Far from the Himalayas and tourist-filled Kathmandu, Nepal’s Terai lowlands offer a very different experience — one rooted in wildlife, community and deep cultural tradition. Home to the Tharu people, this southern region near the Indian border is rich with national parks, farmland and Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Here, tourism is more personal, thanks to a growing homestay network run largely by local women.
In the village of Bhada, travellers can live with Tharu families through the Community Homestay Network, learning to cook traditional meals, share celebrations and immerse themselves in daily life. During one such stay, guests helped prepare spicy starfruit pickle and later joined the Auli harvest festival, where villagers erected a garlanded bamboo structure and celebrated with food, music and dancing to madal drums. Central to the ritual is the eating of roasted rice-field rat — a symbolic offering to protect future crops.
Hospitality is central to Tharu culture, expressed in the saying Atithi devo bhava — “the guest is god”. Visitors are welcomed like family, sharing local drinks such as chhyang and taking part in sacred rituals alongside priests and neighbours. With more travellers arriving each year, the homestays are helping preserve traditions while providing income and visibility for remote communities.
In a country famous for towering peaks, the Terai shows Nepal’s warmth at ground level — intimate, welcoming and alive with culture few tourists ever see.
