Jan Balala is rather legendary. Like Susan Lucci’s 19 Emmy nominations and Liz Taylor’s eight walks down the aisle, Jan has been on 14 Wild Women Expedition trips. Fourteen! You’ve probably seen her playful grin on our community page. Maybe you recognize her name because it’s synonymous with incredible wildlife and dramatic landscape photos. Behind…
Read MoreBonding over Bridles and Barbie Dream Horses in the Azores
March 22, 2023Like most everyone, my social life really took a hit over the last two-and-a-half years of navigating COVID. The world had begun to lockdown even before I returned home from my Baja Kayak and Whale Adventure with Wild Women Expeditions in March 2020. I immediately began working from home and I haven’t been back to…
Read MoreIntroducing Fearless Fio, Our Wild Women Guide in Patagonia
March 17, 2023Our Wild Women guides are everything. They are our built-in cheerleaders, they set the pace, they encourage us to be better (even when we’re wetter than we like to be). They live adventure 24/7 as a career and let Wild Women hang on to their bright spirit, experience and passion. They apply Band-aids, offer insider…
Read MoreDestination Europe: Your Ultimate Wild Women Expeditions Guide
March 17, 2023If you missed backpacking around Europe in your gap year, you can still do it. Bonus: the grown-up version means fewer tins of tuna, zero hostel bunk beds but all the bohemia and thrill of exploring a new destination with even newer friends! Wild Women offers adventures in Europe that let you strut your stuff,…
Read MoreIntroducing Two Women Who Have Dug Deep in the Field of Arctic Archaeology
March 7, 2023Wild Women Expeditions first launched Arctic expeditions in 2022. While we are magnetically drawn there to experience the remote landscapes and distinct wildlife, this destination is made more memorable by the incredible women that we have the opportunity to meet along the way. In our latest blog post, we highlight two women who are highly…
Read MoreCelebrating the Power and Passion of Women on Wild Women Expedition Trips
March 7, 2023It’s no big secret. We are a women-centric company. We cater to, depend on, champion, encourage and support women not just in our own Wild Women community, but abroad. Our destinations and experiences are designed to share the story and successes of women and their entrepreneurial spirit. At WWE, we are committed to seeking out…
Read MoreRewriting the Story for Women in Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia
March 6, 2023At Wild Women Expeditions, we are lucky to have a platform to amplify issues that face women and girls in the countries that we are so privileged to visit on our Wild Women adventures. As a socially-responsible tourism company, we also appreciate that we have a lovely community of Wild Women who want to learn…
Read MoreClimbing for a Cure – Introducing Wild Women community member Jen Willis
March 2, 2023You may recognize Jen from her recent post on Wild Women Expeditions community Facebook page. While the message below is written in chalk, Jen’s goal is already written in stone. She’s taking on the Earth’s highest mountain above sea level. Its Tibetan name, Chomolungma, means “Goddess Mother of the World” or “Goddess of the Valley.”…
Read MoreA Shedding Toward Self – An Essay on the Inca Trail
February 23, 2023“Stacy, look at me. You can do this. You can do this!” She insisted. “Calm down and breathe.” I grabbed onto the breast of her fleece jacket, overwhelmed by fear, and an altitude-induced vertigo buckled my knees. “I can’t do it! This was a mistake!” I cried, lifting my face toward the pristine, cerulean sky….
Read MoreYour Ultimate Guide to the Camino: Which Way is Best for You?
February 7, 2023When it comes to the fabled Camino de Santiago, I can genuinely talk the talk and walk the walk. My wife and I followed the iconic Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port, France to Finisterre, Spain in 2018. Takeaway: 920 km is a lot of legwork! And, when presented, eat as many slices…
Read MoreAnd the winner is…find out who won our “Celebrating The Moments of 2022” Photo Contest
February 1, 2023This past month has been one sweet nostalgic time machine trip back to 2022. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos to our contest. We asked and you delivered, tenfold! When we first launched our photo celebration last year it was a no-brainer–we had to make this an annual thing! We received 150+ entries from…
Read MorePrepping for Patagonia!
January 25, 2023“Wind and rain cocktails” that leave you soaked in minutes. “Knock down gusts.” “Pounding westerlies.” This is the meteorological trifecta warning in Lonely Planet’s Chile & Easter Island guide that has led me to remain skeptical about Patagonia. To be transparent (if I’m not already), my default February setting is generally reserved for destinations like…
Read More10 Cool Experiences That You Can Expect on WWE’s High Arctic Explorer
January 25, 2023Our High Arctic Explorer small ship expedition lets you experience countless things that you simply can’t do anywhere else, or all at once! This 12-day itinerary is a perfectly curated combination of extreme landscapes, unmatched wildlife encounters, hands-on workshops, Inuit culture, educational opportunities and Wild Women camaraderie. Don’t let this ship sail without you! For example,…
Read MoreYour Guide to Antarctica: Which Trip is Best for Me?
January 16, 2023Wild Women Expeditions offers three unforgettable ways to experience Antarctica. If you’re wondering which itinerary is best suited for you, we take a deep dive below and tell you what’s different about each adventure. Yes, some faces and places appear in all three navigations. Each voyage begins and ends in the most southerly city in…
Read MoreWhat Kayak Expedition is Best for Me? WWE’s Guide to Smooth Paddling
January 5, 2023Deciding upon the best kayaking trip for you can be determined by a few, honest questions. Do you want to paddle or dabble? What kind of experience do you have? Are you willing to take a training course in advance or would you prefer to learn skills within the trip itself? Do you want a…
Read MoreCelebrating the Moments of 2022 – Photo Contest!
January 3, 20232022 was an incredible travel year, and we want to celebrate those precious, magical moments within our Wild Women community by launching another photo contest! We’re offering a $1000 (USD)* travel voucher that can be applied to any 2023 and 2024 Wild Women Expeditions trip! Remember, this is not a professional photography competition. It’s not…
Read MorePostcards and Reflections from the Wild Women Expeditions Team 2022
December 20, 2022This year the Wild Women team were on the move! From the skyscraper-high forests of Haida Gwaii to the vastness of Greenland to the biodiverse Galapagos! We were on the Inca Trek, trekking in Tanzania, tracking leopards, learning the secret ingredients in Northern Thai cuisine and cantering on horses through India’s expanse. We were moved…
Read MoreGot Baggage? Need Baggage? WWE’s Ultimate Guide to Packs and Packing
December 15, 2022Baggage. We all have it. But is it the right fit for your next trip? Cue up the scene from Wild when Reese Witherspoon topples over in an attempt to shoulder the weight of her backpack for the first time. Maybe you’re travelling to a destination that is more “slackpacking” than “backpacking.” There will be…
Read MoreOn the Wild Side: Introducing Maria Naum
December 6, 2022Maria Naum was born in a tiny village in the shadows of Romania’s Carpathian mountain range. The spine of the Carpathians runs west to east from Czechia (the Czech Republic) to Romania through seven countries including Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia. Amazingly, almost 66% of Romania’s territory is dominated by these mountains–and it’s not surprising…
Read MoreAntarctica: The Ultimate Adventure
November 29, 2022Why is Antarctica the ultimate adventure? Franny Bergschneider, Wild Women Expeditions’ Program and Operations Manager and resident polar expert explains it all! A Land Dedicated To Science And Peace When you go to Antarctica, it is a complete sensory experience. Antarctica is a continent dedicated to peace, science and conservation, it is protected by the…
Read MoreYour Ultimate Packing Guide: Hacks + Hot Tips for Your Next Trip!
November 21, 2022Committing to a Wild Women trip is the easy part–now, how do you pack for it? While we are encouraged to think outside the box in many situations, this is a time when you truly need to think inside the box…or, suitcase. I remember taking my dad’s hockey bag to summer camp back in the…
Read MoreOn the Wild Side: Introducing Patti Stobbe
November 14, 2022Let’s sit and have a colourful gab with Patti Stobbe of Calgary, Alberta! Patti has earned her WILD stripes with an official Arctic polar plunge badge! A seasoned Wild Woman, she has been on four trips and embeds her memories in lasting friendships and precious gems from each destination like Greenland’s pink sapphire. She joins…
Read MoreTaking a Bite out of Bali, Indonesia
November 3, 2022The signs were everywhere. Goreng this, goreng that. Food stalls with simple drawings of catfish and noodles lined the narrow streets ripe with the unforgettable punk of durian fruit. I finally asked our guide, “what does goreng mean?” To fry. Fried. I was surprised at how deep-fried our Indonesian menu was. Nasi goreng (fried rice)….
Read MoreThe Power of Chocolate: Some Tasting Notes from Peru
October 31, 2022This afternoon, while pushing aside the furry head that comes with jet lag (insert 22.5 hours of flying from Bali to Singapore to Amsterdam to Toronto here!), I started scrolling through Wild Women’s Facebook community page to see what everyone was chatting about. I shivered looking at the snapping prayer flags of the Nepal trek,…
Read MoreOn The Wild Side: Introducing Sara Mang
October 11, 2022This is a shiny new feature where we spotlight an awesome member of our Wild Women Expeditions community. Grab a warm cup of joe and lean in on a fun chat with Sara. She’s a writer, a storyteller and a skinny-dipper to boot! Introducing Sara! Well, to start, I grew up in Happy Valley,…
Read MoreTrailblazing! Your Guide to Wild Women’s Most Popular Hiking Trips
October 5, 2022Are you eager to experience another country on foot? Want to know which hiking trip is right for you? We’ve done the legwork for you–whether you are seeking low-impact but super scenic walks interspersed with other activities or ready for a hardcore commitment. You can’t go from couch to Camino, that’s for sure, but with…
Read MoreForging A New Way In Ethical Elephant Tourism
October 4, 2022I LOVE elephants. Over the past decade I’ve spent hundreds of hours with elephants in northern Thailand. When I first designed our Wild Women adventure tour in Thailand in 2014, I knew that I wanted to bring awareness of the plight of captive elephants and help protect these amazing and endangered species. Back then, the…
Read MoreCelebrating World Tourism Day
September 27, 2022World Tourism Day’s theme for 2022 shines the spotlight on the rethinking what tourism means – how we can return the focus back onto the future and the tourism we want to build? It is the responsibility for those of us who work in the travel industry to facilitate meaningful moments and connections for travellers…
Read More2023 Worldwide Adventure Calendar
September 22, 2022Our 2023 Worldwide Adventure Calendar is ready! Where to next? January 09 – 19 – Thailand Elephants Treks and Temples January 14 – 22 – Baja Kayak and Whale Adventure January 20 – February 09 – Antarctica South Georgia and Falklands Explorer January 23 – February 02 – Thailand Elephants Treks and Temples…
Read MoreIntroducing Jules Torti, WWE’s Content Creator
September 13, 2022Jules Torti is WWE’s dazzling content creator. She creates and spices up WWE’s itineraries, writes enticing e-blasts and blog posts. And yes, she is writing in the third person and interviewing herself! Jules is also the author of Free to a Good Home: With Room for Improvement, Trail Mix: 920km on the Camino de Santiago…
Read MoreA Taste of Wild Women Expeditions Sweet Desert Menu
September 7, 2022If we played a quick word association game, we’d say “desert” and you would blurt out: Sand! Scorpions! Camels! Sahara! Lawrence of Arabia. Sade! Cue up “I miss you like the desert miss the rain.” You probably wouldn’t say “ANTARCTICA!” but, it’s true. Antarctica is considered a desert–the largest one in the world actually. With…
Read MoreYour Guide to the Galápagos Islands
September 1, 2022(Photo Credit: Lindsay Blatt) Are you trying to decide the best way to experience the Galápagos Islands? You may be wondering what trip is best designed for you. Wild Women Expeditions offers three unique ways to immerse yourself in the rich biodiversity and true marvel of the isles. We’ve highlighted the differences below but on…
Read MoreOn the Wild Side: Introducing Francesca Vivona
September 1, 2022This is a shiny new feature where we spotlight an awesome member of our Wild Women Expeditions community. Grab a local hazy IPA or Darjeeling tea and lean in on a fun chat with Francesca. She’s a self-dubbed city gal, intrepid foodie, classic camper and dog-lovin’ paddler who never wondered how or if bears sh*t…
Read MorePostcard from the Arctic: With Love From Nancy Hensel
August 23, 2022Thank you to Nancy for sharing her experience on the Heart of the Arctic adventure with the Wild Women community. Nancy’s story is a colourful one and her connection to the Arctic is a decades-long unfolding of a dream that began in a small shop in San Francisco. Her life has been guided by curiosity…
Read MoreTop 10 Tips for the Antarctic
August 18, 2022We asked our Wild Women’s resident polar-expert, Program manager, and life-long adventurer, Franny Bergschneider to give us her top 10 tips for preparing and packing for an expedition to Antarctica. Read on for her tips! The White Continent, Antarctica, is dedicated to peace, science and conservation. I have always been drawn to remote wilderness…
Read MoreAn Antarctic Summer – When to Go and What You’ll See
August 18, 2022Can you feel the momentum? The warm flush in your cheeks? The sharp prickle of goosebumps racing across your skin? That hurried pounding inside your ribcage? That’s what happens when you say YES to Antarctica. Extend your summer by jumping right into Antarctica’s dog days of summer (November to March). Did you know that Antarctica…
Read MoreGo Back to School Around the World!
August 16, 2022September is synonymous with renewal. Pencil crayons get re-sharpened, sleepy kids shuffle back to school and carefree days shift into routines with ugh, homework. Learning opportunities pursued as an adult are often voluntary and way more enjoyable (minus the soggy tuna sandwich and having to fret over a pop quiz). Intentional learning is easier as…
Read More10 Ways to Celebrate the International Day of Indigenous People
August 8, 2022The United Nations has acknowledged the powerful role of indigenous women as keepers of irreplaceable wisdom by designating August 9th as the International Day of Indigenous People. Ancestral stories and history run as deep as tree roots, lakes and volcanoes. Indigenous knowledge flavours generational recipes. It fills drum beats and songs with tangible emotion. It…
Read MoreReady to Recharge? We’ll Show You Where and How to Unwind!
August 3, 2022In 2020, Melissa Lem, a B.C.-based physician and environmental champion, founded PaRx. In collaboration with the BC Parks Foundation, PaRx permits (and encourages) doctors to prescribe time in nature. Yes, it’s as simple as that. A big dose of nature–doctor’s orders! As part of the program, prescriptions include a Parks Canada Discovery Pass allowing patients…
Read MoreOn the Wild Side: Introducing Alex Macdonald
July 27, 2022This is a shiny new feature where we spotlight an awesome member of our Wild Women Expeditions community. Grab a coffee or a kombucha and lean in on a chat with Alex Macdonald of Barrie, Ontario. She has earned a few Wild Women badges now from her participation in northern Ontario paddling camps, Belizean jungle…
Read MoreThe Sacred Ride: A Cultural and Historical Immersion in Peru
July 20, 2022The Sacred Ride is a Wild Women trip that goes deep into the culture of the Quechua people and the Inca history is evident in the remarkable architecture–like the Flintstone-like slabs of perfectly aligned mammoth dry fit stones. We started in the city of Cusco, the former capital of the Incan Empire. There, we explored…
Read MorePostcard from Portugal: Shawn Hamilton Takes us for a Ride in the Azores
July 18, 2022The Wild Women Expeditions Azores Horses, Whales and Volcanos Tour was my first venture outside of Canada since the inception of Covid. I was more than eager to explore another country from the saddle with like-minded women. The first thing to catch my eye after landing in Horta on the 173 square km ( 67…
Read MoreReBOOT: Finding the Best Hiking Footwear Designed Just For You
July 13, 2022As a kid, my beloved pair of cowboy boots and Kangaroo shoes (yep, the ones with the zippered pockets on the side) reigned supreme. They were both stylish and versatile–I was ready for everything: tree-climbing, pollywog-catching, Nerf football-hoofing, the fall fair or a pig roast. Now, in a single day, I’m in and out of…
Read MoreUnpacking Travel Hacks: How to Make Your Next Trip Smoother!
July 7, 2022Travel. It comes with its kinks and wrinkles but every experience makes us smarter, more efficient and confident for the next round. The headlines won’t let us forget that it’s more hectic than ever at the airports. Luggage is sitting in baggage claims unclaimed, for days. Travelers are being asked to pack their patience, and…
Read MoreCanada’s Big 5: Here’s what you MUST experience in this country!
June 29, 2022Did you know that Wild Women Expeditions was hatched from a yoke? Yes, a yoke, not a yolk. In particular, a canoe yoke in the rocky and remote clutches of northern Ontario, Canada more than 30 years ago. We are the land of tundra, Rockies, old-growth forest, limestone, wheat, deep lakes, vineyards, peach orchards, cranberry…
Read MoreAre you ready? How to Create the Best Blueprint for Your Upcoming Trip
June 28, 2022You’ve said “YES!” and committed to a trip, now what? Really, the fun part is about to unfold like an intricate origami flamingo! I have my own personal checklist of ‘trip development.’ Of course, you should modify this according to your own personal whims to create the best blueprint for your destination. For me, the…
Read MoreWhy you should go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip twice…
May 30, 2022It’s rather daunting to revisit a place that has become an undisturbed memory bank of halcyon days in your head. Can those unblemished days be repeatable? Will that memory bank be crushed by sour weather, diarrhea or turbulent seas? When I first went to the Galapagos Islands in 2005, I had nearly unattainable expectations and…
Read MoreMeet Sonya Stephens: WWE’s Expedition Support Specialist
May 26, 2022Sonya Stephens is our shiny new Expedition Support Specialist and a rock-solid addition to our ever-growing team. She brings years of experience in solo travel and a framed blood, sweat and tears Master of Tourism Management diploma to the table. In fact, if you want to go toe-to-toe on history trivia, Sonya can do that…
Read MoreCelebrating our Wildest Women–Mothers!
May 3, 2022“Now don’t get any ideas. I know Jane Goodall had to take her mother to Africa!” When I shared the news that I was going to volunteer in Uganda with the Jane Goodall Institute, my mom made it as clear as gin that she was not interested in tagging along in safari gear with a…
Read MoreAre You Single? Let Wild Women Woo You!
April 28, 2022We don’t want to single you out, but…if you answer yes to one of these questions, you’re probably a Wild Woman in the making. Take our one-minute pop quiz for instant results! Have you always dreamed of seeing orangutans in Borneo but none of your friends have the time, money or vacation time to join…
Read MoreWild Women Expeditions Top 5 Earth-Friendly Destinations
April 21, 2022If you’re wondering where you can travel with total peace of mind because you’re supporting peace on earth and environmentally responsible initiatives, we have a few ideas up our recycled, organic, bamboo shirt sleeve. Near, far, wherever you are…(wait, who let Celine Dion in here?). Point is, at Wild Women Expeditions headquarters, Mother Nature is…
Read MoreIt’s Jane Goodall’s 88th Birthday and We’re Over the Moon!
March 24, 2022In July 1960, Jane Goodall first stepped into the marvel of what is now Gombe Stream National Park in western Tanzania. During her groundbreaking study on chimpanzees, observed David Greybeard and Goliath using tools to enjoy a more efficient termite picnic years before Neil Armstrong stepped out of the Apollo 11 and on to the…
Read MoreHappy International Women’s Day
March 8, 2022Don’t doubt that sharing your story matters. Over the past 30 years of running Wild Women Expeditions, we’ve shared countless stories of women who are changing the world, starting with empowering themselves. We have been so inspired by the awesome women who join our trips around the world and the welcoming women who host us…
Read MoreWe’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! Happy International Women’s Day!
March 7, 2022We’ve come a long way, baby. And nobody puts Baby in the corner! It’s easy to rhyme off dozens of women who are true momentum makers, fearless earth-shakers, animal advocates, selfless journalists, resilient activists, determined pilots, top chefs, community backbones, tireless volunteers, STEM leaders, AI innovators, microlenders, teachers and mentors. In step, they/we are mothers,…
Read MoreIntroducing Caroline Owen, Wild Women Expeditions In-House Horse Expert!
March 1, 2022The name “Cline” is nearly synonymous with Wild Women Expeditions. Caroline Owen, more affectionately and famously known as Cline, has guided countless trips for more than two decades with WWE. She is our in-house horse expert and a true polymath. She jumps seamlessly from the saddle to a downward dog as a yoga therapist and…
Read MoreSynchronized Swimming With Sea Lions in Baja
February 22, 2022On Wild Women’s Baja Kayak and Whale Adventure, swimming with sea lions didn’t jump out at me when I’d first read the itinerary. I had “swum” with dolphins in the wild before, but that entailed the boat catching up with the dolphins and jumping into the water as the dolphins swam away at speeds much…
Read MoreFinding Your Place and Pace on the Camino de Santiago in Muxia, Spain
February 7, 2022Camino pilgrimage routes run like spaghetti strands from all over Europe and finally braid together in one big knot in Santiago. Many pilgrims believe Santiago to be the ‘end’ of their Camino. For those who continue on, there’s a giddy relief and elation in having survived the endless nights of snoring and sour socks. All…
Read MoreIntroducing Dympna Hayes. What Floats Her Boat?
January 12, 2022Dympna Hayes has paddled in Norway, Newfoundland and Great Slave Lake. I was totally floored when she told me that the safest place in the world to kayak is in Antarctica. “It’s the easiest conditions! There are no waves and because of the calmness, the group doesn’t get separated. It’s super safe because everyone is…
Read MoreThe Gift of Adventure is Closer Than You Think
December 23, 2021If you’re the kind of person who is determined to see the shiny silver lining, here it is. While the pandemic continues to hurl all sorts of unexpected things in our direction (in all directions!)–there are no restrictions on travelling down memory lane! The holidays come with their usual twists and complications beyond the worries…
Read MoreBanff’s Backcountry Bliss
December 13, 2021When I said yes to the Banff Backcountry Riding Adventure I was dreaming about the towering jagged snow-capped mountains of the majestic Canadian Rockies, and travelling through this expansive land by trusty steed, completely cut off from all communication with the outside world. I’ve been travelling in the wilderness since childhood, and for over 20…
Read MoreOn the Camino de Santiago, Expect the Unexpected
December 6, 2021This post is an exclusive and AWESOME feature from Carolyn Ray, the Editor-in-Chief of JourneyWoman. If you’re not familiar with JourneyWoman, it’s a reliable and lively resource for women–for travel tips and advice on solo travel, JourneyWoman is wonderful company to keep. Carolyn also shared her experience of becoming a genuine cowgirl in the Canadian…
Read MoreWhat the Hekla? Everything you need to know about riding Icelandic horses.
November 19, 2021Wild Women’s Hekla Volcano Riding Adventure is thoughtfully designed to delight experienced riders who are seeking a very different experience from an everyday trail ride. We’re riding in the wild and remote east of Iceland, near the volcano Hekla! This is not your average walk in the park. In fact, we don’t do much walking…
Read MoreThe Fairy Tale Horses of Faial Island, Azores
November 18, 2021The Azores are a group of nine Islands in the mid-Atlantic, that are entirely formed by volcanic activity. The archipelago is part of Portugal, though the islands are almost as close to North America as they are to Europe, with 1,400 km between Lisbon and the Azores, and 1,900 km to Newfoundland, Canada. Portugal is…
Read MoreBecoming a Cowgirl in the Real Canadian Rockies
November 17, 2021This post is an exclusive and AWESOME feature from Carolyn Ray, the Editor-in-Chief of JourneyWoman. If you’re not familiar with JourneyWoman, it’s a reliable and lively resource for women–for travel tips and advice on solo travel, JourneyWoman is wonderful company to keep. Watch for a future post from Carolyn about her experience on the legendary…
Read MoreThese Boots Are Made for Walking
November 12, 2021It’s easy to tell someone to go take a hike, but we thought we’d lean on a few experts for tips on how to do it properly! Hiking in remote wilderness presents its own distinct considerations versus walking hostel to hostel on the populated Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. In the end, the distance or…
Read MoreEdible Morocco: Did Somebody Say Berber Pizza?
November 9, 2021When I received my hotly-anticipated copy of Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide, I beelined through the pages to the North Africa section. Authors Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras are immediately frank about their seven continent, 120 country, 500 dish-long taste-test: “We love tasty food, but we aim to be explorers rather than gourmands. Seekers…
Read MoreLet’s Get Some Latitude!
November 2, 2021It’s a common thread (once you remove the knots). We’re all anxious to get out there and complain about airplane food again, aren’t we? Actually, on a recent British Airways flight from Dubrovnik, the baked lemon thyme chicken and chickpea salad with marinated tomatoes and basil was rather impressive. And a salted caramel brownie pudding…
Read MoreIntroducing Kate Hives: Our Adventure Specialist in a Spray Skirt!
October 26, 2021When I look at Kate Hives profile on LinkedIn it’s obvious: this woman loves to be outside. She’s like the cat that will curl around your ankles with affection but then shoot out any open door when you’re not looking. Kate has been a sea kayak guide, coach, examiner and outdoor educator for over 20…
Read More8 Things You Didn’t Know About Croatia
October 18, 2021It was serendipitous that I picked up a copy of Lonely Planet Croatia in the thick of the pandemic. Travel wasn’t even a consideration at that point but as per routine, I combed the shelves at our nearest Value Village for something that might trigger. I didn’t know then that I’d be in Croatia just…
Read MoreGrin and Polar Bear It: Five Things You Didn’t Know About Them!
September 21, 2021Often called the “Lords of the Arctic,” Nanuk (Inuit), Nanook and ᓇᓄᖅ (in Inuktitut), polar bears are also known as sea bears, God’s Dog (by the Sámi and Lapp), Gyp (“Grandfather” in Siberian) and Isbjorn–”The Ice Bear,” in Norway and Sweden. Male polar bears can tip the scales at 1,320 pounds and stand 10 feet…
Read MoreThe Polar BARE Facts with Wild Women Team Member Franny Bergschneider
September 17, 2021Introducing Wild Women Expeditions’ Resident Polar Expert and Program Manager, Franny Bergschneider! Franny emerged from the urban wilderness of Toronto and first cultivated her love for travel, expedition, remote places and environmentalism on the deep lakes and rivers of Ontario, Canada. Her passions run just as wild and untamed as the rivers for youth and…
Read MoreA Story About the South Pole and a Southpaw (with a few penguins)
September 11, 2021You might be wondering what tennis and the 66th parallel could possibly have in common. It’s doubtful that you will ever find tennis on a Wild Women itinerary but there’s a connection here between the South Pole and Canadian’s surprise southpaw, Leylah Fernandez. The spunky 19-year-old has become a U.S. Open darling, landing a coveted…
Read MoreWhich Horseback Riding Adventure Do I Choose?
May 11, 2021I have a magnet on my fridge that says, “Where to next?” I’m not sure where it came from, but it seems to be a theme in my life. There’s always a “where to next.” Except for that time in 2020 when I’d returned from a road trip with my partner in January,…
Read MoreExperience The Golden Circle Riding Adventure…
May 11, 2021On every trip there is a kind of pinnacle moment, an experience that you know instantly you’ll remember for a lifetime. On the Golden Circle Riding Adventure in Iceland, there are many potential peak moments; every instant is spectacular and special in its own way. If I asked every one of the hundreds…
Read MoreThe Magic of The Arctic and Antarctica
April 8, 2021Natalie Gillis is a sea kayaker who has been professionally guiding for the past 12 years; while she spends most of her days paddling cold waters in the High Arctic, Greenland and Antarctica, some of her favourite kayaking destinations are found on the coasts of her home country of Canada. She has…
Read MoreAnimals of the Antarctic- 10 Things you Never Knew
March 19, 2021There’s nothing that spells adventure quite like a trip to the farthest reaches of our beautiful planet. In an ice-covered continent that boasts the world’s coldest temperature ever recorded (a balmy -89.2 degrees celsius), you will visit the home of some of the earth’s most elusive, beautiful, and resilient animals – the animals of…
Read MoreBeyond Pyramids: The Wild Women of Egypt
January 17, 2021“My heart is so full, my heart is so full…” Helen whispered as we walked in the Goddess temple. It was only the second day of our 2 week Wild Women tour of Egypt and I knew that it was going to get even better. It was my fourth visit to Egypt, and my heart overflows…
Read MoreFace to Face With A Wild Polar Bear
November 4, 2020My face was a few feet away from the face of this beautiful wild polar bear. She was curious about the tundra buggy, like an alien ship landed in her backyard, that I sat in the back of, outside on the observation deck. I was in her territory, on the shore of Hudson Bay in…
Read MoreRUINS IN THE SUNSHINE
August 26, 2020She pulled out a giant chocolate bar. “Does anyone want some?” That’s rhetorical, right? We’re on a bus filled with women, albeit strangers. It’s day one of a week together to hike the Inca Trail in Peru, but this ice-breaking comment is sure to turn a batch of strangers into fast friends. For some of…
Read MoreThe Gate
July 24, 2020“The Nahanni River at The Gate flows through a mountain ridge that looks as if it has been cleaved in two by a giant axe. Our campsite is just upriver from it. These two massive rocks include outcroppings called The Pulpit and The Preacher and I find myself listening for silent sermons about the ancient…
Read MoreThe Paradise Of Haida Gwaii
July 8, 2020“We see a steady stream of wildlife companions throughout the trip in Haida Gwaii. Here a seal, there a seal, every day a seal. A small squid propelling lets go a stream of ink as it realizes there is a strange object in its way; a wild woman in a kayak! It started…
Read MoreLet’s Be Mermaids
July 1, 2020I was lying on the ground somewhere in Canada, my tail glinting in the sunlight. I thrust my fin up toward the blue sky, glancing at the women beside me. Their own tails—in shimmery shades of pink and green and purple—were also tilted up in a piscine salute to the sun. The day was baking…
Read MoreHealing On The Inca Trail
June 25, 2020Here’s my story about finding healing along the Inca Trail. In late 2014 I was diagnosed with a more uncommon type of breast cancer and immediately went through surgery, months of tests, radiation treatment, and hormone treatment. As I was coming out of the fog, I came across Wild Women Expeditions through a mutual business…
Read MoreIn The Wilds Of Baja, Mexico
June 11, 2020I had never been so happy to see a cactus — even just through the window of an airport shuttle, as it sped towards a promised adventure full of whales and kayaking in what was known as the “Galapagos of Mexico.” A cactus meant warmth, sun, and did I mention the sun? The description of…
Read MoreA Conversation With Annahid Dashtgard
June 4, 2020What is required to create change in ourselves and in society? This conversation between Jennifer Haddow and Annahid Dashtgard was transcribed from a video earlier this week and is available in full in our Facebook Group. These words come at an important time right now and act as a meditation on the universal questions of…
Read MoreSo, You Wanna Go Canoeing?
May 26, 2020Fact: Wild Women Expeditions was conceived and born in a canoe. That’s right, 30 years ago, founder Beth Mairs was inspired to start this company on a canoe trip with other female friends in Northern Ontario. Over the years, the roots of Wild Women have been firmly planted on the quintessential Canadian canoe trip, and…
Read MoreAin’t No Mountain High Enough
May 21, 2020My adventure in Nepal totally changed my life. When I trekked to Everest Base Camp in Nepal, over a decade ago, I was lost. Sick and afraid and depleted. And in the weeks of trekking in those heavenly Himalayas, something shifted and cracked open. I fed my soul. When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis…
Read MoreFierce Vulnerability: A Conversation With Eve Ensler
May 5, 2020Famed for her fearless work as an activist, author, and Tony Award-winning playwright, Eve Ensler epitomizes what it means to be a Fierce Female. Director Jennifer Haddow connected with Eve in Bali to interview her for Wild Women Magazine. Read Jennifer’s inspiring conversation with Eve about how being vulnerable and showing up has the power…
Read MoreThe Wild Spirit Of Espiritu Santo
April 30, 2020I leaned over the side of the small boat, slapping the surface of the water with my hand. A large eye blinked back at me as the massive animal it belonged to approached the panga, sliding under my hand like a dog looking for a pat. I tentatively rubbed the cheek of the gray whale…
Read MoreJANE GOODALL: HOPE FOR HUMANITY
April 15, 2020She embodies the spirit of a wild woman and inspires as she leads. Jane Goodall is the kindness and devotion that is needed in the world if we hope to avoid the extinction of many endangered species and the destruction of our wilderness habitats. Hope has the power to transform our world for the…
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