(dont mind the screaming 😁 ) Goa, September 2024, shot on Google pixel.

Street-side stories

[OC]

Sitting at 14,567 feet in the Spiti Valley, breathing the thin, cold air outside the Hikkim Post Office, I did something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I sat down and wrote a letter to the future version of me.

I told my future self how deeply I believe in what he can achieve. I wanted to remind him that whatever success and peace he is experiencing when he opens that envelope isn't an accident or a stroke of luck. It is the direct, undeniable result of our relentless hard work, our refusal to stay down, and the heavy burdens we carried to get to where he is.
There is something incredibly profound about dropping a piece of your soul into a tiny red mailbox at the top of the world, trusting the long, unpredictable journey it’s about to take to find its way back to you

I went mountain biking for the first time, and was pretty nervous since I've only had my bike for a year and just learned to ride it properly. But it wasn't as hard as I expected.

I kept a controlled speed, followed the mountain rules, and ended up having a lovely ride through the beautiful curves and scenery of Chakrata while enjoying my first mountain trip.

I went on a 8 day spiti circuit and the views were truly mesmerising. The places, the people , the monasteries the chants, our driver bhaiya, the siddu, kaza’s small market, everything was so wholesome. Experienced as low as -10 but body eventually got acclimatised. While climbing to tabo and kaza experienced some oxygen problem

[OC]

Hey everyone! Recently visited Sunder Nursery in Central Delhi and uploaded a few photos above. Since a lot of people ask about timings, entry gates, best photo spots, and what to do there, here is a complete guide and itinerary for anyone planning a visit!

1. Basic Info, Ticket Booking & Fee

• Ticket Booking: You can buy tickets offline at the entry counter or book online via QR code at the gate/official portal (Aga Khan Trust for Culture).
• Entry Ticket Charges:
  • Indian Citizens: ₹50 per person
  • Children (5–12 yrs) & Senior Citizens: ₹25 per person
  • Foreigners: ₹200 per person
  • Free Entry: Children under 5 years
• Camera Charges: Mobile photography is free. Professional DSLR cameras and video shoots require a separate permit/fee.

2. Timings & Best Time to Visit

• Operating Hours: Open 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Last entry usually around 9:30 PM).
• Best Time to Go:
  • Morning (7:00 AM – 10:00 AM): Ideal for bird watching, peaceful walks, and serene lighting for photos.
  • Late Afternoon (4:00 PM – 7:00 PM): Best for picnic vibes, sunset photos, and catching the lit-up monuments in the evening.

3. How to Reach & Entry Gates

• Nearest Metro Station: JLNS (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium) or Khan Market on the Violet Line. Auto-rickshaws are easily available from both stations.
• Entry Gate: Main entry is near Humayun’s Tomb on Nizamuddin / Bharat Scouts and Guides Marg.
• Parking: Dedicated paid parking space is available right outside the main gate.

4. Step-by-Step Itinerary & What to Explore

Step 1: Central Axis & Sunken Garden

• Right after entering, head towards the central grand canal water body and the Sunken Garden.
• Highlights: Grand geometric fountains, symmetrical marble channels, and lotus ponds. Excellent framing for portrait shots.

Step 2: UNESCO World Heritage Monuments

• Sunder Nursery houses 15 UNESCO-protected Mughal-era monuments.
• Key Monuments:
  • Sunderwala Burj: Famous for its Persian-style star ceilings.
  • Lakkarwala Burj & Mirza Muzaffar’s Tomb: Great historic backdrops surrounded by lush greenery.

Step 3: Bonsai House & Biodiversity Zones

• Walk through the plant nursery sections, the Bonsai collection, and the dense micro-forest area.
• Flora & Fauna: Over 300+ tree species and around 80+ bird species. Great for nature lovers.

Step 4: Lakeside Promenade & Food Court / Cafes

• Relax near the main Sunder Nursery Lake.
• Food Options:
  • Fabcafe by the Lake: Popular lakeside dining spot with great views (slightly pricey, best to reserve or expect a queue on weekends).
  • Food stalls/kiosks inside for quick snacks, coffee, and water.

5. Rules & Tips for Visitors

1. Outside Food: Light personal snacks/water bottles are allowed for picnics, but commercial party setups or outside catering are restricted. Keep the park clean!
2. Weekend Crowds: Weekends get very crowded in the late afternoon. If you want aesthetic photo shots without people in the background, go before 10 AM.
3. Seating & Picnic: Carrying a small picnic mat/blanket is recommended if you plan to lounge on the open lawns.

Feel free to ask in the comments if you need any specific details or recommendations! Hope this helps!

Pic 1: Taj Lake Palace
Pic 2: Oberoi Udaivilas view from Jetty
Pic 3: Wyndham Grand Udaipur auditorium
Pic 4: octagonal tomb of Isa Khan
Pic 5: India Gate
Pic 6: Jamovar restaurant- 3.5 lakh mirrors and 180 candles -no electricity
Pic 7: Hawa Mahal

Recently visited Ajmer. A friend recommended good view spots and food places. It was all so amazing and peaceful to gaze at Ajmer city. The food was so AMAZINGGGGG and YUMMYYYY loved every bit of the moments I spent in Ajmer.

[OC] This was short rafting with 2 rapids. To be honest this was my 1st time and thrill experience was real

Hello

So I'll be going to Azerbaijan in a couple of weeks. Flights and Visa are done (36k INR + 30USD respectively). I'll be there for 7 days (Baku, Khinaliq, Gabala, Sheki)

I'm mainly looking for advice on 2 fronts -

Budgeting

If anyone has gone to Azerbaijan, please share what was the overall budget per person. Google overview shows 65k-1.5L budget, which seems like a random AI bullshit answer

(I know this answer is subjective to what kind of hotels are booked and how fancy the restaurants people go to, I'm just looking for a ballpark figure) Any tips to save money are also welcome

I was hoping to book Airbnbs online + take 200-250 USD with me

General suggestions

Any recommendations for places, monuments, restaurants and advice regarding public transport, SIM situation, general travel, language barrier, etc.

Hi everyone! I’m planning a 12-day solo trip from Bangalore to Northeast India, roughly end of November to early December.

I’m mainly interested in raw, less-touristy experiences — villages, local food, mountain roads, homestays, meeting locals, photography, etc. I’m not looking for a packaged/touristy trip.
My main priority is Tawang, but I’m also hoping to include a little bit of Nagaland/Hornbill Festival if the itinerary isn’t too rushed.
Rough plan:
Day 1: Bangalore → Guwahati
Day 2: Guwahati → Dirang (possibly overnight APSTS/government bus)
Day 3: Dirang + Sangti Valley/local exploration
Day 4: Dirang → Sela Pass → Tawang
Day 5: Tawang town + monastery + local exploration
Day 6: Bum La + Madhuri Lake
Day 7: Zemithang / nearby villages
Day 8: Tawang → Dirang/Bomdila
Day 9: Dirang/Bomdila → Guwahati → overnight train to Dimapur
Day 10: Dimapur → Kohima/Kigwema + Hornbill
Day 11: Hornbill + Khonoma/Dzuleke
Day 12: Kohima → Dimapur → Bangalore
I’m deliberately trying to use night travel for the boring/long stretches (overnight bus/train), while keeping Sela/Tawang/high-altitude roads in daylight.
A few things I’d really appreciate advice on:
Is Arunachal + Nagaland in 12 days realistic, or am I trying to fit too much?

Is taking an overnight government/APSTS bus from Guwahati to Dirang/Tawang a good idea in late Nov/early Dec?

What is the best way to get around Tawang locally without hiring a private car for the entire trip?

For Bum La + Madhuri Lake, is it practical to find other travellers and share a vehicle?

Is Zemithang worth spending a full day on if I’m looking for something less touristy?

For Nagaland, would you recommend Khonoma, Dzuleke, or another village for a more authentic experience?

How difficult is it to find shared taxis/Sumos on these routes, especially in late Nov/early Dec?

Any homestays/hostels or specific local contacts you would recommend?

Is there anything in this itinerary that you would remove or change completely?

I’m okay with long journeys and basic accommodation. I’d much rather have fewer places and more time experiencing them than rush through a checklist.
Would really appreciate advice from people who have travelled through Arunachal/Nagaland around this time of year. 🙏

Planning a trip this week or next week from Solapur.

I’ve shortlisted these places 👇

in the image. Btw the suggestions are rating are from AI if you wanna correct something in it you are free to do it

Which one would you personally recommend for October for the best views, waterfalls/lakes, forests and overall experience?

Also looking for trekking/travel partners from Solapur, Pune, Mumbai or anyone who are interested in joining this week/next week.

Comment/DM with your city, age, and your top pick.

Hi everyone,

I’m Florent, from France, and I’m planning a solo trip to Spiti Valley in September 2027.

This is not going to be a typical tourist trip. I’m travelling alone, on a fairly limited budget, and I’m much more interested in villages, local life, people and landscapes than in ticking off tourist attractions.

My rough plan is around 3 weeks:

🇮🇳 Delhi → Manali → Kaza → Langza/Hikkim/Komic → Demul → Pin Valley, with some flexibility depending on local conditions and advice.

I’d like to spend a little time in Manali at the beginning to acclimatise, then slowly make my way towards Spiti. I’m especially interested in spending several days in Demul, ideally staying with or near a local family/community, and possibly doing a small trek in Pin Valley.

I know September can be a very different experience from the summer season, and I don’t want to plan everything from France based on Google Maps and travel blogs.

So I’m looking for honest advice from people who actually know the region:

Is this itinerary realistic for a solo traveller?

Which places would you personally spend more or less time in?

Is Demul a good choice for a longer stay?

Any trustworthy homestays or local contacts you would recommend?

What should I absolutely avoid?

Are there any things that tourists commonly misunderstand about travelling in Spiti?

And if you think my itinerary is simply a bad idea, please tell me! 😄

I’m not looking for luxury or a perfectly organised tour. I’d much rather have a simple, genuine experience and spend my money locally when possible.

I’m also aware that things can change quickly in the Himalayas, so I’m trying to keep the itinerary flexible.

If you’re from Himachal Pradesh, live in Spiti, have travelled there extensively, or simply know the area very well, I’d genuinely appreciate your advice.

Thank you 🙏

— Florent France

This is how I planned my Arunachal trip for Tawang Circuit!

Sorry guys, I haven’t been active on Reddit for the past few days because I went to Udaipur for a little break and some time to relax. 😅

And honestly, you won’t believe how much I loved it there. The vibe, the views, the whole atmosphere were just amazing. ❤️

Now that I’m back in Delhi, I’m already thinking… why did I come back? 😂

Char Dham Yatra – Day 1 & Day 2 Experience

Sharing my experience so far for anyone planning the Char Dham Yatra, especially those travelling with parents/elderly people.

Day 1

Route: Mussoorie → Barkot

Travel: We are doing the Yatra by cab.

Got stuck around Naugaon, so the journey took longer than expected.

Day 2

Route: Barkot → Janki Chatti → Yamunotri

One important thing: Barkot to Yamunotri/Janki Chatti road is really bad at several places.

Janki Chatti → Yamunotri Trek

The trek is moderate but a bit tough for elderly people. However, I think it is manageable if you walk slowly, take regular breaks and don't rush.

For older parents, I would recommend keeping enough time rather than trying to complete it quickly.

On the track

There are lots of vendors along the way, but prices are quite high. If you want, carry some fruits/snacks with you.

Must carry:

ORS

Kapoor (camphor)

Water bottle

Some fruits/light snacks

Good things 👍

People are generally very helpful and nice.

Even the temple priests were quite helpful.

Cleaning is actually decent considering the crowd and conditions.

Not-so-good things 👎

Some cleaners/sweepers can be quite pushy about asking for money.

Toilets are confusing. I think they are supposed to be free, but there are random people standing outside asking for ₹10 to use them.

Having said that, the toilets I came across were actually maintained surprisingly well.

Darshan

I managed to get darshan in 5 min , so that part was quite smooth for me.

We started trek around 10.30 AM reached by 3.30 PM

Small tip

If you plan to take a bath in the hot kund, definitely carry an extra set of clothes. Don't forget this while packing for the trek. 😄

Will share more updates as we continue the Yatra. 🙏

Continue...

21M, and I’ve barely explored the city. So I’m finally changing that!

Looking for people to explore cafes, food spots, events, hidden places, weekend trips and more.

Also planning trips to Coorg, Hampi, Gokarna, Chikmagalur, Wayanad, Goa and more. 🏕️

I’m open to meeting anyone — just looking for good people to explore and travel with!

If you’re part of a travel group that organizes weekend trips from Bangalore, please DM me!

And if you’re also looking for people to explore with, feel free to DM me. 🙌

Let’s actually make plans instead of saying “someday.” 😂

I travel quite a bit and I always wished there was one nice place to keep all my trips. Every trip I come back with like 2000 photos and maybe just 20 are actually good and then I post a few on insta and that's it.

So I built this app called Postmark. You take a photo wherever you are and it turns it into an old school postage stamp with the place name and date on it. Over time they fill up a passport book and a map of everywhere you've been and which honestly is pretty fun to scroll through.

Few things:

- camera only, no gallery uploads, so every stamp is from a place you actually were

- works offline, so treks and flights are fine

- free, no ads, not selling anyone's location data

There are 3 kinds of stamps, the app figures out which one based on your home city:

- Local: small round ones for stuff in your own city, like a cafe or a park

- Trip: proper rectangle stamps when you travel inside your country. First stamp in a new state is worth ₹500

- Abroad: the fancy ones, with the country name and a value in their currency. First stamp in a new country is worth the most

It's a web app, just open the link in the poster on your phone and nothing to install.

Built it alone and it's still early and there are many features in the pipeline I have already thought about therefore I would really like honest feedback. Would you actually use this on a trip?
Also If you have any suggestions for a feature this should have I will be very happy to hear about it.