FOB / CARAVANS
Camper Trails in Coorg
Staying On
The Wheel
The pandemic, with its interminable waves,
changed the way we travel. Forget fancy
hotels and room service, it’s time for caravan
tourism. The caravan business, already
established in the West, is taking off in India
too, and these companies tell you how
By Ananya Swaroop
Social distancing? Check. Proper sanitation?
Check. Breath-taking views from the
comfort of a social bubble? Check. This
checklist has become the most crucial thing
for any travel lover in 2021. The Covid-19
pandemic has changed the way we travel
and enjoy that much-needed break, and
travellers are looking for safer options to
head out to unexplored locations. This need
to travel with precautions has given a boost
to caravan tourism. A concept born in the
West, caravan businesses have now found
their routes in our country.
Harsh Sharma, the founder of Camping
Co., finished building his first car with his
partner in 2017, and started going on longer
expeditions. The growing demand for their
caravan amongst his friends and colleagues
made him register it on Airbnb, and then turn
it into a full-fledged business. If you go on a
trip anywhere in the eight states of Northeast
1 AUGUST 2021 • MW
India with Sharma’s company, you will be
charged Rs 3,000-4,000 per day for a self-
drive rental car, which is the general price
range for a caravan trip. Harshita Khanna,
who is one of Camping Co.’s clients says,
“The best thing is that it’s super convenient
and the best way to explore India.” Keshav
Kanoi says, “I have taken the caravan to
Bhutan. The budget becomes favourable,
so it becomes economical.”
Caravan tourism offers you an offbeat
experience, but it also doesn’t mean camping
in tents and venturing into the wild sans the
extravagance of a hotel. These caravans offer
you all the amenities you will need. A luxury
rooftop tent, mattresses, charging points,
air-conditioning, a customised camp to cook,
elaborate kitchen, toilet, showers, generator
set, hammock, barbeque grill, light games,
music system, etc. come with the caravan.
Captain Suresh Sharma has been
Captain Suresh
Sharma of Green
Dot Expeditions
preps a meal
“The experience
is different. You
are not a slave of
hotel bookings,
itineraries,
etc. You can
stop wherever
you want. It is
like being in a
moving home”
— Purunedu
Singh, a caravan
traveller
Camper Trails in Dandeli
caravanning since 2000. He started Green
Dot Expeditions so that he could take people
into the wild, and help them explore what
the wilderness has to offer. While he loved
to go on adventures, Sharma says that
the maintenance of the caravans is quite
expensive. Sharma takes the vehicle to
places like Jaisalmer, Bhuj, Leh, Srinagar, and
Sonmarg for the price of Rs 4,500–10,000
per person. A hitch of sorts that many
businesses face.
Purunedu Singh, who travelled with Green
Dot, had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He
says, “The experience is different. You are not
a slave of hotel bookings, itineraries etc. You
can stop wherever you want. It is like being in
a moving home.”
Another travel enthusiast that I happened
to talk to was Vathsala C Rangegowda.
She, along with her partner, Sanjna Hangal,
experienced caravanning in Europe, and
wanted to bring the same experience back
to India. They started Trippy Wheels (based
out of Bengaluru) together, and channelled
their wanderlust spirit into the business. She
says, “The freedom one gets while travelling
in a caravan cannot be found elsewhere.
How awesome is it to be able to just park
by a river, make a cup of hot tea and watch
the sunset, not having to think about
what's next?”
While most business owners take
the effort to curate a itinerary for their
customers, Rangegowda says that planned
itineraries take the fun out of road trips.
“Road trips bring out the adventurous
side in you, and you get to do things you
normally wouldn’t do, hence we don’t
like to plan the trips and let the customer
explore themselves,” she add, promoting
the idea that you can take a caravan
anywhere you want.
Santosh Bagali, who used Trippy Wheels’
services, said, “The van was clean and
spacious. Highly recommended and will
certainly use Trippy Wheels again for our
next road trip adventure.”
Many business owners buy the vehicles,
but Sanjay Saini and Bina Saini from
Motorhome Adventure ventured into
building their own caravans. Saini says, “We
customise everything in-house, we've been
manufacturing caravans and other assets for
at least two decades now.”
Reviewing their caravans, Jayesh
Chauhan, a happy Motorhome Adventures
customer, said, “The vehicle is very good and
services are good too. They are very co-
operative and helpful. Overall services
are appreciated.”
However, the question still remains if
travelling by a caravan is safe. Sharma
explains it’s totally safe, and a self-sufficient
form of travel to remote locations. “It means
you'll have the least amount of physical
proximity as you stay within your personal
‘quarantine mobile’”, he adds. Rahul Soman
of Wacation on Wheels, explains that the
business is also growing because of the very
reason that it is safe. “We are already seeing
a huge jump in the number of enquiries
this year. All of this growth is organic, so
Campers setting up tents
outside the caravan
people are looking for caravans in the in a bad way. Captain Sharma says, “We
aftermath of the pandemic,” he added. Saini were reduced to nothing, we lost the whole
of Motorhome Adventures adds, “We have business. But now people have realised the
seen the change in the mentality of people benefits of a caravan. It helped us explore
towards caravan culture and adventure travel new things and innovate our business.”
post-pandemic.” Chandrakanth Ramoji started Camper
But just like the two sides of the coin, the Trails in 2018 after returning from a caravan
pandemic also affected the caravan business trip from Europe. He, unfortunately, had
to shut down the business due to the
adverse effects of the pandemic. “When the
Camping Co’s
rooftop tent pandemic struck in March 2020, our business
came to a grinding halt. We were stranded
for almost six months.” They, however, are
planning to return with a single-vehicle
caravan. “We have relocated to Goa and
will be starting single-unit and self-drive
caravans,” he added, giving you another
reason to pack your bags and head out for a
vacation with them.
Sisir Kumar, a Camper Trail client,
says, “Travelling in a caravan is a new
experience, and I would definitely
recommend the same. For people looking
for an offbeat experience, this is definitely
an option to try,” and we agree.
So pack your bags, and set out. You know
you want to.
Taurus the truck
by Green Dot
Expeditions
AUGUST 2021 • MW 2