. Photo: Jamtara Wilderness Camp

The Star Bed’s revenue-sharing model, with the farm owner earning from the guests staying here, is not just a way to support the community and help diversify their income, but part of the camp’s efforts to re-establish the 80 acres (32 hectares) of farmland on which the village of Jamtara is located as part of the forest. Photo: Jamtara Wilderness Camp

Inspired by an ancient banyan tree, the community, and the wilderness surrounding the area, Jamtara Wilderness Camp was built to provide an unforgettable experience with sustainability as its cornerstone. Photo: Jamtara Wilderness Camp

The 18 residences at Jim’s Jungle Retreat are inspired by the architectural heritage of jungle lodges and cottages, the furniture designed with local craftsmanship and design. Photo: Jim’s Jungle Retreat

Jim’s Jungle Retreat’s 13-odd acres (5.2 hectares), minuscule in comparison to the nearly 1,300 square kilometres of Jim Corbett National Park, is a testament to rewilding. Photo: Jim’s Jungle Retreat

As part of its awareness and conservation workshops with the local community, Jim’s Jungle Retreat held a session on solid waste management in collaboration with Waste Warriors for Dhela villagers. Photo: Jim’s Jungle Retreat

It’s the yoga capital of India: how Mysore has become a magnet for aspiring yogis

Wei Li on the banks of River Kaveri at Mysore. Photo: Abhishek Chinappa

A yoga session in the grounds of Mysore Palace, Mysore. The southern Indian city has become a magnet for aspiring yogis from across the planet. Photo: Shutterstock

Cairo Murillo (second from left) with friends he made in the city. Photo: Cairo Murillo

Mysore’s yoga tourists are often seen exploring its farmers markets and shops. Photo: Priyamvada Kowshik

Ichitaka Kimura and Sandra Boinon at No Coffee No Prana, in Gokulam. Photo: Priyamvada Kowshik

Murillo and a friend at Depth N Green, in Gokulam. Photo: Priyamvada Kowshik

Murillo (third from left, back) and Kimura (centre, back) with their friends in Hebbal. Photo: Priyamvada Kowshik

Wei Li on the banks of the river Kaveri in Mysore. Wei first visited the city a decade ago. Photo: Abhishek Chinappa

Laid-back Chakra House Cafe is popular with yoga students. Photo: Priyamvada Kowshik

D. Rajesh has been running the Chakra House Cafe since 2002. Photo: Instagram/@chakrahouse_cafe

Why Singapore has devoted decades to naturalising the city – but is it prepared for the changing climate?

Visitors crossing the bridge of the Cloud Forest at the The Gardens by the Bay, a nature park in Singapore. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

A rooster at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a 165-year-old tropical garden and Unesco World Heritage site. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Young Singaporeans enjoying a picnic in Fort Canning Park, a green space in the heart of Singapore and one of the city’s most significant historical landmarks. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Biomimicry designer Anuj Jain. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

The Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, is at Singapore’s Changi airport and surrounded by greenery. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

The chef at the Parkroyal Collection Pickering in the hotel’s rooftop vegetable garden. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Gardens by the Bay is a nature park spanning 105 hectares (260 acres) near Marina Bay Sands, in central Singapore. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Greenery on the 18th floor of the CapitaSpring skyscraper. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

The Orchard Road Butterfly Trail, in Singapore. Photo: Courtesy of Nature Society (Singapore). 

A Singaporean bride seen at the Jurong Lake Gardens. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Trees embrace a public housing building, a legacy of the Singapore government’s Garden City campaign, launched in the 1960s. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Visual artist Robert Zhao Renhui in the woods surrounding the building where he lives with his wife and son. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Forest therapist Khloe Teo embraces one of Singapore’s long-standing trees. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Green on green: Singaporean residents from Myanmar in Fort Canning Park, in the heart of Singapore. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Singaporean residents from Bangladesh sing folk songs inside a wooden hut at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, a nature reserve in northwest Singapore. Photo: Matilde Gattoni

Farmers trade fungi for motorbikes in rural Nepal, but mushrooming road use threatens rural ways

Thanks to the arrival of Chinese motorcycles, locals enjoy newfound mobility around Dolpo, part of the rugged region of Dolpa, the largest, but third-most sparsely peopled of Nepal’s 77 districts. However looming potholes on the road to development include concerns about noise and pollution. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

Riding over the Tarap River in remote Dolpo, northwest Nepal. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

On top of the world between Nepal and Tibet. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

The Dho Tarap Valley in far northwest Nepal. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

A Chinese bike adorned with Tibetan script in Dolpo. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

Dharkey, local resident of Dolpo, on her imported Chinese motorcycle. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

In this isolated region of Nepal, yak herding is still an essential part of life. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

An ancient monastery watches over this most isolated Nepali valley. Photo: Neelima Vallangi

PostMag

Travel

An alternative to Nepal’s Poon Hill, peaceful Mohare Danda has comparable Himalayan views and benefits local women and families


An alternative to Nepal’s Poon Hill, Mohare Danda has comparable Himalayan views, a fraction of the crowds, and benefits local women and families
