16 Most Epic Travel Trails & Adventures Undertaken By Indians Over The Years

The only true way to experience the world is to explore every corner of it. And while most people, caught in the routine of everyday life, don’t get to travel to their heart’s content, there are a few lucky souls who breathe in the umpteen possibilities of wanderlust. We’re truly envious of these free-spirited travellers with the wind in their hair and worries long forgotten. We figured the next best thing for us urban creatures craving the thrill of the road was to live vicariously through those chasing that sunset.

But this time, just hitting the road wasn’t nearly enough. This time, we wanted a little bit of crazy, a touch of the unthinkable, some kind of manic inspiration to leave comfort behind like never before. So we set out in search of Indians who had undertaken some truly momentous travel journey, and the people and trails we found were seriously admirable. Whether it was an old tea-selling couple from Kerala’s ability to save every penny and travel to over 17 countries or the young man from Vishakhapatnam who travelled around the world in 18 months on his motorbike, these stories are bound to make your feet itch.

Scroll on for 16 of the most epic travel trails by Indians, and maybe even add them to your bucket list. It all depends on how brave you are.

I. Aanchal and Prashant Dhara

582 kms. 26 Days. One long walk. All the way to the sandy beaches of Goa from the busy streets of Mumbai.

The sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, free spirit and carefree vibe of Goa calls to people in concrete jungle cities like Mumbai, making them want to get there as soon as they can, be it a quick flight or an 11 hour trip by road. Still, for Aanchal Dhara and her husband, it took them 26 long days. Why? They decided to walk it, because sometimes it’s more about the journey, less about the destination.

As the couple set up the aptly titled Audacious Project in 2015, they decided to finally start crossing things off their ‘offbeat list’. Their ‘Two Feet & A Dream’ idea took them, along with a crew of three people, from Andheri to Morjim beach in Goa, while they focused on highlighting the dreadful conditions of Indian villages through their camera on the way.

Making it a point to cover 30 km in over eight hours every day, their walk-a-thon was like a well-oiled machine. “We start daily at 6 am till about 1 pm and take a long lunch break till 3 pm. This is so that we can avoid walking when the sun is at its peak. Then we continue till 6.30 pm or 7 pm every evening. We’re staying in budget hotels along the way, usually next to or near the highway so our travel time to and fro is reduced,” said Aanchal in one of her Facebook posts.

The ‘Mumbai to Goa on foot’ route: The group walked from Mumbai to Pune via the old highway then got on to the NH4 to Satara and Kolhapur. Just after Nipani, they exited the highway, made their way through Amboli Ghat to Sawantwadi, and finally entered Goa via NH 17. Like any good contemporary traveler should, they made it a point to regularly update their followers through their Facebook posts so you can actually relive their entire journey.

Following in their footsteps: Well, unless you’re a really serious walker, a 26-day-long cross-state walk-a-thon isn’t for the faint-hearted.

II. Abhishek Saksena

Took the road like never before, crossing the much-talked-about India-Thailand Highway in his car.

With murmurs raving about the majestic India-Thailand Highway floating about constantly, Abhishek Saksena wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So, he got in his car, threw caution to the wind, and set out on a 14-day-long journey from Thailand to India.

As he started off in Bangkok, the city’s infamous gridlocked traffic engulfed him, but once he cleared the Thai capital, it was wide highways and lush post-monsoon landscape all the way.

The Thailand to India route: His journey took him first to Chai Nat, 220 km from Bangkok, and then further on to Tak, before crossing the border and making his first stop in Myanmar at Hpa-An. Then, he continued to Yangon, Naypyitaw, Mandalay and Kale, before finally ending the journey in Imphal. Saksena’s trip is really one that inspires a strong sense of wanderlust.

Following his trail on the road: For anyone who loves the road, Saksena’s trip could most definitely be emulated, judging by the smooth highways and hassle-free route.

 III. Abhishek Sharma

Rode across 19 Indian states on a bicycle, spreading messages of cleanliness & sanitation.

28-year-old Abhishek Kumar Sharma, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was an environmental research scholar until he turned his life around on the seat of a cycle. Inspired by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s cause, he quit his job, and in November 2014, set on a cycling tour across India to spread the message of hygiene, cleanliness and sanitation, along with their impact on society, the environment and the economy.

“If I can sensitise even one person in each city or village, I will think my initiative has been successful,” he said while talking to the Tribune soon after he set out on this expedition. He was equipped with a PG degree in environmental science, nearly three years of experience working as a researcher in solid waste management, and the will to create a more environmentally aware society.

“I am trying to change the mindsets of people, because unless the mindsets are changed, we will not be able to make our country healthy. This is my moral responsibility for India and I am fulfilling it,” he says. From MLAs and MPs to chaiwalas that he would meet on the road, he made it a point to convey the message of his crusade to all. He organised ‘chaupals’  in every village that he visited so that he could convey his message to both, the elderly and the youth. He also held talks at nearly 3,000 schools, colleges, and universities.

The environmental crusader cycling route: He aptly named his travel story the ‘Uncertain Journey: Cycling across India for Change’ because he did not have a plan or a roadmap to guide him. Yet, he covered nineteen states, taking his message of clean India with him.

Following his cycle’s shadow: Covering 20,000 km in 13 months definitely seems like an achievable task, while the impact on society is a whole other ballgame.

IV. Akshatha Shetty and Piyush Goswami

Where several people across rural India form the ‘Rest of Their Family.’

Writer and journalist Akshatha Shetty and filmmaker Piyush Goswami are two engineering graduates who soon grew jaded with their jobs as they realised that there are very real problems plaguing India, with little being done about them. Driven by that realisation, the duo set out to explore the country and showcase aspects that aren’t often talked about: the battles facing underdeveloped India.

The social story-telling route: They spent nearly five years travelling through the rural hinterlands and experienced the problems first hand, later using their skills and experience to shed light upon them. They created their own community called Rest of My Family, along with a campaign called #Driveforchange which will see them travel across India non-stop for a year, highlighting problems, challenges and social and human issues.

Following in their footsteps: If you find something you’re passionate about, the journey is definitely possible.

 V.  Anand & Anica Mann Kapur

A journey to discover India’s freshest oysters. Yes, you read that right.

Anika Man Kapur and her husband, Anand, recently completed a truly unique journey that’s sure to get gourmands to sit up and take notice. The duo travelled down the east and west coasts of India in search of the freshest oysters they could find.

The oyster hunt route: During their trip, they came across monasteries, temples and Buddhist caves, adding a heady dose of culture to their gastronomic quest. In the end, they found what they had been looking for in Kerala—the freshest oyster came from a tiny village. What’s more, they filmed their entire trip on a GoPro, giving the world a sneak-peek into this curious journey.

Following in their footsteps: Travelling down the coasts of India isn’t too hard a journey, and if you’re dedicated enough, the world is your oyster. Bad pun intended.

VI. Anil Sirur, Michael Gandhi, Arnab Bannerjee, Nataraj Iyer and Partha Chaudhuri

A thrilling 90-day cross-country ride on mopeds back in 1982.

The random plan to travel across India on just a moped came to Iyer and Chaudhuri when they were on a Pune-Mumbai train, proving that all great things come from a single crazy idea. Soon enough, they approached Kinetic Engineering, the manufacturer of LUNA mopeds, and asked them to sponsor this all-India trip on mopeds, and in return the group offered to publicise the bikes as they went alone. They got the green light, along with five bikes and an itinerary, and the fivesome was off. 

The LUNA safari route: In a trip lasting 90 days, they rode nearly 18,000 km starting from Pune. They travelled across Rajasthan, where they got caught in a massive sandstorm; through Madhya Pradesh’s dacoit infested ravines; and through the dense forests of Assam, amongst others, and even touched Kathmandu. Stories of brakes failing as they barreled down tricky mountain slopes in Nepal and more are etched into their memory even now, 34 years after the trip of a lifetime. You can read their whole story here. 

Following their bike tyres: Rope in your closest friends, and chase that sunset.

VII. Bharadwaj Dalal

Around the world in 18 months.

Bharadwaj Dalal is the first Indian to complete a solo tour around around the world on a motorbike, and he did it in style, completing the entire journey in just 18 months. Hailing from Vishakhapatnam, 46-year-old rode across five continents and 16 countries on his Hero MotoCorp Karizma R.

The round-the-world route: Starting in April of 2006, Bharadwaj took off from his hometown to see the world. After reaching Mumbai, he flew to Tehran, Iran, with his bike. From there, he started riding on international roads through Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Canada, the US, Australia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, before returning full circle, back to his home turf.

Following his world-tour footsteps: If you have a burning desire to hit the open road and the time to do it, there’s really nothing stopping you.

VIII. Gaurav Siddharth

Cutting across the map, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, on a bicycle.

Delhi-based Gaurav Siddharth, a freelance UI designer, had never ridden a bicycle in his life. But, clearly, if you set your mind to something, nothing should stop you, because the same man cycled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari across the map of India, journeying over 3,500 km on two wheels.

Siddharth’s crazy idea stemmed from nothing more than growing tired of his mundane daily routine, and the desire to challenge himself.

The top-to-the-tip cycling route: The enthusiastic traveller bought a bicycle and practiced riding it in Delhi before boarding a train to Srinagar, from where he began his epic cycle trail. Having never ridden more than two kilometres at a stretch, Siddharth found himself being pushed beyond the limit as he increased his daily cycling distance from 20, to 30, and then 120 km.

Following his cycle trail: If you have the cycle, all you need then is the time and, well, the guts to pull it off.

 IX. Himanshu Singh

A cycle journey across the country as he checked his carbon footprint. 

Singh believes that cycling across India has given him a deeper understanding of its people and culture, while allowing him to experience some truly unforgettable moments, while simultaneously reducing his carbon footprint since, well, cycles don’t cough up carbon dioxide.

The anti-emissions cycling route: The environmentally conscious traveller has been embarking on cycling journeys since 2010, with his longest one being a 45-day trip across nine states and covering a distance of more than 5,850 km.

Following his wheels: It’s definitely possible if your mind is made of metal and you’re up to roughing it out like he did, that is.

X. PK Mahanandia

Riding from India to Europe on a bicycle, all for love. 

In Delhi, 1975, the Indian artist PK Mahanandia met Charlotte Von Schedvin when she spotted him at Connaught Place and asked him to make a portrait of hers, since he was famous for his ‘10 minute portraits’. “It was an inner voice that said to me that she was the one. During our first meeting we were drawn to each other like magnets. It was love at first sight,” he said in an interview.

Charlotte, who had driven from Sweden to Delhi with her friends along the famous hippie trail crossing Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, reached India in 22 days, and fell in love. “She wore a sari when she met my father for the first time. I still don’t know how she managed. With blessings from my father and family, we got married according to tribal tradition,” Mahanandia shares.

As she left India to return to Sweden, he promised he would follow her to her hometown. As time passed, over a year, they wrote letters and kept in touch. Since he didn’t have enough money for a plane ticket, he sold everything he owned to buy a cycle and follow her back up the same hippie trail, journeying from India to Europe on a cycle for love.

Following the love trail: Well, if you have that much chemistry, you can move mountains for love.

 XI. Rathish Menchery Mony, Pratahp Chandran and Krishna Kumar

Scoping out India’s eastern borders, from the tip to the top and back again.

Three friends, Rathish Menchery Mony, Prathap Chandran and Krishna Kumar set out on a trip of epic proportions in January 2015. With the sole aim of exploring the eastern part of the Himalayas, they drove all the way from Thiruvananthapuram to Bhutan and then right back to where they started.

The three-friends-east-coast route: Packing their Bolero 4x4 Beast with three friends, a couple of bags, and the wide-eyed craving of an adventure, they set off, covering 14 states in 19 days. Their total expenditure for the entire trip was around Rs. 1 lakh, out of which they spent a hefty Rs. 10,000 on bribes alone, since trips like these aren’t an easy feat, especially while dealing with the authorities.

Still, no amount of bribe money lost can take away from the memories that they gathered, they places they visited, and the inspiration they gained. Excited to share their experiences with the world, they set up a blog to tell the tales of their travels.

Following their coastal tracks: If you’re planning the same trip, keep a little kitty handy that you can dip into whenever the only way forward is a nonchalant handshake with a few notes crumpled in your palm.

XII. Rishad Bhumgara

Pushed the boundaries of the map of India on nothing but a motorbike. 

28-year-old Rishad Bhumgara began riding across the country four years ago, and seems to love pushing the boundaries, quite literally we might add. At present, he has ridden to the international borders that India shares with China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China. All this on a bike older than he is, considering it’s already 30 years old. His favourite trips, however, are high-altitude passes preferably when they are snow-filled.

Following his trail: If the snow calls to you, it’s definitely doable. Though you might just be tempted to cross that boundary and country-hop.

 XIII. Sajit Sudhakaran

One month, one whole country? Apparently, it’s possible.

In October 2012, Sajit Sudhakaran set out on an 8,000 km trip across the country. While most people dream of being able to see as much of this vast subcontinent as he did, he did it in just over a month, which is truly a feat by any standard.

The 36-day cross-country route: The epic journey began in Bangalore. After reaching Rameshwaram, he headed to Delhi via the west coast of the country. From here, he headed off to Shimla and then back to Bangalore via central India.

During the course of the trip, he made it a point to update his blog with his adventures and live tweeted his trip at @SajitSudhakaran.

Following his all-India lead: 36 days to see all of India? That’s a toughie.

XIV. Tushar Agarwal and Sanjay Madan

The ultimate roadtrip from Delhi to Turkey, with all the continents in the middle.

After travelling together for three years, Tushar Agarwal and Sanjay Madan decided to set out on a road trip where they would cover six continents and 50 countries. Thus, the Great Indian World Trip, TLC’s travel show came into being. Along with one cameraman, the duo set off in their Toyota Fortuner from India Gate on September 22, 2013.

The duo’s Toyota Fortuner route: They headed to Manipur, from where they crossed into Myanmar, followed by Thailand and Singapore. Rounding off the Asia trip, they headed to Australia, bagging the Guinness World Record for the longest trip taken by car (17,000 kilometres). They then went on to cover Africa, South America, North America, and Europe, and ended the trip in November 2014 in Turkey.

Using only roadmaps and a compass to guide them, they travelled over 90,000 km. “The car was shipped to each continent, and during that break, we would come back home and spend time with family and gather funds for the next leg of the journey,” said Sanjay.

Before setting out on this trip, Tushar had been on another driving expedition. In 2011, he drove from London to Delhi, along with his wife, covering 15 countries in 51 days. They travelled the entire 12,000 km in a Jeep Cherokee that they had purchased for the trip. It was after this trip that Tushar set up his travel company along with Sanjay Madan.

Following their map-compass world journey: Giving up GPS would be the hardest part. If you can wing it old-school, go for it.

XV. The Baid Family

From Bengaluru to Paris in 111 days.

Anand, his wife Punita, and their two kids Yash and Driti set off on what is perhaps one of the most epic road trips we’ve ever heard of: they drove from Bengaluru to Paris in a Fiat Linea, a 17,902-km journey that took 111 days and spanned 11 countries. And if that’s not feat enough for you, toss your family in one car for over a hundred days and you’ll see the real challenge surface.

The Baid family’s Asia-to-Europe trail: Plotting the trip based on what each family member wanted to do and see—Punita wanted to visit Paris and Yash wanted to visit the home of FC Barcelona, his favourite football club—the family set off on their amazing journey. Their first stop was Nepal, followed by China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, and finally, France.

Following the tracks of their epic adventure: This one’s a toughie. Even more so if you, like the Baids, plan to make it a family trip.

XVI. Vijayan and Mohana

The tea seller from Kerala who travelled the world with his wife.

Very often, people put a hold on their dreams to travel because they can’t afford it. But not Vijayan and Mohana—a 60-year-old tea-seller and his wife. For over forty years, his tea stall in Ernakulam has been the only source of income for the family, and despite their humble background, the couple has travelled to over 17 countries.

They have a system—they take loans, travel, return, and work tirelessly for three years so that they can repay the bank. It might seem a little tedious to most, but for them, the experiences that travel brings to them makes everything worthwhile. Inspired by their story, Hari M Mohanan directed a documentary, Invisible Wings, that records their inspiring story.

“My wife had not travelled beyond Ernakulam until she got married. Together we went to Madras, Kanyakumari, Bangalore, Delhi, Haridwar, Egypt, Jordan, London, Paris, Switzerland, Venice, Singapore, and Malaysia,” says Vijayan in the documentary. For years, the couple’s dream to visit the US had been on hold because banks refused to give them a loan. However, as most great stories go, a miracle worked out for them: two public campaigns and a generous donation from Anupam Kher helped make their dream come true. Next on their globe-trotting adventure map, the nomadic couple is now preparing for a trip to Russia.

Following them as they follow their dreams: Depends on how you look at it. Travelling the world sure isn’t cheap, so if you can get someone to foot your bill too, go for it.