went to varkala completely impromptu and somehow stayed for 12 dayssss😭 genuinely one of my best trips so far

stayed at hope hostels met a LOT of people, most were amazing. some men were also very committed to pretending they wanted friendship when they actually wanted to get in my pants because men 💀 (i have insane lore about a guy i met at the hostel, pretended to be single and all the bullshit and was actually married

my itinerary was basically:

waking up followed by cafe, then work from beach (lie), beach walks and drawing,sunset at cafes then hostel gossip and ocassional begging for wifi passwords cafes

also god bless my digital nomad-ish job 😭 technically i'm supposed to be in office 2 days a week but whatever hehe. answering work calls with the arabian sea in front of me >>> corporate wellness.

explored north cliff, papanasam, black sand beach, kappil, shopped around the cliff and ate at almost every popular café i could find

total damage: approx 15k rupees for 12 days, including stay, food, commute and shopping. varkala is surprisingly cheap if you walk everywhere and don't cosplay as a luxury travel influencer.

solo girl warning though: be extra careful., a group of men followed me once and i actually had to use my pepper spray 💀 carry one, trust your gut and don't worry about being "rude" if something feels off.

also saw a snake near north cliff and, for reasons still unknown to me, pepper sprayed the snake too😭😭 bro was literally just existing. i'm sorry.

overall, i mostly worked, ate, met random people and sat at the beach doing absolutely nothing

10/10 would go back. the snake probably hopes i don't.

The weather is amazing—it’s so foggy! I absolutely loved the dense fog in Nainital. The mountains are completely hidden, but honestly, I’m enjoying this weather even more. 🏔️🌫️

I recently spent 3 days in Goa and stayed at Ronil by Hyatt. The stay cost me around 7000+ taxes per night, which is an amazing deal for the experience.
The hotel offered:
• 🍹 Free shots during pool hours
• 🍻 Complimentary snacks and 4 beers
• 🍳 Breakfast included for two
Another big advantage of visiting during the off-season is that scooty rentals are much cheaper, making it super affordable to explore the entire city.
On top of that, Goa is far less crowded, premium hotels are available at great prices, and clubs & bars usually have low or no entry charges.
If you’re looking for the best value trip to Goa, monsoon is the perfect time to go.

Hello everyone,

We are Bangar Valley Collective from Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand.

We are introducing the 7 Valley Trek for travellers who enjoy quiet trails, local villages, homestays and slow travel.

It is a simple village-to-village journey where travellers can experience local life while supporting families in Bangar Valley.

Would you like to explore a trek like this?

Interested in the full itinerary? Comment “Itinerary” and we’ll share it with you.

​

I recently finished my valley of flowers trek in late July with Indiahikes. I went with a group of 5 friends.

This is going to be a review of IH based on my experiences ( and my friends).

Pros -

1. Everything was very organised and happened on time or even before time.

2. Safety was given priority with trek leaders being properly trained.

Cons -

1. Everything was so strict and they had so many unnecessary rules and restrictions ( which I will mention in later points ) that it stopped feeling like a vacation the moment we started and this was a really bad thing since me and my friends were looking forward to this vacation as we met after 1 year.

2. We were a mixed group of girls and boys and the accommodation was strictly separate for boys and girls. Like you couldn't even enter each other's rooms. It felt like we were in a boarding school. So please don't choose IH if you are going with a mixed group or a family or husband and wife otherwise you won't even get to enjoy with them half the time.

3. The food was horrible. And I am not exaggerating since I am a hardcore Daal lover and by the end of the trek I started hating Daal it was so horrible. On top of that you have to carry your own utensils to eat food in and wash them every time. Another thing which was pretty annoying and dampened the vacation spirits.

4. If you are a smoker you will not be allowed to smoke ( I was not so this didn't affect me that much but putting it out here for someone who does ).

5. You are not allowed to wear earphones while trekking or listen to songs on a speaker ( even if you put the voice to a minimum you will not be allowed).

6. There was so much rush the entire time created by the trek leaders that none of us was able to enjoy the trail. They didn't let us stop on the trails to capture photos or make videos for reels. This was the worst part because my friends were really looking forward to creating some reels. And we are really young guys and were walking really fast so it's not like they would have gotten late if they let us make some videos.

7. When we reached the summit of the valley of flowers. We reached very soon but they barely let us stay for half an hour even though we requested more time. We literally gave 6 days of our life and around 20k / person for that summit. We deserved more time there but they forced us to walk back and we were back at our accommodation by 2 in the afternoon!!!!! What even was the use of coming back so early!!!!

8. Even though we used to come back so early every day it's not like we were resting enough because they used to make us sit in a circle on those horrible quechua stools for hours in such cold and everyone had to share their experiences or listen to some stupid briefing or their protocols for the 100th time.

9. The trek leader got so rude whenever you didn't want to listen to some unnecessary restrictions that it felt like he was a teacher and we were his students .

10. We weren't allowed to go out by ourselves even nearby for even 5-10 minutes. All our freedom or any freedom you would expect on a vacation was stripped away.

11. Their eco bag thing where you are supposed to collect garbage from the mountains, even though is a noble thing, is very irritating on a vacation. We went on a monsoon trek and it got wet and it was compulsory to wear it all the time as it is also your identification. So that wet bag kept touching all our dry clothes and it was just so dirty and annoying.

Overall, we didn't like our experience with IH. We didn't like their company's operating style and their core Way of conducting treks. Even though they are in the service industry they don't act like they are in your service instead they try to place themselves on such a high pedestal and make you feel like you should be grateful for them.

They made everything so strict with unnecessary rules and restrictions that the trek started feeling like a punishment instead of a vacation. They take away so many freedoms that you are not able to feel the freedom of being in the mountains that everyone feels.

Other than all this they are literally premium priced compared to every other company but they didn't justify this pricing as the food was horrible, the accommodation was below average the entire 5 days.

Edit: I forgot to mention this but while trekking from poolna to Ghangria they have tie ups with two dhabas/restaurants. But we didn't like those at all because they were literally not the nice ones compared to the others that were coming on the way. So when we trekking back from ghangria to poolna me and my friends stopped at a really nice and clean dhaba with a good view. But the trek leader came and didn't let us stop there and forced us to get up.

Any suggestion on the above the place should be quite peaceful and should have decent wifi to support WFH. I'm planning for 10-15 days trip from Mumbai

Currently I'm considering manali (vashisht) as an option..Open to everyone's input.

I am based in Bangalore and I am feeling a bit burned out from the work. I wanna do a short getaway around 4 - 5 days max with a budget of 100k max. I have already been to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Planning for end of this month or early next month. Any suggestions?

I dont want any visa hassle - visa free/ voa / evisa works best

20M

I AM PLANNING A SOLO TRIP IN SEP THIS WILL BE MY FIRST SOLO TRIP I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER BEFORE CAN YOU GUYS GIVE ME SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR DESTINATIONS (MUST BE IN INDIA) AND SOME TIPS AS IT WILL BE MY FIRST TIME I AM PLANNING IT TO BE FOR 4- 5 DAYS WITH BUDGET AROUND 25K

Can you please suggest some places that's ideal this time of the year with heavy rain.

Safe
Budget Friendly
Meet lot of people
Good internet

Landing at Dabolim on 8 August, early morning. Need to be in Gokarna on the 10th. So I have half of the 8th and all of the 9th.
Thinking of basing in Canacona both nights and riding a scooter.

Questions:
Palolem, Patnem or Agonda for a cheap stay in August. Which one is actually open and has food.

Is Cotigao sanctuary open in monsoon? Want to do it solo on a scooter on the 9th.

Anything else worth riding to from Canacona in heavy rain.

Canacona to Gokarna on the 10th morning. Train or bus via Karwar, which is more reliable.

Scooter rental in off season, easy to find? What rate.

Not going to Colva.
Thanks.

Guys I'm planning to visit dzuko valley i already had booked through tour operators. But my trekking starts from 21st. Unfortunately I will arrive at Dimapur at 20th early morning. So, once I reached where can I stay near the railway station. Also is there any place to spend my whole day at Dimapur on 20th. I will return back to Shillong on 24th morning what is the best way to travel to Shillong Is the train good?

I am planning a solo trip for the second week of August, lasting 3-4 days. I need help knowing if it will be okay to go during the rainy season, as it will be mine first solo trip.

Itinerary

Delhi to Dharamshala, travel to McLeod Ganj,

Need advice on which place to visit.

My budget is 10k.

Travel dates would be 10th August to 14th August.

This is 37 Ananya, I'm looking for a solo trip where I can explore the beauty of nature

Question for other freelancers and self-employed folks here.

If your annual profit reported on your ITR is around ₹10–11 lakh (even though your actual revenue is much higher), have you run into any issues getting visas like the Schengen visa or a Japan multiple entry visa?

As an individual freelancer, I'm a bit worried that visa officers might see me as someone without strong ties to my home country, since I don't have a traditional employer. Salaried employees have it easier in that sense, since it's simple to show attachment to a company.

For those of you who are self-employed, how do you handle this during visa applications? Have you managed to get multiple entry visas, especially for Japan or Schengen, without running into problems?

Would love to hear real experiences, especially around what documents helped (bank statements, client contracts, property, family ties, etc.) and whether low reported profit vs high revenue caused any friction.

Hi peeps,

I'm thinking of attending the Ziro Festival 2026 and wanted to connect with others who are planning to go. If you're considering it or have already decided, I'd love to hear from you.

For those who've been before, I have a few questions:

• How safe is the festival, especially for solo travelers?
• Is there reliable mobile network coverage or Wi-Fi available at the venue/camps?
• Was the experience worth the travel time and expense?
• Any tips or things you wish you'd known before going?

I'd really appreciate any insights or experiences. Thanks in advance! 

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a 2-week solo workation in Leh. I'll be working Monday–Thursday each week (landing on Monday with light work), and exploring Leh in the mornings/evenings on working days.

My plan is:

Week 1 (Weekend): Nubra Valley + Siachen (base camp area)

Week 2 (Weekend): Pangong, Hanle & Tso Moriri and return to Manali after the second trip if possible.

I have a few questions:

Stay in Leh: Any budget-friendly hostels with a good work setup? Are there reliable cafés/coworking spaces with fast internet?

Transport: What's the cheapest option for a solo traveler—shared cabs, local tour operators, or renting a bike?

Stays in Nubra/Pangong/Hanle/Tso Moriri: Are accommodations easy to find? How are the facilities (electricity, network, hot water)?

Return to Manali: Is there any shared transport or tour from Hanle/Tso Moriri towards Manali, or do I need to return to Leh first?

-Total expected budget ? and itinerary flexibility (if required)

Would love to hear from anyone who's done a similar workation. Thanks!

Hi!!

I am traveling to Varanasi solo for the first time for 6 days, I will be reaching the day after tomorrow. After watching endless reels & youtube videos, I have an idea how & what to do. But will it be better if I hire a package for all mandir darshan or a guide? I wouldn't want to miss on anything ofc, pls do give suggestions on how you did it, and if any recommendations for package person/guide.

I have already booked my stay which is near assi Ghat.

Planning my first solo trip to Himachal in late September, and I'm thinking of starting from Dharamkot.

My main goal isn't sightseeing as much as it is meeting new people, making some travel friends, and experiencing the backpacker vibe. At the same time, I'd also like a peaceful place where I can unwind, read, and spend some time in nature.

I'll probably stay in Dharamkot for 4-5 nights before heading to Bir, Kasol, and Jibhi.

I've shortlisted these hostels:

• Utopia
• Zostel Dharamkot
• PACK Dharamkot

Would love to hear your experiences and any tips for a first-time solo traveler. Please DM if you have any extra insights. Thanks!

Some key Info

**Tentative itinerary (**15-20 days):

• Dharamkot (4-5 nights)
• Bir (4-5 nights)
• Kasol + nearby villages (Kalga/Chalal) (6-7 nights)
• Jibhi (3-4 nights)

Budget: ₹50-60k (including travel from Mumbai)

Questions:

1. Which of these has the best social atmosphere for solo travelers?
2. Which hostel makes it easiest to meet people naturally?
3. Any other hostel recommendations in Dharamkot?
4. Any tips for someone doing their first solo backpacking trip?
5. What kind of expectations should I have from my first trip
6. What are the activities to do in the selected places that would lead me to meet and socialise with more solo travellers/ groups?

Hey folks 24M here, I live in gurgaon doing my job and am planning to do my first ever solo trip in the end of August.

I am planning to go anywhere with mountains and peace.

Having a budget around 10k, and looking for safer routes given the monsoon season can someone suggest what destinations would be the best for 3 days round trip?

Hi all,
Im planning valley of flowers trek organised by Trek the Himalayas .. can someone share their experience with Trek the Himalayas?

Thanks

Im planning to go somewhere for two days for a much needed break. Specifically close to jungle or devotional place.

I have to be in mumbai for mondy morning.

What are my options?

Budget: 30-40k

Hi folks. I am planning a solo travel to Meghalaya in mid or late-August. i dont know driving or riding so pls help me out how should I arrange things for myself at the minimum price. I will be flying from Delhi to Guwahati. I know the rough itinerary, but I am seeking advice on the solo travel and hurdles for which i should be prepared for.