Kamal Ghorui
Caravan tourism is seeing a surge in popularity, driven by a growing tribe who skip hotels and over-curated experiences in favour of travel at their own pace, giving up room service for spontaneityJust after sunrise, somewhere between the misty curves of Igatpuri and the Sahyadri ridges, Vaibhav Surve unlatches the door of his caravan and steps out, barefoot. There is no hotel corridor, no reception desk, no buffet timing to worry about, only the gently undulating hills stretching into the distance, birdsong breaking the silence and a kettle on the boil inside a compact kitchen on wheels.“You wake up to nature in its raw, untouched form,” Surve says of his Dec road trip with friends. “That’s something a hotel room can never offer.”Across India, a small but growing number of travellers is discovering caravan tourism — specifically the joys of unhurried, immersive travel. This form of tourism, or unwinding, is not new around the world, but is finding fresh traction in India, led largely by urban explorers from Maharashtra who have forsaken crowded resorts, rigid itineraries and over-curated experiences.From sunrise drives along the Konkan coast to offbeat halts in the jungles of Tadoba or the winding ghats of Goa, caravans are offering something rare in modern travel: control. You decide where to stop, how long to stay, and when to move on. Depending on place and proposed circuit, it takes between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 per day to rent a caravan. It’s not cheap, but that freedom is addictive, for those who can afford it.Muted promotion, growing marketThis surge in interest is happening despite poor and patchy promotion by govts. Policies exist, incentive schemes are announced, but on the ground, awareness is still largely driven by word of mouth, social media and early adopters.“Mumbai is emerging as a major market for caravans,” says Prateek Athalye of The Vacay Vans, one of Maharashtra’s better-known caravan providers. “Travellers are opting for everything — from raw camping to luxury city-tocity journeys. After six years of managing vans, I’ve seen how rising awareness alone is driving strong demand.”That demand cuts across age groups. Young professionals want road trips without the hassle of hotel bookings. Families want safety, hygiene and flexibility. Elderly travellers appreciate having their bed, toilet and kitchen always close at hand. Women travellers and pet owners, often underserved by conventional travel options, find caravans liberating.Akshay Mhadik, who recently travelled in a rented caravan, calls it “the perfect blend of adventure and home-like comfort.” He recalls a spacious bed, a compact kitchen for quick meals and the luxury of choosing a destination on a whim. “If you’ve ever dreamed of picking a spot on the map and heading there without worrying about hotels or packing light, this is the way to go,” he says.Why Maharashtra fits the caravan dreamMaharashtra is well suited for caravan tourism because of its 720km coastline, dense forests, heritage towns, wine trails, highways and hill ranges.Pre-pandemic, in 2018-19, the state recorded 12.4 crore visitors, translating into roughly 3.1 crore travelling groups annually. Industry estimates suggest that catering to even 1% of this market would require around 1,725 caravans — enough to generate nearly Rs 465 crore annually in rental revenues at current rates.The state govt has rolled out a caravan tourism policy with incentives aimed at attracting private players and young en-trepreneurs. But industry insiders say execution remains uneven, leaving much of the momentum to the private sector.The private sector is brimming with ideas to ramp up caravan travel, but hamstrung by lack of finance options, says Rahul Soman, director, Wacation On Wheels (WOW), which started caravan rentals in Maharashtra in 2016, the first to do so. “Individual investors are now willing to invest in caravans, since the Mahindra Caravahn is being offered with a bank finance option. But the business as such still does not fit into any of the finance schemes of financial institutions.”The organic growth of the market is such that WOW Caravans is setting up a network of dedicated parking spots at tourist locations across the state. This will give all caravan operators access to amenities — such as hygienic sewage disposal facilities, and water and power supply — at scenic parking locations, near lakes, beaches, forests, forts, hillsides or riverbanks. “However, funding to set up this caravan eco-system is hard to come by without collateral,” Soman says.Another state that’s seeing an interest in caravan holidays is Rajasthan, which, enthusiasts say, offers freedom, raw beauty, and cultural immersion. Aman Verma, who recently rented a caravan to travel the state, recalls evenings spent around campfires, listening to folk music and seeing Kalbeliya dances. Waking up to the golden hues of the Thar Desert near Jaisalmer, or spending nights under a star-studded sky felt truly magical, he adds.“We savoured local sweets and explored havelis,” Verma says. “Our caravan became a cosy home on wheels, letting us pause wherever the scenery called — whether it was wild camping in quiet desert spots, near ancient temples, or pulling over for spontaneous chai with hospitable locals, who shared stories. Rajasthan in a van or caravan isn’t just travel — it’s living the rhythm of India’s royal, colourful heart, one open horizon at a time,” says Verma, who has a YouTube travel channel.Private initiativesOne of the biggest initiatives in the caravan sector has come from private player Campervan Group, which has inked MoUs with the Tamil Nadu govt, committing Rs 185 crore over the next three to five years to develop caravan infrastructure and entrepreneurs. The project is also expected to create 300 direct entrepreneurs and nearly 3,000 indirect jobs.Industry-watchers believe Maharashtra could be next. With Mumbai’s large base of road-trip enthusiasts and the state’s natural advantages, similar partnerships could unlock economic value, if policy intent translates into action.Campervan also recently announced a nationwide CARS (Caravahn-As-Rental-Service) entrepreneurship programme, with a simple idea: to turn caravan tourism into a structured industry, not just a niche travel fad.Founder and director K M Vandhan says the goal was to establish caravan tourism as a large-scale industry in India. The company has contributed to state tourism policies and to the drafting of the national AIS 207 Trailer Caravan Guidelines, now awaiting notification.To support operators and travellers, Campervan has also built Travelkeet, a booking platform that connects caravan renters with operators and safe parking locations — from farmhouses and homestays to resorts and private land. Agri-tourism, in particular, is seen as a win-win, giving farmers an extra income stream.‘Not just the destination’For travellers like Surve, however, the appeal of caravan tourism remains deeply personal. “It’s not just about the destination,” he says. “It’s about waking up with the hills, sharing meals under open skies, and feeling like a part of the landscape.”In a country racing towards faster, flashier tourism, caravan travel is quietly arguing for something slower, softer — and perhaps more meaningful. And on India’s long highways, that argument is finding more listeners by the day.
