After a dry spell in the pandemic, what's the future of trekking around Mumbai?

A trekker walks along a terrain in Karjat during one of the treks hosted by Jack & Hill Adventures. Photo: Julius Gomes

For Borivali-based Johann Daniels, who has been a part of the trekking industry for 14 years now, the last year and a half has been full of trials and tribulations. "When the pandemic hit, I thought the effect of it would continue only till the end of the first wave and it would get back on track. However, it continued into the second wave till now. It took a toll on my mental health because I was wondering if I could even run my business, which I had started out of passion," says Daniels. He runs Jack & Hill Adventures, a city-based adventure tour company that started in 2015.

While pandemic-induced lockdowns affected overseas and inter-state tourism, they also hit local travel such as the popular monsoon treks around Mumbai and Maharashtra. Small-scale trekking businesses, which are not run by businesspersons but by passionate independent trekkers, bore the brunt of this. While some have survived due to parallel income sources, others are having to reconsider their options, as the uncertainty of the travel industry still looms large.

Jack & Hill Adventures's trekkers on one of the pre-pandemic monsoon treks. The rainy season is the peak time for the adventure activity. Photo: Johann Daniels

For the love of trekking and wildlife
Since then, Daniels has been forced to experiment with alternate career options including advertising, trading, cryptocurrency and bitcoins. However, he hopes that the industry will pick up and he is able to do what he does best - taking people to lesser-known places within the city and just outside city limits like Karjat, Lonavala and Palghar.

Luckily for Aniket Khaire, taking people on treks wasn't his primary source of income, and that is what probably saved him during this period. However, he saw how it impacted many who are dependent solely on these businesses. "It was a nightmare for organisers and locals... especially for those who provided food and accommodation for trekkers who visited their villages during the monsoon, which is considered the peak season for treks." Khaire's Navi Mumbai-based trekking company Walk To Conquer, started in 2017, has been taking people on various treks in the Sahyadri mountain range including the Kalsubai peak, Harishchandragad and Harihar Fort.

While Daniels does it for the love of the experience, Khaire does it for the love of wildlife. The latter is also an animal rescuer in the region. Walk To Conquer was an extension of this passion for wildlife and 10 years of trekking experience, which help him teach people about the birds, insects, snakes and other wildlife on the treks. So, the pandemic has not only starved trekkers but also organisers of their usual routine during the monsoons, as being outdoors is first nature for them.

Travelling with a vengeance
Now that the lockdown restrictions have been eased, the possibility of people wanting to step out is on the rise but Khaire doesn't want to get excited just yet. He explains, "I have received a call on almost every Friday throughout the year for upcoming weekend treks. However, I haven't started organising them simply because it is too early." He is choosing to wait till the situation settles down. "Even if I resume, it will be expensive for trekkers because there are still restrictions on public transport and I will have to organise for private transport. I do not want them to pay extra as the very reason why I started was to have affordable treks."

Daniels has been getting calls from potential clients too. Their numbers, though not as many as pre-pandemic, are encouraging. The fact that so many people hadn't been able to travel has made them want to step out and possibly led to the sudden surge that Khaire and Daniels have experienced. This is ‘revenge travel', a term that is currently trending in the travel ecosystem.


Trekkers hosted by Walk to Conquer sit atop one of the many summits near Mumbai during one of the treks before the pandemic. Photo: Aniket Khaire

However, for somebody who seeks travel for the experience and exhilaration it provides while reaching the top, the ‘revenge travel' trend is not something that Daniels is happy about. According to Daniels, the fact that Instagrammers use their love for ‘travel' just to post content for their followers, does not help as it only leads to more people visiting the so-called hidden trails. ‘Revenge travel' does not work for travel and adventure companies in the city, as it hampers the experience. "There are many people who want to trek with us on the weekends but I advise them to try for weekdays. The revenge travel trend has made many places crowded, which is not only bad during such times but also spoils the experience that I hope to provide to them," Daniels explains.

It is not only ‘revenge travel' which is a challenge but also the restrictions in smaller districts where the Covid-19 regulations vary, which Daniels has to keep in mind, while planning his treks. While he does host treks right now, Daniels, like Khaire, is hoping things settle down soon.

What is the future?
Daniels believes the Covid-19 pandemic will certainly change the way people trek in the future. The certified mountaineer explains, "They will avoid larger crowds and travel in smaller numbers, which are not more than 10 people. I have received many calls for private treks and that means people are only going to choose to travel with their families, as they know they will be safe." The possibility of them travelling with their own vehicles, which he has already experienced, is also something that Daniels projects for the future of trekking in the city.

On the other hand, the numbers may dwindle for a brief period in the near future as Khaire thinks there is still some hesitancy among people, especially parents. While there are some who wouldn't mind sending their children out now, there are others who would want their children to step out in safer conditions. |

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