I grew up with a father who loved travelling. He believed the real wealth he could impart to me, insurmountably greater than material things, was experiences coupled with the best education. So each year we travelled - some trips within India, some to contiguous countries and others to far flung places. Together with my parents, through travel, I experienced the world in many guises - its many languages, terrains, cultures, climates, rituals, beliefs, politics and peoples. I saw the differences and came to understand the similarities.
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Then when I was in University my father died prematurely, on the cusp of a trip we were to take together to South Africa. And his zeal for travel became mine. I wanted to continue ‘experiencing’ the various fascinating facets of the world and discovering myself in the process, through travel. Just because I was a woman without company sometimes, but still wanting to travel, I believed should not limit me. It should not clip my wings. Yet safety and other factors were often a deterrent to exploring newer places. When they were not a deterrent, they were a constant concern. But I didn’t give up. I navigated my way, always did my research painstakingly, stayed sensible, did things like choose flights arriving only during the day (often for a hefty premium) etc. But in the process I have traversed 55 countries and several hundred towns and cities and places of mesmerising wilderness. I have also had many unforgettable holidays with friends but didn’t ever wish to be constrained should I wish to travel solo - when the time I want to travel or the destination does not appeal to my circle.
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Travel, and especially solo travel, was often a transformative experience for me. When you land in a place that is away from the society that knows you, judgement is non-existent or minimal. Then we became acutely aware of how much of us is really a product of conditioning. Some of these layers of conditioning begin to lift when we are in this more non-judgemental space like clouds on an overcast day and more of our authentic selves, shines through. Travel then, was a powerful way for me to come to understand that our identities are really conditioned by stories. They are fashioned with the fabric of the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, the stories people tell us about ourselves. The stories we choose to believe. Even those that we sometimes lack but need the courage to disbelieve.
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I wanted to encourage each one and especially every other woman - through my love of travelling and by sharing my travel experiences, to travel. And Ameluxe was born. With Ameluxe, meaning soul luxury in French, the travel experience begins with our indepth one to one consultations with you. Our travel blogs, known to give souls to people and places, vividly guide you by the hand to, and through, these places based on first hand experience

We have partnered with some of the most exclusive properties in the world to bring unmissable, nurturing travel experiences for all - solo women, if you are recovering from illness or wish to celebrate any aspect of life. We’ve carved a luxury travel experience space, where we enable each of you a place to change your context, expereince presence and begin genuine transformation in your life. We have also negotiated great deals with our luxury partners who encompass only those brands who ‘practice’ luxury in a holistic sense - of the mind, body and soul; and luxury that is conscious of people and planet, mindful, progressive and transparent about how it is working in these areas.
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Travel is unequivocally one of the best medicines and the best teachers we can gift ourselves. In discovering the souls of places, you end up discovering your own soul.

Dr. Priya Virmani
CEO, Ameluxe