Founder:
Shreyas Danappa
I'm a Bengaluru based slow traveler, passionate about the art of exploration - interweaving landscapes that excite me with cultures that intrigue me.
'Map My Stories' was conceived as a YouTube channel to document my raw travel vlogs. Exhausted and saddened by the current state of tourism, I rebuilt it into a niche, travel experience curation project bringing in the joy of slow, immersive & mindful exploration.
The goal is to share my passion for these places (and its local communities) with you through my curated journeys & DIY itineraries.
Head of Experiences - Kongchen Lyang:
Pem Tshering 'Jauns' Lepcha-
My Sikkimese friend - born and raised in "Kongchen Lyang", Pem is an altruist with a thirst for adventure. An ex local Panchayat president who can be found mountain biking through Sikkim's breathtaking landscape. A closet writer hidden behind a thick layer of sarcasm.
How is 'Map My Stories' Different?
Socially Responsible
Local Communities and Climate Consciousness are at the heart of my projects.
Exclusivity
I operate in fragile locations away from tourist crowds. A strong request is made to keep locations a secret for the same reason.
FAQ About 'Map My Stories'?
Is 'Map My Stories' a travel company?
Not really. It's a personal passion project that I'm sharing with my friends in Sikkim & Arunachal. Journeys that I haven't personally been impacted by aren't on my website. We're intentionally small with no ambitions to scale. It is true - we are not a non-profit but efforts are made to prioritise people & the planet over profits, having initiated several projects to bring in quality>quantity tourism to the places and communities I deeply care about.
If 'Map My Stories' isn't a travel company why are you charging a service fee or earning a profit?
After personally exploring and vetting locations for quality and safety, initiating impact-driven projects, training my local friends to facilitate these projects and marketing these projects to responsible travellers, I believe I deserve some financial compensation. The money supports me in starting similar projects in other locations.
Why are locations kept a secret?
When locations are revealed (on Instagram, blogs etc.) tourists start to flock to said locations. The moment a natural, pristine spot gains popularity among tourists, the govt and big corporates rush to capitalise on this by building roads, ticket counters, RCC hotels etc. which leads to environmental degradation. (Happens quicker than you'd think). When geo-tagging or posting on social media, we have no control over our audience (and most of the time, our content reaches irresponsible travellers)
Travel should be accessible to all - But at what cost?
Also, keeping locations a secret is my way of protecting my itineraries (that I've put time, money and effort into designing).