HYDERABAD: As new-age travellers focus more on experiential travel, exploring the majestic Himalayas and the North East has been on the bucket list of many wanderers in the city. The city-based travel company, Offbeat Tracks, feeds into the desire of city-dwellers to not only explore the lush green forests of the majestic mountains in the north but also the meandering rivers and scenic lakes of the North East also.
Founded by Vandana Vijay in 2016, the company takes care of local communities in the areas tourists base their travels on. “We abide by four core values: credibility, community, trust and knowledge,” she said. The company offers travel plans which do not harm the integrity and locale of the place they are visiting. “We ensure that we include the locals in every aspect of the tour, right from transportation, accommodation, food and activities.
We lay down a huge emphasis on community building and developing circular ecosystems and economies. I personally don’t believe that travel should be a means by which only the hotel, the taxi operator and others benefit, but also the locals who are hosting travellers in their place,” she added, highlighting that seven per cent of their total revenue actually goes to the local communities.
By this, immersive and sustainable travel is encouraged, while also creating a further trend for slow travel, as bicycling around the place at their own pace, the tourists are able to engage with multiple aspects of travel and not just sightseeing or food.
Vijay says that they integrate their operations with the Self-Development Goals of the United Nations. Goals 7, 8 and 12, which stand for clean energy, decent work and economic growth and responsible production and consumption are mainly emphasised here.
“It is usually understood that bicycling would require professional training and a great deal of hard work. However, this is not true. We do our tours on e-bikes which are easier to handle and require less physical work than normal bikes. After all, the idea is to experience the places you are visiting and not test your physical abilities,” said Vijay.
They have held tours from Leh to Siachen base camp (the highest battlefield on earth) across the Khardungla Pass and from Nagaland to Manipur, experiencing the Hornbill Festival, Sangai Festival and the scenic Loktak Lake.
The next tour they are organising is from Kashmir to Ladakh, via Zoji La, from June 9 to 19 this year. The age group that usually comes for their tours is between 30 and 50. “However, the most inspiring person on our last Ladakh tour was a 74-year-old man from Bengaluru,” said Vijay. A 10-day tour usually costs `2,000 per person, per night. However, the catch is that tourists get to interact with the local community at almost every step of the tour.
“For Loktak Lake, which holds the continent’s largest floating wetland, namely, Keibul Lamjao National Park, we would have locals who take tourists in boats to their homestays, provide locally sourced food and involve in activities which showcase local culture,” Vijay added.
Rajesh, a traveller who toured Nagaland and Manipur with the company said, “This was the first time that I had travelled to the North Eastern states of India. I had heard a lot about the natural beauty but had a first-hand experience with the local people, their warmth and the simple yet very tasty food. I would highly recommend this offbeat experience to everyone.” The tours also attract a lot of solo-women travellers, mentioned Vijay.