Interview Johanna Dehning - Eco HomeStay Himalaya

Can you introduce yourself briefly?

I'm Johanna, 33 years old, born in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. My life has always been characterized by long-term stays abroad. The most consistent period was probably in Hamburg, where I worked for several years as a project manager in event management, focusing on political conferences. Ultimately, however, I ended up in the Indian Himalayas. Here, together with my partner, I now manage our eco homestay in a hidden valley called Urgam Valley at an altitude of 2,300 meters.

How did you end up in the Himalayas and your own homestay?

During the COVID pandemic, I left my job in Hamburg to head an NGO in Greece as a project manager. After a year, it became clear to me: I didn't want to return to a traditional office job, nor did I want to stay in the extremely demanding world of humanitarian aid. What now? So I traveled to India for the third time—simply to recharge my batteries a bit.

There, I visited my good friend Sach (my current partner). He had settled in Urgam Valley, a remote valley nestled in the Indian Himalayas. I was so fascinated by the culture, the people, and the simplicity of life that my planned two-week stay turned into two months.

During this time, we came across an abandoned, traditional Himalayan mud house with breathtaking views of the Himalayas. Our vision: to transform the house into a homestay where guests could experience this simple life in harmony with nature. With the help of local villagers, we renovated the house in traditional ways and opened the YogMatra Eco Homestay six months later.

Can you tell us a little more about the YogMatra Eco HomeStay?
Our visitors are immersed in another world. They experience our daily routine and thus experience the simple, yet surprisingly fulfilling life of the villagers of the Himalayas. It's a stark contrast to our oversaturated consumer society, where everything is always available.

We collect fresh milk daily from a neighbor whose cow has just calved. We chop firewood for the colder nights from fallen trees (living trees are protected here). We source organically grown food from our garden or the surrounding villages whenever possible. We always cook fresh (we don't have a refrigerator). Occasionally, there's a power outage, meaning no light, no Wi-Fi, and no hot water. As soon as you open your room door, you're outside—in the middle of nature. No matter the weather—wind or rain—you have to cross our terrace to get to the bathroom, even at night.

I think we're giving people a glimpse into a lifestyle that's almost extinct in our developed world—but which many long for deep down. Nature isn't something you visit somewhere and then leave behind as soon as you return to everyday life. We are nature! And that's exactly what people feel when they spend an extended period with us. We want to remind people of that.

What are your challenges?

Phew—the list is long! Fundamentally, the extreme isolation is the biggest challenge. While it makes this place special, it also makes everything more difficult! For example, we have to get groceries or items that can't be obtained from the neighborhood from the nearest town by motorbike. That means a 1.5-hour ride there over bumpy and winding mountain paths, an hour of shopping, a 1.5-hour ride back—and then another 40 minutes of lugging everything up the mountain on our backs, as our EcoHomeStay is a good 1 km above the main road. A day like that is exhausting, but necessary. There's no IKEA or post office here either. Everything has to be built by ourselves—like beds and tables, for example.

The local language also presents a challenge. I speak basic Hindi, but the people here speak Garhwali, a regional dialect. I'm often frustrated by not fully understanding conversations. This also makes it difficult to build deeper relationships, as well as communicate with employees or visitors who don't always speak English. On the other hand, this has made me a master of nonverbal communication. I express myself vividly with my hands and feet—pure mime! This often provokes laughter and ultimately creates a connection.

Then there are the usual doubts, financial uncertainty, several days of extreme cold, or heavy monsoon rains. No German bread or Gouda cheese—that's especially tragic 😉! Loneliness because you don't see friends for months. That can make you question your entire life. But usually, such thoughts vanish at the latest with the next magical sunrise or full moon.

How do you earn your money?

I teach yoga and lead trekking tours. My income is enough to cover life in India. For larger expenses, like flights to Germany, I rely on my savings. I haven't yet built up a sustainable income—as I'd like. That's sometimes scary, but I only left the corporate world a year ago. So I'm giving myself some time. And if everything goes wrong—I can always find a corporate job in a pinch. 😉

What makes you happy?

Visiting friends, spending time in nature, cappuccino, cuddling, being healthy, photography, conversations about life around the campfire, good food, my dogs—so much. All the little things are the truly big things.

What does a typical day in Johanna Dehning’s life look like?

My day begins around 6:30 a.m. with caring for our dog and her six puppies, who demand a lot of attention. Meanwhile, Mohit, our cook, prepares an Ayurvedic tea, which we always start the day with. Then it's yoga! With the guests, or just for me if none are there. Breakfast is served around 9:00 a.m., after which we set off on a hike with the guests and return in time for lunch.

The afternoons are varied: social media management, managing bookings, gardening, lots of cleaning and tidying, editing photo projects, or simply lazing in the sun with a cup of freshly brewed chai. The evenings are active and sociable: we cook together, bake fresh chapati bread, and gather around the campfire. Sometimes we marvel at the starry sky or the breathtaking full moon. Thanks to all the exercise and the fresh air, everyone is exhausted and ready for bed by 10 p.m. at the latest. Those who live in nature automatically wake up with the sun at some point and become tired as soon as it gets dark.

What comes to mind when you hear the following keywords?

Social Media:
It can be incredibly time-consuming, but it can also be a valuable tool—for inspiration or creative expression. You should clearly define for yourself how useful social media really is. And if you can't find a concrete answer, it's best to delete the app.
Role models:
Steve McCurry, Jody MacDonald, Pie Aerts, Florence Given – and my sister.
Flow:
You work hard, but at the same time you can switch off because you're doing what you love. That's flow!
Adventure : Life is an extreme adventure. We don't have answers to the big questions: Where do we come from? Why are we here? What happens after death? Nobody knows!

Thank you Johanna

Instagram Johanna: https://www.instagram.com/itsjohannadehning/

EcoHomestay website: https://www.yogmatra.com/urgam-valley-eco-homestay/

Find us on Google & Maps: https://g.co/kgs/JYgEaD

EcoHomestay Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urgamvalley/

Interview Johanna Dehning - Eco HomeStay Himalaya

Thank you Johanna

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