Nagaland Offroad is an initiative by the Government of Nagaland that aims to spread tourism in the state beyond conventional destinations like Dimapur and Kohima.
Nagaland Offroad has been successful to capture the state’s vibrant landscape and unique culture. With this initiative, Nagaland is all set to become the perfect destination for travellers looking for adventure and the unadulterated truth of remote travel. Nagaland Tourism has appointed Wander Beyond Boundaries (WBB) to curate the off-road journey within the state and document such trails in Nagaland to develop a 4X4 Guide book, Physical Map, Micro Site, App, establish brand identity, presence and build awareness of Nagaland’s off-road potential through articles in leading publications, blogs and social media set up.
As experts, WBB has been recruited by the Nagaland Government to impart professional expertise, establishing and mentoring Nagaland off-road access to a large network of professionals, ensuring that the brand vision is realized. WBB is actively engaged in setting up Self Drive Nagaland Portal and is also putting together a fleet of off-road ready self-drive vehicles, invite entrepreneurs to list vehicles, modify and gear to make them off-road ready and establish local hubs to support logistics, operation and maintenance of vehicles.
Nidhi Salgame, Founder & Director of WBB is an extreme-terrain driver, outdoor educator and writer. She is the first woman to drive from New Delhi to London, and also the first Indian to drive to the Pole of Cold in North-Eastern Siberia, in peak winter. Salgame has over 22 years of driving and outdoor experience, spread across 32 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the US. Salgame spoke to Travel Trade Insider (TTI) to share details of unique experiences that an off-road expedition offers to participants.
Q. Kindly share the average duration of the off-road expedition and the cost involved.
A. The off-road expeditions are typically a minimum of 12 days and can go up to 16 days long depending on the remote areas one has to traverse through. These expeditions are for self-drive enthusiasts who want to experience driving on challenging roads in the country or internationally. The cost depends on the geography, whether it’s in India or outside and the duration of the trip. The cost can vary between Rs. 1.5 Lakh to Rs. 2 Lakh and is inclusive of everything. We curate these expeditions with utmost care and are specialised in curating such experiences.
Q. What should one expect from such trips?
A. Travelling to remote areas is not everybody’s cup of tea. While the tourism industry has divided the segment into eco-tourism and rural tourism but believe me there is more to hinterlands. It is a combination of various experiences one can expect while travelling to remote parts of the globe. Seeing, observing, learning and gaining insight into people’s lives in a remote place is a big takeaway from an off-road trip.
We also welcome corporates who want to engage in such unique experiences. We will be happy to cater to their special needs as well if it is within our abilities. However, we are working in remote areas, so luxuries should not be expected. We can guarantee an experience of a lifetime to you but cannot offer super comforts. We can also curate special itineraries for travelling groups.
Q. Please tell us more about WBB and your USP.
A. Wander Beyond Boundaries is a pioneer in extreme overland expeditions. We take you on expeditions in remote lands where there are virtually no roads. As we don’t want to compromise on the quality of the experiences that we offer, we cater to not more than 5-6 small expedition groups. We specialise in lesser-known and first-of-its-kind routes and expeditions. We basically function in a very expeditionary mode. You should check our YouTube videos and see the kind of experiences one can expect. It isn’t for everyone. These trips are for a very niche audience but I know there are many of our kind.
The motive behind our trips is purely a journey within, an opportunity for travellers to explore new land, local life and gain a new perspective. WBB is really not a company. It wasn’t conceived as a business idea or a venture. WBB essentially started as a thought and it has now become a platform for like-minded travellers who seek more from their wanderlust and not just tick places off their list. We conduct 4X4 self-drive small group expeditions to remote parts of the world which generally are not on the average tourist’s radar.
We work in countries that are not typically associated with tourism for example we work in Siberia, Nagaland in India, Central Asian countries like Kyrgyzstan or in Uganda and Congo in Africa. These are not the destinations you associate generally with tourism. Such journeys are for someone who wants to explore the raw authentic way of life – basically, gain from a meaningful travel experience. These trips are not comfortable. They don’t come in the ‘holiday’ bracket. Our trips are for people who seek out challenges and are ready to adjust to what is available.
Q. How did the concept of Nagaland Offroad come into existence?
A. We always want to foray into unexplored or lesser-explored lands. We find a lot of value in meeting people and knowing about their life. We are excited to see challenging tracks as it satisfies the driving enthusiast in us. We first came here in February 2019 for a month-long recce with my partner Late Satender ‘Satty’ Malik. He was my partner in life and business. And we spent a month finding routes that we could explore.
We embarked upon our first Nagaland expedition called Muddy Tracks in May 2019. We subsequently organized Log & Drum Nagaland in October 2021. Our prime objective was to introduce people to a land that is authentic, pure, pristine, yet tough and challenging. It is out of comfort at most other levels but a journey which is memorable.
So, after spending a long time in Nagaland we realised the potential of the state. We discovered the regions that most Naga themselves hadn’t explored. These places were geographically confined but we saw the immense potential in these destinations. We reached out to Nagaland Tourism and explained to them that the state is well suited for offering off-roading as a medium to reach remote corners and in fact become the off-road capital. Nagaland is about Kohima and Dimapur for a majority of tourists. Hornbill is only a ten-day festival in the year for which travellers visit the state. So, we pitched the idea of Nagaland Offroad to the tourism department. It was actually visionary of Nagaland Tourism to actually come on board and sponsor this trip.
Nagaland has now become my home and the people of the state are a part of my family. Here, we have worked hard to carve out new routes and partied together in one house.
Q. What kind of travellers are you looking at?
A. Travellers with the mindset to mingle with the local people and who are open to exchanging different perspectives. The idea is not to promote such trips as mass tourism products. We don’t want these areas to fall prey to over-exploitation as we have seen in other places like Ladakh and Spiti. We don’t want that people should come here with a conventional tourism expectations. These trips are not for average tourists. People with a penchant to take on challenges are the ones who would gain from such expeditions.
Q. How many trips have you organised so far?
A. I am in this field since 2006. We have organised about 20 trips so far. We are happy with a smaller audience as these trips need a lot of hard work and dedication to be curated. In a Box:
WBB’s Upcoming Expedition
WBB has curated a drive to Upper Mustang in North West Nepal, in partnership with Mahindra Adventure, curated and led by WBB. It’s a 14-day trip starting and ending at Greater Noida from 1st to 14th April 2023. It’s a moderate drive with some of the most stunning views. All Mahindra vehicles, Thar, XUV or Scorpio can be driven for the expedition. In case, you don’t have one, WBB team will be happy to lend you one of their CDRe Thars. For bookings, contact: +91 97170 02058 or write at info@wanderbeyondboundaries.com
Visit the website for more details: wanderbeyondboundaries.com