I remember the first ever long road trip I undertook. I was on the road for 8 days in an SUV travelling on the world’s most treacherous terrains that took me on a bone rattling drive from Shimla to Spiti via Kinnaur Valley. With my head popping out of the window, I saw gurgling rivers criss-crossing through the valleys of the cold desolate Trans Himalayas and tiny villages along with elegant monasteries perched perfectly on the mountains. Interacting with many travellers on a cups of chai in little dhabas and giving lifts to many interesting hitchhikers- the endless road seemed to be full of experiences. I did not feel like reaching anywhere. I just wanted to keep going. Roads-they tell you a lot about the place you are visiting. Changing landscapes and cultures, the socio-economic and political situations, the architecture, the people- they form the crux of the destination. Whereas Road Trips, I believe put you on a test. You maybe in the most beautiful setting but in the most uncomfortable situations that may arise not just because of unruly roads and no food for miles, but also because of lack of proper vehicles, documents, required licenses etc. While the very nature of roadtrips is to put you out of your comfort zone, the unnecessary hassle can be taken care of- and there is one organisation that can be credited to doing it both perfectly. Roadtripper, run by two well travelled women Rahat and Renuka is a travel company based out of Mumbai, but takes you roadtrippin’ throughout the world.
Fueled by their passion to travel and their love to drive, the duo launched Roadtripper in 2009 to give people a chance to go on driving holidays and expeditions in exotic locations. Driving in different terrains, on the other side of the road, experiencing the local food, the mix of cultures of two countries near border areas, road conditions, passing small towns and villages which you’d otherwise never see — that really opens your eyes as a traveller and you land up experiencing the places so differently. Their tagline ‘Enjoy the world through your windscreen’ is the spirit through which they organize roadtrips.
“We wanted others to experience the adventure of driving their own vehicle in a foreign land, the thrill of crossing borders and experiencing the gradual change in geography and culture that comes with it. Roadtripper aims to make your driving holiday a hassle-free experience. We arrange for everything: providing the car, the local logistics and any other requirements along the way. Just get yourself to the starting point and begin your journey to see the world in a different way.” says the duo.
What makes Roadtripper different from other offbeat adventure tour operators is that they make customised road trips. “No two trips that we’ve ever organised have the exact same itinerary. It is a creative process every time. That is something unique about us,” they say. Roadtripper understands that planning a road trip requires extensive planning and communication. They say, “we have extensive conversations with our clients to understand their preferences- short drives, longer days, sightseeing, travelling with kids etc. Based on that we recommend them the route which we think is suitable for them and provide them with all required solutions for taking an extensive road trip - visas, carnets, land permits, hotel bookings, guides, currency exchange and even shipping. We are constantly in touch with our clients when they are on the road.”
When it comes to choosing the vehicle, the organisation works with many options.If one wants to cross into multiple countries then clients normal use their personal cars. For the corporate clients and government rallies, they mostly arrange for sponsored vehicles. Over time they have also introduced “fly and drive” for people that had less time and wanted to drive or ride in offbeat locations.
Though Roadtripper caters to a very niche section of the society, Rahat and Renuka feel that the market is growing and slowly opening up for road trips. Today people prefer an experience based holiday as compared to the standardized tour packages. They want to experience the world differently and are not afraid of taking chances and being adventurous.
Both Rahat and Renuka are travel junkies. While Renuka Kirpalani is currently the host and editor of the Autocar show for which she test drives and reviews cars for the Indian Market, Raahat has explored many little nooks and crannies all over the world — from hitchhiking in Alaska to wandering in the streets of Lebanon, from scuba diving in the Indian Ocean, to meditating in Tibet. Since their inception, they’ve organised and participated in rallies for the government, like the SAARC, ASEAN, BCIM rallies, which has given them an extra edge over others. They have also done drives for corporate companies like Ferrari, Audi, Renault.
Having organised hundreds of roadtrips so far they are currently in the middle of a trip that has 2 riders going around the world. They are also planning a huge expedition for a Malaysian group across India, Bhutan and Nepal and offering experiences in a few offbeat countries like Malawi, Namibia, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and South Africa, that have so far not captured the eye of most Indians.
If you are a roadie who lives to absorb the sights, sounds, smells and culture of faraway lands and staunchly believe that the journey is the destination, then it is time to hit the road with the Roadtripper. Visit their website here and Get Set Go!
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