Eastern Nepal: Discover Hidden Treasures and Cultural Riches with New Homestay Circuit

Published on July 13, 2025

Nepal, with its renowned trekking trails and bustling hubs of tourist activity, has long been the destination of adventurers seeking to walk the Annapurna Circuit or ascend the peaks of the Himalayas. But the very far east of the country is an until-now-unknown treasure, offering off-the-beaten cultural experience and natural scenery that few have even caught sight of. To fill the void, Nepal’s Community Homestay Network has launched its new 2025 product: Eastern Nepal: The Road Less Taken circuit. 
An eight-day experience, Eastern Nepal: The Road Less Taken circuit is formulated to cover the previously unseen natural beauty of the area and promote sustainable travel and investment in the community it is based in.
A Tour Through Eastern Nepal’s Cultural Riches
The Eastern Nepal: The Road Less Taken tour leads travelers to one of the most photographically attractive yet often under-visited regions in the nation. The first standout location along the tour route is the Janaki Mandir, which is located in Janakpur, and it is of the utmost spiritual significance. This resplendent Mughal-designed temple is the supposed birthplace of the Hindu deity Sita from the Ramayana, and it is one of the most important pilgrimage centers in Nepal. Here, travelers will hopefully enjoy a sublime intersection of jaw-dropping architecture and extreme spiritual reverence, and it is an absolute must-see location along this off-the-beaten-road expedition.

The second point of visit is the Cholung Park, which is inhabited by the Limbus, an ethnic group with an unsoiled culture that has still not been fully explored by travelers. The park is the first and best moment to get in contact with the Limbus, whose culture, way of living, and language is still whole and undamaged. Contact with the locals helps travelers understand the historical heritage of the Limbus and enjoy unique experience that is devoid of the usual attractions.

Moving further on the way, the tourists are able to experience the charming lanes of Dhankuta, the hill station with its streets painted with strong hues of orange representing the region’s heritage of tangerine cultivation. The picturesque town, otherwise overlooked on most sightseers’ agendas, is the finest example of the country’s natural beauty and agrarian significance of Nepal. The vibrant streets, with houses painted shades of the orangish hue, provide the perfect ambience to those desiring to experience the quotidien exposure and savor the citrus produce of the region.

Connecting with Distant Societies via Sustainable Tourism

The Eastern Nepal: The Road Less Taken is special in its community-based style of tourism. By partnering with the host families at the homestays, the Community Homestay Network is building an ethnically dense and environmentally conscientious travel that benefits the visitor and the community in turn. By staying in the homestays, visitors will gain first-hand experience of the hospitality of the Nepalese, as well as directly benefiting the community’s economy and supporting the rural way of life of the area.

While Nepal still adheres to responsible and sustainable methods of tourism, the program enables it to divert from its more busy trekking circuits, such that the distant regions of the country are still able to develop without having to lose their authenticity. And, it is an opportunity to promote the nation’s rural regions, where community-based tourism could provide the economic support that villages off the beaten track need.

Unveiling the Invisible Glow in the Himalayas

Apart from the historical and cultural attractions, traveling to Eastern Nepal is endowed with natural splendor. Eastern Nepal is in the Himalayan foothills and offers stunning vistas of snow-capped peaks, dense forests, and quiet rivers. For the travelers wanting to escape the crowds, Eastern Nepal’s natural environment is the ultimate sanctuary in which nature is seen in its most raw form.
There is plenty of time along the way to spend outdoors, hiking, birding, or simply relaxing along the shores, at one of the community-managed lodges beside the riverside. Along the way, new scenery and new terrain are encountered, which heightens the experience of exploration and adventuring that this trip is all about.

A Novel Means of Transport

The Eastern Nepal: The road less taken circuit is not limited to visit low profile destinations only. It amounts to a re-evaluation of the way we think about travel, an impetus for a smarter and more responsible mode of being in the world. This avenue promotes responsible tourism where there is a homogeneous relationship of mutual benefits between a traveler and the local community. The new approach changes the attitudes of visitors, making them aware of respecting local cultures, stimulating the local economy in stand-alone places and forestalling erosion of nature. The project is a reminder of a more profound connection to the places we travel to and a truly natural experience. It’s more than another tourist type trip, and it fully involves community in all its aspects. It’s not just tourists seeing new things on the program, but engaging in and leaving a positive impact on the communities and the environment we have come to visit.

If you take this route you will see Nepal in a way that combines culture with natural beauty. Whether you’re in awe of the spiritual magnificence of Janaki Mandir, getting lost in the culture of the Limbu people at Cholung Park, or walking the rainbow-colored streets of Dhankuta, Eastern Nepal provides an experience you won’t find anywhere else. It’s a trip that not only gives you memories that last, but leaves you as a responsible traveler, adding value to the region’s sustainability and livelihood.