Sharon Thrupp
Sharon’s life has been consumed by travel. She got her first insider experience travelling in her home country of Australia, and after this taste of life on the road she set off further afield and spent many years living and working in New Zealand, England and Scotland.
Sharon then spent several years volunteering in the Himalayas – both in a rural village in Nepal and in Dharamsala, India; the home of the Dalai Lama. It was in Dharamsala that Sharon started her travel business – she was an insider in India and wanted to share her knowledge and passion with others.
Nowadays Sharon splits her time between India and Australia, and continues to share her vision of life as an insider as the business manager of Ekno Travels. Sharon leads tours in India, Australia and Japan; with a unique focus on Buddhist pilgrimages and walking tours. Sharon currently enjoys volunteering at Chenrezig Buddhist Institute doing what she loves best, facilitating creative writing courses with a unique Buddhist perspective.
‘One of the things about being an Insider is that it creates lifelong memories of the people you meet along the way and the places you bond with. These are the experiences that help you delve deeper into another destination and create the memories that will last for a lifetime.’
To discover more about Sharon’s life of travel as an insider, read her blog A life unplugged for 10+ years in India
Vikas Kumar
Vikas Kumar is our insider in India. He is the ‘face’ of Ekno Travels in India and specialises in his scenic home state of Himachal Pradesh, the vibrant desert state of Rajasthan and adventure trekking.
Vikas was born in and still lives in Naddi – a small, picturesque village just above Dharamsala in the foothills of the Himalayas. He is passionate about the area and has worked as a trekking guide in the Himalayan region, from Dharamsala to Ladakh, since leaving school. He completed his tertiary education part time whilst working as a guide.
Since then he has taken groups (mainly from Australia) throughout India and Nepal. He continues to be fascinated by his beloved India, sometimes travelling the length and breadth of the country in one season. Vikas’ gentle nature combined with his local networks and understanding make him the perfect insider to ensure the safety and well being of any traveller to India.
Shiv Kumar
Shiv is Ekno’s knowledgeable ‘background man’, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that your experience in India runs smoothly and without a hitch.
Shiv was born in a local Himachal village, and came to Ekno with a background in IT. Since then he has expanded his repertoire and now successfully manages the India based office. As a passionate traveller in his own country, Shiv has the insider knowledge to be able to organise and book the best trip for you – including unexpected luxury experiences.
Ashish Kumar
Ashish is our in-house guide having had his first season guiding groups. He comes from a small, picturesque village near Dharamsala. He is passionate about India and the Himalayas, and in his spare time enjoys camping and hiking. Ashish is a knowledgeable and caring guide and always makes visitors to India feel safe.