Mohit Aggarwal
Who is Mohit
Aggarwal?
Mohit describes
himself as an experiential ecotourism specialist. He is renowned for his
dedication to conservation-focused travel initiatives in India. As the
visionary founder of Asian Adventures, a distinguished company with a
remarkable 30-year legacy, Mohit has committed his career to conservation
travel.
Mohit Aggarwal’s
love and admiration for nature blossomed and took an official turn when he
joined TRAFFIC-India, which helped monitor and prevent trafficking of animals
and animal parts. At the time, this was part of the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and housed at WWF-India's headquarters. Under the
mentorship of colleagues like Ashok Kumar and Vivek Menon, Mohit gained
invaluable insights and explored lesser-known dimensions of wildlife
conservation. He still counts Ashok as his guru and mentor, and Vivek,
the co-founder of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), a close friend.
The year 1994
marked a significant turning point in Mohit’s life, as he founded Asian
Adventures. This was a venture initially aimed at bringing schoolchildren
closer to nature.
Over time, the
scope of Asian Adventures expanded, establishing camps and lodges in some of
India's most pristine and untouched locations. One such establishment is the
Jungle Lore Birding Lodge in Pangot, near Nainital, which holds the distinction
of being India's first birding lodge. Today, Asian Adventures manages and
operates several unique wildlife and wellness lodges across India, each with
its own story and charm, and mission of bringing people closer to nature.
In the last 30
years, Asian Adventures has truly grown with the hard work of Mohit and his
team, and the love and support of its patrons and wellwishers. Today, Asian
Adventures is not only India's largest birding tour operator, offering birding,
wildlife and cultural tours, but also wears many hats,
much like its founder. This not only includes a network of wildlife and
wellness ecolodges in the Himalayas and Gir National Park, but also a non-profit wing, Global
Wildlife Fair, that not only helps natural history professionals network, learn
and grow, but is also promoting and aiding many noble small conservation and
ecotourism businesses to showcase their work.
Recently, after
completing his training and certification from the Global Sustainable Tourism
Council (GSTC), and becoming a board member and Vice Chair of the Asian
Ecotourism Network, Mohit sees a tremendous opportunity to introduce 'green
ecotourism' concepts and practices across the country.
With a passion for
conservation and responsible tourism, Mohit is committed to guide the tourism
sector into a greener future, where responsible ecotourism can help showcase
and conserve both wildlife and local culture, while providing responsible
travellers with authentic, enjoyable and memorable experiences. The company is
on a large mission to help Asian Elephants with their corridors, free the
Himalayas of plastic waste, help small wildlife NGOs, and save ancient
Himalayan temples.
Mohit and Asian
Adventures also seek to transform casual nature lovers into nature ambassadors.
One of the ways they do this is through their Delhi Earth Walks. These guided
walks are designed to help participants develop a deeper appreciation for the
natural world by exploring the rich biodiversity found in and around Delhi.
From birdwatching and butterfly identification to learning about bats,
reptiles, and amphibians, Delhi Earth Walks offer a hands-on approach to
understanding and conserving nature. These walks are educational,
family-friendly, and emphasise the importance of every creature in the
ecosystem, no matter how small.
One of his proudest
accomplishments is the establishment of Global Wildlife Fair, a non-profit wing
of Asian Adventures. Global Wildlife Fair serves as a platform that brings
together natural history professionals, conservationists, and wildlife tourism operators
to network, share knowledge, and collaborate. The initiative also supports
small, noble conservation and ecotourism enterprises by providing them with a
platform to showcase their work and attract responsible travellers. Through
this, we aim to strengthen the link between ecotourism and active conservation.
In line with his
mission to promote sustainable tourism, Global Wildlife Fair is organising the
largest wildlife and birding ecotourism fair in Delhi in October 2025. This
event is a milestone in our journey, and we are excited to bring together
ecotourism operators from around the globe, including tour operators, wildlife
guides, ecolodges, homestays, NGOs, local communities, and representatives from
wildlife and tourism organisations.
Global Wildlife
Fair 2025 will serve as a platform for ecotourism businesses to showcase their
work, network with like-minded professionals, and build partnerships that
bridge the gap between ecotourism and conservation. Its goal is to create an
environment where ecotourism businesses can thrive while contributing to the
protection of wildlife and ecosystems. Responsible travellers will
also have the opportunity to discover ethical tour options that align with
their values.
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