At Adventures in Good Company, our approach to supporting women on our trips is unique. Our staff is dedicated to providing the information you need to prepare, answering questions, and facilitating connections with fellow female travelers. Once the trip begins, our guides take over, creating an atmosphere of support where women are encouraged to share their similarities and celebrate their differences, ensuring each woman feels comfortable being herself.
However, it is not the only way we are committed to supporting women. In many parts of the world, tourism is an essential source of livelihood, and traditionally, dominated by men. This has slowly changed in the past 15 years as tourism has grown. We are proud to be a part of that effort to expand women in tourism in several ways.
Partnering with women-owned companies
Whenever we start developing a new trip, we research opportunities to partner with women who either own all or part of a business. We are actively working with 10 women-owned businesses and multiple female activity partners. This includes everything from physical fitness training to tour operators.
One of the many international female-owned outfitters we LOVE partnering with is Enchanted Expeditions. This small-boat cruise company offers unique and intimate tours in the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador. The company was founded in 1978 by Judy Carvalhal, a passionate and experienced naturalist who is dedicated to curating sustainable, educational, and life-changing tours.
Enchanted Expeditions was one of the first companies in the Galapagos and Ecuador to research, recognize, and commit to building a sustainable travel company that preserves the region’s wildlife and culture. Experience Enchanted Expeditions’ unique yacht trip with us, and we promise you’ll be amazed by all the fantastic biodiversity the Galapagos offers. It is a truly unique experience for any female traveler.
Partnering with local female guides
To advance their passion
When traveling internationally, we prioritize having our trips led by local guides who bring an invaluable depth of expertise thanks to their intimate knowledge of the destination. This approach aligns with our mission to ensure every trip is guided by experts, and by partnering with local professionals, we fully embody this commitment.
Anne Pinder has guided trips along the Camino de Santiago since 2004, 15 with AGC. Her first encounter with the Camino was nearly 35 years ago, and she became deeply inspired by this area in Spain.
“The Camino is my favorite trip to guide because it has many aspects: the actual walking, history, nature, food, and the spiritual aspect, whether religious or not,” said Pinder.
Pinder noted that working with AGC has allowed her to develop her guiding skills.
“Guiding has allowed my communication skills to grow with the women in the groups, as well as with suppliers and local people,” said Pinder.
Our expert female guides like Anne truly enhance our trips, turning each trip into a wonderful experience every traveler will remember fondly.
To advance their travel and tourism career in a male-dominated field
Another reason for working with individual local female guides is that, in many countries, there are no women-owned companies. So, the only way to support women in the travel industry is to work on an individual level. This support has allowed women in male-dominated countries to get their businesses up and running.
One inspiring example of a woman we've supported in advancing her personal goals and passion is Sabina Sirco, a former guide who lives near the Balkans and led our past trips to the Dinaric Alps region. Sabina grew up in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a region rich in natural beauty but still emerging as a destination for adventure tourism. Driven by her love for the outdoors and a desire to share her culture with others, Sabina started her blog, Wild in the Balkans, while still in college. This blog became both a creative outlet and a professional stepping stone, eventually leading her to a guiding role with Green Visions, a socially conscious adventure travel outfitter.
Guiding for AGC not only provided Sabina with financial stability, but it also gave her the opportunity to connect with like-minded women from around the world. These connections were invaluable in spreading the word about her blog and her mission to promote sustainable tourism in the Balkans. Sabina's work has helped to shine a light on the Via Dinarica, a long-distance trail that connects seven countries in the Dinaric Alps, offering a lifeline to remote mountain villages and preserving cultural traditions. Her passion for guiding and her dedication to sustainable tourism have made a lasting impact on both her career and her region, demonstrating the power of supporting women in the travel industry.
Another inspiring example is Lixayda Vasquez, our Peruvian guide for multiple AGC trips to Machu Picchu. Lixayda has always been deeply connected to the mountains, viewing them as her "Big School of Life," where she learns valuable lessons about simplicity, conscious decision-making, and the importance of teamwork. Her passion for mountaineering has led her to join five other Peruvian women in a groundbreaking expedition to climb Gasherbrum II, one of the highest peaks in the world. This all women's team aims to demonstrate the power of female collaboration by tackling this 26,358 ft Himalayan giant without the support of sherpas or supplemental oxygen.
Lixayda’s dedication to empowering women extends beyond her achievements. She hopes their expedition will inspire more women, particularly in regions where opportunities are limited, to pursue mountaineering and other male-dominated activities. For Lixayda, the climb is not just about reaching the summit but about fostering relationships, practicing risk management, and being a role model for the next generation. Her journey reflects the core values of AGC, where supporting women in their professional and personal endeavors is at the heart of everything we do.
Equipping AGC guides with professional tools to support our travelers
Our commitment to providing exceptional experiences for our travelers goes beyond just offering outdoor adventures. We recognize that emotional well-being is as essential as physical safety in creating truly memorable and meaningful journeys. To ensure our travelers feel supported in every aspect of their experience, we've require our guides to complete extensive training and offer additional opportunities to extend the depth of their wilderness knowledge.
All of our guides hold a level of wilderness first aid certification, ensuring they are prepared to manage physical health challenges in remote environments. In 2022, AGC staff and guides took this commitment a step further by completing the Adult Mental Health First Aid USA Certification course. Through this training, we learned how to recognize signs and symptoms of potential mental health challenges, listen non-judgmentally, provide reassurance, and connect individuals with appropriate professional support and services.
By taking these courses, we aim to foster an environment that values emotional safety, respects personal choice and individual goals, and promotes healthy relationships with ourselves and each other.
Offering all-women trips and supporting women worldwide is a big part of our mission and what sets us apart. This was the sole purpose of Woodswomen, which operated from 1977-1999 before evolving into Adventures in Good Company.
During its time, Woodwomen was known as the ‘grandmother’ of outdoor women’s adventure travel groups, as it was one of the first organizations built on serving women in this capacity. We feel honored to have continued and advanced the work that Woodswomen initially founded to bring inspiration, empowerment, and community to women worldwide.
