Field Notes
Dispatches from the field.
Scouting reports, reflections, route tests, and stories from the places we've found before they became destinations.
Why We Added Rishikesh (And Almost Didn't)
Rishikesh & Chamba, Uttarakhand/Himachal
Rishikesh is the most touristed town in Uttarakhand. So why did Before Maps add it?
10 November 2025
The Before Maps Travel Philosophy
Before Maps HQ
Solo scouting. Pilot testing. Application-based. Small groups. The operating principles behind every journey.
5 October 2025
The Trail from Triund to Laka Glacier
Triund & Laka Glacier, Himachal Pradesh
Everyone does Triund. Almost no one goes beyond. I followed the trail to the snowline at Laka Glacier.
1 October 2025
Scouting Bir Billing Before the Crowds Return
Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
Beyond the landing site and cafés lies a network of trails, Tibetan monasteries, and a valley most visitors never notice.
15 September 2025
How I Pack for 10 Days in the Mountains
Himalayas
After dozens of Himalayan trips, my packing list has become ruthlessly minimal.
15 August 2025
Pilot Report: Miyar Valley with 4 Travelers
Miyar Valley, Himachal Pradesh
After scouting Miyar solo, we ran a pilot trip with 4 carefully selected travelers. This is the honest debrief.
1 June 2025
What Happens When a Place Gets 'Discovered'
Kasol, Himachal Pradesh
We've watched it happen to Kasol, Tosh, Chitkul. The pattern is always the same.
15 May 2025
48 Hours on the Gurez Road
Gurez Valley, Kashmir
The road to Gurez opens for four months a year. We drove it in early June when the snow had just cleared.
10 May 2025
The Village That Doesn't Want Tourists
Upper Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Not every scouting trip leads to a journey. Some villages simply don't want visitors - and we respect that completely.
2 April 2025
Why We Don't Call Ourselves a Travel Company
Before Maps HQ
The language we use shapes the experiences we create.
1 April 2025
A Hamlet Before the Road Arrived
Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh
We found a cluster of five homes above the tree line. No phone signal. No road. Just a family that has been here for seven generations.
15 March 2025
Testing the Forgotten Trail to Shoja
Shoja, Himachal Pradesh
An old shepherd trail connecting two villages, untouched by trekking groups. We walked it twice to verify the route.
20 February 2025