If you're feeling a little nervous about your first Adventures in Good Company trip, you're not alone.
Many of the women who travel with AGC tell us they felt nervous before their first trip. Some wonder if they'll fit in, others worry about traveling solo, keeping up on the hikes, or whether they'll connect with the women. Those feelings are completely normal. The nerves are real—but so is the joy that often waits on the other side of them.
Time and time again, women return home saying they almost talked themselves out of an experience that ended up changing them for the better. Stepping outside your comfort zone can feel intimidating, but the experiences that begin with the most uncertainty often become the ones that have the most impact. AGC traveler, Cathy's experience is a perfect example of what can happen when you choose curiosity over hesitation.
Booking Her First All-Women Adventure Trip
After discovering hiking about five years prior to her first AGC trip, Cathy completed a multi-day trek in Crete. After that adventure, Cathy knew she wanted another adventure that would challenge her while immersing her in an unforgettable landscape. Having had Patagonia on her bucket list for a long time, she was excited when she found AGC's Patagonia itinerary. It checked every box—towering mountains, massive glaciers, and incredible hiking—it was everything she'd been looking for, and like so many first-time travelers, she booked the trip with equal parts excitement and uncertainty.
The main thing causing Cathy’s uncertainty as a new traveler with AGC was that she wasn't sure an all-women adventure was for her.
“I was a little hesitant about joining an all-women adventure. I’ve spent much of my life in environments that were predominantly male, and as a result, many of my closest friendships have been with guys. Stepping into a women-only experience felt like something new and a little outside my comfort zone,” Cathy said.
In the end, curiosity won Cathy over. She decided to embrace the unknown and trust that the experience would be worth it.
Nervous About Traveling with a Group of Strangers
As the Patagonia departure approached, Cathy’s nerves began to build. A rough winter had limited Cathy's hiking, leaving her wondering whether she had physically prepared enough. She found herself checking and rechecking her packing list, worrying she'd forgotten something important. Most of all, she wondered what it would be like to spend nearly two weeks with a group of women she'd never met.
“I hoped it would be a supportive, empowering experience with a group of women who were there for the same reason: to explore, challenge ourselves, and share the adventure,” Cathy said.
Then, just when she thought she'd done everything she could to prepare, life threw her a curveball.
When Travel Plans Go Wrong: Missing the Start of the Trip
Just days before departure, a snowstorm dumped more than sixteen inches of snow in Cathy's home state, delaying her flights and forcing her to arrive a day late. Instead of meeting the group from the planned start, she missed orientation, the first introductions, and those early moments when everyone was getting to know one another. After the chaos of delayed travel, her nerves only intensified. Now she worried she was walking into friendships that had already formed.
Arriving Late and Finding an Instant Welcome
Much to Cathy's surprise, the moment she arrived at the hotel in Buenos Aires, she was met with warm hugs, excitement, and heartfelt welcomes from the AGC travelers . While she had arrived feeling anxious, behind, and unsure of what to expect, within minutes she felt safe, included, and cared for.
“After the stress of getting there, that welcome meant more than I can describe,” she said, “I immediately knew I had made the right decision.”
Suddenly, the adventure Cathy had worried about joining felt like exactly where she belonged.
Hiking in Patagonia with New Friends
Together, the women stood before the towering Perito Moreno Glacier, hiked beneath Patagonia's dramatic mountain peaks, crossed the turquoise waters of Lake Argentino, and explored one of the world's most breathtaking landscapes. It was everything Cathy had dreamed Patagonia would be—and yet, it wasn't what she remembered most.
As the trip unfolded, Cathy discovered that the greatest surprise wasn't Patagonia—it was the women beside her.
“I was curious to see what a group of women with a shared love of adventure could create together—and I'm so glad I gave myself the chance to find out,” she said, “What surprised me most was just how supportive everyone was. There was encouragement, laughter, and a genuine willingness to look out for one another,”
The group celebrated one another's accomplishments, shared stories, encouraged each other during challenging hikes, and laughed through countless moments both big and small. Somewhere between the shared trails, meals, conversations, and adventures, what were once strangers became good friends.
"I left realizing that the people you share an adventure with can become just as meaningful as the place you came to explore,” she said. That realization stayed with Cathy long after Patagonia was behind her.
A Souvenir That Became a Lasting Friendship
During a visit to a local street market in Patagonia, Cathy purchased a beautiful piece of artwork that captured the spirit of the place she had traveled so far to experience. Later in the trip, she discovered that one of her fellow travelers professionally frames artwork, and the two quickly bonded over it. They stayed in touch after returning home, and that traveler framed Cathy's piece—making it even more meaningful.
Today, that artwork hangs in Cathy's home, serving as a reminder of far more than Patagonia's dramatic landscapes.
"I don't just see the artwork. I see the adventure, the laughter, the conversations, and the incredible women I met along the way,” Cathy said. Now, she smiles at the thought that the part of the trip she was most nervous about became the part she cherished most.
That first leap of faith gave Cathy more than an unforgettable trip to Patagonia—it gave her the confidence to keep saying "yes" to new adventures. Today, Cathy’s already dreaming about future trips with AGC, including Nepal, New Zealand, the Canadian Rockies, Japan's Kumano Kodo, and Spain's Camino de Santiago.
Ready to Book Your First Solo Women's Trip?
If you've been thinking about booking your first all-women adventure but keep finding reasons to wait, Cathy’s story is a reminder that nerves are a normal part of beginning something new… and that sometimes they end up being one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. The trail, the friendships, and the adventure are waiting.
As Cathy said, "You won't know what's possible until you try."
