Ap Pemba
རི་བོ་ཇིཀྲུ་ཌེཀ
accommodationConveniently located about a 10-minute walk from the Black-Necked Crane Visitor Centre, this farmstay is run by Ap (“Mr.”) Pema and his wife. Their four children all attend college outside of Gangtey, so when guests arrive, a nephew and two nieces come by to help out. The five guestrooms in their newly-renovated traditional two-story farmhouse comfortably accommodate 10 people. There are four bathrooms (two on each floor), and all toilets are Indian-flush style. Meals with the friendly couple comprise at least five items — meat, rice, potato, spinach, carrot, ema datshi — along with the locally-brewed alcohol called ara. Ap Pemba has an enterprising nature that many guests will appreciate, and he goes out of his way to make sure his guests are comfortable and that their stay is memorable. On arrival, clients can expect to be greeted with hot butter tea (suja), milk tea, biscuits, zao (roasted rice), and sip (roasted corn). Ap Pemba arranges hot stone baths, archery and khuru (dart) session, and campfires on request, as well as traditional dancing and singing by the villagers. He is also an astrologer and is happy to read guests' charts during their stay.
