ABOUT ME
Get to know me!
The Face Behind The Blog
Hey, welcome to Grounded Explorers! I am Tahir, and I am the mastermind behind this blog! I’m an outdoor enthusiast with a lifelong goal of exploring as much of the world as possible. While hiking is my specialty (and my greatest love), I’m equally passionate about all kinds of outdoor adventures, from off-trail exploration, camping, to biking, via ferrata routes, kayaking, paragliding, helicopter tours, historic narrow-gauge train rides, and so much more. I’ve spent the last 11 years traveling while working full-time and completing a college degree, so I know firsthand that traveling can feel overwhelming. But I truly believe travel is possible for anyone, no matter your experience, schedule, or comfort level.
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As a seasoned traveler, I have become an expert in planning trips, particularly those centered around outdoor adventure across many destinations. My travel style is a mix of activities, tours, experiences, food spots, and cozy stays! I believe the perfect day begins with a visit to a cute local cafe, unfolds into a full day of outdoor exploration, and concludes with a warm, satisfying meal. It’s a formula that works across a variety of different settings: a small mountain town, a major city, a national park, or, with some creativity, even in the backcountry as well!
I’m thrilled that you are here! Feel free to contact me with any questions. I also offer an itinerary-building service, which you can find by clicking the box below!
What to Expect
What will you find here?
Travel Guides
Looking for the hikes, activities, and stays? For each destination I visit, I will offer a guide that can help you plan your trip!
Itineraries
Is researching and planning a trip overwhelming? Well, fear not! Let me help you build a custom itinerary suited to your style!
Giving Back
Find how to give back to the communities you visit. This could be volunteering, donating, or simply sharing a social media post.
Travel Resources
My favorite, tried and true resources that will make your travels easier and smoother.
What’s in a name?
Why “Grounded Explorers”?
Choosing a name was a bit of a challenge for me! (I can’t confirm nor deny that I may have thought about it a little too much..shhh…) But Grounded Explorers felt just right, though at times it also felt wrong, but let’s keep that overthinking part a secret! Anyway, I wanted a name that showcases that anyone can travel, and travel in a way that is meaninful to them. To me, being “grounded” means staying connected to the place you’re exploring, whether you’re a geology nerd, a history buff, or someone who just likes staring at pretty things. There’s always a deeper story beneath the surface, and discovering it is half the fun.
Grounded Explorers is for those who love to explore deeper! It’s where outdoor adventure meets mindful travel, hiking amazing trails, finding local gems, and giving back to the communities we’re lucky enough to visit. Travel has this magical way of grounding us: expanding our perspectives, challenging us, and reminding us of what actually matters. This looks different for each individual and it’s up to you to discover what that is for you! And honestly, meaningful adventures don’t always require a plane ticket; sometimes they’re right in your own backyard.
Through stories, guides, and thoughtful itineraries, I’m here to help you explore more deeply, travel more responsibly, and connect more fully with the places (and people) around you. Again, I am so glad you are here! Let’s go find those moments that stick with you long after the trip ends!
My Story
Blogging & Curiosity
Exploring my backyard
My Travel journey began later in life. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, the third-born child of poor immigrant parents. Despite our economic hardships, my parents instilled within us a curiosity about the world. While our school friends went on vacations to destinations like Disneyland, my parents could only afford to take us locally to the many canyons within driving distance. Every drive up Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon would fill me with awe and wonder about what lay beyond what I could see.
It’s this curiosity that planted the seeds that would bloom in my 20s. In my teen years, I would read many travel guides, trip reports, and collect photos from old calendars. I would stare at photos of the mighty Tetons, Moraine Lake, Mount Rainier, and many others in awe. I would think to myself, “I wonder what these places look like in real life”. Then starting at the age of 21, the impossible slowly started to become real. For the past 11 years, while working full-time and earning a degree, I’ve been chasing the landscapes that once lived only in my imagination. Each trip feels like honoring that younger version of myself, the one who dreamed from his bedroom. Travel has become one of the most meaningful parts of my life, and that’s why I started this blog. I’ve been exploring for years, but only now am I sharing my knowledge. If you’re here, thank you! I’m excited to let you in on the journey. I hope I can inspire you to book that flight, travel to that destination, and experience what matters most to you!
Traveling Europe Solo In 2019
Traveling Europe Solo In 2019
How I Got Started Blogging
Life is too short, far too short to keep waiting for “the right time”. Building a career where I could have my own freedom and one that felt like me, has always been my calling, but self-doubt and external expectations have prevented me from pursuing this dream. Then 2025 arrived and turned everything upside down. I started the year facing a sudden vision issue that nearly cost me my right eye. Two surgeries and a laser treatment later, my retina is healing. My vision isn’t quite what it used to be, but it’s still here, intact, and so am I, with a clearer perspective. While recovering, I came across a webinar that not only inspired me, but also showed me that this is possible! I have so much to offer the world, and I can help others enjoy traveling meaningfully! And that’s why we’re here now, because life is fragile, dreams are worth chasing, and I’m finally choosing to believe in mine!
Why I Blog
My Experience with Budget Travel
While the main focus of this blog isn’t budget travel, as a budget traveler myself, I’d like to offer tips, tricks and insights! I often get asked “How do you travel so much”? The truth is that I am not wealthy by an means, having earned a lower income my entire life. At times, the idea of traveling felt like a pipe dream but then I started learning how live minimally: finding the best deals and becoming very budget-savvy.. These skills allow me to spend money on activities that matter most to me. My motto is, “If I can save money on airfare, then I’ll have more to spend on a fun activity!” That mindset still shapes the way I travel today: with intention, a dash of resourcefulness, and a constant mission to prove that meaningful adventures are possible at any budget.
Click here to check out my top budget travel tips!
Giving Back
Since the beginning, I’ve been aware of how lucky we are to explore such extraordinary places, and what a privilege It is to do so. That awareness grew further during moments like hiking Iceland’s Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, where prior damage from off-trail wandering was evident as it constrasted the more recently well-built trail system, or watching volunteers cleaning up along Alaska’s Turnagain Arm.. Instances like these made me ask “What can i do to help”? So, in this section of the blog, I will be sharing simple, meaningful ways you can give back to the destinations you visit, wheather it’s through donations, volunteer opportunities, local initiatives, or even just simply spreading the word on social media. Ready to make a difference? Explore ways you can support the places you love — one small action at a time.
Where Am I Now?
I am currently living in my hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. I work full time and work on this blog on the side. I try my best to be a weekend warrior as often as possible while using my PTO in the most efficient way possible to travel overseas or to further away destinations!
Where I’ve Been
Travel Destinations
Utah is my home state, born and raised. It feels like there isn’t a corner of Utah I haven’t visited as a weekend warrrior for the last 10 years but I still find myself discovering new places, activities, experienes and restaurants. But that’s the beauty of life, every time you visit, you’ll discover something new!
National Park Count: 5/5
Colorado is my favorite neighbor! He’s just like Utah but somehow does everything bigger! Utah has two major mountain ranges? Well Colorado has a dozen. Utah has one major ski town? Colorado has a dozen! Colorado is kind of a showoff but I still love him! My goal is to visit every Colorado town and its surroundings, staring with the bigger towns but also exploring the smaller, hidden gem towns!
National Park Count: 2/4
California is a magnificent state! The places I’ve explored the most include Lake Tahoe, Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Redwoods, the Eastern Sierra, San Diego, the Channel Islands, and the Central Coast! However, there’s still so much more waiting to be discovered!
National Park Count: 5/9
Alaska is a special place, there may not be anywhere else in the U.S that comes remotely close to it’s wild, rugged, and un-tamed energy. Visiting once will have you daydreaming about packing up and moving north to a little cozy cabin!
National Park Count: 2/8
Oh Canada! I’ve visited Western Canada about 7 times in the last 7 years but I feel like it would take a lifetime to explore every nook and cranny in what is perhaps, are the most photogenic mountains in the Western Hemisphere.