India is a rich colourful tapestry of cultures, a country so incredibly diverse in its geography and culture, that one can explore something new in some corner of this vast country everyday. With such cultural diversity, Indian rural and tribal areas are rich and unexplored treasures for cultural and rural tourism enthusiasts that urban lifestyles cannot provide. 

With NotOnMap, a platform that provides rural, rustic experiences, we bridge the gap between urban and rural communities by encouraging a healthy dialogue that helps equate the cultural and economic gap between the two. We bring travellers to the doors of local homes, to the warm hospitality of local hosts and to the depth of the existential human essence found only in diverse cultural exchange. 

We Are NotOnMap 

NotOnMap began with a simple thought of 'Travel With Impact'. A socially-driven initiative for generating alternative livelihood & minimising unskilled migration from traditional villages, our organisation began with an aim to create a bridge between travellers looking for authentic cultural exploration and villagers who can provide the same but do not have the right kind of knowledge and exposure. 

NotOnMap started working with villages/houses cut off from technology & travel influence and hence, the economic benefits it can bring. Committed to promoting community based responsible tourism, NotOnMap identifies new destinations, preserves cultural and natural assets and facilitates travellers access to these locations through a community-oriented approach in order to ensure that locals from marginalised communities earn a livelihood and feel empowered, while travellers get a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We curate unique and authentic experiences at offbeat locations to encourage a more impactful method of travelling while promoting deep-rooted cultural exchange between the traveller and the host family or village. With NotOnMap, you find more than just a destination to stay, you become the part of an ecosystem where both sides learn from each other through planned activities and workshops.

Our Story

Apprising stories about tangible and intangible communities and homestays to bind travel to an impactful cause, was the foundation on which NotOnMap began its journey. Established in 2018, NotOnMap works to preserve the local culture and heritage of Rural India by introducing them to self-sustaining opportunities hidden in the rich resources and assets of their surroundings.

Impacting over 50,000 lives, in more than 14+ Indian states and counting, by creating a sustainable ecosystem for rural tourism among the communities, we’ve restored more than 200 culturally rich houses & connected with more than 2500+ communities across India, to provide an end-to-end experience for our travellers in a  culturally rich environment resulting in creation of alternative livelihoods and reducing distress migration within the  rural community villages with a 150% increase in the average income of the  local population of these rural pockets. With our work, we’ve created over 1000 jobs across remote areas, trained  more than 8000 youth and empowered  500 women and 2000 farmers & artisans of these communities. With NotOnMart, we have connected with and impacted over 3000 farmers & artisans across India and listed over 2000 indigenous products.

We have delivered talks around our model concept in organisations such as Tata Trust and multiple radio channels. Our work has been duly recognized and appreciated by reputed awards such as World Tourism Forum Lecrene (2019), NASSCOM (Social Innovation) 2019, Satte 2020, etc.

However, helping rural communities and engaging thousands of unique travellers in bringing about a change remains our biggest accomplishment, to this date.

Rediscover Homestays

Innumerable untapped Cultural & Heritage Assets lie hidden in the communitarian lifestyle, rich biodiversity and preserved traditions of remote villages in Rural India. Unaware of the prosperous resources they’re surrounded by, millions of such villages succumb to distressed migration due to the lack of proper opportunities, poor livelihood, poor income, and family responsibilities.

Setting up homestays and other tourism opportunities in such remote and serene villages not only provides the rural community with an alternate livelihood but also helps develop rural and cultural tourism. There are only a few travel aggregators or social actors to market existing rural homestays. It is important to connect travellers with such homestays across the country and motivate others towards the cause.

Live Like Local

Experience a rustic romance with remote residences.

Rustic & rare destinations near every established city in India- We are beyond the concepts of luxury stays.

We exist for travellers who have a hunger for exploring the Indian Cultural Diversity and have the zeal to Live Like a Local. 

We encourage impactful travel to destinations that aren’t crafted and maintained by individual organisations, but rather provide a beautiful curated experience crafted by local villagers who want travellers to witness their livelihood, traditions and hospitality.

With NotOnMap, you get to immerse yourself in the local culture, learn enriching local skills, seep through the wisdom they have to offer, improve your lifestyle by living with families and relish the authentic taste of local food that they eat daily. We want you to travel with an impact, help uplift the families you stay with and share your experiences and stories as a generous exchange to their warm hospitality.