FAQ
Wild Women Expeditions revolves around inclusivity and diversity. We celebrate and encourage the participation of women of all ages, sexual orientation, size, identity (yes, transgender women!) and pronouns. You are automatically accepted.
Group travel can require packing patience. We ask that you try to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group members. There will be a difference in skill levels, pace, endurance, habits and travel experience. There will be morning people, snorers, introverts and the token life of the party, all in one space. That’s a group and that’s what makes an experience, an experience!
Please be a good groupie and abide by meeting times and bring your best self to the day and challenge ahead! Help out a gal in need and support your fellow Wild Women! It’s a full-circle win-win.
Wild Women Expeditions’ events are for women who love the outdoors, have an adventurous spirit and enjoy the company of other women. WWE attracts women from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, life circumstances and ages. Exploring the differences between women who come to WWE is as much of the experience as discovering the similarities.
Women between the ages of 8-86 have come on canoe trips with us, and most trips and events enjoy an age spread. Other than our Women and Girls Golden Circle Riding Adventure, which includes girls ages 8-14, the minimum age to join our regular trips is 15. Most women who attend are between 35-55. Some have an extensive background in whatever the activity is, though they may be a bit rusty, while for other women, it may be their first experience with this activity be it a canoe trip or kayaking or cycling. We offer a selection of vacations to accommodate the interests and needs of women in these two categories and those of us in between.
Many of our trips attract, and can successfully accommodate, women of varying abilities or women seeking different challenge levels. This is accomplished by offering a lot of choices WITHIN the adventure itself. For example, on a Multi-sport adventure such as we have in Newfoundland, often a particular day hike will have an easier or more strenuous option and we break into two separate groups. For other trips, because of the nature of group travel we have geared (and this is clear from the trip description) whether the trip is geared towards beginners, novices, intermediate or those with a high level of ability seeking a physical challenge. Having said that, I feel the need to reiterate that on WWE trips we aren’t out to prove anything, the atmosphere is supportive not competitive, offering choices within an adventure is a part of our unique style… AND lets face it women: while men tend to overestimate their skill level, women tend to underestimate.
We keep the group size as small as possible, between 6-14 women, depending on trip destination. An average group size is 8 women. There are a few exceptions, such as our Galapagos Yacht Adventure can take up to 16 women, and some small-ship expedition ships can be up to 40 Wild Women on a 198 passenger boat.
All of our trips are priced in USD. This helps us account for currency fluctuation, so we can keep our tour prices as low and consistent as possible for all our guests, who come from Canada, the United States and all over the world.
At Wild Women Expeditions, we bring together groups of women from around the world, facilitating an enriching community experience while traveling. Our mission is to provide a unique and carefully curated space for women to connect with each other as like-minded travelers. We support the practice of hiring local tour leaders and guides who are knowledgeable in the destination and tour activities. We work hard to find local partners who are aligned with our ethos in travel, sustainability and supporting local women. These women are experts in their field and fabulous at what they do.
We do not send a staff member from Canada as a Wild Women representative on every trip as they would not have the same expertise, local connections, language and knowledge as someone in the region does. In the limited instances when our staff are joining a trip, they are usually there for reconnaissance/familiarization purposes. If it is a brand new program, we often send a WWE representative on the first departure. It has never been our policy to send an additional Wild Women representative on every trip as the local guides that we partner with are our representatives in creating the Wild Women magic on each trip.
We rely on our local guides to convey and foster the Wild Women ethos and we will continue to work with our partners on the ground to ensure that each trip we run delivers the Wild Women experience.
Physical Rating
Each trip has been rated from a scale of 1 to 5 for level of physicality. You can find the rating for each trip in the ‘Is This Trip Right For Me?’ section on the trip page.
1 of 5 – Relaxing > No physical activity required
(Think short strolls and stopping to smell the flowers.)
2 of 5 – Easy > Some physical activity included
(Think dog walk pace. Stopping for coffee. Resume.)
3 of 5 – Moderate > Good level of fitness required
(Think Jane Fonda, leg warmers and sweat on your brow.)
4 of 5 – Demanding > Be prepared for strenuous physical activity
(Move over Jane. Think pre-trip training and an exhausted FitBit at day’s end.)
5 of 5 – Extremely Challenging > Serious fitness level required
(Think Everest Base Camp. Think Wonder Woman. This ain’t no cakewalk, but you’ll probably want cake afterwards.)
Riding Ability Rating
Each horseback riding trip has been rated for the level of riding ability you must have prior to joining the trip. You can find the rating for each trip in the ‘Is This Trip Right For Me?’ section on the trip page.
Beginner: Someone who has never ridden before or only a couple of times.
Novice: Riding experience at walk and trot but not confident at canter.
Intermediate: Confident at walk, trot and canter on a forward horse, on open ground.
Advanced: Confident at all paces, on a forward horse, advanced rides may include long and/or fast canters and small jumps.
You are fully responsible for your own visa requirements, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country’s Consulate and your country’s travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about internationally.
Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.
Travel Medical Insurance for is compulsory for all WWE trips if you are travelling outside of your country or province of residence. You will be required to submit this info on your Travel Details Form (to be sent via email) about 60 days before the trip.
Travel Medical Insurance must include adequate coverage for:
- Coverage for your transport to the nearest, appropriate medical facility in the event of injury. Where most of our trips take place in remote locations, coverage should include helicopter evacuation/air ambulance etc. and coverage for your medical repatriation to your home country for further treatment or returning your body home.
- Cover emergency overseas medical treatment including treatment in a clinic or hospital, plus medicines as prescribed by your treating doctor to get you well and keep you travelling.
- We recommend coverage for $200,000 CAD or more
We recommend WORLD NOMADS (international) and MANULIFE (for Canadians) for all your health insurance needs.
WWE also highly recommends that you obtain adequate coverage for cancellation and curtailment, and loss of luggage and personal effects. Your deposit and final trip balance can then be recovered via a claim to your insurance provider in the event you must cancel your adventure due to unforeseen circumstances.
We recommend Manulife for cancellation insurance – if you book insurance within 72 hours of paying the deposit on your trip, you can get their premium protection plan which has excellent flexibility if you need to cancel for almost any reason!
Because Wild Women arrive from all over the world to begin our adventures, it would be impossible to include airfare in our prices.
Please connect with Megan, our awesome Flight Specialist partner at wildwomen@traveledge.com for flight quotes, queries and information about pre and post-trip accommodations.
Yes, most women who come on a WWE are travelling solo, though we usually have a couple or pair of friends on most trips. You’ll make friends fast! Accommodation is usually in a shared room or cabin. If you want your own room, we can likely work it out for you at a nominal extra fee.
Our trip prices are based on a twin share (minimum of two women per room/tent), so we’ll team you up with another solo wild woman to share with if you’re on your own, or of course, you can share with your travel partner.
If you’d prefer not to share a bedroom or tent, we have a single upgrade option. If you have already indicated this preference on your registration form, you will be emailed a quote once availability is confirmed. If you are now interested, please email support@wildwomenexpeditions.com with your request.
Health
It is your responsibility to check with the country’s Consulate and your own country’s official travel website. For Canadians, visit here or for US-based travelers, here. You will find current travel advice and advisories for travelling to your destination. We also encourage you to check with your doctor or local travel clinic about health and/or vaccine requirements for your destination.
Safety
Wild Women Expeditions organizes trips in remote natural environments. Unpredictable weather conditions can increase risk. There can be unexpected, dangerous encounters with wildlife. It’s critical that everyone obeys the rules and regulations imposed by the local guides and follow instructions. The decisions of Wild Women Expeditions local guides or other representatives will be final on all matters likely to affect the safety and well-being of the group.
Please be aware that we reserve the right to prohibit any traveller from continuing on a trip without refund if it’s determined that the traveller’s actions pose a threat to the safety of others, wildlife or themselves. If the traveller’s actions and/or behaviours are disrupting the enjoyment of the trip for others, they will also be asked to leave, without entitlement to a refund.
Firstly, see above section: you can choose a trip for beginners if you are a beginner! But “holding others back” is the most common concern women voice to us before signing up for a WWE trip. But you know what: we DON’T THINK that way!
We figure that every woman who signs up has a unique set of contributions to the group atmosphere. So, someone may be very fit and physically competent and you have a bum shoulder. Well, I have this bum knee and another gal has a weak ankle: but hey it sure isn’t time to vote me or anyone else off the island because we possess other skills not jocular. Like someone is a fantastic nurturer (okay on women’s trips: that’s often a given), someone else is an amazing story teller, another gal can read the weather and maps like no one’s business. So, we aren’t all super athletic but we have somehow- through the goddess or serendipity- amassed the finest team of awesome dames on the planet, and wow what an adventure will be unleashed.
THAT, my friends, is the magic of an all-women outdoor adventure: good company; more than a shot of collective wisdom; respect for everyone’s contribution; and an openness to the wonder of life we most closely comprehend when we travel in the wilds.
Well, “fit” is a relative term isn’t it? You may be active and fit for a 30 year old or a 60 year old. Can we all have fun and do this trip together: you betcha! We don’t approach paddling, cycling, or hiking as a domain of elite athletics, nor are our trips “push” trips where the focus is on getting somewhere and never really being anywhere! Hey, we’re way over that! The beauty of a wilderness trip is being somewhere and, yes, we do need to get somewhere most days, but Wild Women Expedition trips seek a balance between these competing ways of being in the outdoors.
Or maybe you aren’t very fit or active these days (and never have been) but an adventure holiday really appeals to you. Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of a wilderness trip because of feeling out of shape. Having presented our laid-back, non-competitive philosophy on you, if your life has become rather sedate and sedentary an outdoor adventure will get you going, for sure!
Preparing physically and mentally for a wilderness adventure or active holiday is very important BECAUSE if you have conditioned before your trip, you will be more comfortable and be able to get more out of it while in the experience. Wild Women trips aren’t about “proving” something to anyone (except maybe to yourself) and they sure aren’t about barely surviving: our approach is to see time to be in the wilderness as a celebration, a reconnecting with aspects of ourselves we may have become distanced from (due to life circumstances or choices.) So we really don’t want you to attempt a trip which sounds way over your head physically or psychologically. We do want to help you select the Wild Women trip which will be perfect for you now, and not push all your panic buttons like “this is way too scary!”
If you have a preferred brand/style of hiking pole or walking stick, we highly recommend and expect you to bring your own. In some instances hiking poles may be borrowed in destination, but it may not be guaranteed. If they are, we will have that noted on the trip page itself.
Please be aware that hiking poles are usually not allowed as carry-on items on the airplane, and plan to have these items in your checked luggage. We always encourage you to check with your airline carrier should you have any questions.
Health & Fitness
Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.
A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise, we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.
💡 Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their Medical Travel Insurance or personal expense.
Getting Fit
You don’t have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition but to fully your tripl, you do have to be reasonably fit and take some time to train and prepare.
You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve with training before your trip and having our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.
You’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of this incredible trek.
Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:
1. Take every opportunity you can to be active.
You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!
2. Rev up your ticker!
Think ‘interval training’, which means doing short bursts of high intensity work with recovery time in between. Depending on how fit you are this can mean strolling with bursts of power walking, or jogging with sprints. Either way the aim is to get your heart rate up.
3. Join a local walking or running group.
This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.
4. Hill training.
The most spectacular views aren’t from the bottom of a valley – so the places we go on our trips aren’t flat. A little time training on hills and stairs is an investment that’ll pay off big-time when you’re on your trip. When it comes to hills there’s no hurry – get into a slow steady rhythm and you’ll be at the top before you know it.
5. Warm up, cool down and stretch.
If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.
6. Practice ‘backpacking’.
Grab your backpack (or borrow one) and head for the hills! If you’re bringing your own backpack, practice adjusting the various straps so you know how it feels in different positions. We aren’t multi-day hiking every day, but you’ll be carrying a day pack almost everyday, so it’s well worth a bit of practice. Backpacks sit differently and so change your centre of balance when it’s full of gear so make sure you put a few pounds of weight in it in training.
7. Break in your hiking boots.
Blisters and sore feet are no fun at all! So make sure that while you’re getting yourself ready you’re doing the same for your boots. Start by just wearing them around the house, then down the road, and walking the dog. Then ideally do a couple of decent length weekend hikes to prepare them for what is to come.
8. Hydration.
When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.
9. Nutrition.
Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!
10. Meditation.
Try walking meditation, a yoga class, or download a meditation app. This will improve your mindset when it gets tough on the trail.
11. Have fun!
The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.
Leave Not Trace Principles
Wild Women Expeditions, our partners and guides are committed to sustainable ecotourism and fostering a deeper appreciation of our natural world. We aim to leave the places we visit in a better state than when we arrived.
We support several wildlife and environmental conservation initiatives around the world like the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Polar Bears International, The Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative (Galapagos) and 1% for the Planet.
Wild Women Expeditions abides by the 7 Leave No Trace Principles and parks guidelines on all trips to help reduce the impact of travel to sensitive ecosystems.
The 7 LNT Principles are:
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of others
Wild Women Expeditions is committed to putting your safety and well-being at the forefront. We encourage the responsible use of alcohol when it is permitted. Factors such as location, accommodation types, local outfitter policies, activities, cultural traditions will determine when it is acceptable. For example: alcohol is tolerated on Wild Women Expeditions trips when we stay at fixed-roof accommodations or visit local restaurants and licensed establishments. (Please note that any back-country camping portion of a WWE itinerary will have a dry policy for everyone’s safety and security.)
If your guide thinks that you are not in the appropriate condition to undertake an activity due to intoxication, for any reason, she has the right to decline your participation. The use of illegal substances are not permitted and any use of these will result in the termination of your trip at your own expense, without refund.
We want you to have an incredible adventure and appreciate your support in creating an inclusive and healthy group environment.
The most responsible traveler is the one who experiences the world with an open, accepting mind. You will encounter unexpected ‘differences’ in hygiene, toilets, acceptable clothing, menus, tipping, handshakes, affection, animal husbandry, garbage disposal, the treatment of women, rituals and prayer.
Be sensitive in your observations. Respect the natural environment, customs and legacy of a culture. Kindness is universal and sharing traditions and stories is how we all evolve.
WWE aims to create a space on all of our trips where all women in the group feel safe and empowered physically, spiritually, and emotionally. We would like to request that all group members participate in the orientation discussion about photo and video, sharing if they are ok with their picture being taken or not. We recognize that some people will not want their photo taken or to be in any video and we want to honour their option to not be photographed or recorded. This also applies to locals we meet on trip or the stranger walking down the street, it’s just respectful to ask first.
WWE trips are in wild and beautiful places, which you may wish to document using photos or video, but let’s all please respect the technology free, unplugged space that most of our trips provide and not over do it on the selfies or live “up to the minute” updates on social media. We are all on this trip to BE here.
We understand that drone imagery is becoming very popular and some group members may wish to bring their drone on trip. WWE doesn’t have a firm policy saying “no drones” but we do feel it takes away from the ‘wildness’ of the trip location and can make group members feel uncomfortable and for these reasons, we ask you to consider not using a drone on the WWE trip. Should you decide to bring a drone, you must advise the group and ensure members who opt out of photo are always notified when you will be flying and do so away from where the group is. You must also check with your local guides to ensure there are no safety issues or company policies (e.g. drones may frighten horses or other wildlife) or local regulations (e.g. no drones allowed in Galapagos) and abide by their directions.You are responsible for learning the local regulations or laws around drone operations for the the trip destination.
The minimum age to join a WWE trip solo is 18, due to liability and insurance requirements. However, girls aged 15-17 are welcome on any of our trips if accompanied by an adult/guardian.
While tipping your Wild Women guide is not mandatory, it’s a reflection of your appreciation of their integral role in experiencing a destination.The pandemic left a huge impact on the travel industry and our guides and the communities that welcome us are eager to regain financial security again. Each country has its own expectations of what’s acceptable in regards to tipping percentages. When possible, we ensure that tips (at restaurants and activities and/or for shuttle drivers) are included in your trip price.
For taxi drivers and hotel staff (especially if you are assisted with your luggage), it is customary to tip in most countries as a quiet thank you. Some hotels will have a tipping box in the lobby where tips are then shared equally with the staff. In some locations, you can include a general staff tip on your credit card if you wish.
We advise you to ask your Wild Women guide about when and where you can access ATM machines if the group requires additional money for tipping at the trip’s end. You may choose to tip individually and privately or collect money in one envelope and present this to your guide on behalf of the group in gratitude of their leadership. Depending on the country, tips should be made in the local currency or US dollars (if they are widely accepted). WWE will provide a suggested tipping amount unique to your destination within the ‘Tipping’ section, located on the FAQ tab of each trip page. If there are two trip guides, you may choose to tip them individually, or together.
For trips that involve set-up crews (for camping), porters (Peru, Everest) or a crew (sailing or small ship expeditions), your WWE guide will advise on a suggested amount to tip that will be distributed among the staff.