The destination matters. But we don’t think that’s where a journey should begin.
People travel for all kinds of reasons. To spend time with family. To celebrate something special. To switch off for a while. To explore a new culture. To be closer to nature. To reconnect. Or sometimes, simply because it feels like time to go somewhere new.
And the same person may want a completely different kind of holiday at another point in life. That’s why we don’t start by asking you to choose a package.
We start by getting to know how you want to travel.
Having more information doesn’t always make the decision easier.
Planning a holiday has never been easier. You can look up destinations, compare hotels, read reviews and build an itinerary in a matter of minutes.
Which destination is right for you? When should you go? How long should you stay? What’s genuinely worth doing, and what can you skip?
We help you make sense of the choices and turn them into a journey that feels right for you — not just one that looks good on paper.
Flying Squirrel Holidays began in Kolkata in 2014.
We were travellers long before we were in the travel business. We would spend hours figuring out where to stay, what to eat, which neighbourhood to explore.
Most of what we found was built around standard itineraries — a destination, a fixed route, a list of things to do. But very little interest in how we actually wanted to experience the place.
We didn’t just want someone to book hotels. We wanted advice. That experience stayed with us — and eventually, we decided to build the kind of travel company we had been looking for ourselves.
In 2014, Flying Squirrel Holidays was born with a simple belief: travel should be designed around people, not packages.
Travel is personal to us because we are travellers too. The places we’ve loved, the roads we’ve taken, the meals we still remember, and even the trips where things didn’t quite go to plan — have all taught us something.
Over the years, the team has grown. But the curiosity that got us started is still very much here. We keep travelling. We keep researching. We keep asking questions.
Yes, that place is popular. But I think you’ll enjoy this one more.
Travel was a passion long before it became a profession for Niloy. After nearly two decades in marketing and telecom in India and the UAE, and many years of planning and taking his own trips, he started Flying Squirrel Holidays in 2014.
The idea came from a simple realisation-whenever he looked for help planning his own holidays, he found plenty of ready-made itineraries but very little curiosity about what he actually wanted to experience.
So he decided to build the travel company he had been looking for himself.
More than a decade later, Niloy still spends a good deal of his time travelling, researching destinations and looking for the experiences that make a place special. For him, the best trips aren’t about seeing everything. They’re about finding the things that are right for you.
Over the years, our journey and how we think about travel have been featured in leading publications. From why Flying Squirrel Holidays was started to how we approach tailor-made and experiential travel, these stories offer another perspective on what we do and why we do it.
Twelve years of planning holidays have taught us one thing: There is rarely one “best” answer. Not the best hotel. Not the best destination. Not the perfect itinerary.
There’s only what works best for the person travelling.
Sometimes that means suggesting a place they hadn’t considered. Sometimes it means staying an extra night. Sometimes it means travelling at a different time of year.
And sometimes, the best advice is simply: You don’t need to do that.
India isn’t just a destination for us. It’s home.
And we know there’s no one way to experience it. It could be Rajasthan’s forts and history. Kerala at a slower pace. The food and culture of Bengal. Wildlife in central India. The Himalayas. Tea country. Spiritual journeys. Artisan trails.
For someone visiting India for the first time, the experience might begin with the familiar sights, but shouldn’t necessarily end there. Some of the most memorable parts of India are found in its food, people, markets, crafts, neighbourhoods and everyday life.
For someone who has travelled here before, there is always another side waiting to be discovered.
We help travellers find the India that speaks to them.
The same thinking shapes the journeys we create around the world.
Japan can be about food, design and everyday culture. Africa can be about wildlife and wilderness or simply slowing down. Europe can mean art and architecture, long lunches, family time or getting to know one small part of a country properly.
A destination is never just one thing. And there’s no single “right” way to experience it.
We help you find your own way into it.
Our own travels, research and relationships with people on the ground help us look beyond what everyone else is doing and find experiences that are genuinely worth your time.
From the first conversation to the final details, this is how a customised holiday takes shape around the way you want to travel.
We start by understanding you: how you travel, what matters to you, who you are travelling with and what you want this journey to mean.
We consider the possibilities – destinations, seasons, routes, stays and experiences that could suit the way you want to travel.
Experience and destination knowledge help us make sense of those possibilities, with thoughtful recommendations and a reason behind each choice.
The right experiences, pace, stays and details come together to create a journey shaped around you.
From the details before you leave to the support along the way, everything is carefully coordinated so you can travel with confidence.
A different perspective
There is usually more than one way to plan a trip. We help you see the possibilities you may not have considered.
Experience
After more than 12 years of planning journeys, we have a good sense of when to go, where to stay, how much to fit in and when to slow things down.
Judgement
We don’t recommend something just because it is popular, expensive or easy to book. If we recommend it, there should be a reason.
Local knowledge
We work with trusted people and partners who know their destinations well and help us see beyond what comes up in a search.
Personal attention
From the first conversation until you return home, we stay involved in the details that matter.
Someone to call
Travel doesn’t always go exactly according to plan. When it doesn’t, it helps to know someone is there.
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of creating journeys for more than 10,000 travellers across over 100 destinations. Our travellers come from India and different parts of the world.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. What matters more are the people behind them.
The conversations we’ve had. The families who have travelled with us more than once. The travellers who have recommended us to friends. And the stories they come back with.
That’s the part of the journey we’re most proud of.
You don’t need to have everything figured out.
Maybe you already know where you want to go. Maybe you are planning a special occasion. Maybe there are a few places you’ve always wanted to see. Or maybe you just know how you want the holiday to feel.
That’s enough.
Bring us the idea. We’ll take it from there.
Let’s talk, explore the possibilities and figure out what might work for you.
write to us at connect@flyingsquirrelholidays.com
