Meet Ankitha Rajendaran: The woman who travelled to 108 countries while working full-time

Ankitha Rajendaran

At first glance, Ankitha Rajendaran’s passport may seem like a travel influencer’s dream—108 countries and counting. But dig a little deeper, and you will discover something even more extraordinary: she did it all while holding down a full-time corporate job.

A solo traveller, author, and self-proclaimed cultural explorer, Ankitha is not just checking countries off a list—she’s rewriting the rules of modern travel for working professionals. “The trick,” she says, “is treating travel like a priority, not a reward.” And that mindset has carried her from the red sands of Wadi Rum to the jungles of Uganda, often using nothing more than a long weekend and meticulous planning.

From Chennai Train Trips to the Andes

Ankitha’s wanderlust traces back to her childhood in Muscat, Oman. Summers were spent visiting temple towns across Tamil Nadu—Kanchipuram, Madurai, Kumbakonam—on budget train journeys with her family. But it was a shoestring trip to Peru with her husband in 2014 that reignited the spark. “There was something about the raw beauty of the Andes, the thrill of a new culture… it reminded me of what I’d always loved about travel,” she says.

Since then, Ankitha has crisscrossed the globe, transforming brief breaks into unforgettable experiences. She never took a sabbatical. Instead, she strategized: aligning public holidays with paid leave, planning annual travel calendars each January, and maximizing every microbreak she could.

Planning with Purpose

For Ankitha, travel is less about quantity and more about quality. “Not every trip has to be two weeks long,” she explains. “Some of my most powerful experiences came from five-day escapes.” From tracking gorillas in Congo to stargazing in Jordan, her adventures are curated with intention, not dictated by bucket lists or Instagram trends.

Smart budgeting helped too. She and her husband set aside nearly 30% of their income for travel after essential expenses. Early flight alerts, visa checklists, and loyalty programs made the most of every rupee and day off.

Breaking Stereotypes—At Work and Abroad

Despite her frequent getaways, Ankitha insists her work has never suffered. “That was by design,” she says. “I never asked for special treatment. I just communicated clearly and delivered consistently.” Over seven years in her current company, she built trust that allowed her the flexibility to pursue her passion.

Her workplace, in turn, became a platform for growth. Travel, she believes, has shaped her into a better leader—more empathetic, calm, and perspective-driven. “When you have shared meals with strangers in refugee camps or witnessed both extreme hardship and profound kindness, office politics stop feeling overwhelming,” she reflects.

The Beauty of the Unseen

Ask Ankitha about her favourite destinations, and she does not list the usual suspects. Instead, it’s the lesser-known places that light her up—Sudan’s ancient pyramids, Guatemala’s lush landscapes, Taiwan’s soulful simplicity. “These places remind you how little you really know until you go,” she says.

Even countries that didn’t “live up to the hype” taught her valuable lessons. “It’s not the place, it’s the mindset,” she explains. “When you go with a checklist, you miss the magic.”

Solo But Never Alone

Though she often travels with her husband or a tight-knit group of friends, Ankitha has spent significant time exploring solo. “It teaches you to love your own company,” she says. For women hesitant to take the plunge, she suggests starting small or joining experiential group trips. “Solo doesn’t mean alone—it means empowered,” she adds.

Travel Hacks for the Hustling Soul

Ankitha’s approach to travel is refreshingly practical. Forget incognito bookings on Wednesdays—her tips are about sustainability:

• Plan short, intentional escapes every couple of months.
• Skip the “Top 10” tourist traps and focus on what excites you.
• Travel light. “No checked bags. Just a good backpack and the essentials.”

While she’s proud of her 108-country milestone, Ankitha insists it was never about chasing numbers. “It was proof that you don’t need to be a full-time influencer to travel meaningfully,” she says. These days, her focus has shifted to slower, deeper experiences—and revisiting places that changed her: Syria, Japan, Cameroon, New Zealand.

And what’s next? A dream trip to Venezuela. Plus, she’s now curating offbeat group adventures to lesser-travelled destinations like Iraq, Iran, and Madagascar—especially for curious Indian travellers who want to go beyond the tourist trail.

For Everyone Who Says, “I Wish…”

To those who dream of travel but feel stuck in the grind, Ankitha offers simple but powerful advice: start small, plan with intent, and follow through. “You don’t need to fly across the world to feel like you have travelled,” she says. “But you do need to stop waiting for the ‘right time.’ It may never come.”

Ankitha Rajendaran is living proof that with clarity, courage, and a calendar, the world is within reach—even from a 9-to-5 desk.