Our Story

In 1977, Jan Meer, raised in the heart of Kashmir, walked across the valleys and mountains of Ladakh to map them for those who shared his vision of travel as self-discovery. With Christian, his very first partner in this vision, Jan embarked on the journey of bringing Tushita into a world that was keen to discover the mythical lands of India. Throughout their journey, people opened their homes to Christian and Jan, helping in this vision. 

In a fated encounter that shaped the course of Tushita’s growth, they met with a Rinpoche who drew a Yak to symbolize and bless this new adventure. Changpas, a nomadic people of Ladakh, trust the Yak to lead the way in snow covered winters. Honored at being bestowed with this destiny, Tushita has since embodied the sure-footed Yak’s spirit of friendship and resourcefulness bringing generosity to the pursuit of tourism.

In the late seventies, owing to the rapidly advancing air transport technology, people began making multiple trips to India. Seeking the spirit that had nourished journeys in Ladakh, they insisted on travelling with our guides and drivers under the aegis of Jan. It was in 1982, after expanding our operations to Delhi, that Tushita began welcoming travelers to the lasting grandeur of Rajasthan. In 1990, anticipating the interest of travelers in South India, Jan proceeded to open another office in Chennai (then Madras), a relatively unknown city on the travel circuit but a bustling metropolis, nonetheless.

As a local who had opened the doors to Kashmir and Ladakh, Jan understood the relationship one has with their homeland. Echoing the very first experience in Ladakh curated with the locals, from Jaipur to Kochi, Jan identified locals who embodied the spirit of Tushita and assembled a team to portray an honest view of the land, an action now adapted globally as an act of responsible travel.

As the Yak has journeyed from the high passes of Ladakh to the temples of Mahabalipuram, it has deepened connections that help realising Tushita’s dream of sharing India. Across 5 offices in India, Tushita embodies the Yak, same as it did nearly 50 years ago. As travel continues to change tremendously, particularly in light of the ecological crises, Tushita continues to operate by its core values that have sustained the organization and its vision of travel for almost half a century.