Dhanakuta. In the serene hills of eastern Nepal lies a village where travelers are not treated as visitors, but embraced as family. As the first golden rays of the morning sun touch Syaule Sifting in Dhanakuta, the story of the Athpahariya Indigenous community’s pride, hospitality, and heritage begins to unfold.
According to the National Census 2021, the Athpahariya population stands at only 5,878. This marginalized Indigenous group, originating from the region between the Arun and Tamor rivers, has preserved its roots in Dhanakuta. In Ward No. 3 of Dhanakuta Municipality, the community has established the Syaule Sifting Athpahariya Community Homestay, a model of cultural tourism.
The homestay was initiated with support from ICIMOD (Integrated Centre for Mountain Development) and Community Homestay Network (CHN). To enhance hospitality, develop skills, and promote cultural tourism, the Sustainable Tourism for Livelihood Recovery Project (STLRP) run jointly by the Nepal Tourism Board and UNDP has worked in collaboration with Dhanakuta Municipality. Small in number yet rich in cultural heritage, the Athpahariya community has turned the Syaule Sifting Homestay into a rising identity of local tourism.
A Welcome Rooted in Culture
The welcome here is not a routine hotel formality, it’s a cultural embrace. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by local women with vermillion tika, garlands, and warm smiles. A traditional drink of locally harvested honey mixed with water is offered, symbolizing purity, sweetness, and heartfelt connection.
Visitors are then introduced to the community’s history, traditions, and cultural values. Tourism here is not adopted at the cost of identity rather, it is intertwined with preserving Athpahariya customs. What follows is more than a stay; it becomes an immersive journey through nature, agriculture, and tradition.
Where Nature Meets Experience
The first sight that captures every traveler’s attention is the orange orchards. Visitors walk through the fields, engaging with farmers and learning about orange farming, honey production, and seed conservation. The homestay offers far more than accommodation, it allows guests to experience rural livelihood, agricultural practices, and indigenous knowledge firsthand.
Last year, the homestay received 72 tourists, of whom 24 were international visitors, shared Homestay Chairperson Hirabahadur Rai. This year, the number has increased to 82 visitors. With capacity to host 17 guests per night, Syaule Sifting is emerging as a promising model of community-based tourism. Each evening, cultural performances are organized to preserve heritage and pass on traditions to the younger generation.
Seven-Tier Waterfall and Cave: Natural Attractions
A key attraction for visitors is the Seven-Tier Waterfall and Cave, located roughly 1.5 hours from the homestay 15 minutes by vehicle and the rest on foot. The scenic trail leading to the site was developed by STLRP, enabling greater accessibility and adding the area to Nepal’s tourism map.
Preserving a Fading Culture through Tourism
The Athpahariya are among Nepal’s endangered Indigenous communities. They maintain a distinct language, dance, music, and rituals. Modernization has posed threats to cultural continuity, says Hirabahadur Rai.
“We learned these traditions from our ancestors. But if the younger generation gets disconnected in the wave of modernization, our history may disappear. That is why we conduct cultural evenings every night—to teach, preserve, and pass on our heritage,” he shared.
For the community, the homestay is not just an economic venture it is a movement to safeguard identity. Guests are not only surrounded by nature, but also experience a lifestyle rooted in kinship, labor, and cultural pride.
Local youths are actively engaged in tourism management, hospitality, and guiding. However, the community has requested government support to improve road access to enhance visitor experience.
Following an interaction with the homestay team, STLRP Officer Khagendra Khadka remarked,
“Syaule Sifting Community Homestay has redefined cultural tourism in Nepal. When the drums play and the Athpahariya people perform their traditional dances, guests join in. In that shared rhythm, culture, nature, and human warmth merge into an unforgettable experience. This model will not only strengthen the rural economy but also play a crucial role in cultural preservation.”
As long as the Athpahariya community continues nurturing its culture with pride, Syaule Sifting stands as a reminder that Nepal is not just a country to see but a country to feel.
(Photo by : Sikha shrestha)
