Meaningful Travel

Experiences in India

About Authentica
Started in 2010 by Ravi (MBATuck at Dartmouth,
management/social enterprise consulting experience) &
Sayalee (Architecture & Anthropology major, ethnographic
research consulting experience)
We create authentic travel experiences in India for leisure
and learning to integrate intellectual, experiential &
emotional understanding of the destinations visited
Past clients have included students from Dartmouth College,
Kellogg School of Mgmt. (Northwestern), Boston College, etc.
Experiences are created in partnership
communities & experienced practitioners

with

local
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Our model promotes a holistic travel experience

Learn

Experience

Feel

Reflect

PARTICIPANT

Meetings &
Hands-on activities
Presentations Field visits
led by hosts/ Contextual leisure
experts
activities

Local community
engagement
Inspiring
personal journeys

Sharing
Creating
personal
meaning
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Partners chosen based on ability to inspire & deliver

a powerful immersion experience
Selected Partner Profiles

Passionate
&
Inspiring

Glocal

Strong
Grassroots
Links

a charismatic doctor-turned-social
entrepreneur greening villages by
using appropriate technology and
building local leadership
an inspiring and award-winning
eco-entrepreneur providing local
communities organizational,
technical, and managerial skills to
effect ecological restoration

PARTNER QUALITIES
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Partners help understand context, share

their vision, work and personal journeys

Learning from eco-entrepreneur

Rural banker on microfinance

Plantation tour by naturalist

Theory from social entrepreneur

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Immersion experiences create connection,

add relevance and enrich understanding

Community Engagement

Fair Trade Shopping

Connecting with Beneficiaries

Traditional Home-cooked Meal

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Leisure activities amplify understanding

of local environment
Treks in pristine landscapes

Biodiversity walks

Wildlife Safaris
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...and aspects of local culture

Performance Arts

Religion

Architecture
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Stay choices complement immersion

experiences without sacrificing comfort

Homestay

Heritage

Eco Retreat

Boutique
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Testimonials
The social entrepreneur we met was incredibly intelligent,
charismatic and personable. I loved his work and learning about how
renewable energy is transforming lives. I had a home cooked meal at a
local villagers houseyou cant beat that for authenticity! I would
Edgar Pastrana recommend this trip to anyone who has an intellectual curiosity and a
Tuck MBA 11 passion for travel, the Authentica experience combines both!
The small group tour gave all of our meetings, dinners, interactions a
more intimate feeling. The waterfall trek was my favorite. Our guide
stopped along the way to point things out about the foliage or animals
(loved the way he handled the snake!) He was clearly very
Annie Snodgrass knowledgeable and eager to share with us. I would definitely
Tuck MBA 11 recommend this to class mates and friends.
As a finance professional, I was thrilled to meet the rural banker and
understand self-help groups, micro-finance and the social context that
makes this model of development successful! The Authentica Learning
Tour was definitely the highlight of our India trip...you guys have
Tripp Baldwin created something pretty spectacular!
Tuck MBA 11

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Contact Authentica
Ravi Raj

CEO & Founder

Email: ravi@authenticaleisure.com
Skype: ravirip
(US) +1.347.772.8475
(UK) +44.762.419.1675
(India) +91.966.508.1892
www.authenticaleisure.com

Learning Tours

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Authenticas Learning Tour Services

Design
Work with faculty and/or
program director to scope
themes and agenda
Propose and sign-off on
partners and activities
relevant to learning goals
Finalize tour itinerary

Planning
Organize and schedule
meetings and activities
with partners
Arrange all travel logistics
within India (stay, food,
transport, activities, etc.)
Create and share tour
orientation material

Delivery
Efficiently manage tour
from pickup to drop off
Provide participants with
relevant contextual input
throughout tour to help
achieve learning goals
Facilitate feedback
sessions with partners

COST: From $150/person/day (twin sharing) including stay, most food, local
transport, activities, translators & contributions to organizations visited
Note: Pricing is applicable from pick up to drop off within India and does not
include any international transfers, visa fees, insurance, etc.
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Learning experiences span relevant

dimensions and range from global to local
Sample Tour Structure [Theme: Community Enterprise]
GLOBAL

NATIONAL

REGIONAL

CONTEXT

Understand policy framework, socio-economic context, governance, priority

of issues, and theory of social change
Community meetings illustrate social
dynamics

TECHNOLOGY

Learn about pertinent technology

innovations

FINANCE

Bankers/Experts help understand the role of equity, patient &

philanthropic capital, micro-finance & policies in development
Field visits help understand the selfhelp group model

MARKET

Understand how local resources are

used to create socially/ecologically
responsible products & services
Explore disruptive distribution models that empower producer communities

Early adopters showcase innovations

theyve adapted to local context to
create micro/small enterprises

Contextual leisure activities complement learning experiences

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