Homestay in Bhutan
We are all about getting under the surface of a country. What better way than to stay in a local's home?
Staying with a family in a traditional farmhouse is the perfect way to get under the surface of this amazing country. A rustic experience with basic facilities and local, fresh, organic food prepared by your hosts, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Bhutanese way of life: a true cultural exchange.
Whilst staying there, you might help mother make momos (steamed dumplings) while grandma pours the po cha (butter tea) into your cup. Then sit together with the whole family on the floor circling the stove in the main room. Be sure to give baby a tickle and watch out for the kitten who might just be lurking up on a shelf ready to pounce. Homemade Bhutanese food will be served which will have been made with the freshest ingredients, usually grown in their own yards. Ema datshi (chillis and cheese) is the national dish and will no doubt be served while you are there but don’t be afraid to tell your guide if you aren’t enthused by the thought of chillis for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Whether it’s for one night or a whole week, time spent staying at a homestay will be a powerful, intimate and genuine undertaking where you may even be able to try a homemade dotsho. These traditional Bhutanese hot stone baths have been used for centuries as medicinal soaks, where large stones are heated in a fire pit then put into the water to warm it up like a bath – the perfect way to relax when the air outside is crisp and supper is on the hob.
