Ritik Gupta, Founder of Trocals | The changing face of travel in the 21st century means that tourists now prioritise outdoor activities, immersive experiences and musical performances when they visit a new destination. The travel experiences company Viator, in its 2025 Travel Trends Report, found that cultural, historical and heritage tours were booming, closely followed by more immersive activities like cooking, photography and craft workshops.
This uptick in unique travel experiences is something Ritik Gupta has seen firsthand. The founder and travel designer of Trocals—a business that grew out of his hometown in Agra and has since expanded to over 10 cities—has been passionate about storytelling and cultural preservation since childhood. After witnessing travellers barely scratching the tip of the iceberg of cultural experiences that Agra, in particular, had to offer, he started Trocals in 2019 to share real and meaningful moments that took people beyond the monuments and icons of the city.
“Trocals is about real, immersive and responsible travel—connecting with locals, supporting community initiatives and creating unforgettable memories rooted in culture,” Gupta says. “Every tour is designed to feel like you're being shown around by a friend who deeply loves their city.”
In the town of the Taj Mahal, the company runs over a dozen tours that take in its street food scene, gardens, villages, handicrafts and more.
For instance, the Wildlife SOS tour is an escape into the living landscape where visitors can interact with elephants and bears and learn their stories with an expert guide. The Heritage Beyond the Taj Mahal tour takes groups to Sandli Mosque, the serene gardens of Ban Walo ki Bagichi, Elephant Gate, the Aga Khan Haveli and more. Their sunset walk experience showcases the fabulous views during twilight while exploring hidden gems (such as this). Meanwhile, the Handicraft Walking Tour unveils the craftsmanship of marble inlay, zardosi embroidery and leather shoe-making—crafts that have been passed on from generation to generation.
One of the tours that caught my eye was the Cooking Class with an Indian Mother experience. In this, guests are welcomed into a local family’s home, where Gupta’s mother teaches them to cook traditional North Indian dishes like dal, chapati, paneer curry and more. The activity is more than just about the food; it weaves in stories, laughter and cultural exchange.
“It is a gift to my mother, who has been a homemaker all her life,” Gupta explains. “She wanted to run her own thing, but the pressure of taking care of the home and our lives didn't allow her. Now she loves meeting guests from around the world, and it is something she looks forward to. The personal touch and authenticity make this experience unforgettable.”
Over 10 trained local guides run the tours in Agra. When I ask Gupta if it gets boring for them to repeat the same tour over and over again, he says no. “Every tour is different because every traveller brings a new energy and set of questions. Plus, we’re always evolving our storytelling based on what’s happening locally, so the experience stays fresh even for us,” he says.
In fact, Trocals is constantly innovating its offerings and improving upon them. They tweak experiences based on feedback, changing local conditions and seasonal availability. “Every year, to stay ahead of our competitors, we add some new elements to our tours. For example, we added elements of perfume in our Agra tour, and added mini spice kits as gifts. We also introduced sustainable artisan workshops in villages based on our community work around preserving crafts,” Gupta says.
The emphasis on community involvement is a cornerstone of Trocals' operations. “Whether it's hosting cooking classes, village walks or heritage storytelling, community members are not just participants—they're co-creators. This ensures the impact of tourism stays within the local economy. It matters because sustainable tourism is only possible when it benefits the people who actually live there,” Gupta says.
About 80 per cent of travellers who attend a Trocals tour are international visitors. According to Gupta, this is because overseas tourists are usually more drawn to immersive and cultural experiences beyond traditional sightseeing, while many Indian travellers are still warming up to experiential travel. “But that’s changing fast,” he says. “We're seeing growing interest from the domestic market, especially post-COVID-19 when people started exploring their own country more deeply.”
Looking towards the future, Gupta hopes to continue expanding Trocals while staying rooted in values of local connection, sustainability and empathy. His goal is for the organisation to become a one-stop solution of the best travel experiences in India and a community of the best hosts.
“We want to create new experiences that travellers can easily add to their itineraries and see a side of India that they usually miss—one that goes beyond checklists,” Gupta says.
“[Visitors] come with a certain image that they have created about our city; we want to break that. I want them to feel connected to the people, to understand the culture more deeply, and to feel inspired to travel more responsibly and mindfully.”
