Nomadic Road invites drivers to channel their inner Indiana Jones on the adventure of a lifetime.
Some people ’s vacation memoriesare compile shell on the beach . And for others , it ’s wearing a child - sized helmet while zipping throughthe Amerind countrysideon the back of a bike . The latter describes the experience ofNomadic Roadfounder Venkatesh Kanchanayakampatti Sugavanam — Venky for short — who cultivated his love of geographic expedition perched behind his father on wind bike trip through the backroads of their nursing home country .
“ Back then , there was n’t much infrastructure , ” he says . “ There ’s no road admittance , except for guys like us — even if there was no road , we tried to go into that territory . ” Not only was a sense of adventure transmit on these slip , but also a dose of fatherly sapience . “ I would be sit down there , listening to some of the most interesting tale , ” Sugavanam stay on . “ He used to instruct life by being on the road . ”
For Sugavanam , those off - the - beaten - path rides begat several truths . First , that India was a gorgeous country , especially from the vantagepoint of a motorcycle ( if you ’re looking for a route trip , we’ve get one to get you started — there are a lot more paved roads these mean solar day ) . And secondly , that the open road can take you anywhere , both mentally and physically , if you permit it . “ What ’s appealed since childhood [ are ] the emotion that run through my head when I ’m on the road , ” says Sugavanam . “ The freedom of the open road , and going places where not many multitude have gone — your gut instinct takes you . ”
Madagascar looks even prettier from the cockpit of your very own off-road vehicle.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
Sugavanam ’s making love for that clear road lead him to a career in experiential marketing , figuratively trading in his two wheels for a place at a company that specialized in four - by - fours and other off - road vehicles . One of his duties included planning expedition trips intended to showcase the vehicles for journalist , overland risky venture from position like India to Tibet , journeys acrossAfricaandLatin America , and one specially intense 22 - sidereal day , 15,000 - km course through seven different ASEAN countries . The process of mapping out these routes plus preparation meals , accommodations , and once - in - a - lifetime experiences give him an idea : Why should diarist have all the fun ?
Then , in 2016 , he launchedNomadic Road , organizing bookable , mechanized public group tours — and , new to the roster , curated private solo circuit — under a name exalt by the roaming Herder of Mongolia . Combining his penchant for geographic expedition with his affinity for driving was a no - brainer , and he design his trips to cater to a business seek the agitation of an off - road escapade , but lacking the experience to execute it themselves . The company ’s debut run was a rumbling jaunt through Mongolia ’s sagebrush - perfumed Gobi Desert — one of the coldest , high , most unforgiving places in the world — along the way spot snow leopards and examining dinosaur dodo . It remains one of their most popular destinations , with two trips schedule for this coming August .
Today , Nomadic Road offers seven expedition endure 10 days or more and start out at around $ 7,000 , include four new routes this spill in Peru , Bolivia , Madagascar , andNamibia . The only matter guests need to impart is a sense of adventure . Plus , a driver ’s license and perhaps a few change of clothes . If you ’ve never go through the thrill of this eccentric of locomotion before , by the end , you ’re secure to have a new catchword : The undefendable road will take you anywhere if you allow it . And if there ’s not a road , you make one .
Sugavanam meets a friendly local in the backroads of Russia.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
On the open road, expect the unexpected
Perhaps you ’re an greedy follower of a renowned road slipstream like theDakar Rally , or maybe you ’ve just watched too many Indiana Jones movies . Or maybe you ’ve agree off everything else on your thrill - seek pail leaning and are looking to challenge yourself to something new . ( Skydiving ? For sure . Scuba diving ? Heck yeah . Safari ? Several times , plus agorilla trekor two . )
Or maybe , just mayhap , youknow inyoursoulthat you ’re signify to be an adventurer , but up until now , that ’s but been a fancy . You may feelthe call of the wild , but in reality fix there is another tarradiddle . Whatever the reason , if you require to go places where only those equipped with specialised accomplishment and knowledge have been before , Nomadic Road can serve you skip a whole bunch of steps .
What steps ? A typical off - road hostile expedition not only take the right fomite to traverse post like the Gobi Desert , the salt flats ofBolivia , or the sand dunes of Namibia , but each country also has its own set of rule and rule for strangers hoping to roam around and set up inner circle . And then there ’s researching the safest routes , establish sure you ’re culturally literate , and reading up on how to eat on , sleep , and delay alert while you ’re out there ( think bear spray ) . And if your fomite breaks down , do you know how to set up it ? in all likelihood not .
A line of tents form an overnight campsite in Mongolia.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
" The idea is for them to get stand by . "
All those pestiferous detail are deal by Nomadic Road , including a convoy stock with a individual chef , mechanics , professional transcriber , and even photographer and filmmakers tasked to create the photo album of a lifetime . Depending on the location , your accommodations range from slant tents to yurt toluxury lodges , but do n’t get the ill-timed theme — you’re not just coasting along . Each chemical group of up to 10 mass are unionize into duet and have a four - by - four along with some cursory drive lessons on paved and unpaved terrain .
Throughout the education , Nomadic Road makes sure to emphasize that this is a motoring journey , not a race . “ If this were a motorsport , then you might need to go to an area and get into a mass meeting mode , ” state Sugavanam in his introduction to guests . “ This is an expedition . You ’re not contend with each other . ” And though you might get a flat or break the suspension — things bechance , of class — actively risking injury to your vehicle wo n’t be tolerated . In fact , that ’s the quickest way to have a member of the Nomadic Road team see you out of the driver ’s seat .
You might find yourself cruising atop frozen water, like here in Lake Baikal, Russia.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
After all the didactics , the cars finally take off in a snaking motorcade formation linked by walkie talkie — each set of drivers autonomous , but with a safety net . “ You are in control , ” says Sugavanam , calling the format “ mostly unscripted . ” The road is , for the most part , already set thanks recon done in advance of time . A original fomite sets the step , warn those behind about unlooked-for obstacles like , say , a latterly developed crevice . “ We take maintenance of the final stage - to - end experience , but you ’re at the helm of the adventure . You’re in the driver ’s seat . ” Literally , he means .
The landscape becomes your teacher and your entertainment . And as much as it sounds clichéd , the journey unfeignedly doubles as the name and address . You ’ll splosh through river to reachMadagascarianvillages where , with the aid of the cultural specialist , you ’ll read about day - to - day life sentence in the remote farming landscape . Afterwards , you ’ll come after the spice path sampling local vanilla , ginger , and cardamom that pops up in pinkish blooms from the side of the route .
You ’ll learn to force back on varied terrain , fromrocky , tumble mountainscapesto ocean of sand and salinity that can easily suck you in if the atmosphere decides to add together a little moisture to the mix . Which can emphatically bump — sometimes the point is to figure out how to navigate sticky situations . “ The idea is for them to get stuck , ” read Sugavanam . “ Otherwise , if you already know everything , you do n’t ask us . you may do it all by yourself . ”
Off-roading can mean many things.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
Leave your comfort zone behind
And yup , precarious situations have materialise . It ’s simply par for the course when you ’re out in the elements . “ The wrath of Mother Nature in some office is so brutal and so naturalistic , ” say Sugavanam . One day you might have to dig your wheels out of quicksand , while the next you ’re contending with something completely unexpected , like the metre it hailed in the Gobi Desert . “ The Gobi Desert is one of the driest , aside fromAtacama , ” says Sugavanam . “ You ’re climbing the grit dune and suddenly you get strike by hail — you never anticipate a hailstorm in the heart of a desert . ” In position like that , when you ’re out on a salary increase far from your car with no protection in sight , you learn precisely what you ’re made of .
“ People got bump off and bruise , [ but ] some multitude really enjoy it , ” says Sugavanam . Some , however , really did not , like an Italian mates Sugavanam recollect whose collapsible shelter had been disassemble by the hail . “ They say , ‘ How can this happen ? We never expected this , ’ ” he add . While others in the grouping rolled with it , that couple end up leaving the trip too soon .
Prior to an expedition , Sugavanam evaluate the horizontal surface of adventure a guest is asking for , and whether or not they ’re being realistic . “ Even if somebody enjoin they ’re interested in Mongolia and ‘ this is my past travel experience , ’ I might tell them that Mongolia might not be right , ” he says , punctuate that he always aims to find the pure balance between desired risk and real - human beings constraints . “ For them , it ’s more of a chest - thumping moment , bragging rights for family and friends in their social circle . That ’s the experience we strive to create for them . ”
Four-legged friends await in the Mongolian Steppes.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
Naturally , the business runs the gamut , from unaccompanied doctors wanting to test their mettle , to an adventurous team of babe out exploring the world , to a temerarious founding father - girl duo spending caliber time together before her imminent wedding ceremony . “ They were in the first - ever expeditiousness that went toMount Everest Base Campin Tibet , ” says Sugavanam of the premarital pair .
And then , there were the two mid-20s private fairness investor from New York who did n’t realise they would have to ram a stick fracture . “ They landed at the aerodrome and I gave them a manual transmission — they were clueless , ” says Sugavanam . While not exactly easy , procuring an reflex vehicle for the pair was the adept option for all involved , bestow Sugavanam . “ I give it to them after seeing how they drive . ”
require to put your acquirement to the tryout ? There are still spots available on approaching misstep toAtacama , Peru , and yup , theGobi Desert , among others . Just enquire about booking onNomadicRoad.com . And maybe sweep up on driving stick before you land .
You want off-roading? In Madagascar, you’ve got off-roading.|Photo courtesy of Nomadic Road
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