u/False_Ambition1293

Not looking for the obvious "Google Maps + MakeMyTrip" answer — genuinely curious what real travelers actually use end to end.

Like do you actually book through MakeMyTrip or just use it for price checking? Do you use Thrillophilia or just find activities yourself? Do you actually book predefined packages or build everything from scratch?

For me personally — I've never once bought a predefined package. Always feels like I'm paying extra for stuff I don't want. But building everything manually takes forever.

What's everyone's actual process? And has anyone found something that actually makes this easier?

I've been planning a few trips lately and realized how much time goes into just researching — YouTube, Reddit threads, Google Maps, then separately booking trains, buses, hostels.

For those of you who travel solo or with friends — how do you usually plan? Do you enjoy the process or does it feel like a hassle? Have you ever just given up on a trip because planning felt too overwhelming?

Curious to hear how others do it.

Every time I plan a trip with friends it becomes a part time job.

Hours on YouTube, Reddit threads, Google Maps, then separately figuring out trains on IRCTC, buses on RedBus, finding a hostel that isn't a scam — and half the time the trip just gets dropped because it got too overwhelming.

MakeMyTrip feels too packaged and expensive. Group tours like JustWravel mean traveling with strangers on a fixed schedule. Neither feels right for a friends trip or solo backpacking.

So curious — how does everyone here actually do it? Any tools, tricks, or platforms that actually make this easier? Or is manual research just the only way?

I've been planning a few trips lately and realized how much time goes into just researching — YouTube, Reddit threads, Google Maps, then separately booking trains, buses, hostels.

For those of you who travel solo or with friends — how do you usually plan? Do you enjoy the process or does it feel like a hassle? Have you ever just given up on a trip because planning felt too overwhelming?

Curious to hear how others do it.

Every time I try to plan a trip with friends it turns into a part time job.

First 2 hours on YouTube watching "complete Kasol travel guide 2024" then another hour on Reddit finding which hostel isn't a scam then separately checking RedBus, IRCTC, Google Maps for transport then finally realizing nobody can agree on budget and the whole plan just dies.

Tried MakeMyTrip — too expensive and too packaged, feels like a family vacation not a backpacking trip. Tried group tours like JustWravel — don't want to travel with complete strangers on a fixed schedule.

So we just do everything manually every single time.

Genuinely curious — how do you guys actually plan trips? Is there a better way I'm missing or do we all just go through this same chaos every time?