Best Travel Tips from Travel Bloggers - The Real Synergists

Traveling is as much the number one dream of a millennial as of Gen Z. Look around any social media profile and there are travel photos, travel stories and travel tips. Chances are, even a very casual discussion with friends and family inevitably turns to, “where are you going next?”

With the rapidly shifting world-view and disposable incomes, people are willing to explore new places in faraway places and countries, which practically was impossible even a decade ago!

Have you ever stopped to wonder what fueled that wanderlust?

How did so many people decide to dream the same dream, and about the same destinations?

Well, travel organizers did play their part, but for me, the proclivity to discover was catalyzed by a well-known yet barely-appreciated entity: Travel Bloggers.

Billions of travel queries are googled every year, and every authoritative search result has a painstaking research behind it - from someone who took the risk to visit lesser known destinations and record their experiences in words and pictures so that you don’t have to lose time, resources and money and have a ready-made list of travel tips in the form of things to do, places to visit in the form of India Travel Guide and International Travel Guide.

For this reason we decided to create and dedicate a comprehensive post where chosen Travel Advisors offer their best travel tips - tips, travel hacks and a few of their travel tales that will help you in taking an informed decision before you plan your next trip.

Of course, you will still make travel mistakes, but like Confucius said, mistakes are the foundation of experiences - or was it Socrates? No matter who said that, it definitely is as true as the sky is blue!

Here are best travel tips from those who travel the world - they will save you on money, time and make your trip thrilling in the right sense of the word!

Archana and Vidur

Archana and Vidur are a couple and full-time travel bloggers. Over the last 3 years, we have focused on traveling to lesser known destinations, meeting locals and immersing ourselves in their cultures. We don’t travel to tick off destinations from a list but because we connect with a certain destination. And that’s why we don’t travel everywhere! Travelmynation is a work in progress to highlight such experiences, people, stories and destinations across India. To create awareness about responsible travel and how we can make a difference to our overcrowded, over exploited tourist spots.

Travel Blog – Travelmynation.in

Instagram – Instagram.com/travelmynation

What’s your favorite travel tale?

In 2016, we did a ride to Arunachal Pradesh and hadn’t prepare for it at all. When we reached Sela Pass, AMS hit us. We didn’t know it at the time but all 5 of us started behaving in strange ways. Archana started laughing at everything we said, I started speaking in Nepali accent, and a friend started talking gibberish. This continued for half an hour and once it subsided we all burst into laughter having realized how funny all of us had acted! We still laugh about it coz I have most of it on video!

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

It’s not a hack but I think travelers should connect more with local experiences and cultures. Travelers are stuck with just ticking off destinations. If they were to spend more time immersing in the cultures, they would have memorable travel experiences.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

Well, we generally don’t go to these touristy destinations but during our 6-month Himachal drive, we decided to spend a night at Kasol. We knew it wasn’t the kind of destination we associated with but had to take a break in that region while exploring close by places. It was a camp stay by the river next to the market. And Archana, her sister and I were sitting by the bon fire, when a group of guys came and started drinking. No issues with the drinking but then they started staring at the girls. We got up and left for our tent but for the next 2 hours saw the guys standing outside our tent making lewd gestures. During those 6 months in Himachal, we traveled to remote places but never feared for our safety. But in Kasol, with 50 people in the camp site we felt unsafe. Vowed never to go back to that area ever again.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

This might sound strange but we don’t follow any travel blogger closely to have a favorite one. But we did meet Raja Bhasin in Himachal and were impressed by his knowledge on the state!

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

We don’t use a lot of gadgets but our smartphones, laptop and action camera are always with us wherever we go.

Your Travel quotes?

Don’t travel because someone else did. Travel because a destination calls out to you!

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

The biggest challenge we have seen in India is the plastic waste tourists throw at every destination. It was sad to see that even in high mountain passes we saw beer bottles, cold drink bottles, water bottles and chips packets strewn around. We are very particular about keeping our nature intact and hence travel light. We carry out own reusable water bottles, don’t consume beverages that cause littering and dispose plastic waste at proper disposal sites. Apart from this we carry our garbage with us till we can dispose it safely.

Arti Shah

Arti Shah, is a travel blogger and a truth seeker; exploring, inquiring, discovering, creating and simply being present for the gift called life. Her blog, which focuses on spiritual destinations, is all about her journey; a continuous journey, where she strives to seek the truth, discover herself, the world, her place within it and experience the real treasures of life along the way.

Travel Blog - www.MyYatraDiary.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/artisdiary

What’s your favorite travel tale?

My favorite travel tale is when I had visited Japan as part of an all expense paid trip and got the opportunity to meet a bunch of my Japanese blogger friends. No one among them had seen my face and the same was the case with me as neither of us had profile pictures put up and had known each other ONLY through our blogs and the words we write. They held placards with my name when I arrived and when we met for the very first time, we felt like we had known each other all along. They gave me one of the most warm welcome I have ever received anywhere till date and opened their hearts and homes to me - a stranger; they had come to know and love from the blogging world.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Travel light – both mentally and physically – not only will it save you from a lot of worries but it will also clear your path to take in so much that the journey has to offer.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

I was once bugged by bugs at a government accommodation in Tirupati all night long. We had reached in the evening after a long journey and had to leave early in the morning for darshan. The entire night I kept tossing and turning not knowing what it was that was making me uncomfortable. I was so darn tired and wanted to sleep and yet, all I could think, and hope for, was the daylight to break soon! From that day to this, I still shudder at the thought of booking those rooms again.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

There are just too many and I admire so many of them that it’s difficult to hand pick a few – each come with their own unique perspectives bringing something new in the puddle!

But, one travel blogger who has inspired me right from the beginning of my own journey is Anuradha Shankar who blogs at A Wandering Mind.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Phone and digicam – two of my all time favorites!

Your Travel quote?

It’s actually paradoxical – but the more you travel, the deeper you go, the more you actually come closer to your own self.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Awareness is the first step.

Just the awareness of how you’re interacting with Mother Nature is required to know that nature is truly alive and breathing. She is a witness to everything – and every action of ours, even the ones that seem so trivial, like throwing garbage has a huge impact on her and eventually on our own selves.

Bhushavali

A heritage enthusiast who likes slow-travel and explore the backyard, now exploring them with my little gal in baby carrier!!!

Travel Blog - Travel.Bhushavali.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/bhushavali

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Scan all your passport pages. As you travel and add to your visas & stamps, keep scanning those pages. Even if you lose your passport, you at least have a copy of each and every travel dates/stamps etc.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

Losing my passports!!! It was a horrible day when everything went wrong from Airbnb host canceling to unexpected train expense to losing passport to baby getting sick! I had just blogged about that day - http://travel.bhushavali.com/2019/03/expat-indian-passport-stolen-belgium.html

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Whoa! It’s not even possible to answer that question. There are so so many! The world is huge and there are way too many bloggers who specialize in so many niches and regions! It is impossible to pick one!

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Camera and Phone with GPS and GMaps (and GTranslate when traveling where I don’t know the local language)

Your Travel quote?

It’s technically a movie dialogue which stuck with me forever - “You learn more when you’re in the streets, traveling”. Its from a Tamil movie called Varanam Aayiram and the protoganist played by actor Suriya tells this dialogue.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Traveling or not - the primary waste that we women generate are the sanitary pads. Converting to cloth pads and cups are great Eco-friendly alternatives and cups are super travel-friendly which hardly occupies any space or weight.

Deepak Patel

I am Deepak Patel from Delhi but my native place is Chopan, located 100 km away from Varanasi; the land of mythological treasure. Travelling is my hobby but keen interest in exploring untouched beauty of religious and mythological places is my passion. Combining both these choices, I developed a desire of visiting spiritual places of the country which are not too much known to people. Religious places and topics full of mystery catch my attention. So, I explore more about them, collect the facts and put forward them in front of people for their add-on knowledge. That’s how and why I started my travel blog and yes, I am deeply in love with it.

Travel Blog- www.TravelNThrill.com/

Instagram- Instagram.com/travelnthrill/

What’s your favorite travel tale?

Learning more about local fruits, preparation of street foods and regional customs and rich culture of India (Other country) is my favorite part of travelling.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Well, there are so many I would suggest but the idea of carrying a first aid box is the best I found. It’s really a big comfort to get the medicine of dehydration, headache or nausea handy whenever needed as nobody knows what discomfort one may suffer during a trip.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger?

I am my favorite travel blogger for whatever I write on my travel blog after coming back from a trip reminds me about the lovely memories of the places I visit.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

My cell phone; I think every traveler has this one gadget at the topmost priority. Apart from this, I don’t find myself comfortable until I pack a portable charger for my cell phone.

Your Travel quote?

“Tough roads lead to beautiful destination”

This is my most favorite travel quote. Being an adventurer, wanderer and extra curious traveler, I often face difficulties during my trips which can be easily ignored by simply reminding this one-liner in mind.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Every traveler can impart some good efforts for Zero Waste Travel. Some easily applicable ideas are as follows –

Prefer using recyclable disposable containers rather than plastic containers.

Ask for paper bags in place of polythene carry bags in the shops while purchasing eatables and other items.

While packing clothes to wear during the trip, pack few old clothes which you want to reject but can wear once or twice before rejecting. Donate these clothes to beggars during your trips. In this way, you can recycle your used clothes as well as make some space in your luggage bag to pack the items you have purchased during your trip.

Dev

My name is Dev and I have been travelling and writing about my journeys for more than three years now. I was a journalism student and did my first job as a documentary producer in Birmingham, England. I quit my corporate career in 2015, as a business correspondent in New Delhi, to travel around the world. Writing, however, always followed.

Travel Blog- www.FootlooseDev.com

Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjdDJslD4xFdQCscVGRVGqQ

What’s your favorite travel tale?

When you have been travelling full time you have more than one favorite tales, and so is the case with me. But speaking of one, I would like to talk about a journey during my early budget backpacking days, when I travelled from Manali to Leh to Srinagar without any money – hitchhiking and sleeping with truck drivers. Where the usual journey from Manali to Leh (takes 2 days) and Leh to Srinaga (takes 2 days) takes a total of 4 days, it took me more than 10 days because trucks go very slow. Moreover, asking lifts is a chance of luck. Sometimes you get a ride, and sometimes you wait for it for hours. I was moreover carrying a tent with me to save money on accommodation. I would hitchhike during the day and camp and sleep in the night. Now that I think of the journey, it sounds too reckless and tiring, but back then, because money was a problem and I had no source of income (blogging wasn’t generating any revenues either) leaving no option but to budget travel.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Smile. It will make your journey easier, fun and more memorable. Whether you are travelling alone or in a group, just smile to locals and you will get exactly what you want: whether it’s a conversation, or a little bargain with the taxi guy.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

I was robbed in Bratislava, Slovakia. It all happened on the night of April the 17th, as I was on the way to my hotel, after doing some night photography, from the top of Bratislava Castle, and I met three people claiming to be Slovaks in a city tram (two guys and a girl). A friendly conversation among us and their fond interest to know more about India, as soon as I told them I am from India (despite none of them being able to understand/speak fluent English) built a sudden assurance in me that they’re people like any other. As I reached the last station, and I got off at the train station at Bratislava hlavná stanica to walk back to my hotel, they asked if I would be interested to have a drink at one of the bars in the station, the station was full of people, and so was the bar they picked. There should be no problem at such a place, but I did not know what was coming. I did not know that one of them will flee away with my camera, as the other two try to engage me in a conversation. Yes, I was mugged. They ran away with my camera. Getting robbed in Europe was the last thing in my travel bucket list. But it was an educating experience. A detailed story of it can be read on my blog.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Nomadic Matt. I like how he travels around the world. His writing style is moreover quite compelling.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

I have quite a few:

A travel towel (by Travoost)

Bluetooth earphones (by TaggDigital)

Your Travel quote?

I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list. Here's a list of top 70 Travel Quotes I've written on my blog.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

I carry a reusable water bottle, fill it where I can.

Never accept poly bags while buying things of daily use, especially in mountains.

Carry a drinking cup and food containers can be handy in many situations.

Carry bar soaps rather than plastic tubes for handwash/shampoo etc.

Divyakshi

I am Divyakshi, a travel blogger who loves traveling for collecting stories, memories, experiences that shape me a better version of me! I blog at www.quirkywanderer.com and I am the first Indian travel blogger to be interviewed by wordpress.com.

Travel Blog- www.QuirkyWanderer.com

Instagram- Instagram.com/divsigupta/

What’s your favorite travel tale?

I can’t choose one! Every trip is a treasure trove of stories: whether it was the Magical Kinnaur trip that gave some surreal experiences like sighting the OM sign over the Kinner Kailash range or the spiritual trek to Tiger’s nest in Bhutan or the insane sightings in Ranthambore and my tete a tete with the forests. The links to these stories are available at my travel blog.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Travel with an OPEN mind but don’t throw caution to the winds. When you travel with a receptive mind, you learn more!

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

A houseboat in Kumarakom was one such disastrous experience. I had to spend a night in a parked houseboat with mosquitos and worse still, the houseboat wasn’t equipped with repellents, nets ! The worst night of my life in God own’s country with a lesson learnt: backwaters are brilliant but only in the day!

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

There are so many who have different styles and there is some amazing content out there. Love the stories of Elita (Nomadic Thunker) , Sandeepa Chetan and Anindya (Pikturenama)

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

A perfect sling (to go hands free), my iphone (that does most of the clicking), my camera!

Your Travel quote?

Travel to learn and then Un-learn :) Travel is the BEST teacher. You learn more from it than from any text book EVER! :)

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Think the place that you are visiting is someone’s home. You wouldn’t want guests littering your place? You wouldn’t want them to leave taps and lights on? So why do it elsewhere? Once that thought sinks in, you’ll never act irresponsible.

Divya Prasad

A Writer, travel blogger at obsessivecompulsivetraveller.com, energy healer and Sacred Geometric Artist at Iktomi- A creative soul and curious traveller of life; living my little dream in the Himalayas.

Currently, I live in Jagatsukh in Himachal Pradesh and work from there; occasionally visiting Mumbai. I quit my corporate career not only to travel but to invest my energy into my creative passions and dreams. Hence I decided to give dreams a chance and go beyond my conventional way of life.

I love backpacking folklore, stories and personal experiences on my journeys. My blog is a soulful life collective of tales, folklore, mountains, culture, indigenous tribes, art, adventures, spirituality, healing, and transformational travel experiences. It has been an enriching journey so far.

Travel Blog - ObsessiveCompulsiveTraveller.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/obsessivecompulsivetraveller

What’s your favorite travel tale?

I have so many beautiful experiences to share, this space won’t be enough. One funny yet intense and spooky experience I recall is from my travels in the interiors of Swaziland. I was there on an assignment but I had planned on dwelling deeper into the subject of traditional medicine as a personal quest to understand African Shamanism. I had one major problem that made things complicated ‘Language’.

Somehow in broken English, the local comprehended my purpose to meet a traditional healer. His colleague helped him with translating my message. This local who was one of the lodge staff agreed to take me to meet his aunt - a Sangoma (traditional healer) who lived nearly two hours away in the jungles.

After reaching there, I was welcomed with a lot of warmth into her abode- though weird and strange voodoo-like relics and herb bottles adorned her place. And she agreed to give me a reading with some stones, shells and bones; and I surrendered to the idea.

She asked me a few questions and I answered; which our friend struggled translating like everything depended on him. Suddenly the aura and energy of the place had shifted while she chanted something. After nearly ten minutes of prayers, she told me my ‘grandmother’ is here. I told my friend she is already dead.

She added asking him to explain to me that my grandmother’s spirit is here. All those freak shows and magic in my imaginations of tribal life started to surface. It was too intense for me; a mix of emotions, freaky and zen, all at once.

And then the lights go off; there was anyways just a bulb holding it all together, and now there was a power cut. She lit a few candles and our conversations grew lighter. We all talked a lot and laughed. When it was time for me to leave, she gave me a medicinal herb powder to add to my bath, which will cleanse my aura. And the next morning I added a pinch of that powder to my bath water just to test it out and oh freak! It turned pink in colour. And I sighed; Africa never fails to amaze you!

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Travel with an open heart. Live in the present. When we focus too much on what we didn’t do; you fail to receive the best that’s happening right where you are.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

One Indian blogger I love is Ms. Anuradha Goyal of IndiTales. I can totally resonate with the storyteller in her.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

I always prefer my phone over other gadgets as it is the bare minimum I can pull off my travels with. Secondly, I prefer lugging around my laptop or camera only if I am sure that I am working on the go and making optimum use of them. Any other gadget would be an extra and my world won’t crash without them.

Your Travel quote?

“Dream unapologetically; because it represents your inner universe; imprints of your soul.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Moving from a city to the Himalayas and living there for nearly 8 years now, I have learnt that we need a lot less that we believe to be happy.

It may seem impossible to break away from the extreme consumerism we encounter in tourism at destinations we travel to.

With respect to recycling, I am all for it. On my travels to remote Africa and Swaziland, I was awestruck how every piece of waste material was turned into a creation of art. We can learn a lot from those who are rooted in their culture and wisdom. Only we can soak in these lessons; thereby evolving and transforming in our ways. So all I would say is leave your hang-ups, inhibitions and notions behind; and embrace life as it happens on your travels.

Ekta & Puru

We are Ekta and Puru, IT professionals from Pune with a passion for travel and telling stories. We enjoy juggling work with many vacations round the year. Ekta’s love for adventure and Puru’s passion for history and culture makes for trips filled with lovely memories, stories, amazing pictures and videos :)

Travel Blog - ShadowsGalore.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/shadowsgalore

What’s your favorite travel tale?

During our trip to Mandu, we went to the Ujaala (Light) Baoli, an open step well in the middle of thick undergrowth. It was a desolate place and as we went down, we could feel our isolation from the rest of the world. Ekta went down to the other side of the well to pose for a photograph, while Puru stayed on the top to take it. Suddenly, there was a loud splashing sound in the well, as if someone jumped into it. It was stronger than a frog jumping in water, there was no human or animal in the vicinity and to make matters rather spooky, there were no ripples in the water which should have followed the sound. Ekta took the cue and promptly fled the scene without looking back. We were a bit scared then but now do laugh about the incident.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

We always try to start our day early when we are travelling. This helps us avoid traffic and huge touristy crowds at any place. Plus, the morning hues make for some amazing pictures.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

I wouldn’t call our experience disastrous, but we sure experienced the fury of nature during our trip to Leh in 2015. The untimely rains had caused many land slides due to which all roads around Leh to be closed. We were stuck in Leh for over three days as even the airport was closed as the runway was water logged.  We had to go to the airport every morning only to return back dishearten. Even as we reached Delhi, our luggage was left behind. Maybe they didn’t want us to leave :)

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Sudha Ganapati - https://sudhagee.com

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Our small arsenal of camera and lenses along with our phone are a must have at any trip.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

We tend to keep our waste to ourselves and not discard it along the way esp. in mountains and jungles. We also carry a bottle filter to avoid buying packaged water.

Nilabh

A 30's something guy, who is all out to explore & document his journey one destination at a time on TravelEscape with like-minded travel enthusiastic.

Travel Blog - Travelescape.in

Instagram - Instagram.com/travelescapein

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Do not get fooled by discounts, cashback offer given by few travel OTA sites, half of such offers are useless, or they are discounted on inflated price.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

So, this January we a group of 3 friends with our spouse went for group trip at Mahabaliburam, despite having bunch of hotels and resort in Mahbalipuram, we prefer to stay at beach house. Named as Kadal- meaning sea in Tamil, we had the best time there. Sea was barely 300 ft from our stay. The accommodation gave us opportunity to relax on hammock, stay in tent and try fishing as local does. The Bluetooth enabled speaker provided by the owner gave us the reason to sing, dance and enjoy the best way we can. You can read more about our Stay & review of ECR Kadal on my travel blog.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Very tough to say, however I will vouch for Shivya Nath and Ajai Jain as both took risk of starting and pursuing their passion long time back and still doing with full energy.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

I am sure most of us will reply smart phone and so I am, apart from my smart phone, my drone, DSLR & laptop is second favorite.

Your Travel quote?

We all are human first and traveler the second!

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

in my opinion, zero waste cannot be achieved in travel, however the first and basic thing we all can do and adopt is “say no to plastics” very simple and effective.

Niraj Vashi

An experiential traveller with a soft corner for heritage hotels. My first trip was in 1999 and as part of my travel agency profession, did another 350 more across India. I was fortunate to travel across India and see it develop over the years along-with enjoying some breathtaking views, superb hospitality and memorable "Real India" experiences.  There is a unique flavor to every district of India. Its dialect, cuisine, craft heritage and sight and sounds. There is a level difficulty in travelling around India. With that difficulty comes the local interaction, compassion and its hospitality. Once you start enjoying these local experiences then there nothing like India anywhere else.

Travel Blog - Travellersden.in

Instagram - Instagram.com/travellers_den_

What’s your favorite travel tale?

I realised the true "Value for Money" when I stopped over for overnight stay at Puddukkottai in Tamil Nadu and was amazed to get a nice luxurious Suite room with towel, soap, shampoo sachet for just Rs. 630. I truly almost fell over next morning when I was served Daily newspaper in the room and it got better when I was treated to a most sumptuous South Indian breakfast, all included in the amount I paid !!!

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

If you on road and stop for Lunch at a local dhaba, try their Mixed Veg option (tell them to make local style). You will hardly ever go wrong with that.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

We had a hard time checking a group out and get ready for 12:30 train. Thereafter Our group got stuck in a bad traffic Jam and we made everyone run with their bags for may be a kilometer, only to find out at the station that train was delayed by two and a half hours :-).

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Shivya Nath

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Universal plug adapter that can be used anywhere in the world.

Your Travel quote?

Some travel, others explore, Some visit, others experience

Some look for whats popular, others take the road less traveled

Some need familiar faces, others like to do it alone

Some need to have a deal, for others its no big deal

Some need a holiday for a change, others cant live without one

Some take photos, others make memories,

Some are called tourists, rest others are travellers !!!

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Opt for hotels that use locally sourced ingredients for their meals and have Eco friendly practices for waste management and energy.

Sandy & Vyjay

Sandy & Vyjay are a husband and wife couple who turned their back on flourishing corporate careers to pursue their dreams of traveling the world. They set up their travel blog Voyager to share their travel stories and today the blog is one of the topmost travel blogs from India. They are focused on the niches of luxury and family travel and promote awareness about sustainable travel through their blog and social media handles.

Travel Blog - IMVoyager.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/imvoyager18

What’s your favorite travel tale?

After walking 3 hours through dense rain forest we stood in front of the towering figure of a mountain Gorilla, an endangered species. As we froze and silently trained our cameras on the Gorilla, something or someone brushed past us violently. We almost jumped out of our skins when we realized that what had brushed past us was another Gorilla in a hurry to get at his breakfast.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

We would love to tell travelers to go out and enjoy each and every moment. Yes do capture pictures and selfies for sharing on social media, but do not get carried away to such an extent that you end up losing the 'real' experience.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

One of the experiences that could be termed as a disaster at least at that time was when we ended up missing our train to Florence at the Rome Railway Station. As we ran frantically we watched the train disappear from sight and along with it went our pre-booked train fare in Euros.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

In terms of travel bloggers, we are quite biased and are our own favorites. We compete with ourselves and strive to better ourselves.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Phone, DSLR Camera, and Power Bank are our inseparable companions on our travels.

Your Travel quote?

Travel writers travel thrice to the same destination. Once in their imagination before reaching there. When they are physically in the destination. Finally when they write about the destination.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Waste is indeed wreaking havoc on the ecological balance of the world. Especially single-use plastic. We carry our own refillable water bottles and would advise all travelers to do the same. This way one can contribute once mite towards reducing the plastic menace. Also, avoid printing of tickets and vouchers and go digital wherever possible.

Shailza Sood Dasgupta

A simple girl from mountains who loves to travel and explore different cultures. After working with companies like Google and McKinsey, I took a plunge to do something more meaningful, something that can bring about some difference in people's lives. So I co-founded 'Homestays of India' 2 years back with an aim to empower women, stop rural migration and preserve Indian traditions and culture. I am now happily exploring the remote corners of India and helping local communities grow.

Travel Blog - Flight-of-a-little-bird.com

Instagram - Instagram.com/flight_of_a_little_bird

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Go for offbeat stays with locals rather than formal hotels, you will surely have a lot more memories to cherish.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

Have you ever traveled in an oil tanker truck? I did once, and that too at an altitude of around 11,000ft. Here's the story...

I was travelling from Leh to Manali via Sarchu when later in the day one of the tyres got punctured . It's a rough terrain and there is no habitation or any shops for kilometers. Anyways we just crossed our fingers and continued our drive after changing the stepney. To our dismay we got another punctured tyre just after a few kilometers drive . Now in this deserted land we had no one to approach. It was just 4 of us and the driver. We decided that 2 of us will hitch hike till Sarchu (nearest habitation) and get some help. But unfortunately no vehicle came for long. After a wait of around an hour all we got was oil transportation truck. We could not waste any more time waiting as it was getting dark, so we, 2 girls, got on to the truck. The terrain was rough, the altitude high, barren landscapes with no other person to be seen for miles together and on top of that it was getting dark. We just trusted our fellow men - the driver and the conductor and got on with the epic ride. Climbing up to the seat in itself was a task. And then the bumpy ride on those roads. Our hearts kept missing beats till we reached our destination but it was a ride of a lifetime. I will never forget that experience.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

Shivya Nath - The-Shooting-Star. I like her travelling and writing style. And also the causes she supports and writes for.

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

My Nikon camera and Dell Inspiron laptop. They both travel with me and help me document my experiences.

Your Travel quote?

"Travel not to show the world but to know the world"

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

SAY NO TO PLASTIC

- Carry refillable metal water bottle. Stop buying plastic water bottles every time you are thirsty.

- Do not use plastic straws or disposable cutlery and cups.

- Minimize the consumption of packed food.

- Ladies out there try environmental friendly products like menstrual cups rather than non degradable pads.

SAVE FUEL & LOCAL RESOURCES

- Use public conveyance or share cab wherever possible

- Be very careful with using water, electricity and other resources especially when you are travelling in remote locations. You may not even know how much efforts the locals might have done to provide you of these.

SELECT YOUR ACCOMMODATION WISELY - Opt for staying at homestays rather than big hotels. That way you are not only helping the local community grow but also discouraging the commercial hotels to mushroom in huge numbers and spoil the destination.

Shrinidhi Hande

Shrinidhi Hande is a full time IT professional and passionate blogger. He has been blogging since 2006 and has travelled to over 32 countries and counting. His blog is popular for honest reviews, budget travel tips and experience accounts. Shrinidhi has won multiple blogger awards, including Indiblogger IIBA 2017 and been quoted in several media stories about travel. He is based in Chennai and blogs at www.enidhi.net and www.airlineblog.in

Travel Blog - Enidhi.net

Instagram - Instagram.com/enidhi

What’s your favorite travel tale?

I keep an eye for tender coconuts wherever I go- so far have tasted tender coconuts in 16+ countries.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?

Booking cheap tickets is NOT a function of website, time etc. It is a function of your research and flexibility. Keep tracking your destination fares to get a sense of what's normal, what is cheap and what is high fare for a destination. Book once you see fares closer to cheapest fare you've seen over a period of time.

Learn to travel light with only cabin bag and a whole new world of opportunities open up for you- you save time, you save money and you can explore more for less.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?

In one of my early international trips, got robbed by fake police (people who pretended to be police and wanted to check my documents and dropped some money into their car before returning. Have learnt my lesson n been careful since then.

Getting stranded without transportation in Kaunas, Lithuania- having to walk several kms before finding a bus...

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?

I follow several popular bloggers within India. Hard to name a favorite as each one brings unique perspectives

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?

Avoiding DSLR off late, managing with GoPro (Hero 3 black) and Mobile (note7pro).

Plus a laptop, fitness band and powerbank!

Your Travel quote?

20 years from now, you will regret things you didn't do, than things you did.

If you have a wishlist, go fulfill it when you still have health and energy on your side. If you keep pushing it for later, it will be too late

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?

Use public transportation instead of taxes

Carry a reusable water bottle, a metal straw for drinking juices- refuse disposables  

Surya S Raju

This is Surya S Raju, from Bangalore where I am currently working as a Product Manager with an MNC. I take deep interest in classical dancing and have it learnt for few years, avid animal lover ever since I can remember and also a travel blogger. The main intention behind travel blogging was to share my experiences regarding the places that I’ve visited and inspire others to head out as well. I have also started an “Inspire Me” section on my blog where I have been taking interviews of all those who have inspired me with their amazing work.

Travel Blog – TravelRope.com

Instagram – Instagram.com/travelrope

What’s your favorite travel tale?
There are many such ones. When I was in North Sikkim, I got a chance to get to a place called Thangu, en route to Gurudongmar Lake. We were in a very remote place in Thangu and there were hardly any houses around. We stopped at a local’s house for breakfast. There were snow capped mountains all around, Teesta river flowing by the side of this house and we were being served Maggi and tea for breakfast. They had 2 small puppies in their house as well. I can still recollect the entire moment till date. It has been one of the most peaceful moments ever.

If you had to offer a single travel hack to travelers, what would it be?
Pack light as I’ve noticed over many travels that you don’t tend to use half the things that you carry. Pick an aisle seat if it’s a super long travel ahead of you.

Will you like to share a disastrous experience? Or a funny one?
I don’t think I enjoyed Rome at all. It was mainly because of the people we met in the course of our journey there. Came across some real rude people there. Although the monuments were just so amazing, my whole experience was spoilt. Like I’ve always said before, it’s the people of that particular place that make or break the experience for me.

Who is YOUR favorite travel blogger!?
I like reading what Indie Traveller posts. https://www.indietraveller.co/

Can you suggest your favorite travel gadgets?
My phone and my power bank. These are a must!

Your Travel quote?
It’s not a quote per se but what I believe in – Travel to those places that you connect with. Never go by what others are doing.

Zero waste travel as a concept is catching up fast. What steps do you suggest to help mitigate the impact while you travel?
Carry a water bottle with you. Instead of buying plastic bottles everywhere, fill water in your own bottle.