We want people to see India as we see it,
and that is our Dharma
About Us
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 three 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 seven 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.
Our Ethics
Nicole Guzzo
Nicole is a Registered Social Worker, counselling practitioner in training, and yoga teacher. She first began travelling through India 9 years ago to connect with her Indian ancestry on her Mothers side. For Nicole, travel has always been about connection to people, culture, nature, food, spirituality and the stories that make a place what it is. Whenever Nicole travels, she finds herself asking: “Where are the women, and how are they incorporated and valued in this society?” Because of this, Travel with Karuna intentionally works with women-led organizations throughout our experiences.
Get to know your guides
Pritesh was born and raised in India and has travelled extensively across the country, from North to South and East to West. He brings a deep personal connection to India, along with years of experience organizing groups, advocating for the environment, and connecting travellers with the places and communities he knows and loves on a real level. Pritesh doesn’t believe in temple hopping or simply checking places off a bucket list. Instead, he reminds everyone to slow down, sip chai, and speak to the stranger sitting next to you, because they might just become your new friend.
Pritesh Punia