The Currency of Our Souls

I often think about the conversations I had with my father when I was a child and my first holiday home from university, much like my son was this year. He didn’t speak shop talk, though that would always come up with he and my mother.  Actually, he spoke to me about responsibility and the type of person I wanted to become. He taught me that trust is not a line item, it is the currency of our souls. Though I paraphrase his exact words, I heard the message loud and clear.  Fast forward almost five decades, and I can still hear his voice saying those words.

As we pass through the threshold of 2026, there is always optimism for what lies ahead, even with all the uncertainties and fear that surround us. I’m also reminded of words shared by someone I admire, who once said on stage, “As we look ahead, let’s not forget to look back and see where we came from.”

Last year wasn’t just another year in our five-decade history; it was a year where the abstract became concrete. In August, we fulfilled a quiet promise I made to my father back in 2015. Big Five Tours & Expeditions officially became a Certified B Corporation™.

We placed every aspect of our operations, our supply chains, our governance, our environmental footprint, under a microscope. We did this not for the accolade, but to prove that a family-owned company can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the highest global benchmarks of ethical business. It was our way of embodying a phrase handed down from my grandfather to my father, something that is at the forefront of our foundation.

 

“We come into this world with nothing, and we take nothing with us when we leave. What matters is what we do in between. It is not what we take up, but what we give out that makes us rich.” – Lavji Kalyanji Sanghrajka

 

But we didn’t stop at certification. We needed to measure the unmeasurable. For years, our industry has counted visitors only as a main metric. In late 2025, we changed the metric. We released our global study after almost a year of exhaustive research showing how many jobs are supported by each booking to our destinations, broken down by hotel, transport, land services, and most importantly, community-based employment. You can read more about that in our 2025 Impact Report.

By the way, on average, 35 jobs were supported by each booking. Think about that… 35 livelihoods supported, 35 families impacted, simply because a traveler chose to explore with purpose. This is the intersection where luxury meets human connection. We also expanded our family, joining forces with new partners to bring the spirit of South America to the next generation of travelers in India, proving that the desire for meaningful, conscious exploration knows no borders.

However, that is not what gives me hope for 2026 and beyond. It’s Mahen’s alphabet of Emotional Intelligence, something we started at the beginning of 2025, showcasing inspirational words my father worked on until his passing. When we found and started releasing his alphabet, I had no idea the kind of impact it would have on you and me. I would get countless emails from many of you letting me know how that week’s letter helped you in some way. So rather than rush the release to complete the alphabet, we are going to continue in the same cadence, releasing his letters one by one, each narrated by his voice, in his words. Stay tuned for the letter O. It means as much to me that you enjoy these letters, as it means to you receiving them.

2026, like any year, will have its ups and downs, its joys, and its trials. No matter what you are feeling that day, joy or uncertainty, call me, email me, or message me. Let’s do it together.

Here is to a great 2026, filled with success and personal growth beyond your dreams.