Sarmoli village in Munsiyari is true ecotourism – here’s why

Sarmoli, a small village located in Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district, is not like any other village you know of. At the first glance, it may seem unremarkable, but dig a little deeper and you will find what a gem of a destination Sarmoli is.
The little village of Sarmoli in the Kumaon hills is a model village for ecotourism.

A lot of destinations identify themselves as ecotourism destinations, and most of them are. But a lot of them also get lost in translation, if we may say so. But not Sarmoli. The small village of Sarmoli is the definition of ecotourism, and this is possible because in this village, you get to experience local culture from the grassroot level. Quite literally too.

When a lot of the locals from the village started to leave their hometowns to go to bigger towns and cities in search of a source of livelihood, the locals realised that they needed to do something to keep their village afloat. Keeping a village afloat also meant keeping the traditions and culture alive.

Thanks to Malika Virdi, an avid mountaineer and a social activist, who then launched the Himalayan Ark Homestay programme, a programme solely run by the women from the village.


The villagers came together to promote responsible tourism and to conserve the local environment and culture. Here, in the village of Sarmoli, visitors can experience eco-friendly tourism by staying in locally owned homestays, participating in village activities, and supporting local businesses. Participating in village activities may mean anything from lending a helping hand to the locals in planting seeds to help them weave a basket! It’s literally anything.

Live like a local, is their motto.

From village tours to birdwatching to local food tours, the experiences are completely local and traditional. And that’s what ecotourism really means.