GHANDRUK - The Gurung Capital

At Ghandruk, you are in the capital of the Gurungs and you will even get to dress like one here. But more on that later. Ghandruk can be roughly divided into two parts, the northern one is a small cluster of traditional houses while the southern larger section is a more hodgepodge affair. If you are looking for quiet and more rustic setting, stay at the northern part. If you are looking for easy access to museums, ACAP office or a more appening setting choose the southern section. As you will no doubt notice, Ghandruk is very popular among both domestic and foreign visitors. And it isn't very hard to understand why. Slate roofed houses beside paddy fields with beautiful mountain views in the background lend a certain character to the village that is at the same time majestic and homely. However, with the advent of tourism many concrete buildings have sprung up here. While they break the harmony of a 'rustic Himalayan village', they are however a reminder of the cultural differences between visitors and locals. Mud and slate is commonplace here and as such locals who can afford it prefer concrete. Visitors on the other hand, are used to concrete and are looking for the exotic mud and slate. Make your pick, there are lodges in both traditional and 'modern' buildings. Ghandruk also offers two traditional museums where you get to see various cultural artifacts. Both the Gurung Museum and Old Gurung Museum offers traditional food. You can also dress up like a Gurung in the latter one. Dresses are also available at Aashis Ama Hotel. If you can spare some time, a quick visit to ACAP headquarters is worthwhile to better understand the assets, evolution and problems of the region.