Roam around with the ghoomo-phiro sisters

Himadri Garg and Prachi Garg

Ten years ago, Delhi based sisters, Prachi and Himadri Garg decided to have a trip, without having a clear destination in their mind. They just get in to a bus and set off the journey. Later the bus halted in Shimla, the famous hill station in northern India. They were unaware that the spontaneous journey is going to change the whole perspective of their lives.

Later, travelling became an addition for the sisters and now it evolved to be their means to earn for their life, while enjoying what they are doing. They have formed a group ‘ghoomo phiro’, which means ‘to roam’ in Hindi. Ghoomo phiro arranges women-only adventurous journeys and trekking trips.

“Travel is in my genes I think”, says Prachi. “Travel calms me down, it makes me cool. Whenever I’m a bit stressed out in Delhi, I pack my bags and just go,” she added.

These adventurous journeys have landed them in troubles also.  Once, during a trekking trip, Prachi stuck in an avalanche. Another time, the sisters lost direction and trapped in Himalayan National Park in a monsoon night, and had to pray until next morning to be alive.

“Travelling alone is needed at times, as it give you opportunity to interact with new people, with nature, and take time for self-analysis,” says Prachi.

The sisters are determined to promote the lesser known sides of India, particularly in the northern region. Being Delhi as their home base, they are organizing frequent excursions to Mussoorie , a former British hill-town, the city is known as the Queen of the Hills, which is the gateway to the Himalayas.

Tours run by the sisters include trekking trips to the Himalayas, overnight camping adventures in the jungles of Kanha National Park, rafting excursions on the Ganges River and so on.

In India, a group of women travellers is not a common sight. Women always have anxiety in relation to security issues. So the sisters try to have the entire group to be women. “We try to make sure all of our guides and drivers are female to give some assurance that they will be on a safe journey,” says Prachy.

Despite operating in a society with largely traditional social constructs, Prachi says their parents encouraged them to be strong and open-minded. The sisters now inspire women to find the real person in them and encourage them  just to pack their bags and set off, when they have a craving to travel.