G Adventures India: travel as a force for good

At Travel Nation, we have a long-established relationship with G Adventures. Its company culture and code of ethics falls closely in line with ours. They offer small-group adventures all over the world, focussing on authentic experiences and responsible tourism. The trip to India gave me an amazing chance to learn more about G Adventures, and find out how their tours work to benefit both local communities and travellers alike.

Meeting the Women on Wheels 

On arrival in Delhi, we were met by the lovely ladies from the Women with Wheels initiative, who handle all the arrival transfers for G Adventures. These women are survivors of domestic abuse and violence. They offer a friendly face and stress-free transfer from the airport to the starting hotel of the tour. 

The initiative, supported by G Adventures, provides training, support and work to those who would otherwise remain unseen and unheard. These fearless women navigate their way through the Delhi rush-hour without flinching. It’s so much better than taking a taxi and it’s a brilliant introduction both to India and to your G Adventures experience.

Our incredible Chief Experience Officer 

Once at the hotel, we were introduced to our amazing CEO (Chief Experience Officer), Hersh, who was our guide, chaperone, encyclopaedia, friend and travel companion for the trip. He was boundlessly patient, incredibly knowledgeable and the friendliest of faces to help us navigate this beautiful, crazy country. 

All CEOs on G Adventures tours are locals born and raised in India. They undergo a rigorous training program so that we all get the very most out of our time together. They are highly respected within their own communities and unquestionably one of the best things about travelling with G Adventures. Equally, by recruiting local guides, G Adventures helps to create job opportunities in India and boost the local economy.

Salaam Baalak City Walk in Delhi 

The next day, we set off on a walking tour of Delhi run by the Salaam Baalak Trust, an organisation that provides safe houses, counselling, education, and support to over 5,000 street kids in New Delhi. The walking tours are led by former street children who provide moving and meaningful perspectives on the city. This partnership with G Adventures has created a steady income flow for Salaam Baalak, allowing them to help more children in need.

Salaam Baalak reaches out to 8,000 children every year, and around 2,250 of these are reunited with their families. Since its creation, over thirty guides have been part of this program, three of them girls. Becoming a guide allows these youngsters to boost their communication skills and self-confidence. 

Eighteen former guides have now studied at universities in India and, with scholarships, in the USA. Today, they are entrepreneurs working in travel companies, interning at the Indian Parliament or Indian railways, and working in the development sector.

Getting a glimpse of the real India 

It’s funny, back in the day I would have thought that joining a small group trip would have shielded me from authentic experiences and kept me from getting a glimpse of the real India. However, I quickly came to realise that the opposite is true. G Adventures really helps you to get you under the skin of the place, open doors to local communities, and reveals aspects of the culture that would otherwise remain a mystery.

In contrast to many preconceptions surrounding group tours, I found that the G Adventure trip included loads of free time and provided lots of opportunities to add experiences of personal interest to me. It most definitely wasn’t a case of following our guide on a rigid itinerary. Every one of us felt that it could be personalised to our particular interests, and we each had our eyes opened wide to this vibrant country.

Travel as a force for good 

The longer that I spent travelling with G Adventures, the more it became obvious that it’s so much more than a travel company. It tirelessly strives to ensure that tourism acts as a force for good in each of the communities visited, taking travellers to places and projects that they would never find themselves. We visited several community tourism projects and learned about so many more that G Adventures supports throughout India and the rest of the world.

A beautiful partnership with Planeterra 

G Adventures has a long-standing partnership with the not-for-profit organisation Planeterra, an world-leading NGO that aims to turn travel into positive impact in communities around the globe. 

Through their support of hundreds of community tourism enterprises, G Adventures and Planeterra ensure that tourism money stays within the local communities. This increases economic independence, celebrates local cultures, uplifts communities, and improves the lives of countless people, whilst at the same time giving the traveller truly authentic and unforgettable experiences.

I can’t really express how amazing this partnership is for empowering otherwise-forgotten local individuals and communities and helping them develop their own sustainable tourism. With a focus on women-led projects, environmental preservation, education, health, and cultural celebration, the ripple effect of G Adventures and Planeterra is truly impactful. 

Planeterra projects are included in every G Adventures itinerary, and it really does feel good to do good. Every community project we visited really heightened my enjoyment, added to my experience and deepened my understanding of India and its local communities.

Planeterra projects in India’s Golden Triangle 

In addition to Women on Wheels and the Salaam Baalak Trust, Planeterra supports a further three projects in the Golden Triangle area of India. I was lucky enough to experience all three of these during my trip, and each added a special dimension to my journey. 

Based in Jaipur, Anoothi is a women-led social enterprise that empowers survivors of violence by providing skills for financial independence. With Planeterra’s support, Anoothi has enhanced its tourism facilities, offering hands-on block printing workshops and deeper cultural experiences for travellers. My workshop was brilliant, and I created a beautiful keepsake to take home with me.

Also based in Jaipur, Pink City Rickshaw provides employment opportunities for disadvantaged women by training them to be tuk-tuk tourist guides in the city. Even better, they drive designer eco-friendly e-rickshaws that help to preserve the environment. The tours visit all the iconic landmarks of Jaipur, and you can learn about the lives of these extroardinary women at the same time. It’s a win-win! 

In Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, the Sheroes Hangout Cafe, run by the Chhanv Foundation, is a cafe and support centre for the survivors of acid attacks. These brutal crimes mostly impact women, and they are aimed as disfiguring, rather than killing, their victims. 

Sheroes Hangout Cafe is a safe space that provides financial support and helps survivors to regain their confidence. At the cafe, you can meet these incredibly strong women and help to be part of their recovery. It’s a very moving place.

The terrific Trees for Days project 

The Trees for Days initiative is yet another way our friends at G Adventures aim to spread more love around the world! For each day that a traveller is on an adventure, G plants a tree in their name. But this is not just any tree anywhere – it’s about planting the right trees in the right places and helping communities around the globe adapt to the growing impacts of climate change.

With over 2 million trees planted and over 37,000 community members benefitting already, this initiative is having a huge impact. When you choose to travel with G Adventures, you can actually track where your trees have been planted, how they are doing, and even add a few more to your grove.

Something for everyone 

G Adventures offer many different travel styles, so there really is something for everyone. There are Geluxe tours for a touch of luxury, 18-to-Thirtysomethings itineraries for the younger travellers, friendly and inclusive family adventures, in-depth National Geographic trips, and the new Solo-ish tours. 

Each tour will take you to places that other travellers simply don’t reach, and introduce you to some life-changing community projects along the way. All G Adventures tours are led by an amazing CEO who will help you squeeze the very best of every moment of your adventure and get under the skin of the destination. Wherever you choose to travel, you’ll leave with a profound sense of travel as a force for good.

Why choose G Adventures? 

A G Adventures tour is a brilliant way to cover a lot of ground in a short time, get a real insight into local life, and meet like-minded travellers – all while having a truly positive impact on local economies. This commitment to making travel a positive force is called ‘G for Good’ and it’s far more than a catchphrase. It goes beyond words or ideas and truly impacts community tourism, with the ripples reaching far and wide.

Ready to explore India with G Adventures? 

We can book G Adventures India tours, along with flights, extra hotels, and tailor-made elements of your holiday. You can also include the India tour as part of a larger adventure or round the world trip. With us, anything is possible! We'll give you first-hand advice and help you make the best of every moment. To get started, give us a call on 1273 320 580 or send us a quote request by email. 

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