On a recent Valentine’s weekend, a small group walked through a dark forest in Matheran, guided only by torchlight and anticipation. The trail led them to the Garbett plateau, where telescopes were trained on a sky dense with stars. There was a campfire, quiet conversation, and the slow unfolding of constellations. It was, in many ways, a signature Vagabond Experiences moment—intimate, immersive and deliberately far removed from the noise of urban life.
For Shannon Fernandes, co-founder of the Mumbai-based travel experiences company, the goal was never adventure for its own sake. It was about connection. “Unlike other treks that are crowded, with groups sometimes as large as 75-100 people, our approach is to curate wholesome experiences for a maximum of 20 people at a time,” he says.
Founded in 2014 by a group of friends fresh out of college, Vagabond began by blending their love for music and the outdoors, featuring musicians writing their own music in Mumbai. These early ‘Fields of Sound’ camps that combined live performances with the outdoors evolved into other experiences centred around nature, including treks, the hugely popular and rare firefly night trails, camping nights and stargazing walks. With each of these, the founding philosophy remained intact, that empathy and shared, safe and inclusive experiences create stronger communities.
Vagabond’s experiences emphasise immersion, whether it is understanding landscapes and respecting ecosystems or engaging with local knowledge. Local residents often serve as guides and knowledgeable resources. “Nobody knows an area like the local people,” he says. “And when they’re part of the experience, there is also a sense of giving back.”
Participants return repeatedly, forming friendships that outlast individual trips, building a community bond that is central to the company’s purpose, to travel not as consumption, but as a shared presence.
Performing arts and travel enthusiast Keith D’Souza says Vagabond is unique because the company leaders see themselves as travellers too. “They’re just as wowed by a waterfall as you, even if they’ve seen it several times earlier,” he says. “They bring a high quality of professionalism to the tours while also somehow making it feel like we are travelling with friends.”
An experience manager certified in administering first aid accompanies groups on outdoor events. At some events, an expert naturalist explains the finer nuances of an event, such as the firefly mating season. “It’s not just a pretty sight at midnight, it is a marvel of nature,” says Fernandes. “We want those who travel with us to learn how to co-exist with nature.”
