Outlook Traveller

1 week ago | outlooktraveller.com | Himakshi Panwar

My welcome in Abu Dhabi was all about the lingering aroma of oud fragrances as soon as I entered my hotel lobby. However, what truly charmed me was a small porcelain cup of gahwa—Emirati coffee and a soft, sweet date, freshly sourced from a nearby souq. A ritual steeped in time-honoured tradition, this warm gesture of hospitality was paired with a cool, refreshing towel for a soothing dab in the desert heat.

2 weeks ago | outlooktraveller.com | Himakshi Panwar

The lesser-known Mechuka valley in Arunachal Pradesh will impress you with its idiosyncratic charm. With a population of less than 10,000, this picturesque town, also known as Menchuka, is blessed with healing properties. On my trip, I spotted the Siyom River, also known as Yargyap Chu in the local dialect, when my car drove through the rugged terrain. The misty water had a therapeutic effect. As I looked at the water meander through the landscape, a soothing vibe settled in my body.

2 weeks ago | outlooktraveller.com | Charukesi Ramadurai

Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda | Nothing has prepared me for the strange kinship I feel with the chimpanzees in front of me. I know these primates share 98.8 per cent of their DNA with humans, both believed to have evolved from a common ancestor millions of years ago. What I didn’t know—until I see them in their own habitats—is just how humanlike their facial expressions, social interactions and communication patterns are.

2 weeks ago | outlooktraveller.com | Veidehi Gite

The afternoon sun filters through the canopy as I watch an elderly man's weathered hands transform green palash leaves into a sturdy plate—a centuries-old skill passed from hand to hand, heart to heart—knowledge that modern science is only now beginning to fully appreciate. “Zero waste,” Kartikey Singh, my naturalist from Samode Safari Lodge whispers with a hint of pride in his voice. “Everything returns to the earth.” There was a kind of quiet genius in it: no factories, no plastics, no waste.

3 weeks ago | outlooktraveller.com | Bayar Jain

At home, any mention of Jim Corbett National Park invariably winds its way to the same story: when I was an infant, still learning how to string syllables together—let alone words—a roaring tiger chased our open-air jeep, possibly looking for a fresh kill. While my father was worried for our safety, my mother—equally scared, I’m sure—urged him to click a picture of the muscular wild cat in motion, hoping to cement the visual on celluloid.