Homestay + - Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra

*This photo is for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual site.

Homestay

Sahyadri had started ‘Home Stay’ to host metro tourists at Velas in 2006 as a part of ‘Turtle Festival’.

Homestay Member Criteria set by Sahyadri

Operational house in rural Konkan
Availability of area of the house
Number of family members
Meal facility
Bedding facility
Sanitation facility
Accessibility

Sahyadri had started ‘Home Stay’ to host metro tourists at Velas in 2006 as a part of ‘Turtle Festival’. The festival is an opportunity for metro-tourists to bid best wishes to the newly born sea turtle hatchlings while crawling towards their home. To ensure longevity of the project, Sahyadri also helped locals to form ‘Kaasav Mitra Mandal’ (Turtle Friends). Over the last 6 years, ‘Home Stay’ has received excellent support and guidance by locals, Gram Panchayat and the Forest Department. Check Homestay case study.

Keeping with the Indian tradition of treating guest as God, homestay owners host tourists in the same house instead of separate rooms. This no investment option helps the participants to earn their livelihood, helps tourists to know more about rural life and creates bonding with the village and the conservation activities. The efforts to conserve nature gets converted in tourist attraction as it changes the viewpoint of villagers and responsible tourism prevails.

Homestay Member Criteria set by Sahyadri
• Operational house in rural Konkan
• Availability of area of the house
• Number of family members
• Meal facility
• Bedding facility
• Sanitation facility
• Accessibility

Homestay Training conducted by Sahyadri includes
• Housekeeping
• Communication
• Safety
• Environment
• Book keeping

Choravane Homestay

Contact: Mr. Prakash Shinde 7588429557, 9405791603 Mr. Pramod Jadhav 8275626510

Choravane is a village in Sahyadri mountain ranges and blessed by Mother Nature with rich floral and faunal diversity. The fascinating scenery of Western Ghat covered by thick layer of greenery makes village perfect place to spend a lot of time to relax with marvelous music of exclusive bird life of the Western Ghat. Choravane is having many places to hang around including beautiful nature trails with the local guides having miraculous knowledge of local biodiversity, the temple of the local goddess is an amazing example of architecture, completely built with basalt rock and carved amazingly by skilled labors from south India which briefs you the cultural richness of village. Lord Nageshwar temple attracts people from all age group for its cultural, devotional aspects and as a popular trek due to its height of 3500 feet. Annually, lots of Trekkers and wildlife enthusiasts visit the village for the trek to Nageshwar. Nageshwar is an important resting point while trekking to Vasota fort from Choravane village. Choravane has one more benefit of having placed in Western Ghat, the tremendous amount of monsoon rain creates so many mesmerizing waterfalls carving basaltic terrain making the place perfect for monsoon destination.

Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra is developing sustainable tourism in Choravane village to provide alternative livelihood to the locals. As a part of it, the Home Stay service is now available in Choravane village. Accommodation in sweetly simple houses with delicious local cuisines will give you unique experience of village life. This will also help you to know more about the rural lifestyle. To visit the various places in a village like Nageshwar temple or to participate in nature trail, a guide cum attendant is also available. To provide the best services, homestay owners are trained in order to Housekeeping, Communication skills, Safety of the tourists and hospitality.

What to see?

Nageshwar

Nageshwar is a cave underneath the mountaintop. There is an old basaltic structure of Lord Nageshwar temple. With the height of 3500 feet, it becomes Vaishno Devi of Maharashtra. It takes 2-3 hours to reach on top. In the trek, you can see the mesmerizing beauty of Konkan. Nageshwar is having a natural water source most of the year, thus it is having importance in Vasota fort trek.

Vasota fort

Vasota is an ancient forest fort situated near Nageshwar on height approx. 4200 feet. The fort is situated on a hilltop and covered by thick forest. Vasota is having a huge amount of flora and fauna. Leopard, Sloth bears, Indian Gaur etc. found in the fort area, the presence of these animals indicates the biodiversity richness of the fort. Trek to Vasota fort starts from Choravane village with a halt at Nageshwar temple. Guide cum attendant is available In Choravane village with reasonable costs.

Nature trail

Choravane village is rich in floral and faunal biodiversity with moist deciduous forests of Western Ghat. Hundreds of herbs, orchids, and giant trees of Arjuna can be seen in the forest of Choravane. So many exclusive bird species which are endemic to Western Ghat found in Choravane. To experience this beauty, local guides having traditional knowledge are available who will guide you to explore the biodiversity of the jungle of Choravane.

Monsoon tourism

A tremendous amount of rainfall carves the basaltic structures of Sahyadri Mountain and creates amazing waterfalls to add desert in the dish named Choravane. In the monsoon season, all things change magically. The rough terrain of Sahyadri dons green layers along with milky waterfalls everywhere. In post-monsoon season you can explore hundreds of orchids, butterflies,

What type of food is available?

Simple, home-cooked Maharashtrian style vegetarian food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and tea (thrice a day) is available at Velas

Non vegetarian food is available in some houses on prior request.

How to book accommodation?

Please call one of the members and inform them about your arrival at Velas. Give your details such as names, number of persons, gents or ladies, period of stay and time of your arrival. There is no need to pay in advance, you may pay at Velas.

Can we get separate rooms?

Velas is a small village and there are no hotels or resorts. But decent home-stay arrangements are provided. Mr. Milind Nijsure (02350-220629) has only one simple, separate room.

Mr. Omkar Nijasure has three special separate rooms with attached toilets and modern facilities. He also provides dormitory-style lodging.

In other houses accommodation is to be shared with other guests. Basic facilities like bathroom, toilet are provided.

How to reach Velas?

Click here to view Velas Bus Timings

Below is the location map of Velas. (Map Not to Scale)

location map of Velas. (Map Not to Scale)

Veer is a small idyllic village which looks as if it's been painted from the utopian imagination of some skilled painter. Contact: Mr. Ajit Virkar 9309966420

Right from the Veer waterfall, which is set with the lush green mountains as a backdrop, to the small gurgling streams in which you can spend many a peaceful hour with feet submerged in chilled fresh water, to the canopy of "Supari" (betlenut) orchards which hide the small abodes built within with occasional flashes of an azure sky, or endless hours of exploring it's diverse flaura and fauna; Veer is like the musical climax achieved at the end of a long crescendo.

Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra has always created alternated livelihood options for the locals through its various nature conservation programs. With an aim to involve more people in the nature conservation work and also give its direct benefits to locals Sahyadri has encouraged few families at Veer to participate in homestay.

You can explore nature under the watchful eye of seasoned naturalists. You can gasp in wonder as workmen jump from the top of one betlenut tree directly to the top of another in a feat of dexterity. You can climb up a coconut tree using a ladder and pick coconuts yourself (don't worry it's quite safe) and quite literally enjoy the fruits of your labour and also give an opportunity to local artists and artisans to display their skills and trades.

To experience true “Atithi Devo Bhav:”, to meet villagers to understand their life and create a friendly environment through such sharing do visit Veer. The homestay arrangement offers the food and accommodation through the houses of locals rather than providing separate rooms. Every house can accommodate about 8-10 people. Bonding of metro tourists with the village through such experiences and creating more options for locals to earn their livelihood is the aim of developing homestay at Veer.