Our Core Benefits and Values; Responsible Tourism
We at Royal Mountain Travel have experienced the recent change in trends in Nepalese tourism. There have been drastic changes in the concepts, definitions, scopes and objectives of tourism in Nepal during these years. Thanks to globalization and modern technologies, these have played a vital role to drag the primitive and narrow concept of tourism into much wider realms.
The scope of tourism, at present, has successfully extended its reach. In our opinion, today’s tourism entrepreneurs must promote the products that largely involve the participation of local communities. In other words Responsible Tourism must be kept as an uppermost core value.
As the Chinese Philosopher Lao-Tzu said “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. We at Royal Mountain Travel have already started to introduce these local products and initiatives to our valued customers.
Homestays in Panauti are a good example of how we are working with the women in the community to provide good quality accommodation in family homes. Staying with the family, guests can get an insight into the typical life of people in Nepal as well as seeing the sights of this impressive little historic town. A perfect example of responsible tourism
We seek to offer visitors something a little different. Whether this is staying in historic areas of the city or in a monastery, guests are encouraged to experience a little of the ‘real’ Nepal.
In addition to promoting responsible tourism, we are also very actively involved in charities that help in a number of projects such as managing Kiran Namaste, a Dutch charity that is helping women and children in Kathmandu.
We are also supporting Rural Assistance Nepal (RAN), a UK registered charity that works with a number of schools and a hospital in rural Nepal. Last but not the least we are supporting teachers, have built classrooms and have provided computers for schools and we try to encourage their associates to help where they can.
In the Land and Homes of the Tharus
Home stay programs in Nepal are a relatively new phenomenon that has become quite a rage today. Actually, it is the offshoot of the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) campaign that can be credited for its rapid growth and popularity.
Universally, in the hospitality sector, home stays are considered to be an excellent way of providing tourists with the opportunity of getting a better local experience and learning firsthand about indigenous culture and lifestyle.
Now, talking about Chitwan specifically, it is one of the most interesting districts in Nepal because the Chitwan National Park, a world heritage site, and one that shelters endangered animals like the one-horned rhino, the royal Bengal tiger, and the gharial, is located here. A home stay with a Tharu family, the indigenous people of Chitwan, is not only the quickest way to know the idiosyncrasies of the area, but the planned daily cultural activities along with a knowledgeable guide (the home stay owner) is a real clincher when it comes to choosing between a resort and a home stay when in Chitwan.
Now, if you are planning a trip to Chitwan, you would be wise to make use of a homestay program which is certain to make your visit all the more memorable, and allow you to experience Tharu culture and lifestyle more intimately. Home stays are available at many of the adjoining villages around the park, such as Patihani, Ganganagar, Patala Hara, Pakadi, etc. You get to live in a traditional Tharu house with this family and partake of food that they eat themselves on a daily basis. You get to intermingle with more villagers and find people opening their doors for you.
Kiran Namaste
Since May 2004, Kiran Namaste Foundation is committed to make single mothers self-reliant and their orphan children educated. As our commitment each year Kiran Namaste has been enrolling new members (single mothers with their children) in the team. Kiran Namaste visits different parts of Nepal to find the most needy mothers. As a result of their enrollment and further activities many women who had been enrolled in Kiran Namaste have now an independent life and working in tailoring, making shoes, handicrafts, restaurant business. The Royal Mountain Travel managing director is Chairman and the company provides the funds for the education of these children.
