Online Trip Planner TripHobo Raises Funding from Kalaari Capital

Pune-based trip planning startup TripHobo (earlier known as JoGuru) has raised an undisclosed amount of investment in Series A funding from Kalaari Capital.

It’s worth noting that a TechCircle report cites a top company executive to suggest that TripHobo has raised under Rs 20 crore in this round, however the company declined to comment on this to Medianama. The company had earlier raised $400,000 investment from a Pune-based angel investor in 2012.

TripHobo plans to use the investment raised to increase the number of itineraries and content for travel destinations on its platform as well as improve its platform.

Founded in 2012 as JoGuru, TripHobo itinerary planner allows travellers to browse through a collection of crowd-sourced travel itineraries. One can either make use of the existing travel itineraries or edit the existing travel itineraries to change the listed attractions as per their preference.

It claims to currently have more than 25,000 itineraries from around 200 cities globally. In addition, TripHobo also claims to provide planning related information for over 30,000 points of interest and enables users to book hotels through an affiliate partnership with Booking.com. A mobile app is also in the works, which is expected to be launched in November this year, according to the TechCircle report.

Source: Online Trip Planner TripHobo Raises Funding from Kalaari Capital

How To Plan A Perfect Road Trip

Finally the time of the year has come to gear up yourself for an exciting vacation trip. Have you thought how you are going to plan it out? Don’t follow the same old cliché idea of taking a flight, then hiring a cab and so on. If your destination can be reached by a car or a motorbike then why not give this option a try? The road trip is not that exhausting as it sound to be. A clever planning and proper packaging can make even a boring road trip into an exciting one. Especially on a road trip, you need to think about a lot of pros and cons of the trip. Otherwise, the travel itinerary might out to be your nightmare.   Now, the question is how you are going to do it? Here’s a snippet of what you need to remember before you start of your journey: -

#1 Who is your buddy -

Road trips sound exciting if you are travelling with your best buddy, a companion or a group of friends with whom you share perfect compatibility. It doesn’t mean both of you need to have similar likes and dislikes. Rather, all of you should be comfortable enough to adjust yourself in any situation you might fall during the journey. He or she should be flexible with the plan. This is because during a trip you might come across roads under construction or you might require to stop somewhere at night or might have to sleep in the car. Be prepared for all kinds of circumstances. Lastly, both of you should know driving so that you can share the drive.

#2 Brainstorm the travel ideas before the journey - 

On one fine evening, call up your friends with whom you are going for the road trip. Sit with them over a drink and brainstorm all kinds of travel ideas that comes up in your mind. Right from general ideas like road direction, duration of the trip to important points like the destinations you are going to visit and the activities you are going to do. In this session, also divide the responsibilities among yourself. For instance, the amount of cash you people should carry individually, foods and essential amenities.

#3 Sit with a road map - 

Draw a line on the map to mark the route you are going to follow. Make sure your friends are also aware of the route and should be comfortable with your idea. Don’t impose your decision on them. It might take an ugly turn during the trip. If road map is not working out, numerous smartphone applications are there to help. Download one of them so that during the trip you get the proper direction.

#4 Check your car -
Before you start off your journey, check your vehicle properly. Get your car checked from a service center to make sure all the mechanical parts of the car are working properly. You won’t prefer to spend most of your trip stuck in a garage during your journey. So spare yourself from facing such harsh nightmare. Consider a few facts like to get your spare tire, the clutch and the brakes should be checked, fixed chipped windshield and keep extra fresh oil. With these facts, learn how to change the tire from your mechanic and make at least one copy of your car keys to give it among your friends in case of emergency.

#5 Pack necessary supplies -
Never overload yourself. Pack your bag with essentials like number of clothing required for the trip, a medical kit, food packs for snacks, toiletries, flashlight, bug spray, some sleeping gear and essential documents. Make sure you keep essential papers related to your car as well.

#6 Keep yourself entertained - 

When it is a road trip, you need to keep yourself entertained. For that, nothing can be a better option than listening to music. Prepare a few mixed CDs and ask your friend to bring some CDs as well.

Lastly, carry few items that go well with a theme for a car ride. For instance, cheap sunglasses, tie dye and candies.  Come up with some exciting ideas so that your trip turns out to be a memorable one for all of you.

Plan a Memorable Holiday with Family

So you’ve planned your much awaited dream vacation. The excitement is palpable. You can hardly pay attention at work and you’re already imagining yourself in Hawaiian shirts. Then reality strikes. You have no clue about the new place and don’t want to spend your precious monies on a run-of-the-mill packaged deal. You want to be your own superhero and make your own exciting plan for the holiday. From airline tickets to hotels and things to see, your family depends upon you to make their holiday a memorable one.

Don’t sweat. A little bit of planning and foresight can make your holiday a big hit. So what is the first step you ask? After you’re done with your flight tickets ( which is the easiest part), think about planning your travel itinerary. What is an itinerary you ask?

An itinerary is just a fancy word for a plan. A route map or a definitive program of travel.  When you have planned your journey meticulously, you can make the most your travel. Planning ahead would also make sure that you know what awaits you at the new place. It gives you the scope to add places and activities that can cater not just to your own interests but to the entertainment of the whole family or group of friends.

How can you plan the perfect itinerary? You’re lucky to be born in the ‘world wide web’ generation. There is exhaustive information available online regarding even the most remote corner of the world. But the issue is that all of this information is scattered across millions of websites and portals. This is where a smart trip planner that collates all that you need to know about a place into one intuitive platform comes to rescue. That’s Triphobo for you.

When three young travel buffs got frustrated about the dearth of a smart planner that helps you make an intelligent itinerary, they focused their highly qualified minds in making a platform that not only plans your trips but also optimizes them. Praveen, Saket and Karthik of Triphobo had an incredibly clever yet simple idea. They wanted to make a product that can help almost anyone who is keen on planning a detailed itinerary all on their own. This was how the smart trip planner was born.

Now what is a trip planner, again? It’s a tool that liberates you! It gives you back the control of your trip and enables you to plan your trip your own way. It’s simple. All you have to do is choose the places you want to visit and drag and drop them into your customized itinerary. Go one step ahead and book hotels close to your interests so that you don’t need to travel far in the city.

TripHobo Trip Planner

7 Of the Ultimate Places to Get Away From It All This Christmas

Christmas holidays are usually the best part of the year when the air is filled with snowflakes and glitter and Christmas trees decorate the streets, houses, malls and more and stockings treasure our surprise gifts. What a time to recall and what a time to plan for! Christmas indeed is the best time to plan a trip, live the festive season, and explore the many ways it is celebrated in.

While this festival is all about the church, the gathering of people to worship God and exchange peaceful and loving emotions, the enthusiasm put together to hype the season and rejoicing about the fact that the one we believe in was born on this auspicious day. Christmas cheer is enhanced by the snow covered tree, the gorgeous greeting cards, the yummy sweets, and glistening decorations.

This Christmas, let’s think of something out of the box. We’ve obviously spent umpteen numbers of Christmases with family and friends back home. This season let’s break free. Let’s get away from the cliché celebrations and give the festive shimmer an invigorating shape this year. Here’s how to innovate your Christmas by planning exploring a little more of the world.

Christmas Vacation Ideas

Tanzania

Ever dreamt of an adventurous Christmas, with hikes being a part of it? No? That’s because it isn’t a normal way of celebrating this festival. However, if you’re looking for a way to burst the traditional bubble and do something extravagant, this isn’t that bad an idea. Tanzania with its land of animals and peaks and parks could just be your perfect get away from it all this Christmas.

Bora Bora

This bliss of nature is generously found here on this island. Bora Bora makes you feel like you’ve stepped into some place outside the world. The beauty and tranquility of this place may just make you forget about the festive season. So if you wish to escape the cheer of Christmas altogether, here is where you should pack up for.

While this was Christmas excluding Christmas, let’s take a look at the different way of enjoying the festival while slashing the trite festive delight.

Seville

This Spanish city is Catholic to the core. While we have Santa Claus and a sparkling decor, they have chestnuts roasting, traditional markets, sober decoration, native scenarios, fine delicacies teamed up with wine and more. The city exhibits a subtle Christmas cheer that is indeed impactful.

New York

America goes overboard with Christmas as they always add a little extra to everything during this season. The city otherwise beautiful switches to glamorous with shimmery lights, fascinating decoration, tall colorfully dressed trees that glow with lights and a lot more. Indulge in the festive fun and try your hand at ice skating here as well.

Rome

Visit the lively city of Italy that’s low on tourists this time of the year. However, the city isn’t quiet nor does it suffer isolation. The Piazza Navona sets up an elaborate Christmas market. So you have that Christmassy atmosphere with a stunning décor and lively celebrations without the hotchpotch of the city. On Christmas Eve, you have a mid night mass preceded by a joyous trip to the Vatican on Christmas Day.

Rio de Janeiro

Celebrate this Christmas with Christ the redeemer in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The city throws huge parties at this time of the year. You have mesmerizing beaches, sparkling fireworks, and a whole lot of local enthusiasm to add to the Christmas fun. Rio de Janeiro is a package of Christ, nature and entertainment, together in a single vacation.

Lapland

This Christmas, fly to the land of Santa Claus (the Christmas Father). Finland, Norway, Sweden are a few options to choose from. If you love the traditional Christmas celebration, you can literally live one here. Enjoy an icy Christmas here with husky sledges, reindeer, or snowmobile tours and more. Visit the Christmas village here and enjoy this festive season like never before. On this trip you will be doing the usual traditional stuff with originality. Could Christmas get any better?

You cannot take Christ out of Christmas, we don’t wish for that either. But, you can of course enjoy the festival vivid ways and create forever cherishing memories in different parts of the world.

TripHobo Trip Planner

12 Best Family Holiday Destinations in Europe

This holiday season splurge on a lavish vacation with family in Europe. You can't treat yourself or your family to something better than an European holiday. The continent is rich with countries that have fascinating cities to designed to make your holiday perfect with Europe Itinerary planner . When you travel to Europe, you realize that the world has so much more glamor to it, while Europe sightseeing introduces you to artistic and natural beauty on another level altogether. So if you've finally made up your mind to explore this continent this holiday season, here is a list of options for you to choose from  ecstatic Europe.

Europe things to do and see:-

London
Do you actually need an explanation to why you should travel to London? Visit the elegant British museum, get a glimpse of the tower of London, and the avant-garde Tate Modern which come highly recommended. The city has something in store for everyone that comes its way. There it is an ideal family destination.

Paris
This fashion capital of course calls for a whole lot of shopping and a visit to the Eiffel tower. But that not all what Paris is about. This city houses marvels of art and serves some sinful cuisines. You have old churches and museum here as well.  A perfect family holiday sure comprises of good food, decent places, shopping and a whole lot of fun, that comes from the list of best Paris tours. Where better than Paris can you find it in a combo?

Berlin
An enthralling city with a sparkling nightlife and yummy cuisines. Berlin serves as a trend setter and is pretty modern in terms of fashion and otherwise. The city is home to museums, memorials and plenty of attractions that are historically significant.

Venice
A romantic perfect. If family is you and your spouse alone, you need not look further, make a stop at Venice. However, even if you choose to visit Venice with parents and kids the city will not let you down. You can explore the many theaters, churches, historic sites and notable eateries on your perfect family holiday here.

FlorenceThe artistic city boasts of ancient museums, Picasso paintings, marvelous architecture, old churches and delicious cuisine. The scenic beauty and picturesque views of Florence makes it tough to make a choice and pick one destination to travel to in Europe.

BarcelonaA city where the old and new unite. Barcelona is home to ancient as well as recent architecture. The city is home to churches, museums, parks and hosts a throbbing nightlife. It also offers magnificent views of the Mediterranean.

Amsterdam
You'll fall in love with the airport to begin with. Amsterdam is not only a red light district of a city flooded with coffee shops. You need to visit here to understand its core. The other side of the coin is stacked with shopping outlets, equisite restaurants serving Indonesian cuisine and can also serve as an educational excursion for kids.

Prague
The city of music that spreads love! Prague is more like a fairy land with ancient Gothic architectural structures and fascinating surroundings. The city is more a less a package that includes everything at a price that wont be too harsh on your pocket.

Vienna
Art lovers should make a stop here. The gorgeous city is a whisk of art and music with a pat of history. With family you can enjoy the exquisite sights and grab your bit of historic knowledge in Vienna.

Tuscany
This is more about traditional cuisines wines and olives paired with mesmerizing views of the city. Tuscany falls in the countryside of Italy and therefore is a blend of elegant cypress trees, castles-turned-wineries-turned-hotels, cascading hills, sprawling vineyards and a lot more.

Istanbul
With a part in Europe and a part in Asia, Istanbul is a piece of two continents. The city therefore is rich with heritage and history. The commendable architecture, churches, malls, bazaars and more make Istanbul an ideal destination with family especially.

Rome
There's nothing like this blessed city in Europe. You can't afford to skip this city. Rome, the city of seven hills is often considered magical and eternal. This city is therefore ideal for a family vacation in Europe. The enchanting city is best for its Italian cuisines and the Pizza Navona. While Rome surrounds the Vatican city, go with family and explore the artistic Vatican museums.

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The 10 Best Family Holiday Destinations in Europe

Fun-filled adventures to magnificent architecture Europe is truly a magical experience. Visit picturesque Rome or experience the London way of living, Europe has something in store for every traveler that comes its way. Take out some time and spend quality time with your family in this wonderland with the help of Europe trip planner. Europe is lively and fun and the best part is that you will never run out of tourist attractions in Europe.

1. Rome
From the magnificent Colosseum to ancient architecture that surpasses even the most latest of structures, Rome is a special experience that every traveler should go to. Visit the destination and indulge in a creative way of excitement and learning. These things make Rome the perfect place for a family vacation.

2. Barcelona
Rowdy lifestyle and crazy parties that is what Barcelona is known for, but in actuality there is much more to the city than that. Be it Antoni Gaudi’s artwork or the famous monuments, Barcelona is a paradise for sightseers and absolutely perfect to visit with your loved ones. The city is also known for its great food pallet and you will be spoilt for choice in this utopia.

3. Florence
The Italian city is known for its numerous attractions that will speak to people of all ages. Florence is a great holiday spot for families due to the friendly people and great attractions that can be explored together with your family. But what makes Florence the fine city it is today is the great architecture and charming environment.

4. London
Be it the London Zoo or the Dungeon, you will never get tired of things to do in London.  The whole aura of London is as such that you feel like a part of it as soon as you walk in. The destination is a must go if you are visiting with your family as it gives you the luxury of spending some amazing moments with them.

5. Paris
Splendid Landmarks and iconic looks are just the beginning of the great Metropolitan. With kid friendly attractions and an astounding nightlife Paris is like a dream come true for one and all. The City is filled with scintillating views and sceneries that make you go, WOW! So find and book the most amazing Paris tours before you plan your next vacation to the place and you would not be disappointed.

6. Lisbon
Lisbon has the perfect recipe for a very happy vacation, majestic castles, ancient cathedrals and much more make this city one of the best tourist destinations across the globe. Being Portugal’s capital Lisbon has amazing architecture and brilliant structure that will leave you in awe.

7. Prague
Prague looks nothing less than a dream; the destination offers the perfect fairy-tale setting and is known well among tourists for its architectural value. Visit Prague and witness breath-taking beauty and grandeur like never before.

8. Madrid
Madrid features some of the greatest kids’ friendly attractions that are sure to give your kids the fun-filled time they desire. Attractions like Casa de Campo are a good place to go as they a guaranteed family outing.

9. Stockholm
Visit an urban destination with your family and get see the most incredible museums and zoos in the place. Stockholm is loaded with grand and overwhelming museums that display some of the rarest of artifacts and relics.

10. Sicily
Sicily is the destination to visit with your family and loved ones as it has something for every age group. You can enjoy activities like a hike on Mount Etna which is a good experience to have with your family. There are a lot of historical monuments as well that you can enjoy, prime of which are the Valley of the Temples and Teatro Massimo.

Europe becomes a hub for families to relax on their vacation and hence sees a lot of visitors the whole year round.  Visit Europe and experience something new in every place that you go to. A great family outing Europe will give you the best of things and simply the best of memories. So visit and you will never run out of things to do in Europe.