travel
March 12, 2026
It Takes a Village
Over the past 21 years, Village Ways has been leading low-impact tours of remote communities in the foothills of the Himalayas, supporting traditional ways of life and offering a rare glimpse of pristine landscapes and wildlife
TL;DR
- Village Ways is a pioneer of responsible, community-based tourism in India, celebrating 21 years of operation.
- The initiative aims to combat urban migration and support traditional rural life through low-impact tourism.
- Accommodation is primarily in village-built guesthouses, with profits distributed evenly among community members.
- The program transforms former hunters into guides, preserving local knowledge and fostering pride in traditions.
- Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the tours, protects diverse flora and fauna, including over 200 bird species.
- Village Ways also supports healthcare through a charitable trust, training local women to run mobile clinics.
- The organization has hosted 7,000 guests, benefiting approximately 5,000 people and involving 470 villagers in decision-making committees.
- Challenges like declining international visitor numbers persist, but Village Ways remains committed to its collaborative and non-exploitative tourism model.
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