INDIA
West Bengal
Kalimpong
Moonbeam Farmstay
Experience beautiful simplicity in a 100-year-old Indigenous Lepcha Home
Inspiring People
We are a family-run farmstay, dedicated to preserving the ancestral traditions of the Lepcha community.
The Moonbeam team takes special pride in their knowledge of wild mushrooms in the forest and can recognize which ones are edible and where to find them.
Family-Operated
- Moonbeam Farmstay is run by Farden Lepcha with his Aunts that take great care in keeping the tradition of their Lepcha Ancestors alive.
Conserving Indigenous Lepcha Culture
- Farden and his team dedicate themselves to providing guests with an authentic experience of living in a Lepcha ancestral home and farm, and keeping the Lepcha culture alive for generations to come.
- The Team at Moonbeam Farmstay works closely with its roots and strives to instill a sense of pride and love for its heritage in the next generation.
- Guests can experience the Lepcha culture that once flourished in these beautful nooks of Tunglabong during their stay at Moonbeam Farmstay.
Locally Managed
- The members are all locals. The farm’s head chef, Mr. Dilliram Chettri, is an expert in cooking and gardening. So you can trust him to pick out only the best vegetables from the gardens and fill Moonbeam Farmstay with the aromatic warmth of delicious cuisine.
- The team also includes Ongden Lepcha (Saila daju) and his wife Nimkit Lepcha, who take care of the farm’s cattle and food crops. Ongden Lepcha is a Bungthing (a healer who performs various spiritual rituals of the Lepcha tribe) and a gifted musician. Nimkit Lepcha is an expert in farming and cattle rearing.
Muhaan
Altered Host Ambassador
A social enterprise founded by team of driven individuals, who are working to develop sustainable community tourism models in the remote villages.
Incredible Place
The farmstay used to be the main gathering place where villagers rested and exchanged stories.
Sleep
- The Farmstay is a beautiful two-storied wooden home offering 3 stay options:
- A single room with a Queen sized bed with attached toilet and bathroom.
- The standard room has with a queen-sized bed and a single bed with attached western toilet and bathroom and another Indian-style toilet. We can provide extra beds in this room.
- Their dormitory room has two queen-sized beds and two attached western toilets, and one bathroom.
Eat & Drink
- The homestay offers three meals along with rfreshments such as tea.
- All meals are cooked by the head chef, Mr Dilliram Chettri, who has a great interest in gardening, foraging and farming.
- All ingredients are locally grown and sourced from the farm.
Amenities
- Moonbeam can organise local excursions, tours and community visits.
Experiences
- Farm activities include farming, Mushroom foraging, cooking from the farm’s food crops and cattle reared by the family, and Organic Tea processing.
- Guests can listen to Farden’s aunties as they share folktales in their Native Lepcha language and sing along with Ongden Lepcha (Saila Daju), while he serenades with various Lepcha instruments.
- Ongden Lepcha is a Bungthing (a healer who performs various spiritual rituals of the Lepcha tribe) and a gifted musician with various instruments.
Impactful Planet
Preserving our Lepcha culture fosters sustainability and harmony with the environment.
Much of our food is sourced through forest foraging, and nature plays a vital role in our indigenous methods. As a result, environmental conservation is intricately connected to the preservation of our culture.
Permaculture Principles
- The farm has implemented permaculture principles and projects on the farm and aims to go zero-waste.
Natural Products
- Moonbeam has gathered as a group of 10 women that make herbal medicines, herbal soaps, coconut oil and supply pure organic honey.
Preservation of Indigenous Knowledge
- The farm welcomes guests to experience local life and Lepcha traditions in the hopes of educating and keeping their indigenous knowledge alive.
Encourages Mindfulness and Simplicity
- Moonbeam encourages mindfulness being immersed in a Lepcha ancestral home and farm, surrounded by nature and simplicity.
Our Location
A serene hillside village in the foothills of the Himalayas
Address
Sombaria, Hat, Gorubathan, West Bengal 735231, India
Local Area
- Moonbeam Farmstay is located in Nim Busty, Tunglabong,
- It is a 20mins ride (4kms) from the nearest town of Gorubathan, in Kalimpong District.
- The nearest railways stations are: New MalJunction (20 kms- 35 mins), and New Jalpaiguri Junction (64 kms- 1hr 34 mins)
- The nearest airport is Bagdogra Airport (75 kms- 2 hrs 6 mins)
Local Attractions
- Birdwatching
- Hiking in the Forest
- Village Tours
- Tea Processing
- Cultural Programmes
- Visits to nearby villages