Love doesn’t always begin with grand gestures. Sometimes, it begins with a weekend plan, a bus from Kashmere Gate, and six strangers signing up for a Himachal tour package without knowing their lives are about to change.
In November 2024, WanderOn’s weekend trip to Bir brought together six travellers from different cities. Among them were Shubham and Kiran - two people who weren’t looking for love, just a short break from routine. What they found in the mountains of Himachal was something neither of them expected.
Who Are Shubham and Kiran?
Shubham Jain, 27, is an advocate based in Jammu. Until recently, travel for him meant family vacations or occasional trips with close friends. Adventure wasn’t really his thing. He had never tried an activity like paragliding before, and group trips with strangers were completely new territory.
Kiran, 26, works in the tech industry and is originally from Ajmer. She loves travelling but usually with her mother or a close circle of friends. Bir was her first group trip with strangers as well. She had joined along with her friend Surbhi, who had earlier travelled with WanderOn to Meghalaya and recommended the experience.
Both of them signed up for the Bir weekend trip with one friend each. Neither of them knew anyone else in the group. It was their first time stepping into a shared itinerary with unfamiliar faces - unsure of what to expect, but open to the experience.
The Bir Trip
The journey began from Kashmere Gate, Delhi. A night bus, light conversations, a little awkwardness, and the usual “Where are you from?” introductions. By the time the group reached Bir, the ice had already started melting.
One of the first turning points was a simple photograph.
Before their paragliding slot, the group was clicking pictures. Shubham and Kiran happened to stand next to each other and clicked their first photo together. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t symbolic at the time. Just a normal trip memory before jumping off a mountain. But later, they would both look back at that picture differently.
Paragliding in Bir was a big moment, especially for Shubham. It was his first real adventure activity. The nervous excitement, the rush of wind, the landing - it added a shared memory to the trip. The group dynamic became more comfortable after that. Conversations flowed easier. Laughter came naturally.
They rented scooties, explored around, attended the bonfire night, and danced with the group. Both of them don’t drink, but that didn’t stop them from enjoying the evening. It wasn’t about partying; it was about being present.
The real shift, however, happened on the last day - at breakfast.
It was a simple conversation. No dramatic background music. No cinematic moment. Just a genuine exchange about life, values, spirituality, and religion. They realised they looked at life in similar ways. The connection felt easy. Natural. Unforced.
That breakfast conversation stayed with both of them even after the trip ended.
From Instagram Exchange to “I Do”
After returning home, they exchanged Instagram handles.
For Shubham, what stood out when he went through Kiran’s profile wasn’t glamour or curated aesthetics. It was simplicity. Pictures of her travelling with her mother. Videos of her singing. Posts that reflected her spiritual side. It aligned with what he had felt during that breakfast conversation.
For Kiran, the comfort she felt on the trip continued even after it ended. The conversations didn’t feel forced. They didn’t have to pretend to be someone else. They had already seen each other in a real, unfiltered environment - tired from travel, excited about activities, interacting with strangers.
They started talking regularly.
What made it different from dating apps or random connections was context. They had met while being their natural selves. No pressure. No expectations. Just a shared trip that turned into something deeper.
Months later, they travelled again - this time together. And eventually, the conversations moved from “When are we planning the next trip?” to “What if we plan our life together?”
In July, surrounded by family and loved ones, they said yes to forever.
Their story didn’t begin with a proposal. It began with a trip.
When We Asked Them a Few Questions…
We spoke to Shubham and Kiran about their journey - from strangers on a group trip to life partners.
1. What made that Bir trip special for you?
Shubham: “It was my first group trip with strangers. I had only travelled with family and close friends before. I didn’t expect to connect with someone like this. The environment was very real - you see people as they are.”
Kiran: “For me too, it was my first group trip without family. I usually travel with my mom. Being in a new place with new people helped me open up in a different way.”
2. When did you feel something more than friendship?
Kiran: “That last breakfast conversation. We were just talking about beliefs and life in general. It felt effortless.”
Shubham: “Yes, that breakfast. That’s when I thought - this is not just another trip friend.”
3. Did you expect this when you booked the trip?
Shubham: “Not at all. I just wanted a short break.”
Kiran: “Same. Zero expectations. That’s probably why it happened.”
4. What makes meeting on a trip different from meeting on a dating app?
Shubham: “On a trip, you see how someone behaves in different situations - tired, excited, adjusting with strangers. It’s more real.”
Kiran: “Exactly. There’s no filter. You’re just being yourself.”
5. What would you say to someone considering a group trip?
Kiran: “Go with an open mind.”
Shubham: “You might return with more than just photos.”
A Journey That Began in the Mountains
Today, when they look back at their Bir pictures, that first photo before paragliding means something more. It marks the beginning of a story that neither of them planned.
A weekend getaway turned into a lifelong partnership.
WanderOn has always believed that travel is not just about destinations - it’s about the people you meet and the versions of yourself you discover along the way. Shubham and Kiran’s story is a reminder that sometimes, when you step out of routine and into the mountains, life quietly rearranges itself.
All it took was one weekend in Bir
