When we travel to just see a place, it doesn’t become a part of our lives. But when you take the offbeat path, steer clear off those touristy places, connect with locals, eat their food, dance and sing with them, let the road surprise you, and experience some magic that no fixed itinerary can give, you know you are creating some unforgettable stories for life! Each trip has a different experience packed in. You’ll interact, connect and become one with local communities, have crazy load of fun, volunteer, hike up to peaks on unexplored routes, and meet people from all over the world.
Backpack With Prat events and trips are not the run-of-the-mill tourist packages or even the ‘wannabe’ backpacking trips. The idea of the Backpack With Prat events is not commercial – the idea is for people to experience this special way of exploring. The purpose is purely to give you a taste of backpacking as a way of travel and seeing the world. You may not find places that are typically on a tourist’s checklist – but these would be places that want you to just go out and embrace the world.
The Backpack Wit Prat events are journeys of a lifetime. These are a space for those who want to let go, who are willing and open, and explore the world and their lives differently.
1. Travel like a backpacker
Backpacking’s first rule – we go where the road leads us on. We just go with the flow. The curiosity and wanderlust is what makes them keep going. The BPWP trips don’t have a fixed itinerary; though we may have an outline. But we don’t plan by the hour and none of the trips have the same experience ever. Just be super comfortable. We may surely see the known spots that you may look up online. But the best part is being surprised by the unknown places. Seek new experiences and be open to anything that the new culture may spring up on you. That is what the BPWP events are – travel, learn, explore and connect.
2. Unexplored and offbeat places
First up, these are to places that will surprise you. Hidden waterfalls, forests, camping, stunning beaches, life-changing dives, heritage, farming, crazy activities… It’s all there! These events are not just about travel. There are hikes to peaks that are known, but routes that only the locals would know for all those mountain adventurers. There is volunteering and well-being that we all take off together for some of that good-feeling. There are festivals where everyone can contribute and participate in their own capacities. And of course, we hit those roads backpacking where you figure out the way further as you go.
3. The local advantage
What’s the point of travel if you go back to your lives without having done anything new?! The events always bring in a twist of local into the places we go. There is loads of madness no doubt, but what backpacking is all about is connecting with the local culture. And we take it one notch up always! My team is always local people. In that way, you can know more about the places that you are in. Conversation with local people is highly recommended when you travel with Backpack With Prat. However diverse and whacky the cultures may be, as backpackers, you do experiment and give the new cultures a chance. At times you fall in love, at times you run for your life, but well, its a story that you have created! Be it the language, transport, people, food, stay, but without making it too overwhelming.
4. Small groups for a better experience
The beauty of backpacking is that you make friends as you are on the road – you learn the ability to make conversations with strangers, connect with new people, learn about others lives, and be open. However, the best part is that it is finally like a group of friends travelling together. The groups are never more than 10-12 people, who are from all walks of life and from all parts of the world. All that you need is curiosity, a rush in your gut, and mad love for travel. You could be young, old, another traveller, in need of a career-break, first-time traveller, gap year student, a die-hard foodie, fitness freak, artist, from any part of the world, and a whole lot more. The groups are small enough to give you your space and large enough to make pub nights fun. You could be travelling solo or with some friends. We’re all one mad gang finally!
5. Offbeat stay – everytime!
We usually try to stay with local families or a hostel. Imagine staying in a hostel that was once a prison cell, or a medieval town, or hammock beds or new age, or just camping in the snow or the deepest gorge. Hostels are a wonderful way of meeting people from all over the world and connecting with them while you stay. Travellers around the world invariably get connected having stayed in the same hostel. You get several pointers on where people are travelling and if they have found some new interesting places to explore.
6. A ride for the taste buds always
Cos, food is so important right?! You would get a taste of local food of each place, and also my favourite, popular or least known, and the best food places. At times, it might be The food will make you drool, or you will remember it for life!
7. Our awesome rides
Wherever possible, and if not terribly inconvenient (as it happens in remote or unexplored places that we explore), we travel by local buses, trains or the mode that locals and backpackers use. This connects us to the place and to experience what life in those places is really like – well, that’s what a backpacker would always do – the more local, the better! We do love those rickety State buses!!