What Is an Invite-Only Trip (and How Do You Get Invited)?

An invite-only trip is a small group journey where you apply for a seat instead of buying one. The organiser reads every application, speaks to the people who look like a good fit, and builds a group that will actually enjoy three days together. At Chalo Folks that means twelve travellers, a private van out of Delhi, two nights in the Himachal mountains, and Anna, our founder, travelling with every group.

Quick answer: An invite-only trip is a curated small-group trip you apply to join. At Chalo Folks you fill a two-minute application, we read it and call you, and if it's a fit you get an invite. A 50% payment holds your seat, and seats go to whoever pays first. Groups are capped at twelve and hosted in person by founder Anima "Anna" Pandey.

What makes a trip "invite-only"

Most group trips sell seats. Whoever pays first gets on the bus, which is efficient and also why so many group weekends feel like a commute with better views. An invite-only trip turns that around. The itinerary is fixed and the price is published, but the group is chosen.

That one change affects everything else on the trip:

• The group is small. Twelve travellers fit in one van, one long table and one bonfire circle. Nobody gets lost at the back of a 40-seater.
• The group is balanced. Seats are split between women and men, so no one ends up the only woman, or the only man, in the group.
• Everyone has been spoken to. Before an invite goes out, someone from our team has had a real conversation with you. Strangers on the trip are strangers we have already met.
• The itinerary leaves room. Fewer tick-box stops, more long breakfasts, hikes at a talking pace and evenings that run late.

Why we choose the group instead of selling seats

Because the people are the trip. A mountain village is beautiful whoever you go with, but whether you come home with a camera roll or a group chat that won't go quiet depends on who was in the van.

Our first Bir departure drew more than 190 applications for twelve seats. We could have filled three buses. We chose one small group instead, because a weekend where people actually connect is the thing we're selling, and you can't get that by chance.

It also makes the trip safer and calmer. When everyone has been spoken to, the group arrives already knowing the basics: why they're coming, what kind of weekend it is, and that the person sitting next to them was picked with the same care.

How to get invited, step by step

1. 1Pick a trip and apply. The form takes about two minutes. Alongside the basics, it asks what's pulling you to the trip, whether you're a sunrise person or a bonfire person, and what your road-trip playlist sounds like.
2. 2We read every application. A person reads yours, not a filter. We're building a group, so we look at the whole twelve as well as each person.
3. 3We call you. You pick a time slot on the form. It's a short, friendly chat about the trip and about you, and your chance to ask anything.
4. 4You get an invite. If it feels like a fit, we email you an invite with a secure payment link (UPI, cards, net-banking or wallets, through Razorpay).
5. 5Hold your seat. Paying 50% holds your seat. Invites can go out faster than seats fill, so seats go to whoever pays first.
6. 6Pack. You get the details before departure, and on the night you meet the group at Akshardham Metro in Delhi.

Who it's for, and who it isn't

We'd rather be clear about this than have someone spend a weekend on the wrong trip.

Invite-only weekends suit:

• Solo travellers who want company without a crowd
• Friends looking for something different from the usual weekend
• People who'd pick a mountain over a mall, or a long conversation over a club
• Anyone who needs a proper break from routine

They're not the right fit for:

• Luxury travel. Stays are handpicked and comfortable, not five-star.
• A packed sightseeing schedule. We go slow on purpose.
• People who need every minute planned.
• Anyone whose favourite part of a trip is staying in the room.

Is invite-only just a fancy word for exclusive?

It's fair to ask. Invite-only can sound like a velvet rope, and that isn't what this is. We don't select for job titles, follower counts or looks. We select for the group: people who are curious, easy to be around, kind to strangers and happy with a slow itinerary.

If you're not picked for one departure, it usually means the group for those dates was already full or already had several people very like you. Apply for the next one.

What the trips actually look like

Every invite-only weekend follows the same shape. You leave Delhi on a Thursday or Friday night in a private van, wake up in the mountains, spend two days somewhere most weekend crowds skip, and ride home overnight. The itinerary changes by destination; the format doesn't.

Right now the routes are in Himachal: Jibhi, Jalori Pass and Shangarh, with a hike to a ruined fort and a night in a meadow village, and Bir and Barot, with a hidden waterfall, optional paragliding and a wooden cottage by the river. Here's what is open for invites today:

Invite-only weekends from Delhi

Where the next small groups are going

Jibhi · Jalori Pass · Shangarh

A fort in the clouds. A village that time forgot.

calendar_month20–22 Nov 20262N · 3D · from ₹10,999

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Bir · Barot

A Weekend Beyond the Group Chat

calendar_month27–29 Nov 20262N · 3D · from ₹13,500

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What's included

Each trip page lists its own inclusions, and prices include taxes. On our current weekends the price covers:

• The private van from Delhi and back, with an experienced mountain driver
• Two nights in handpicked stays, with rooms shared by gender
• Most meals: dinner on day one, breakfast and dinner on day two, breakfast on day three
• Local guides or entry tickets for the hikes on the itinerary
• Anna, hosting the trip in person

Things like lunches, café stops and optional add-ons such as paragliding are paid on the spot.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get invited on a Chalo Folks trip?

Apply on the trip's page or with the form below. It takes about two minutes. We read every application, call the people who look like a fit, and send an invite by email. Paying 50% of the trip price holds your seat.

Do I have to travel solo?

No. Many people come alone, and the trip is designed so solo travellers never feel like the odd one out. You can also apply with one friend or a small group: the form asks who you're coming with, and each person still counts as one of the twelve.

Is there an age limit?

Some departures have an age range because a group works best when people are at a similar stage of life. If a trip has one, the trip page and form say so before you apply.

What if I apply and don't get an invite?

It usually means that departure's group was already full or already had a similar mix. Your application isn't a test you failed. Apply for another date or another trip.

Is it safe for women travelling alone?

Safety is built into how the trips work: every traveller is spoken to before they're invited, seats are split between women and men, rooms are shared by gender, the van is private, and our founder Anna travels with every group. Read more in our guide to solo female travel in India.

How much does an invite-only trip cost?

Prices are on each trip page and in the cards above, and they include travel from Delhi, two nights' stay, most meals and guides. Early applicants sometimes get an early-bird price on the first few seats.

Request your invite

If you've read this far, you're probably the kind of person we build these groups for. Pick a trip below and tell us about yourself.

Still deciding? Read what actually happens on a 12-person trip, or see how small-group trips from Delhi compare with the big bus weekends.