As the rains make their way into different parts of the country, these homestays turn a new leaf, offering exciting outdoor adventures, seasonal delicacies and memorable rainy days amidst nature. From a homestay at the edge of a hill by a roaring waterfall to one within a dense rewilded forest that comes alive every monsoon, here are six homestays that let you soak in the monsoon.
Greenara, Kerala
Greenara is situated within a lush rewilded forest, and monsoons are the best time to visit. Host Mustafa PA had spent ten years searching for a place that could live up to his childhood memories of growing up in a lush green village near Calicut in Kerala. In 2016, he bought six acres of a degraded laterite mining site near the Calicut International Airport. Today, that site is home to over 2,000 trees and tall ferns, medicinal plants, birds and butterflies. Once the monsoon sets in, streams flow through and the natural ponds on the property come alive. Check into one of the two mud cottages with bamboo roofs, minimal interiors and open-to-sky showers. You can enjoy a dip in two of the four natural ponds with crystal clear water and swim alongside playful fish. Let Mustafa lead you on a rainy tropical walk around the property, where he’ll point out successfully replanted century-old trees, the Goldleaf Bauhinia, a beautiful creeper with copper-coloured leaves, nearly 40 varieties of bamboo, the striking blue peacock fern, and many rare plant species. Towards the end of June, Mustafa will also lead a tropical landscaping workshop, where guests can learn about the plants, fruits and vegetables to grow in their gardens and what kind of landscape design can help create green oases in and around their homes. While you’re there, don’t miss Kerala-style meals, such as a hearty avial, puttu (steamed rice cake), idiyappam (string hoppers) and fish curry. -Sneha Thomas
PaliGhar, Kalimpong
Every monsoon, hosts Ahana Gurung and Kabir Pradhan participate in the annual village paddy plantation activities and take enthusiastic guests along. Locally known as ropai, the activity involves turning the soil on local farms to plant paddy saplings from nurseries there. “The entire farming community in the village takes part in the activity and it’s quite an exciting, hands-on experience,” says Gurung. “Guests staying with us have joined the community on the fields, planting rice seedlings and getting their hands dirty.” Gurung has been running PaliGhar homestay with her husband Pradhan since 2017, a charming mudhouse set in farmland, where guests are encouraged to interact with the local community and experience the Kalimpong they grew up in. The property features two cottages just 20m away from each other, one with two rooms and the other with common spaces. The food at PaliGhar is a mix of homestyle Nepali food that the hosts grew up with—they belong to the Nepali community in Kalimpong—as well as other local cuisines. In the monsoon season, specials include ningro (fiddlehead ferns), nakima (an edible flower) and kwati (a Newari nine-bean sprouts soup that’s typically consumed at the onset of monsoon). -Arundhati Ail
Fagunia, Uttarakhand
Fagunia is a three-bedroom homestay built on the natural contours of a hill in the remote hamlet of Faguniakhet. Hosts Anil Cherukupalli and Aditi Pokhriyal quit their corporate jobs in Delhi to move here and built the house from scratch. Getting there is a bit tricky—cars can only go up to a certain point, following which guests have to walk down a narrow cemented path for about 10 minutes—but once you reach, you’re at the edge of a hill, with beautiful 180° views. The Fagunia waterfall is right at the border of the property and can be accessed through a private route from the homestay. The waterfall is at its roaring best in the monsoon, so you may find yourself making multiple visits if you’re up for the rainy adventure. This is also when guests can help the hosts harvest seasonal monsoon vegetables from the farm, which can then be cooked and served at mealtimes—try the fiddlehead fern stir fry, kaddu ke tooke (a stir fry of tender pumpkin leaves) and aloo mooli thechwani (a chunky potato and radish curry). -Arundhati Ail
Vanilla County, Vagamon, Kerala
The hill station of Vagamon, spread across the Idukki and Kottayam districts, is best visited in the monsoon. This is when the region’s three hills—Thangal, Murugan and Kurisumala—are at their lush green best, with several small waterfalls springing through. Vanilla County, about 8km from Vagamon, is nestled in the Mavady Hills, and embraces the serenity of its surroundings. The Dutch-style eight-bedroom bungalow was built in 1947 by VJ Mathew Vallikappen, who was a planter and grandfather of Mathew Vallikappen who now owns and runs the homestay with his wife Silu. Walk to one of the many natural rock pools on the property, go on an offroading experience with Mathew or enjoy a guided nature walk through the plantation. The hosts can help arrange for a spice trail, guided plantation walk, church visit or a toddy tasting experience as well. Don’t miss the rainy, challenging trek to the Kurisumala Ashram with Silu and their dog Koffi. If you prefer staying indoors, learn how to make jams, breads and cakes from the hosts or cosy up on a cane chair in the balcony and lose yourself in the sound of raindrops falling on the leaves. -Arundhati Ail
Dudhsagar Plantation, Goa
The 50-acre Dudhsagar Plantation in Goa is run by father-son duo Ajit and Ashok Malkarnekar. Ajit worked with activist Baba Amte’s NGO at Somnath and later with the Adivasis, which gave him an insight into agriculture and sustainable living. He and his wife, a German volunteer at the NGO, decided to set up a farm on arid land with no electricity or water available. Slowly, over the years, the dream of a self-sufficient sustainable life was realised, plant by plant. His son, Ashok, was born in Germany and studied environmental economics, before returning to his roots in 2014 to start the farm stay. Monsoon turns the plantation a resplendent green and the two will take you on fruit, berry and leaf trails through it, letting you taste nutmeg, pepper and wild brinjals along the way, while also pointing out fruits and vegetables you may never have seen before. Abundant rivulets and streams run around this burgeoning Amazon-esque landscape with five rustic cottages. Here, one can choose to be a silent bystander in the ebb and flow of plantation life or join it, either through spice trails or feni tasting sessions. The Dudhsagar river is a short jeep ride away and perfect for a lazy dip, much like the plantation’s natural pool. You can also choose to trek to Tamdi Surla or to Dudhsagar waterfalls. -Suruchi Kapur Gomes
Bir Terraces, Virkhan, Uttarakhand
Deep in the oak and pine forests of the Virkhan village in Uttarakhand is Bir Terraces, a three-bedroom homestay within an eight-acre family-owned estate. Outside, there’s a badminton court and cricket pitch, plus a farm where hosts Dushyant Vashisht and Avanti grow herbs, fruits, vegetables and staples like dal and spices. The monsoon season is Vashisht’s favourite time of the year at the homestay. “The surrounding forests become lush green and the skies deep blue,” he says. “Several waterfalls spring up because of the rain and if you’re lucky, you will be able to spot the pristine Himalayas in the distance.” Monsoon is when their inhouse farm is at its best, bursting with varieties of tomatoes, chillies, arugula, broccoli, corn, grapes, ladyfingers, herbs and sunflowers. The hosts offer a personalised farm tour to guests who want to get their hands dirty. This year, they have also set up a wood-fired pizza oven in the garden, so guests can harvest their toppings and enjoy hot, freshly-baked pizzas—Avanti was a chef at Mumbai’s Americano—as the rains pour outside. If you have packed appropriate rain gear, head out for an adventurous hike along the Soond trail, which connects the neighbouring villages of Virkhan and Soond, and ends at a giant boulder at the top which acts as the perfect viewpoint.