Today, Rhucha Kulkarni, a trained naturalist, leads people into the jungles of India for an amazing experience. Her goal is to help people learn from the wildlife and hence respect the other creatures on the planet.
But she wears many feathers in her cap. Qualified in Human Resources, a professional photographer, having worked as an editor for reputed wildlife magazines, and having written travel features for many publications, Rhucha is also a travel entrepreneur.
She started JungleLEADz to offer bespoke experiences in the jungles of India through a unique blend of experiential learning activities. Not only her travel tales, but even her journey to a life of travel is an interesting one.
Rhucha worked in the corporate world for seven years, but she always craved to do something of her own. She knew her calling lay outside the cubicle, and so, she took the leap to follow her passion. She wanted to explore other opportunities, and also help people explore the world around them. She wanted to do something of her own while tapping into her creative prowess. She says, “I do professional photography, that includes maternal and baby portfolios. I have worked with travel publications while doing other freelance writing. All these multiple careers were possible because I was my own boss. And I wanted to use my independence to show others what I see through my travel journeys.”
Rhucha would often go off into the jungles whenever she had the opportunity. She says, “Some people would ask us why I go to the same forest so many times. Actually, whenever I would go, I would learn something new. There is so much to learn from the wild. And it is this practical experience, combined with my training as a naturalist, that has helped me to share these experiences with others. I don’t take people on a blind trip. I share my knowledge and observations with them. I hope that when the travellers return, they feel refreshed and enlightened, having learnt something new. In this way, I hope to offer a holistic experience.”
The trend of wildlife travel and photography is picking up in India. But Rhucha feels that the major change has been in the ethics of these journeys. She says, “People now consider that it is not about taking one good shot. It is also about respecting the privacy of the animal. Another change is the trend in tiger-centric tourism. Though this will always remain important, now people even visit destinations for niche species.”
Rhucha feels that a wildlife trip cannot only be about wildlife photography. You will learn something new on every visit. And when it comes to core wildlife photography, it is important to know your basics and techniques. She adds, “Wildlife photography requires patience and awareness. You have to observe with all your five senses. And it is important to understand your subject. Some say that wildlife photography is unpredictable, but actually you can predict the animal behavior to a certain extent if you have studied it. You can gain an insight, and this will greatly help your photography.”
JungleLEADz is a couple of years old now. Looking ahead, Rhucha wants to turn the jungle experience into something more comprehensive, whether it would include living with the tribals or customising the trips for particular interests. She says, “I want to make the journeys interesting from all perspectives, without making it a one-sided wildlife affair.”
With this high aim of spreading awareness about wildlife, and helping people reconnect with the natural world, Rhucha plans to expand her JungleLEADz to meet curated expectations of travellers.
