Archive · 19 Jul 2026
Varanashi Farms: Organic Farmstay in Karnataka
Varanashi Farms is a 50-acre organic farm in Karnataka that has been in the Varanashi family for around 200 years.
The family started welcoming volunteers in 2014 to teach them about organic farming.
Volunteers can stay in a treehouse, learn farming activities, and enjoy meals made from the farm's produce.
The farm also offers certification courses and various activities like first aid, CPR, swimming, kayaking, and trampolining.
The farm is sustainable, using farm waste for compost and biogas, solar panels for energy, and natural ponds for rainwater harvesting.
The farm has faced some challenges with local villagers misunderstanding the volunteers' intentions, but overall, it has been a successful and educational experience for many city folk.
Varanashi Farms is a 50-acre organic farm in Karnataka, started around 200 years ago by the Varanashi family.
The farm offers a farmstay and volunteer program, started in 2014, to teach city folk about organic farming.
Volunteers can stay in a treehouse, learn farming activities, and enjoy meals made from the farm's produce.
The farm is sustainable, using farm waste for compost and biogas, solar panels for energy, and natural ponds for rainwater harvesting.
The farm has faced challenges with local villagers misunderstanding the volunteers' intentions, but it has been a successful and educational experience for many city folk.
- Who
- Partha Varanashi and his family
- What
- An organic farm offering farmstay and volunteer programs
- When
- Originally started around 200 years ago, farmstay and volunteer programs began in 2014
- Where
- Kepu village, 50 km southeast of Mangaluru, Karnataka
- Why
- To promote agritourism and share the experience of organic farming with city folk
City Folk
Local Villagers
Perception of Volunteer Work
City Folk
City folk volunteer to learn and experience farm life, finding it rewarding and educational.
Local Villagers
Local villagers often misunderstand the volunteers' intentions, believing they are being exploited for labor.
- Location
- Kepu village, 50 km southeast of Mangaluru, Karnataka
- Farm Size
- 50 acres
- Founded
- Around 200 years ago
- Farm Stay Started
- 2014
- Volunteer Program Started
- 2014
- Treehouse Height
- 55 feet
- Treehouse Cost
- Rs 6,000 per night
- Volunteer Cost
- Rs 5,000 for 28 days