Stretch your mind and soul on a transformative journey…
As a child, Viji’s worldview was shaped on her family trips around the world. With roots in Bangalore, Karnataka, India and having traversed continents, she learned early to be open to what the world can offer and to look beyond her environment and comfort zone. Viji has spent her life doing just that—pushing boundaries, trying new things, and appreciating the uniqueness in each culture yet identifying what unites people universally as well.
Twenty-five years ago, as a newly married woman settling in the United States, she made a choice to follow a path that has led her to our doorstep. She chose to pursue a career in travel hoping to bring the joy she has found in her travels to others. Over time, she has cultivated an impressive career with innovations in corporate and leisure travel. A woman of action, she decided to change things instead of complaining about how they were being done. Trip designing with Viji incorporates all those traits as well as her absolute love for the infinite possibilities of travel, a humanitarian connection, and overall wellness. If you are looking for a life-changing journey to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, or Maldives let Viji craft one for you! We promise, the planning of the journey will be as beautiful as the journey you take in the destination itself.
Viji says;
My current passion is…The Ayurvedic philosophy of well-being which includes meditation, yoga, and cooking and creating well-balanced vegetarian food. I love gardening and walking. All of these things allow me to stay close to mindfulness, which in turn allows me to focus on things that matter in day-to-day living or in planning travel.
I have wandered to…Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Maldives, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Fiji , Tahiti, Canada, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Mexico (for the Monarch butterfly migration), Hong Kong ,Thailand, Cambodia, India (traveling to remote corners of India in Safari vehicles—in search of rhino, tigers, and also exploring tea & coffee plantations), United Arab Emirates, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Croatia, Austria, Iceland, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia.
These places inspire me…India, where happiness is a contradiction. You can love it and hate it simultaneously. To me, the destination is like family, they get under your skin and sometimes bother you, but you keep coming back for more. Bhutan, where happiness is a national pride and where everyone lives long and satisfying lives of mindfulness. Nepal, is a gentle reminder to be humble and of how insignificant we are in presence of those magnificent Himalaya Mountains. Sri Lanka, reminds me of how resilient the human mind and body can be.
Memorable moments…Traveling with my family; my parents took every opportunity to travel with us to share in life’s experiences. My heartfelt gratitude to them. There is one trip that stands apart from the rest, and that was a trip we took when I was 6 years old. I remember the footmen (like guides today) packing our Jongas for the road trip to remote destinations in Northeast India. Winding slippery roads, water crossings, and landslides made nature seem spectacular, adventurous, and scary at the same time. Our footmen making tea in a make-shift wood burning pit, sometimes cooking delicious meals from bare minimum resources…those images are seared into my memory. I was amazed to see how the human mind can ‘think outside the box’ when surrounded by the organic energy of nature. Stretching one’s limits and adapting to different circumstances are some of the things I love most about travel. I also believe a family that travels together stays together. 😊
Why Rothschild Safaris? I fell in love with the philosophy of Rothschild Safaris. It resonates with everything that I hold true for myself; being authentic, mindful, kind, and daring.