YOLO Journal: The Navigator

by Alex Postman, Oct 30, 2024

Jamshyd Sethna, owner and founder of Shakti Himalaya and Banyan Tours

Tell us about you and your company.

We operate two companies… Banyan Tours is an India luxury travel specialist and destination management company, and Shakti Himalaya is a luxury Indian Himalaya experiential specialist, operating high-end, immersive walking and soft adventure holidays in the Indian Himalaya in style and comfort (Kumaon/Sikkim and Ladakh). Using their own village houses, Shakti offer private journeys that are unrivaled in the Indian Himalayas.

My first job was as a Tea Planter in Upper Assam (no one else would offer an English literature graduate a job in those days), and then after three years I returned to my native Bombay, much against my parents’ wishes. (“NO one will give you a job!”) My mother was one of six sisters and a few of them played bridge. I used to stand in as a fourth whenever one of their friends dropped out and learnt to play the game. I started to play bridge with a group of older friends during the six months I was unemployed and one of them—a senior manager in a blue-chip company—pulled me aside and said that they employed three senior management trainees every three years and if I cut my hair and wore shoes I could appear for an interview with them. So I met up with the Deputy Managing Director of the firm who, within a few minutes, gave me a choice of departments… shipping, freight clearing and forwarding or travel & tourism. I chose the latter—and the rest is history.

Both companies came about because I had been exposed to mass tourism at its worst and I wanted to zero in on the independent, open-minded luxury traveler—which we did first with Banyan in 1996 and later with Shakti in 2006, both of which today operate journeys in India that go that much deeper, ethically and sustainably showcasing the best India has to offer.

What’s the entry level to talk to you?

Our Shakti Village Walks start from USD $3700 per person for 4 nights, and for Banyan Tours, a good trip would start from approx. US $800 per person per day (for two people).

What is the sweet spot of your expertise?

Knowing what our guests want before they know themselves!

A favorite experience/itinerary you’ve planned that best represents your philosophy…

Too many to mention, but one that comes to mind is where we have created this glorious morning in Jaipur, Rajasthan, where you rise before the sun for laughing yoga in the public park, a stroll through the flower market arriving in time for the devotional prayers at the Govind Dev Ji Temple, which throngs with people early in the morning—an energy that cannot be recreated. The morning ends with a visit to a small temple, where the priest conducts a private prayer ceremony—it’s a morning of access, peacefulness and uplifts the spirit in a way that would be difficult to recreate well without my team’s gentle hand-holding. 

A favorite hotel/lodge/house you love and go back to again and again…

Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur – I am an old romantic at heart

The most memorable meal you’ve had while traveling…

A dinner in Milan in a tiny restaurant many years ago, when I think I lost my heart and soul to Italy!

A not-to-be-missed favorite experience in your region(s) of expertise…

Early morning visit to Thiksey Monastery in Ladakh for the daily prayers held on the rooftop of the monastery. We have recently opened one of our Shakti village houses a short walk away – being there in the early morning light is one of my favorite moments not to miss in the Himalayas.

What is a place we should consider traveling to that could really use our dollars, and what is a place we should put on hold because, even though we love it, it sees too many tourists?

In terms of where to travel to—I am of course biased, but we started Shakti Himalaya to provide access to hard-to-reach parts of the Himalayas and in turn only employ locally in areas where there was no employment at all. This opportunity allowed the staff we employ from these tiny villages to stay back and not leave for the big cities. Spending time amongst these wonderful people, in these almost untouched parts of remote India is an unforgettable and gratifying experience.

I will be shot for saying this, but I think the Kerala backwaters around Alleppey, while beautiful, is now overrun with tourists—there are other ways to explore Kerala without being on a houseboat pumping diesel and refuse into the waterways.

A recent discovery is a remote piece of land I have found in Kumaon that has majestic views of the Himalayas that are truly hard to beat - I am very excited to be building our next project there, Shakti Prana, which will open in Spring 2025.

Underrated location—the southern state of Tamil Nadu is certainly a lesser-visited area by the sophisticated traveler compared to Kerala, but in my mind has so much more to offer.

Personal favorite would be the Indian Himalayas, but specifically the regions of Kumaon and Sikkim, both of which I find enchanting.

Overrated location—the British hill stations, which now are no longer representative of the romanticized glory days of the Raj. They are overrun with visitors in the summer months and festival season (October/ November) and this has left its mark on these once-popular towns that are bursting at the seams with unplanned development.

What is something you wished we all knew or were better at as traveler's?

 Kindness to staff in the service industry.

How do you want people to reach out to you?

info@shaktihimalaya.com, @shaktihimalaya. 

For Banyan Tours, we work with tour operators who we know do Rajasthan/India very well, including Cazenove+Loyd, Black Tomato and PRIOR.

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