The Untold Story
Created in 2022, The Untold Direction is the brainchild of Ganesha Balakrishnan. Wanting to share his infectious love for travel to places less visited, Ganesha founded this boutique travel agency specialising in trips that heavily emphasise culture, history and nature. As a staunch believer in lifelong learning and that no one should break the bank to travel, Ganesha created The Untold Direction whose trips aim to give travellers budget-friendly, culturally authentic and immersive experiences.
Come, explore with us, and dive into the rich culture and history of the places we visit.
Trips by The Untold Direction are meticulously planned and painstakingly curated after extensive on-the-ground research. Owner Ganesha Balakrishnan and his team of tour specialists, led by Gulchiroy Tohirova and Farrukh Kalonov, personally met many of the local contacts and service providers during their hitchhiking trips across Central Asia and the Caucasus.
With ethical travel being one of our guiding ethos, we work directly with almost all of our partners -- guesthouse owners, homestay families, transport providers, and guides -- and without any intermediaries. This ensures a fair distribution of trip proceeds with our partners. In other words, when you travel with us, entire communities benefit!
Our team of trip leaders are a highly passionate, energetic, knowledgeable, resourceful and a young bunch.
Ganesha Balakrishnan
Founder & Owner
Ganesha is from Singapore. He has travelled solo since the age of 18, visiting and hitchhiking in exotic lands -- such as Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Iran, Oman, the Stans, and North Korea -- and in the process of doing so becoming a seasoned and experienced globetrotter.
At the age of 20, Ganesha travelled and hitchhiked from Singapore to Canada without taking a single flight. He wrote a book about his flightless nine-month journey titled The Long Direction.
Ganesha has a penchant for history, food, and the arts. He particularly loves Soviet and Islamic history, as well as the cultures of Central Asia and the Middle East.
He had previously worked as a French Language Teacher and is currently a Commercial & Medevac Pilot, and a Certified Flight Instructor. When between rescue and medical evacuation missions, Ganesha enjoys trekking, camping, skiing, kayaking and traveling -- and constantly on a lookout for improving TUD's offerings and itineraries.
He speaks English, French, Tamil and Russian.
Gulchiroy Tohirova (Guli)
Operations Manager & Trip Leader
Guli brings a deep passion for travel, camping, and the outdoors, with a particular affection for the mountains, long hikes and camping.
Since 2023, she has been guiding in Central Asian countries, showcasing the region's rich culture, history and nature to foreign travelers.
As a polyglot, she is fluent in English, Russian, Uzbek, Turkish, Persian (Farsi), Tajik, and Japanese.
In addition to her linguistic skills, Guli is a multi-talented individual. She completed culinary school in Paris and holds a prestigious Cordon Bleu certification as a chef.
Previously, she worked as a journalist on Uzbek TV,.
She's quite a personality in Uzbekistan, and she often makes TV appearances at popular prime time talk shows where she gives her unique take and perspectives on contemporary issues.
Farrukh Kalonov
Regional Manager & Trip Leader
Farrukh is from the mountainous Istaravshan region in Northern Tajikistan, but currently lives in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
He has been guiding across Central Asia since 2022.
An avid outdoorsman, Farrukh enjoys spending time in the mountains, hiking and camping whenever the weather is good.
He's popular amongst our travelers for his rich historical knowledge and interesting cultural anecdotes.
A polyglot, he speaks Tajik, Farsi (Persian), Uzbek, Russian and English fluently.
He previously worked for the Russian and Moldovan embassies in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, as well as an English teacher in Tajikistan.
Marjona Mukhamedova
Head of Finance and Admin & Trip Leader
Marjona is originally from the Jizzah Region of Uzbekistan and currently lives in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. She had previously worked for the Uzbek Ministry of Tourism.
She takes pleasure in bringing foreign visitors around her beautiful country and introducing them to Uzbekistan's rich and diverse culture and history.
Marjona has been featured on numerous popular TV programs across Uzbekistan, sharing her expertise in tourism and travel.
She has been a trip leader since 2023, specializing in trips across southern Kyrgyzstan and her native Uzbekistan.
Marjona is a talented dancer in Uzbek traditional dance.
She speaks English, Uzbek and Russian.
Ali
Trip Leader
Ali hails from the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Before venturing into the tourism sector as a guide, he served as a lieutenant in the Pakistani Army, specializing in close combat and rescue operations.
Currently, he leads all TUD trips to Pakistan, leveraging his extensive knowledge and expertise of the region.
Fluent in English, Urdu—the national language of Pakistan—and Shina, the native language of Gilgit, Ali is well-equipped to bridge cultural and linguistic gaps, enriching the travel experience for visitors.
Known for his joyful demeanor and deep familiarity with his homeland, Ali brings a vibrant spirit to each tour. In his leisure time, he enjoys long-distance cycling, often traversing the high-altitude stretches of the Karakoram Highway.
Altynbek Tleuov (Altuha)
Trip Leader
Altuha is from Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty.
An avid-traveller, Altynbek has visited more than 40 countries. He has hitchhiked extensively across South East Asia back when he was working as an English Teacher in Vietnam.
During his free time, Altynbek loves exploring new places and cuisines, camping, the outdoors and playing board games!
Altynbek speaks English, Russian, Kazakh and Turkish fluently.
Aisuluu Asykbaeva
Trip Leader
Aisuluu is from Kyrgyzstan and lives in Bishkek.
She is passionate about traveling, meeting new people, and exploring diverse cultures. Aisuluu enjoys sharing the beauty of her region, its rich nomadic traditions, and heritage with visitors from around the world.
She loves the outdoors, including hiking and skiing.
She speaks English, Russian and Kyrgyz fluently.
Before becoming a trip leader, she was a robotics engineer and mentor, where she taught students in technology and engineering.
Aisuluu had represented her country at international competitions in Mexico, Dubai, Switzerland, and Greece.
Dalerjon Tolibgaonov (Daler)
Trip Leader
Dalerjon is from the historical city of Samarkand and currently lives in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital
He graduated from the prestigious Uzbekistan State World Languages University. He speaks English, Russian, Japanese, Turkish, and Tajik.
He loves history, nature, spending time in the outdoors, and languages, of course!
Umedjon Uzakov
Trip Leader
Umed is a trip leader from the Sughd region of Tajikistan. He enjoys meeting people from around the world, and introducing them to his region's unique places.
He has been guiding in Central Asia since 2022.
He speaks Tajik, Uzbek, Russian, and English. He has a passion for traveling, and has spent considerable time in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.
Umed loves music, learning about different cultures, and meeting new people, and the outdoors.
When asked what brings him happiness, he replied with a wide smile: "to show visitors the beauty, history, and warmth of my region, and I hope to help create unforgettable memories for them, Inshallah (God Willing)."
