KARUNA करुणा
About Karuna करुणा
Karuna, which translates to “compassion”, in Hindi inspired two wanderers, Pritesh from India and Nicole from Canada, to cultivate a community of those who share the passion to travel consciously and sustainably. After travelling individually around India for four years by foot, tuk tuk, motorbike and buses, they met while wandering the streets of North India with their ideas and backpacks. The two of them continued to travel this astonishing country collectively for three years and Karuna emerged with the inspiration to bring awareness to natural and cultural heritage diversity of India through guided tours. The intention of the tours is to transform the mindset of mass tourism into travellers that dive deep into local cultures, food, languages and holidays, while enhancing the well-being of host communities. We do this by staying with families, instead of chain hotels, working alongside initiatives that empower locals and choose to travel in ways that leave the least environmental impact. We explore in ways that are beyond “tourist must see” spots and throw away the guide books leaving space for personal and community transformation.
Conscious and Sustainable Travel
Conscious tourism is based on principles of social and economic justice, which simultaneously offers spiritually fulfilling experiences to travellers, without affecting the local cultures. It can be defined as an alternative model to mass industrial tourism. At Karuna, we choose to travel in ways that leave the least environmental impact, whether that be by foot, tuk tuk, motorbike, overnight buses or boats. We travel n the local ways and do not separate ourselves from how people in the specific places we are visiting travel. Do not expect big AV tour buses for this experience and be open to chatting to the person next to you, hearing stories about their life, their culture and their ways of doing, knowing and being.
Enhance community well-being
The intention of the tours is to transform the mindset of mass tourism into travellers that dive deep into local cultures, food, languages and holidays, while enhancing the well-being of host communities. We do this by staying with families, instead of chain hotels, working alongside initiatives that empower locals and choose to travel in ways that leave the least environmental impact. We explore in ways that are beyond “tourist must see” spots and throw away the guide books leaving space for personal and community transformation.
Embraces natural & cultural diversity
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
― Arundhati Roy
