Community Tourism
Communities have always been at the heart of Wild Frontiers. From our early days of introducing travellers to our friends the Kalash, a minority pagan community living in the remote mountains of northern Pakistan, our ethos has remained the same: to create extraordinary travel experiences while fostering meaningful connections with those we visit.
Through community-based tourism, we create opportunities for travellers to engage with local people, cultures and traditions, while supporting initiatives focused on local livelihoods and community development in destinations we visit.
In turn, our travellers gain richer experiences, a deeper understanding and a greater appreciation of the places and people they meet.
Below is a selection of our community tourism experiences.
Community Tourism can Support
- Local employment and enterprise opportunities
- Cross-cultural understanding and connection
- Deeper and richer travel experiences
- Traditional culture and crafts
- Local conservation and environmental initiatives
- Community-led development initiatives
You coming here, year after year, and all the tourists you bring, make the Kalash realise they are special, that their culture is special and that makes them proud. This is one of the reasons our culture is still strong
Community Homestays
When local people open the doors of their homes to guests, it offers a unique cultural and interactive experience for travellers, while helping tourism spending reach local hosts and communities. Many of our homestays are in more remote locations, where tourism infrastructure can be limited. Staying with local hosts gives travellers the opportunity to experience some truly remarkable settings and spend time getting to know the community, rather than simply passing through.
Arslanbob Homestays - Kyrgyzstan
Nestled beneath granite cliffs and surrounded by forests of walnuts, the village of Arslanbob in southern Kyrgyzstan offers a network of basic but comfortable community-run homestays. Visitors have the opportunity to spend time with their predominantly ethnic Uzbek hosts and experience daily life in the community. Homestays are allocated on a rota basis, helping to share tourism opportunities among participating local families.
Sepik River Homestay - Papua New Guinea
Travel by motorised canoe to the village of Kanganamun to experience life on the banks of the Sepik River in this remote area of Papua New Guinea. While the homestay facilities are very (very) basic, time spent in the village, meeting the community and learning about their traditions far outweighs the need for extra comforts. Staying with local families provides an opportunity for tourism spending to remain within the community, while offering a memorable experience for both guests and hosts.
Remote Homestays - Georgia
While exploring the remote beauty of Georgia's Svaneti region, we have the opportunity to stay in family-run accommodation and experience the wonders of traditional Georgian hospitality and cuisine in the village of Ushguli. The homestays, enjoying meals and a sip or two of home-made wine with host families are always a highlight for our travellers in Georgia.Meals that Make a Difference
Eating in locally owned and run restaurants, supporting hospitality training initiatives, or simply dining with families who welcome guests into their own homes, are all meals that can make a difference while travelling. Enjoy delicious, fresh and locally sourced cuisine, while supporting your hosts - it really is that simple.
Sheroes Hangout Cafe - India
Sheroes Hangout Café is an initiative run by women who are survivors of acid attacks and advocates working to raise awareness of acid violence in India. The café provides employment, training and hospitality experience, creating opportunities for participants to develop skills and rebuild their independence. For visitors, it offers an opportunity to learn more about the people behind the project and the issues they are working to address.
Home Cooking in the Caucasus
In some of the more remote regions of the Caucasus, local families open their homes and invite us to share a meal with them. These experiences are often among the highlights of our journeys, offering the opportunity to enjoy home-cooked food and learn more about local life, traditions and culture directly from our hosts. By dining in family homes, travellers can spend time with local people and experience a more personal side of the destination.Supporting Women, Strengthening Communities
Supporting employment and income-generating opportunities for women can create pathways to greater economic participation and independence. Through tourism, women can access training, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities while contributing their skills, knowledge and perspectives to their families, communities and local economies.
Ock Pop Tok - Luang Prabang, Laos
Ock Pop Tok, meaning 'East Meets West' in Laos, is a vibrant artisan enterprise in Luang Prabang that provides employment, training and artisan opportunities for women while promoting traditional textile techniques. Purchases made at the workshop and store help support the enterprise and its artisan network, while celebrating the craftsmanship and cultural heritage behind each piece.
The Pink City Rickshaw Company - India
Take a tour through the charming back streets of Jaipur with the Pink City Rickshaw Company. This social enterprise provides employment opportunities for women from low-income households within the city's tourism sector. Its electric rickshaw tours take visitors beyond the main sights to experience a different side of Jaipur, away from the typical tourist crowds. Revenue from the tours supports the operation of the enterprise and its work with participating drivers.Preserving Culture & Crafts
Many community initiatives and social enterprises focus on traditional crafts, cultural practices and artisanal skills, while creating opportunities for local people to participate in tourism enterprises. By visiting these initiatives and purchasing locally made products, travellers can learn more about local traditions, craftsmanship and cultural heritage, while contributing to the activities of the enterprises they visit.
Palm Box Makers - Egypt
Crafting boxes from the leaves of date palms is a traditional skill that has been passed down through generations in Egypt. Cut from palms and left to dry and strengthen, the leaves are skilfully woven into boxes that were traditionally used to transport food. In the village of Faris, on the banks of the Nile, local artisans continue to create these handmade pieces, offering visitors the opportunity to learn about the craftsmanship and traditions behind this longstanding practice.
Cambodian 'Phare Ponleu Selpak' Circus
Literally translated as ‘the brightness of the arts’, the Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus in Siem Reap is a non-profit association founded in 1994 by a group of young former refugees from Battambang Province. Combining remarkable acrobatics and visual arts with energy, humour and storytelling, the performances offer a memorable cultural experience while providing an opportunity to learn more about the organisation and its activities.
Handloom Weaving - Maheshwar, India
The REHWA Society is a non-profit organisation established in the 1970s to support traditional weaving in the town of Maheshwar following the decline of the local industry with the growth of large-scale factory production. The society has trained more than 1,000 villagers, predominantly women, in handloom weaving techniques. In addition to employment opportunities, the organisation also operates healthcare and education programmes for participating weavers and their families.Protecting Precious Species & Environments
In many destinations, local communities play an important role in conservation and environmental stewardship. Through initiatives focused on habitat restoration, wildlife conservation and natural resource management, visitors can learn more about the work being undertaken to care for and manage these natural environments.
Pole Pole Foundation - DR Congo
The Pole Pole Foundation, a community conservation organisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was established in 1992 by philanthropist and conservationist John Kahekwa to support the conservation of the endangered Eastern Lowland Gorillas of Kahuzi-Biega National Park. The Foundation works with neighbouring communities on a range of conservation and community initiatives, including environmental education, tree planting, anti-poaching activities, training for former poachers and alternative livelihood projects such as fish farming and pig rearing. Together, these initiatives form part of the Foundation's broader approach to conservation and community engagement.