The Tarzan Way: Shikhar Chadha on AI-Powered Travel and the Digital Nomad Revolution
The travel industry has remained largely stagnant for 20 years, relying on pre-packaged bundles and multiple layers of middlemen. Shikhar Chadha, the Founder of The Tarzan Way, is on a mission to dismantle this inefficiency. By leveraging AI to create personalized, transparent travel plans and partnering with local communities in over 40 villages, Shikhar is offering travelers a way to escape the "vacation trap" and experience different realities. From living like a villager to learning traditional handicrafts, The Tarzan Way is building the infrastructure for the next generation of digital nomads.
Shikhar’s journey into entrepreneurship wasn't a childhood dream but a natural evolution. While in college, he launched The Tarzan House, a backpacking homestay that hosted over 1,200 travelers from 85 countries. "Meeting those people opened my eyes to the lack of transparency in the industry," Shikhar recalls. "I saw travelers being charged 45% extra due to middlemen, and others being scammed by taxi drivers. We realized that to truly change travel, we had to move beyond logistics and into tech-enabled experiences."
The 45% Middleman Tax
Traditional travel agencies often layer multiple destination management companies (DMCs) and suppliers. "By the time a package reaches the user, it’s 45% more expensive than if you booked individually," Shikhar explains. "We cut through this noise by offering direct access to local experiences and using AI to automate the planning that usually takes travelers days of research."
The Digital Nomad Shift: Work from Anywhere
The post-pandemic world has accelerated a culture Shikhar calls Digital Nomadism. "People realized they don't need to be in an office in Delhi to work for a company in the US," he notes. "They can live in the mountains of Himachal or a quiet cafe in Gokarna. We are focusing on supporting this lifestyle with self-driven vehicles (RVs/caravans), touchless CRM for our partners, and identifying 'green zones' that offer safety and serenity."
He sees a future where domestic tourism spikes as people opt for local, immersive experiences over international flights. "Travel is no longer about flaunting a trip to Bali; it's about the unique story you bring back from a village in rural India."
The Pivot: From Homestays to AI
Transitioning from a physical hostel to a tech platform was a tough decision. "In January 2018, we closed The Tarzan House to focus entirely on The Tarzan Way," Shikhar shares. "We went back to the whiteboard. We started small with volunteering travel and slowly built our AI engine to reduce the time it takes to build a tailored plan from hours to seconds. It was never about one moment; it was about the journey of constant iteration."
This journey also involved navigating the exit of a co-founder due to the immense stress of startup life. "Startups are like babies; they demand everything from you," he says. "We learned the importance of transition protocols and, more importantly, the need for personal empathy within the founding team. You aren't just building a business; you're managing human lives."
Shikhar's Guide to Starting Small
- Start Soon, Start Small: Don't wait for the perfect idea or massive funding. The youngest years of your life are the easiest to fail in because you have fewer liabilities.
- Find an Adequate Reason: Don't start because you're bored or want to be famous. Materialistic reasons won't carry you through the 100-hour work weeks. Start because you want to solve a real problem.
- Trust Your Instincts: In hiring, resumes are secondary. Look for the 'spark' and a shared value system. Everyone in a startup should work like an entrepreneur.
- Validate Your MVP: Get a few customers, see if they repeat, and gather feedback before you ever approach an investor. Validation is the best proof of concept.
The Vision: Augmented Reality Travel
Looking ahead, Shikhar aims to integrate Augmented Reality (AR) with his AI platform. "Imagine pointing your phone at a monument and seeing its history, tips, and nearby recommendations unfold on your screen," he envisions. Beyond tech, he is committed to youth leadership and making travel inclusive for those with disabilities. For Shikhar, The Tarzan Way is about bridging the cross-cultural gap and proving that travel can be a tool for global empathy.
The Tarzan Way at a Glance
- Community Impact: Creating opportunities for 120+ families across 40+ villages.
- Network: 100+ unique immersive experiences available pan-India.
- Legacy: Featured in YourStory and Story Sutra for innovative travel tech.
About the Guest
Shikhar Chadha is the Founder and CEO of The Tarzan Way. A visionary entrepreneur who launched his first hospitality venture while still in college, Shikhar is dedicated to organizing India’s fragmented travel sector. He is an expert in leveraging AI for personalization and is a vocal advocate for sustainable, community-driven tourism. Shikhar is a frequent speaker on the digital nomad revolution and is passionate about bridging cultural divides through immersive travel. He remains a committed "hustler" who believes in the power of starting small and thinking big.
The Tarzan Way is a travel and tech-based startup providing an AI-powered platform for personalized travel experiences. By focusing on transparency, flexibility, and local community collaboration, The Tarzan Way helps travelers discover the "real" India through immersive, ethical, and highly tailored journeys.