With state government backing, this Assam startup is reimagining travel and sustainability

Tourism in the Northeast has always carried promise but struggled with infrastructure and digital tools. Operators worked in silos, travellers had limited options, and businesses lacked the means to scale. In recent years, though, a few ventures have started to change that picture by combining local experiences with technology.

One of them is Encamp Adventures, founded in Guwahati in 2019. At its helm is Ratan Kumar Ghimire, who has spent the past five years building a company that straddles tourism services and software products. Encamp today runs curated journeys across Assam, Nepal, and Bhutan, while also offering two technology platforms — an online travel agency and a carbon‑tracking SaaS solution — designed to help the industry grow responsibly.

From campsites to code

Encamp’s early focus was on outdoor travel and camping in the Northeast. As the business grew, Ghimire saw the need for digital tools that could support operators and travellers alike. “In the span of five years, we have two technology products,” he says. “One is Encamp, an online travel agency. The other is Carbon Trace, an API focused on enterprise solutions, a SaaS product we are now selling to the market.”

The company currently serves close to 20,000 customers and is aiming to reach 80,000 within the next two to three years. Its technology products are built not just for individual travellers but for tourism stakeholders, from operators to corporations, offering booking solutions and tools to measure environmental footprints.

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The government’s hand in the journey

Ghimire is clear about the role the Assam government has played in Encamp’s growth. “Support started from 2019 itself, when we were incubated at Startup Assam,” he recalls. “The mentorship and hand‑holding we received in those formative years was fundamental to shaping our vision. They guided us to bring focus and integrate our ideas into one unified solution.”

The incubation gave Encamp the confidence to build its technology products. Then came COVID‑19, which threatened to derail the business. Financial support from the Assam government, through AIDC, proved critical. “It was very instrumental in helping us recoup our business,” Ghimire says.

The relationship has continued to evolve. Today, Encamp is regularly invited to panel discussions and policy conversations hosted by the state. “We are able to share our thoughts, learnings, and experiences to create a larger impact,” he notes. The government’s backing also resonates strongly with B2B partners and corporations. “The fact that we are supported and funded by the Assam government and institutions like NEDFi are backing us resonates very positively. It has become a fundamental piece as we look forward to raising our next funding round from the likes of SIDBI Venture Capital.”

Made in Assam, for the world

For Ghimire, building from Assam is not just a business decision but a source of pride. “It has been an inspiring journey for us,” he says. “Over the course of three to five years, we will have built a global product made in Assam, made in India. That inspires us a great deal.”

Encamp’s expansion into Southeast Asia is the next step in that journey. With its dual focus on tourism services and technology products, the company is positioning itself as both a travel brand and a SaaS provider. The ambition is clear: to scale customer numbers, deepen partnerships, and establish Assam as a credible base for global innovation in tourism tech.

A larger narrative

Encamp’s story is part of a broader shift in Assam’s startup ecosystem. The state’s incubation programmes, financial support mechanisms, and visibility initiatives are beginning to create a pipeline of ventures that can scale beyond the region. For founders like Ratan Kumar Ghimire, this support has been more than symbolic; it has been structural, shaping the company’s survival during crises and its credibility in front of investors.

As Assam positions itself on the national startup map, startups like Encamp Adventures show what is possible when local entrepreneurs are given the tools to build. From Guwahati to Bhutan, Nepal, and soon Southeast Asia, Ghimire’s journey is proof that a global product can indeed be made in Assam.

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