K2K 2026: The Most Ambitious Women Only Luxury Drive India Has Ever Seen

This Women’s Day, Embarq unveils K2K 2026 The Bold Route Series, a 4,000 kilometre self drive expedition that stretches from the salt flats of Kutch to the remote frontier of Kibithoo. Over 20 transformative days from March 8 to March 28, more than 30 women will navigate India’s vast and varied terrain in a convoy of 10 luxury SUVs, crossing nine states and eleven cities in a statement that is as symbolic as it is scenic.

“Luxury is not always fancy stays and fine dining: sometimes luxury is what you create when none of this is available”, Medha Joseph and Sujal Patwardhan, Co-founders, Embarq.

From Salt Flats To Frontiers

The itinerary reads like a living atlas of India. Kutch’s stark white expanse gives way to Mount Abu’s cool elevation. Jaipur’s regal symmetry flows into the layered histories of Lucknow and Patna. Siliguri opens the gateway to the Northeast before the landscape rises towards Guwahati, Itanagar and finally Kibithoo, where the country quietly meets the horizon. Desert dissolves into hills and palaces yield to river valleys.

But beyond the shifting topography lies something more powerful than geography. A recalibration of space.

Turning India’s Highways Into A Runway

Founded in 2015 by Medha Joseph and Sujal Patwardhan, Embarq has spent over a decade shaping overland travel into a refined, immersive luxury experience. What began as a 23,000 kilometre intercontinental drive from India to Morocco evolved into meticulously curated expeditions across more than 30 countries. Precision planning, layered storytelling and community centric leadership became the brand’s signature. With The Bold Route Series, that global sensibility turns inward, placing women firmly at the centre of India’s highways.

The 2026 drive builds on the formidable success of their Kashmir to Kanyakumari expedition, which brought together more than 50 women across 25 cars in one of the country’s largest women only self drive convoys. Endorsed under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan initiative by Mr Nitin Gadkari, the drive altered perception. K2K advances that narrative with deeper intention.

Every kilometre is scaffolded by meticulous support. Route intelligence, safety systems, technical backup, curated stays and convoy discipline operate seamlessly in the background. Participants are free to focus on the experience of driving, on the intimacy of shared meals after long days on the highway, on the quiet power of watching landscapes unfurl through their own windscreen. It is a rare equilibrium.

Claiming India’s Longest Roads For Women

“Distance is just an excuse,” says Sujal Patwardhan, Co Founder of Embarq. “What we are really creating is confidence. The Bold Route gives women the space to challenge themselves, rely on each other and realise just how capable they already are. The road simply becomes the setting for that transformation.”

For Medha Joseph, the journey is as much about connection as conquest. “From Kutch to Kibithoo, this drive connects two extremes of the map, but it also connects stories, cultures and people along the way. We want women to see the road as something they can claim with confidence. These expeditions are designed carefully so they can focus on the journey, the friendships and the freedom that comes with being behind the wheel.”

Driving The Nation

In today’s India, where women are travelling further and more independently than ever before, The Bold Route arrives as both reflection and catalyst. Adventure is no longer framed as rebellion. It is expression. Luxury is no longer confined to plush interiors. It is found in autonomy, preparedness and the privilege of movement.

For the women who will stand at Kibithoo after 4,000 kilometres of shared highways, winding mountain passes and border sunsets, this will not simply be a completed route. It will be lived proof of endurance, solidarity and self trust.

Strategic, detail driven and deeply intuitive about the road less travelled, Medha Joseph has spent over a decade shaping overland luxury into an art form. With K2K 2026, she brings that global vision home to India in a way that feels both intimate and expansive.

In Conversation With Medha Joseph

LUXEBOOK: What inspired you to conceptualise K2K 2026 as a coast-to-frontier expedition across India?

Last year, we undertook the Kashmir to Kanyakumari drive, traversing the entire length of the country. The experience, the response, and the sheer impact of that journey were phenomenal. It felt like a logical progression to now cover the breadth of India. Travelling from the western most point to the eastern most frontier is a route that demands twice the endurance and resilience. That immense scale is exactly why it sounded like the perfect “next-level” challenge for us to undertake.

LUXEBOOK: After a decade of global drives, why was it important to create a dedicated women-only series now?

While The Bold Route Series is launching with our unique India drives, Embarq’s all-women drives are destined for global expansion, with unique, offbeat routes like Korea, Romania etc. already on the cards.

Over the last ten years, we witnessed a significant surge in participation from women who simply wanted to enjoy the pure experience of driving. We identified a clear gap in the market: there was no one else offering exclusive self-drive expeditions for women on a global scale. We decided it was time to create something exclusive and dedicated to the fabulous women of the world. In many ways, we believe we have been driving towards this moment for a while now.

LUXEBOOK: How do you integrate true luxury into a 4,000-kilometre overland journey?

Luxury is not always about five-star hotels and fine dining. Sometimes, luxury is what you create when those things aren’t available. For us, luxury lies in the details: the meticulous reconnaissance, the hand-picked stops, and the careful curation of every stay and experience.

We design every element with comfort, safety, and, of course, enjoyment in mind. Through detailed planning and rigorous contingency management, we bring a sense of luxury and ease to what would otherwise be a rugged experience. With Jeep & Citroen on board, we are moving into the luxury even when the terrain may not be. 

LUXEBOOK: What operational detail are you most proud of in The Bold Route Series?

I am most proud of the way these routes are planned and what unfolds on the trip and after. Every kilometer is recced to the last detail by Sujal and me personally. This gives us immense confidence. We run these trips with comprehensive backup plans and complete preparedness because we have been there ourselves.

“Luxury is not always fancy stays and fine dining: sometimes luxury is what you create when none of this is available.”

LUXEBOOK: How has the Kashmir to Kanyakumari drive shaped this next chapter

The Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari expedition was transformative in every way. The overwhelming response and the profound impact it had on participants showed us the true potential of these bold drives. It validated our vision and gave us the confidence to push boundaries further. 

K2K 2026 is thus a natural evolution: we covered the length of India, and now we’re ready to conquer its breadth. That first journey taught us that when you give women the right platform, support, and challenge, the results are nothing short of extraordinary. It’s that success that’s driving us to create even bolder, more ambitious routes. Just hang on till 2027!

Warm, instinctive and community first in her leadership, Sujal Patwardhan views the road as a catalyst for confidence. For her, The Bold Route is less about distance and more about discovering what already exists within.

LUXEBOOK: You say that “confidence is the real destination.” How does that transformation unfold across 20 days?

Confidence is indeed the destination. When women sign up for these endurance drives, we hear their stories and their limitations. Some may never have driven on a highway; others may never have driven at night. But as the expedition unfolds, these limitations seem to melt away. Through pure teamwork, camaraderie, and non-judgmental support, the fear vanishes. Watching a participant transform from tentative on day one to a confident driver completing an endurance drive with equal participation is incredibly heartening.

And then they are signing up for the next one before we wrap up! 

LUXEBOOK: What changes do you witness in participants from the first morning to the final mile?

The transformation extends far beyond the driving experience. You meet women from different walks of life, each with different stories and fighting different battles. When you share space with

them, something shifts: you gain a new perspective on your own stage of life. We see it in the testimonials they share later: improved relationships with their children, a newfound ability to enjoy life more freely, and, most importantly, the willingness to take time out for themselves.

LUXEBOOK: How does the community within the convoy elevate the experience?

Community makes all the difference. The group moves as one unit. In drives like these, that is the only way a group can succeed: by working as a team. Whether it is stepping in for one another, showing up when help is needed, or stepping out of one’s own comfort zone to extend support, the collective strength of the convoy is paramount.

LUXEBOOK: What does leadership look like in an all-women expedition?

For Medha and me, leadership in K2K means taking a step back. We work from backstage to ensure everything is in place as planned, keeping safety and security at the forefront. Our goal is to let these each women take center stage. Witnessing them own the journey is a completely transformational experience for us as founders as well. 

LUXEBOOK: What does K2K 2026 represent for the future of women-led travel in India?

It represents freedom. It represents prioritizing yourself and crossing the boundaries that society: and often we ourselves: limit us with. In this new chapter, we want more and more women to step out and experience this phenomenon of pushing limits with relentless perseverance, finding a whole new sisterhood along the way.

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