In the mountains of Peru, artisans teach visitors the art of weaving. In the highlands of Ecuador, travelers learn to make cheese. And in the green forests of Nepal, families open their homes to travelers. At any of these, there is no snack bar or kitschy souvenir shop in sight.
Community-based tourism is an interactive travel experience that puts the power back in the hands of local communities, rather than large travel corporations. Instead of jetting between cities, visitors are encouraged to slow down and experience everyday life. Residents, who work directly with nonprofits to develop these programs, decide which aspects of their culture and heritage they want to showcase. Plus, most of the money stays right in the community, supporting local development and conservation efforts.
Here are four community-based tourism projects around the world where you can experience life at a more human-scale pace, from the eyes of local residents.
Yunguilla Community, Ecuador
Forty years ago, the families in the Yunguilla Community in Ecuador’s cloud forest chopped down trees for charcoal to make a living. Today, residents can earn money through tourism while also prioritizing conservation. Visitors get a peek into daily life and can stay in rural family homes, share meals, and join in such activities as making cheese or tending to livestock.
In April, I spent a night in Yunguilla as part of a week-long guided trip with Intrepid Travel. Three of us were welcomed into one couple’s home, each of us given a bedroom. We spent the afternoon on a hike through the newly regrown forest, learning about the community’s sustainable practices. That evening, our hosts cooked us a hearty meal and we gathered around the table with the entire extended family, laughing and chatting despite a language barrier.
Meket Community Tourism Walk, Ethiopia
If you’re looking for a dose of adventure, the Meket Community Tourism Walk is a trekking experience through Ethiopia’s subtropical landscape. There are six accommodations along the route on the Meket escarpment, allowing you to spend up to a week exploring the plateau rim. You’ll sleep in traditional thatched huts called tukuls, with access to hot showers, beverages, and home-cooked meals.
Each day of the trek brings something new, including deep gorges, baboon sightings, and a visit to an ancient church carved into the rock. Tesfa Tours, a tour operator in this region, hires local guides who share stories about the history and culture so you can leave with a deeper knowledge of the area. The walking paths are well-maintained and low-key, but you can expect to walk around five hours a day, depending on your trip itinerary.
Madi Valley, Nepal
In the serene Madi Valley in southern Nepal, travelers can enjoy a homestay, which in this case means a private bedroom and bathroom inside a local family’s house.
This area is a haven for nature lovers. The nearby Chitwan National Park is a popular destination for its abundance of rhinos, jungle cats, and elephants. You’ll also have the opportunity to go on a bird-watching tour or bike ride to catch sight of wildlife that made its way out of the park.
During your stay, you can eat local foods and attend a Magar dance performance. A homestay allows travelers to dip into the community, as well as contribute to it. The revenue generated from tourism helps fund local schools and healthcare facilities, improving the quality of life for residents.
Visit this region as part of an Intrepid Nepal tour or book a room independently through one of the numerous homestays, like the Ayodhyapuri Community Homestay run by the Magar community.
Ccaccaccollo Community, Peru
Cuzco, Peru, is one of the world’s top travel destinations, but there is more to the region than Machu Picchu. Just 45 minutes from town, the Ccaccaccollo Community is home to a women’s weaving cooperative, owned by 46 local Quechuan women. Here, you can watch traditional weaving and dyeing demonstrations while learning about ancient techniques and the importance of alpaca textiles to Andean society. You can buy hats, scarves, or blankets directly from the weavers to help preserve a vital aspect of their heritage, as part of the money funds training programs for younger generations.
You can visit this community as a day trip or stay overnight in the community homestay. G Adventures, which originally helped to fund this program, includes visits to this co-op as part of its Peru travel itinerary, but you can also visit independently.
