Before anyone laces up their boots or steps onto the trail, there’s a moment I’ve come to recognize in almost every trip I guide. It’s that mix of excitement and uncertainty and the “I’m really doing this” feeling. As a guide with Adventures in Good Company, I get a front-row seat to that moment. And I also get to watch what happens next.
Before the Trip: Easing Nerves on a Women’s Guided Hiking Adventure
For many people, one of the best parts of a trip is the anticipation of the fun adventure to come. But alongside all that excitement is perhaps some lingering anxiety about the unknown. Some of the most common things I hear:
“What if I’m too slow?”
“What if I’m not fit enough?”
“I don't know anyone.”
“Do I have the right gear?”
Before the trip even begins, my co-guide and I work hard to ease concerns and help everyone feel comfortable and ready to enjoy the adventure ahead. One thing we have found especially helpful is hosting a group video call a few weeks before the trip. It gives everyone a chance to “meet,” get to know each other, and begin building a sense of community. During the call, we review trip logistics, go over the packing list, and answer questions.
In addition to the video call, my co-guide and I connect individually with each person to chat more and follow up about diet preferences, fitness, and any other concerns or questions they might have. These conversations really help ensure that everyone arrives feeling prepared, supported, and excited for what’s ahead.
And once everyone arrives, and those first trail miles begin, that’s where the real work and the real magic of guiding starts.
Guiding Is More Than Navigation: What Women’s Hiking Guides Really Do
Guiding is about so much more than making sure we’re going in the right direction on the trail!
Women join our trips from all backgrounds and with varying levels of hiking experience and knowledge of the outdoors. For some, it may be their first guided hiking trip, or even their first women ’s-only adventure. Because of that, a lot of teaching happens once boots are on the ground, always tailored to the group and each individual’s experience level.
We cover things like how to properly fit and wear a backpack, what to pack for the day, how to use trekking poles, foot care and blister prevention, hydration, trail nutrition, and layering for changing weather. We also talk about how we hike as a group, navigating difficult terrain, and things like tick and poison ivy prevention.
And especially important is teaching the principles of Leave No Trace, making sure we minimize our environmental impact by taking only photos and leaving only footprints.
All of that support and preparation starts to show up in a really meaningful way as the days go on.
Building Confidence on the Trail: How Women Grow Through Hiking
One of the most rewarding parts of guiding is watching women discover just how capable and strong they really are.
We are all capable of far more than we sometimes believe, it just takes the opportunity and the courage to challenge ourselves. Joining an AGC adventure often provides exactly that opportunity to build and gain confidence.
Sometimes it’s a slow but steady climb up a long hill, a scramble through a tough, rocky section of trail, hiking through a day when the weather gods weren’t listening to our pleas, finishing a big mileage day, or even a big mileage week.
Each of those moments builds confidence. Over the course of a trip, I love watching these transformations happen. It shows up in the happy chatter around the dinner table, the “I can do this” attitude after a good night’s rest, and the quiet satisfaction that comes from doing something hard.
One of my favorite things is hearing stories later about how women take that confidence home with them and continue seeking out new adventures.
But that growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s something the group builds together.
The Power of Women Supporting Women in the Outdoors
Something truly special happens when women share the trail together.
Support shows up in many forms, sometimes it’s a physical helping hand up a big step, but just as often it’s emotional encouragement or simply being present for one another.
Nature has a powerful way of bonding people. The shared experience of physical challenge combined with the beauty of the landscape creates a unique connection. When we step away from the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life, we’re often able to show up as our more authentic selves.
I especially love watching how women of different ages and life experiences support one another. Older women often demonstrate the many forms strength can take—determination, resilience, patience, and positivity. Their example encourages and inspires others, showing that strength doesn’t look just one way.
Redefining Strength: What Strength Looks Like on a Women’s Hiking Trip
Another one of the great joys of guiding women on the trail is seeing how many different ways strength can show up.
Strength isn’t only about powering up a hill. Sometimes strength means listening to your body and giving yourself permission to slow down or take a rest day. Or strength might be trying something new after years of thinking that part of life had passed. It might simply be showing up at all, especially when you weren’t sure you belonged.
Sometimes the strongest moment is simply refusing to give up.
By the end of a trip, many women leave with a deeper sense of confidence, not just in their physical abilities, but in themselves.
Why Hiking Is So Powerful for Women’s Connection and Well-Being
Hiking isn’t just about getting from one place to another. It’s also about connecting with our environment through all of our senses. On the trail, we notice things we might otherwise overlook, the endless shades of green in the forest, birdsong in the trees, the smell of fresh air, the feeling of the ground beneath our feet.
That connection naturally brings us into the present moment. It helps us become more mindful of ourselves, our surroundings, and each other. And with that, mindfulness often comes a greater sense of well-being.
The trail gives us the opportunity to become the best version of ourselves—more comfortable, strong, confident, and content—and for that I am most grateful.
The Moments That Stay With You From a Guided Hiking Trip
When people ask what my favorite trip to guide has been, I always say it’s the one I’m currently on. Guiding is a passion for me, so I’m happiest whenever I’m out on a trip.
But there are certainly moments from past trips that stay with me.
I love watching groups bond and seeing new friendships begin. I love hearing the sound of laughter echoing down the trail and around the dinner table. I love evenings around a campfire under a dark sky, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories. And I love all the deep, meaningful conversations and inspirational stories shared with me.
However, I do still have some of my favorite moments from guiding:
- The incredible sunrise from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
- Finding the perfect beach bar to end the day along the coast of Portugal
- The amazing fall colors along the Superior Hiking Trail
- Lunch with a view from the rock ledges on Cowrock Mountain on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia
- Hiking through the surreal landscapes of coastal Tasmania, Australia
Those moments and many more are part of what makes every trip so memorable.
Why Guiding Women’s Adventure Travel Trips Matters So Much
I’ve been fortunate to have had a variety of jobs over the years, but guiding with AGC has been one of the most fun and rewarding.
It has introduced me to so many strong and inspiring women. There’s an instant connection that comes from a shared love of the outdoors, travel, and adventure.
I love preparing for a trip and working with my co-guides and talking with each person beforehand to make sure they feel prepared and confident. And of course, I love spending time on the trail with women who appreciate hiking and the natural world as much as I do.
I also feel incredibly grateful to be part of the AGC community—an amazing team of women who create these adventures and a group of guides, many of whom I’m lucky to call friends.
Being part of something that brings people so much joy is incredibly meaningful to me.
