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Xplor.Earth – Tales of an Urban Adventurer

Lose the Metrocard, Gain the Mountaintop!

 

Do you sometimes wonder if there are any more adventures left in your life? Offbeat travel where you discover not only the world around you but also yourself?  

Well, Harsh Patil is there to tell you that wonderful new places are just waiting to be found – and he’s happy to show you where they are! After all, it wasn’t so far back that he himself was just another suit, a stressed out New Yorker, a cog in the office machine for whom the world began and ended at his desk piled high with business documents.

And then a friend invited him for a trek to Mt. Kilimanjaro – and on that sublime mountain summit Harsh found himself – and his true calling.  Perhaps the wanderlust was really in his DNA since childhood when his family had taken him on countless family trips on trains and buses. He says, “Although my family had never traveled abroad they had traveled extensively within India. I had seen all the offbeat places as well as all the world heritage sites that exist.”

He didn’t actually board an airplane till he was 17 and left for the US for his education but his childhood travels set the tone for what was to follow – the Big American Journey. In becoming a professional and finding a job, he made friends who, like him, had little money and huge enthusiasm, and he discovered the joys of camping, trails, kayaking – all the things he and his friends did in America on a modest budget. All these steps, all these small adventures were all leading to that moment on Mt. Kilimanjaro, that Eureka moment of “I can do this!”

Gradually, he gave up his life in the corporate world and became a full-time wanderer to little known destinations with secrets hidden under their veil. Last year he started xplor.earth, his own travel consultancy, dedicated to dreamers and adventure travelers everywhere.

That first trip to Kilimanjaro changed his life – and he thinks that there’s a journey that can change yours too! As an insider in this world of discovering new places, it’s his passion to share the blueprints of the road less traveled and the how-tos of his adventures. Today Harsh has circled the world several times, apexed Mt. Kilimanjaro thrice and knows certain far-flung places like the back of his hand.

At xplor.earth – A Blueprint for Adventure

At xplor.earth Harsh has laid out the blueprint for adventure which includes the following:

 

• Leisure vacations: Africa, Columbia, Croatia, Cuba, India, Southeast Asia, and Croatia
• Soft adventure travels: African & Indian Safaris, Galapagos, Iceland, Patagonia, Galapagos
• Adventure travel and expeditions: Africa, India, Nepal, Peru – rafting, skiing, trekking and mountain climbing

 

African adventure – Alongside sublime wildlife safaris,a cultural immersion experience with the Masai tribe.

As Harsh explains, Xplor.earth creates individually customized itineraries. They cater to both leisure vacationers looking to discover of- beat destinations with authentic local flavor and cultural immersion, and also to avid adventurers venturing on an outdoor frontier type of thrill. Whether it’s solo trips, themed group getaways or family journeys, they give the traveler the option to curate every detail, and create a memorable experience.

With an excellent team of world-class operators and on the ground experts, xplor.earth puts the thrill and joy back into vacations with every last detail fine-tuned. We spoke with some of the xplor.earth alumni to learn about their special travels in different parts of the world.

Himesh’s Excellent Adventures in Masai Mara

Himesh Bhise, a technology executive, went with his family and with friends who are executives in pharma, banking and accounting, on an African Safari with xplor.earth:  He says, “This was my first time in Africa and I went for family time, an adventure and a new experience.”

We asked him what was the most memorable part of this journey and he said: “The natural beauty of the Masai Mara and the Ngorongoro Crater is stunning. We had amazing experiences seeing animals at close quarters and in their natural habitat.  Seeing a leopard climb down from its perch on a tree; seeing a lioness bring her kill to a lion and her cubs; driving through a herd of elephants.”

 

He added, “We watched herds of wildebeest and zebra hesitate, then plunge into the Mara River, then thrash their way through the water and the crocodile predators lying in wait (some unsuccessfully), and then complete the river crossing on their way to greener pastures.”

The trip certainly brings out the hidden raconteur and poet in these travelers!

We asked Himesh how Harsh’s xplor.earth had enhanced the experience for him and he pointed to great logistical arrangements of air travel, transfers, cars and superb lodging – as well as the extremely efficient safari guides: “This vacation would have been a shadow of what it was without this friendly and knowledgeable team of guides.”

 

Arati Discovers the Wonderland of Ladakh and Pangong Lake

Arati Nagaraj traveled with her family to Leh in Ladakh and then to Kenya. She was enraptured with both trips and has a lot to share about her off-the-beaten path travels.“Ladakh was magical!” she says. “There was Leh the city which had the Gurudwara where it is believed that Guru Nanak traveled to and protected. It also has an Indian army museum and we witnessed the splendid sangam of the Indus River. We traversed Ladakh by road starting in Leh and going all the way up to 18,0000 ft mark to the Khardungla Passen route, (one of the highest in the world) . Then we came down to Nubra Valley and literally staying in a tent under the stars! We also went on to Pongyang Lake. The blue pristine waters welcomed us and we were all excited to see it as it was in the movie  “3 idiots”!  Here too we stayed in a tented camp just by the banks of the Lake. The majestic vistas that is Ladakh and the breathtaking beauty of the place was not lost on us!”

 

Arati is all praise for the local transportation that xplor.earth organized for them: “We had a car and local driver cum guide to our disposal. The roads there being so treacherous and death-defying required a driver cum guide who knew the lay of the land. Our guide and driver Dorjee made it a memorable drive for us. In each of the places we stayed in the hospitality was fantastic! We rode camels and ATVs with equal ease!”

On her subsequent trip to Nairobi and Masai Mara in Kenya, Arati traveled with her husband and two boys in a larger group of friends.  Here she says, the most exciting thing was to witness the Mara crossing: “We were so lucky to see it. People wait for years to see it – the line of wildebeest followed by the zebras. We even saw a wildebeast being attacked by a crocodile. It makes you appreciate the circle of life!”

Arati says xplor.earth had customized the adventure: “This was a beautifully curated trip for the 22 of us. It was so perfect that we even had the campsite exclusively to our group. Early morning safari rides that sometimes would end up lasting the whole day. Seeing all the animals in their natural habitat is a big high. Then in the evening coming back to a bonfire or to a sundowner in the middle of the Mara. Our last dinner there was spectacular as we ate listening to the sound of the roar of a pride of lions! It was glamping at its best!”

 Romil and Ritu Travel to the timeless Cartagana, Columbia  

 Ritu and Romil Bhagat traveled with xplor.earth as a family of seven. Recalls Ritu, “A private yacht took us to an island resort off the coast of Cartagana, which was wonderful. The hotel in the walled city was charming with all the expected amenities enhanced with local touches, We went for a mud bath, which was a unique experience for us! Harsh always finds memorable experiences for his travelers!”

What did she feel was the special feature of xplor.earth which made the trip memorable?  She says, “Everything was seamless, from our airport pickup to the trips we took to historic sites. They had knowledgeable guides to give us tours of the history of the city.”  

 

 

Nishit & Suman, Dipped in the Surreal Magic of Cuba

 

Postcards from Cuba – A Timeless Adventure

Nishit and Suman are a couple who greatly enjoyed a romantic trip to that most untapped place – Cuba. They went with three other couples and saw a Cuba which is fast disappearing. Since Harsh has been there many times  he as an insider’s knowledge of the hidden treasures.

Nishit recalls, “Havana itself was ever so exciting , the architecture, people and the natural beauty are one of a kind. People are wonderful and the food and drink exceptional! I highly recommend a biking trip around the city, all arranged by Harsh.”

He adds, “From pickup to drop off we were superbly taken care of, our guide Renier was a Godsend, very flexible with the number of changes in the itinerary we had made. Our driver was reliable and knowledgeable, our whole stay was seamless, and we had to just “ask” and were obeyed! The villa was wonderful, total luxury and the staff was amazing! Too many wonderful memories! We were shown the best of the best, and felt extremely indulged.”

Finally – one of the top trending travel destinations to visit in 2020 

 Iceland – The Land of Fire and Ice!

 

ICELAND Northern Lights and Beyond…

A magical land of fire and ice continues to be one of the desired holiday getaways for 2020.

The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the world. Witnessing those distinctive green and purple lights shimmer and dance in the night sky is one of the most fascinating and iconic experiences Iceland has to offer.

Beyond the Northern Lights, this Nordic nation will capture the heart of every traveler with its otherworldly landscape of glaciers, ice caves, mountains, volcanoes and waterfalls. Iceland’s natural landscape also includes geothermal baths, black beaches and open space where majestic Icelandic horses roam.

A fascinating mixture of adrenaline-fueled activities and state-of-the-art therapeutic relaxation options makes Iceland an out of this world adventure. At the Blue Lagoon people can slather themselves in a silica mud masque in the the natural hot springs. Iceland is also home to the UNESCO World Heritage site Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall and it is the only place in world where you can dive or snorkel in between two continents.

So is it time for you to plan your dream trip? Give Harsh and xplor.earth a call to make some magic happen! Check out Iceland and the world at  xplor.earth

Sponsored by xplor.earth