We all have heard at least one of our colleagues talk about ditching it all to travel the world, but how often do people make a career out of being on a permanent or partial vacation? Not many. These are some influential social-media-savvy travelers and digital nomads who’re inspiring people to do what makes them happy and venture into the unknown. Let’s see what these top travel bloggers in India have to say about their travel-love and experiance

1. Neelima Vallangi

A brilliant, brilliant photographer and solo traveler, Neelima Vallangi is a true inspiration to budding travelers and explorers. If you’re having a bad day, just go to her Instagram profile and scroll through her feed for some refreshing pictures of heavenly landscapes. Neelima is a trekker, adventurer, and you will mostly find her in the mighty Himalayas.

What prompted Neelima to go on your first journey?

She started her travel journey in 2008. It was her trip to Ladakh with family when she first witnessed India’s diversity. Her first time in the Himalayas turned into an obsession.

What kind of travel does Neelima like?

Neelima is a sucker for adventure, trekking, and anything that involves traveling to the magnificent Himalayas.

What are Neelima’s top travel experiences?

She has stalked a snow leopard in Ladakh, snorkeled in one of the world’s most pristine coral reefs, hiked for a whole month in Turkey, explored the vast steppes of Mongolia by a truck for weeks, spent a lot of time in the snowfields and slopes of Himalayas.

2. Archana Singh

Archana Singh is an award-winning travel writer and speaker. Her impressive storytelling and photography skills have made her travel blog extremely popular around the world. Archana’s Instagram feed is a testimony of her travel adventures.

What prompted you to go on your first journey?
Thanks to an army background and hostel life, I have been traveling since I was a kid. But one trip that changed my outlook on solo travel was my trip to Europe in 2012. I was a bundle of nerves when I went on that trip, but since then, there has been no looking back.

What’s your favorite travel destination?
Japan. I loved it for the unique mix of culture and modernity it offers. I visited it during the autumn season when the whole country was ablaze with autumn foliage.

What’s that one travel gadget you always keep in your backpack?
Camera either in the form of a mobile phone or a DSLR/GoPro.

Do you have a favorite travel book or a travel movie?
Into the Wild for presenting the true essence of travel and finding oneself while travelling to unknown territories.

A piece of advice for all the wanderlust-ERS out there?
Travel is like an addiction and you can never have enough of it. With every travel, you grow as an individual. My only advice would be to travel with an explorer’s open mind and be adaptable. The humbler and grounded you become, the more love you get in return. Also, travel for the love of travel not just for the GRAM.

3. Ajay Sood

A travel photographer by profession and passion, Ajay Sood is one of the top Indian travel bloggers of India. His Instagram feed is an array of incredible landscapes, people, streets, and architectures. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he has covered most of the continents during his travel.

What prompted you to go on your first journey?

I was 9 years old and my parents had to visit my grandparents’ place in Phagwara, which is a town 35km from my hometown, Ludhiana. My grandma was a brilliant cook. So, visiting her was always a treat. I insisted I’ll also come to Phagwara after school gets over. So, I travelled alone as a 9-year old. And, ever since, got hooked on travel.

What’s your favourite travel destination?

That destination had remained on my bucket list for decades. It was only in late November 2017, when I finally visited Iceland. The place has all the magic I had expected. It has some of the largest glaciers in Europe you can snowmobile for miles on, craziest eerie ice caves that you can sing in, sprawling natural Jacuzzis (thermal baths) for sipping a chilled beer in arctic winters, Northern lights that remind you of a discotheque, caves filled with centuries-old lava, stunning landscape you can’t get enough of, gigantic waterfalls that inspire awe, and… and a large number of ‘Game of Thrones’ locations.

What’s that one travel gadget you always keep in your backpack?

My iPhone with scores of apps that range from Translate Voice Pro (my go-to app in countries where very few can communicate in English), The Photographer’s Ephemeris (it tells me the sunrise/sunset time and direction of sun at any spot I plan to shoot in), Night Sky (helps me find the Pole Star during my Astro-photography night outs), and many more.

Do you have a favourite travel book or a travel movie?

My favourite movie is ‘Into the wild’. The biographical story of Christopher from ‘Alexander Supertramp’ to ‘The Magic Bus’ is a story of someone who is a true explorer at heart. My favourite book is ‘Atlas Obscura’. As the foreword of the book mentions it, this book is not for travellers, but for explorers.

A piece of advice for all the wanderlust-ERS out there?

Here’s a money-saving travel hack. When abroad, don’t exchange currency. Use ATM. You’ll save around 8%. A travel quote that always inspires you to travel. Leave behind only footsteps. Bring back only memories.

4. Seema Gurnani

When talking about top travel and food bloggers, Seema Gurnani is the first name that pops up in the minds of individuals. Starting her journey of ‘Panda Reviewz’ in Vijayawada, this award-winning 24-year-old star quit her comfortable job and started to take the road of thrill and excitement. A zeal for exploring the nooks and new tastes is what keeps this young entrepreneur going!

What prompted you to go on your first journey?

My first, and the most memorable journey till date, was my first solo escape trip to Goa when I had just turned 16. The curiosity and passion to explore new destinations, cultures, and most importantly – the food. This resulted in a lifetime memorable trip.

Your favorite travel destination

Goa and Auroville remain my personal favorites among all the places I have visited in India. In abroad, Melaka (Malaysia) takes the crown. For yet-to-visit destinations, backpacking through Europe remains at the top of my wish-list.

One travel gadget you always keep in your backpack

I’m Dora and my smartphone is the arsenal of my exploring tools. From local maps to translating languages, to capturing beautiful memories, to get all the updated information; Everything is possible because of this trustworthy companion.

Your favorite travel book/movie of all time

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Queen, Eat Pray Love

A piece of advice for all the wanderlust-ERS out there

Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect by getting to where you wish to be. If your heart is set to travel, just pack up your bags, head out, and explore what all this planet has to give you that will make the moments and memories of your life.

A travel quote that always inspires you to travel

Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things. -air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.

5. Shivya Nath

A prominent name in the travel industry, Shivya needs no introduction. At the age of 23, she quit her comfortable and high-paying corporate job to travel the world. This solo female traveller has packed her life into a backpack and now inspiring people around the world to do what they love. She has travelled in parts of Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caucasus region and the Indian subcontinent.

How does Shivya like to travel?
Shivya is an offbeat traveler who loves to explore the lesser-explored parts of the world. She likes to go slow while traveling, go under the skin of a place, talk to the locals, and live her stay. She’s usually seen traveling solo in the lesser-known countries and cities of Europe.

Tips to save money for travel?
1. Don’t do unnecessary shopping and find free hobbies to keep you entertained and busy at weekends.
2. Avoid eating out in restaurants and cafes. You can easily save INR 500 to INR 1000 a day.
3. Shivya recommends working online.
4. Sell the things you don’t need.
5. Get rid of that credit card and save for small and budget trips.

Thank you for reading

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