We’re Dr. Rituraj and Shreya, a couple with Travel Genes who enjoy sharing stories from roads less taken and often missed. We run a top rated Bed & Breakfast (Homestay) and fascinating tours to the heart of 5 centuries old city – Agra where we deftly blend Indian history, mythology & culinary experiences for you.
We take every opportunity to be on the road without quitting our jobs and make the transition from Cosmetic Dentist – English School Teacher to laid back world travelers. We’re here to show you can travel the world without burning a big hole in your pocket, you can hang out in a country where you know no one & have life-changing experiences, you can travel with the one you love & have a lively relationship, and you can also create a strong life-long bond with your children through the shared memories of travel.
Back in 1999 we discovered inherited Travel Genes in our bodies which made us to leave the comforts of our homes to wander across the globe. The wanderlust first started with parents, later continued with friends and solo until 2012 when we finally got married. Ever since, we take every opportunity to be on the road & make the transition from English School Teacher – Cosmetic Dentist to laid back world travelers.
The idea of long term travel by leaving your full time job doesn’t really impress us much in a practical way as we believe no matter how cheap you travel or how smart you travel, you surely need a fixed date for your paycheck to arrive; in order to continue your adventures around the globe.
We truly believe that “ A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.”
The Journey So Far
After years of travel, we realized that travelling is all about the experience and it’s in the details – the places you stay, the transport and route that gets you there, and the people you meet along the way – that makes the trip. So, when we started our travel blog and talked about our adventure and travel mis-haps on the roads, our lovely readers started to request deep insights about the places to visit and things to do in India to have a unique India experience much different from what other travel companies’ offer.
After giving it much thought, we started offering a true Indian experience – walking tours in Agra. From Food walks to heritage walks, from village walking tour to Indian cuisine cooking classes, we tried in a best possible way to show India up, close and personal. No wonder, our Agra Food Walk became an instant hit with the people coming to Agra. Eight years down the line, we have now grown up to a boutique travel company which offers not only personalized tailor-made offbeat city experiences but also escorted India tours to handpicked locations.
Not just the city walks and food tours, we now also offer very personalized private day trips in and around Agra. And as if that was not enough to satisfy our wandering souls, we opened a boutique Bed & Breakfast Homestay – The Hideout Agra in 2019. Located at the best possible location in Agra (Just 1 mile away from Taj), it is a comfortable, casually elegant, multi-level home base with 5 theme decorated rooms, providing the peaceful environment you crave as you come to explore the wonders of Taj Mahal and other heritage sites that Agra has to offer.
Our Mission at Travel Genes
Our mission is to inspire, inform and equip travelers to have safe Indian trips that are fun, affordable and culturally broadening. We value travel as a powerful way to better understand and contribute to the world in which we live.
He
A classic Aquarian and a Cosmetic Dentist by profession, Traveller, Blogger & Photographer by choice; that’s what describes him best. When he’s not playing with human teeth in his private practice, you will find him wandering on the roads leading energetic “India Through the Back Doors Tours”. In nomadic spirit, he truly believes that a rolling stone actually gathers moss…
She
Cancerian by birth, she is an English teacher, trained Indian classical dancer, photography enthusiast, a good host who loves to experiment with food and a cleanliness freak. She believes the world is big and it’ll take more than a lifetime to see it all, so it’s best to start early.
Follow our journey for travel tips, insights, adventure, culture, inspiration and entertainment as we travel the roads less traveled and come stay with us in our homestay to explore the many colors of India like never before…
Where We Have Been
Of the many places we’ve been fortunate to lay our feet upon, the few remarkable ones are : Amsterdam, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Brussels, Paris, London, Chicago, New York, Boston, Bali, Singapore …
Here is the photo tour of some places our travel genes have taken us…
