According to a recent article published by the Indian edition of Zee News, there is a growing trend for Indian women to travel solo or join women-only tours both in-country and abroad. This increase is attributed to the confidence that economic independence has provided these women. Many of them are employed by well-paying corporate jobs or with international firms (also well-paying :-))
This is a major shift considering that India is a country in which arranged marriages are common and women’s rights are far behind those of the Western world.
Women on Wanderlust is one of the tour companies that is changing the way that Indian women travel. Founder Sumitra Senapaty noticed it was rare for Indian women to spend time on their own, whether sitting in a cafe or going to the movies. She formed Women on Wanderlust to provide women with an opportunity to travel but in a group situation.
In my one month of travel in India I don’t recall ever seeing or hearing about any Indian men traveling on their own, let alone women. Yet with tours such as Women on Wanderlust, this trend is sure to grow. Sumitra seems to be ahead of the curve yet on the right track as her tours are being very well-received. I see the popularity of her tours as a step towards increased independence and emotional growth for the women who chose to experience more of their own country as well as traveling beyond their own borders.
WOW – you go girl!
Happy Travels!
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Sumitra says
Dear Beth
while surfing I came across your blog regarding WOW and was I pleasantly surprised!
I started Women On Wanderlust during the summer of 2005 and have never looked back since.
Women from different Indian cities, various professions and careers are traveling with me to Ladakh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Egypt, Greece, Istanbul and the list goes on…
Now I also want women from other parts of the world to join in our quest for relaxation, girl time, discovering new friends and simply having a great time! Happy to let you know that there are a few women from America who are flying down to Istanbul this summer to join WOW!!
Isn’t it a fabulous way of meeting half way across the world… different countries but the same wave length. In the not too distant future, I look forward to a WOW tour comprising of women from different nationalities, getting together for the fun of it and sharing their joy with others who are not too fortunate – donating clothes/toys in a village or perhaps painting the local school and giving it a new look.
The possibilities for women are indeed endless and cheers to that.
Sumitra Senapaty
Founder, WOW Club
Bharati Shroff says
It was great reading about WOW….
I am one of the many delighted travelers/members of WOW on their Egypt trip in November 2006.
More than a tour or a holiday,it was a unique experience.
I chose to go because my husband was busy & I have always dreamed of Egypt & traveling with a women-only group kind of intrigued me!I went solo…& returned with over a dozen life-long friends! Sumitra & the group leader,Sridevi,organized the trip more as an experience! Excellent planning,unusual experiences which covered the gamut of things women would love to see,feel & do…only another woman would understand,I suppose.
Am sure with WOW doing things so well more women will now travel without fear & with a lot of joy…
as u said…WOW…u go girl!
sugandha says
Just a few months back i had accompanied sumitra at a trek in the himalayan mounts and though i was a little skeptic about just women going together, i must say, i would’ve regretted it for the rest of my life if i hadn’t.
It’s been an experience that’s strengthened me both inside and out.
Cheers to Sumitra for taking such an incedible step towards women’s liberation.
Felt good to just turn around and say “sorry….men not allowed”
Jayanti Pandey says
What an incredibly WOW experience it is to travel with women is a discovery I made recently with a trek in the Himalayas (August 2006) and a trip to Egypt (November 2006).
Both my trips have made me stronger and confident AND have enriched my life with a bunch of new friends – who understand, empathise, bond and are great fun to be with.
Under the leadership of Sumitra Senapaty, and Sridevi Rao (our group leader in Egypt), women in India are finally getting a chance to realise their desire to travel and come into their own. What makes this possible is the expertise and experience Sumitra brings with her, along with the deep understanding of varied needs and paces.
Both the trips were well-thought out, value for money – without them becoming rushed and commercial.
The biggest pointer to the success of the WOW club is that the youngest traveller is 8 years old and the oldest, eighty!
Thank you Sumitra, for giving us a forum such as WOW. May we grow in leaps and bounds.
WOW u go girl.
preeti says
twenty two women travelling together. well what’s so strange about that? twenty two women travelling together who’ve never met before ? that is what our trip to egypt nov 2006 was all about. we started of not knowing each other and after ten days we couldn’t believe we didn’t know of each other before the trip.
sumitra and sri organised a lovely trip and every fun filled moment is etched in my memory for life. it was strange to leave husbands behind and have this all women bonding but it couldn’t have been more fun, we laughed , we sang , we bonded and of course it was so well organised that we put our brains on hold and just concentrated on the sight seeing, the relaxing, the shopping.
it’s the first time i’d gone with a group , and an all women group at that and i have to admit it was an exhilarating experience.
thanks sumitra for making this happen. a big wow to you and to all the women on wanderlust.
preeti
romana says
this was the first i have been out in a womens only group . i have a lot to say since i am new on the net , i cant write it all down so fast , but suffice it to say the experience was out of this world , the tour was superbly organised to the smallest detail , we were looked after really well, food , accomodation – every thing really great. i am looking forward to a long association with WOW . thanks sumitra- sri for a cherished experience – romana.
romana says
hello: i am new to the world of computers and slow at typing, so my message has to be “loaded”. i was to the WOW group by my daughter
shantha doss says
It was my sister who loves traveling, first shared this news about WOW and Sumitra Senapati. My siblings had always teased me that I will never go abroad as I didn’t have the travel lines on my hand. But Sumitra proved them wrong. I zoomed to Egypt with 22 other women and my girl what a trip! My pyramidal report on this.
The Highs /\ The Lows
5. Friendship: A lifelong association/ \ 1. Parting: Hated to say goodbye
/ \
4.Guide:A veritable walking encyclopedia/ \ 2. Duration: Wished it was longer
/ \
3. Sightseeing: An ingenious selection/ \3.Shopping:Never enough time
/ \
2. Hotel: A connoisseur’s delight / \ 4. Rapport:hectic pace -a hitch
/ \
1. Transport: A deluxe treatment/———————— \ 5. Gifts: Baggage limits:spoilsport
The Base
1.WOW: Astute thinking — a boon for the ladies
2. Age no bar: Enterprising and convenient
3. Personal touch: A trademark achievement
4. Tour Fare: Value for money
5. Communication: tech savvy and jet speed
Administrator says
Thanks for all the great info. I can’t wait to go back to India to meet all of you!!!
Sumitra says
Sure Beth…look forward to welcoming you here!
WOW is just taking a breather… done 1 tour to Ladakh (18 WOWzers) & 2 trips to Greece & Istanbul (42 WOWzers)!!!
other trips for the rest of the year include South Africa & Egypt…
Perhaps you could get a group to India anytime between December & February 2008… Would love to work together with you for this.
Warmly
Sumitra
ms mital says
Please can you tell me how to get in touch with the Club since I too long to travel with the womens group.i love to travel and was looking for a womens group.
Beth says
Yes, please go to Sumitra’s website as noted in the post. Thanks!