Staff Interview with Aryen Negi

How did you discover and get involved with The Tarzan Way?

I started The Tarzan Way with Shikhar Chadha and two other colleagues while we were still in college. The major reason behind starting off was pretty simple and something every college student would understand. We wanted to make some extra money for parties and travelling.

We started a backpacking homestay in New Delhi where we hosted international travellers for almost a year during which we got in touch with more than 800 travellers coming to various reasons like internships, holidays, conferences, yoga workshops, and whatnot.

As we interacted with these travellers, we understood a huge gap in the travel industry in India. There was no company providing travellers with a culturally immersive experience while also personalizing travel according to the unique requirements of each and every traveller.

For me, this is when The Tarzan Way was truly born. Ever since this realisation we have worked super hard to build travel experiences all over India trying to make them as unique and immersive as possible. Along with this we have also managed to personalise the travel experience of each traveller that we have ever hosted.

How have your past travels around India influenced the work you do today?

I am the son of an Army officer. In India, kids like me are often referred to as Fauji (Army) BRATs. BRAT here stands for Born, Raised and Transferred since we grow up travelling to different corners of the country wherever our parents get posted.

Such a childhood took me across almost every state in the country. I was born on a ship off the coast of Andra Pradesh (South India) and grew up in various different places like Jhansi (Central India), Rajasthan, Leh-Ladakh (a high-desert in the Himalayan ranges) and almost everywhere else.

This nomadic lifestyle has given me an understanding and appreciation for the diversity that exists in the country. There is so much to see, to experience and to explore that a person can probably live in India his whole life and still find something surprising while travelling.

When planning our travel experiences, this cross-cultural understanding has really helped me build experiences which are truly culturally immersive and capture the diversity of India the best they can.

What is the most fulfilling aspect of your role with The Tarzan Way?

I enjoy interacting with travellers a lot. My role at The Tarzan Way has helped me connect with a lot of travellers from different corners of the world. This has given me the opportunity to interact with a lot of people and I can confidently say that I have a friend waiting for me in most of the countries around the world.

How should students prepare for a trip to India (what should they pack, what should they be aware of, etc.)?

For any young traveller or volunteer, it is very important for them to properly go through their project details and have a clear understanding of what’s included and what's not included, safety measures, impact created (in case of volunteering projects), itinerary, and more.

Only once he or she has all the information and have satisfied all their questions should they consider signing up for the travel project.

It is also very important for any student who comes to India to get travel insurance and vaccinations done. India is a very unique country with its own special set of challenges. Having taken care of basics such as travel insurance and vaccines, the participant is then ready to face any challenging situation that India can possibly throw at them.

Most importantly, though, it is very important that the participant keeps an open mind during their travel to India and is ready to step out of his comfort zone.

What kind of projects can volunteers expect to work on?

Since a young volunteer is generally not skilled in specialised things like working on women empowerment, old age, or animals, they are assigned to work with children.

Volunteer work that is generally assigned to young travellers is either teaching or marketing. Often times, the participant has a special skill like being a very gifted artist or being a really good tennis player. In such cases, we also organise workshops or activities according to the participants’ skill.

The one thing about volunteering work that the participant should realize is that the most important aspect of it is being like an older figure to the children they work it. They leave a long lasting image on the children and it is their responsibility to mentor them in the best way possible during their time with them.

Who is the most successful type of volunteer, and what kind of qualities do they possess?

I believe the most successful type of volunteer is the one who is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone. Travelling to a new country can often be a scary journey and a lot of volunteers often try to find comfort by depending too much on guides, coordinators, making friends from their home country, for example. Although I agree it is great to have all these things while travelling but a volunteer will miss on the true essence of the place they are visiting if they are not ready to step out of their comfort zones and try things they might never have otherwise. 

By facing challenges head on with an open mind set, free of any cultural stereotypes and strong will, any volunteer can make their travel a huge success. 

What is something you want future volunteers to know about The Tarzan Way?

The Tarzan Way is a young company run by young entrepreneurs and travellers who want to bring about a change in the travel industry by making it more personalised and transparent.

When travelling with us, you should know that you can behave with us like we’re your friends. Think of us as your best friends when you’re in India and there is nothing that we more than to make sure you have a great experience with us. So don’t feel shy asking the most random question or having the strangest request.

Which food item or meal does every volunteer have to try during their time in India?

Being a foodie, it is very hard for me to select any one. Each state and city has its own speciality which is a must try.

But if you ever end up at a restaurant and have no idea what to order, the best bet is a Veg. Thali. These generally comes with 1-2 veggies, a gravy dish like Paneer or Chicken and daal (lentils). They come along with rice, chapati (Indian bread), salad, Indian style yogurt and a sweet dish. You’ll probably get to try different dishes at once and it is generally the cheapest option there as well.

What are your hopes for the future of The Tarzan Way?

Everyone in The Tarzan Way has their vision aligned to a single goal, to transform the way people travel. We are super ambitious and really believe in what we are doing.

What I see as the company’s future is to create a transparent and flexible platform to provide unique experiences for our users. We wish to create a place where the users know where they’re going and have a complete idea about the place they’re travelling to. We wish to empower more and more local communities alongside to create unique experiences relevant to their hometowns, be it a small village or a town completely unknown to the world.

What does meaningful travel mean to you?

For me, meaningful travel means adding value to the place you’re travelling to, it can be in any way possible. Something as small as taking care of the local culture and traditions and not harm it in any way whatsoever can be meaningful travel. It can also be experiencing the festivals and spreading it across your known ones. It can be volunteering with an organisation or going to a local school there; It can be talking to people and learning their mother tongue. So, all in all, adding value to the community is meaningful travel for me.