Explorer Chicks of Detroit

Get ready to have your mind blown multiple times over turquoise waters, frothing waterfalls, badass mountain summits, and medieval towns. Croatia will turn anyone into an annoying romantic. Book your week-long women’s multi-sport adventure tour featuring hiking, e-biking, mountain-summiting, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and plenty of Adriatic Sea swimming. You’ll explore ancient cities tripping through architectural history from ancient Roman, Venetian Gothic, Romanesque, and Medieval. Cycle through stupid-pretty Istrian Peninsula hilltop towns. Bust your booties through Plitvice Lakes and Paklenica National Parks. Climb a freaking Via Ferrata to summit Bojin Kuk. And float through the 80+ islands that make up Kornati National Park. BRB we need to pick our jaw up from off the ground.

EXPLORE ZAGREB, CROATIA’S CAPITAL CITY

You and your Explorer Chick entourage will geek over all the architecture porn – from medieval stone gates to Gothic cathedrals. We’ll visit all the “musts” and gather for a welcome dinner in the Old Town. Did you just change your Insta handle to Croatia_Cutie? We are obsessed with you!

E-BIKES, WINE, AND TRUFFLES IN THE ISTRIAN COUNTRYSIDE

What could be better than seeing tiny cutie towns? TASTING the wares of those tiny cutie towns! We’ll cruise the Parenzana trail on our E-Bikes, stopping in Grožnjan, Oprtalj, and Motovun for coffee, olive oil tastings, and a spectacular lunch. By evening, we’ll cycle to the top of Motovun for a stunning gargoyle view of the Adriatic cities. You won’t leave Istria without loading your bike down with bottles of wine and a tummy full of truffles.

HIKE PLITVICE LAKES AND PAKLENICA NATIONAL PARKS

You’re gonna see the kind of natural beauty that shows up in the screensavers of Apple products. The Instagram world is stark raving mad over Plitvice Lakes because of its unique system of lakes and waterfalls. A rock climbing and hiking paradise awaits you in Paklenica National Park with views of the Adriatic Sea from your very own mountain summit.

KORNATI NATIONAL PARK SPEED-BOAT AND SPLIT SEA-KAYAKS

The best views of this gorgeous region are often gleaned from the sea. Across two days, we’ll explore the island systems via speedboat and sea-kayak, leaving plenty of time for swimming, snorkeling, and floating otter-style on your back. You are basically a mermaid now and have to deal with mermaid things like schools of fish, coral spottings and island lunches. You poor thing.

Adventure Highlights:

• E-Bike through Croatia’s “Tuscany” tasting Wine, Olive Oil, and Truffles along the way
• Discover charming hilltop medieval towns on the Istria Peninsula
• Truffle Hunt with a local in the forests of Motovun
• Hike the lower and upper falls of the famous Plitvice Lakes National Park
• Soak in sunsets over the Adriatic from beautiful viewpoints
• Climb a Via Ferrata to the summit of Bojin Kuk in Paklenica National Park
• Enjoy the background music of Zadar’s Sea Organ at sunset
• Explore Kornati National Park by speedboat with swimming, snorkeling, and a seafood lunch
• Sea Kayak to a secluded beach off Split with more swimming, snorkeling, and cliff jumping
• Get lost in the narrow streets of Split while enjoying a cone of gelato or a glass of wine
• Kick back in 3-4 Star boutique hotels throughout your adventure with fabulous views that pair well with a cocktail
• Relax with a comprehensive itinerary that makes everything in-between easy.
• Geek out with encouraging and supportive Explorer Chicks on a private, women-only, small group adventure tour.

A wonder (woman) of the world – hike the iconic 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu on this women’s trip in Peru. Includes 3 starter days of acclimatizing in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

Your Inca trek is thoughtfully planned to isolate you from crowds, integrate you with Quechuan culture, and waltz you through the Sun Gate PRECISELY as golden hour strikes. Watch the sky flash orange, purple, and red as you leave your body and feel more righteous than Kanye.

Spend 3 days in Cusco and the Sacred Valley before hiking the classic route to Machu Picchu for 4 days and 3 nights in Peru.

While adjusting to the altitude, explore ancient ruins, landmarks, and museums via Explorer Chick private tours. Unmissable sites include Cusco Cathedral, the Inca Museum, and Sacsayhuaman. Our private guide will tell ancient Incan stories with gusto as we wander through each site. Surprises along the way include visits to the famous Maras Salt Pans and Moray Inca site to witness experimental agricultural techniques. Be sure to bring extra cash to stock up on pink salt direct from the harvesters!

Next, we’ll drive to a living Quechua village, where local children race our bus high up into the mountains and families welcome us into the warmth of alpaca wool. We will be honored with personal home tours and a traditional lunch COOKED IN THE GROUND! The women of the village will demonstrate sick weaving skills with intricate tapestries, hats, and scarves for sale – the best Shop Local of your freaking life.

Day 4 appropriately marks the beginning of our 4 DAY TREK, as we arrive to KM 82. Emotions will run high as porters carefully pack and prepare for the epic journey ahead – following in the footsteps of the Inca and their holy pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

A private campground is reserved for our first night on the trail, surrounded by Incan structures that will not be occupied by any other trekkers. From this point on, we’ll be staggered from other groups to provide as much space as possible between us and the masses.

Campsites include deluxe 4-person tents that only need to sleep 2 people. We’ll eat in dining tents with access to private toilets, showers, and an entire team of porters and professional chefs. All of your overnight gear will be carried for you. Tent setup? Covered. Meal prep? We got you. Just focus on breathing.

In the solitude of your sisterhood, with the weight of just your day pack, you’ll ascend 3 mountain passes – including the towering Dead Woman’s Pass standing at 13,828 ft. A private guide will walk us through ancient ruins that remain accessible only by foot.

The gravity of our 4-day hike hits as you pass through Sun Gate with your sisters. YOU. JUST. WALKED. MACHU PICCHU! Ride your high all the way down to the Citadel proper. We’ll stay the night in Machu Picchu Town – Aguas Calientes – where you can shower, enjoy a beer, freak out on Instagram, and sleep in a real bed at our hotel.

The next morning, you’ll wake up fresh as daisies for Round 2 at Machu Picchu. Our private tour continues as our local guide leads us to the most significant, photo-worthy points. Afterward, we’ll make our way back to Cusco for final hugs and farewells.

See the website for full itinerary, details and to book.

Hit your bucket list with all the feels on this women’s guided hiking and backpacking weekend! During your Yosemite Half Dome Hike adventure, tour Yosemite National Park as you climb the famous cables of Half Dome with ladies who do their own stunts. Live out every last one of those John Muir nature quotes in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. Mountains calling? Check. Between two pines? Check. Walk with nature? Double-check.

GUIDED BACKPACKING IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK BACKCOUNTRY
Romp through the backcountry on a demanding, yet epic backpacking trip. Meet your new woman crushes in the Yosemite Valley as the landscape gives way to mountains, waterfalls, and a piney perfume that’ll make Yankee Candle totally jelly. Mother Nature swiped ALL THE WAY right. Leave the phone on airplane mode to immerse yourself in stunning national park backcountry over the course of four epic days. Climb steep, challenging trails to look down upon the Valley with a panoramic view that includes Mt. Starr King, Half Dome, Nevada Falls, Illilouette Falls, and plenty of ant-sized tourists with tiny selfie sticks.

HALF DOME: HIKING TO THE TOP
Fuel up for the real MVP—the famous cables of Half Dome! Blast that hiker booty (and bring plenty of water) while ascending 500 feet up a .5 mile of steps carved into the rock. Then, the real fun begins. It’s a 400-foot gain up the top of Half Dome with some points at 70%+ grades. Pace your footwork on wooden slabs spaced out on the climb as you get the upper body workout of a lifetime. Worth it? HELL YES!

BACKPACKING EQUIPMENT PROVIDED
Don’t have backpacking equipment, but can Beastmaster the stairs? Perfect. Explorer Chick has you covered with:

• a backpack
• sleeping bag
• sleeping pad
• shared tent

All you need to do is show up for this Yosemite Half Dome Hike to backpack like a boss and get that National Parks bucket list checked.

OVERVIEW

Are you into endless views? Old-growth forests? Mist bouncing off a 100-foot waterfall hitting your face? Then spend a long weekend with a small group of women hiking the best trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (including parts of the Appalachian Trail).

Channel your inner goat girl as you stroll through iconic scenery and listen to stories of the women who helped shape the Smokies. Take a brief break from the trail living out your pottery fantasies throwing clay on the wheel and sculpting your very own mug. Then kick back like a queen with nightly glamping near Gatlinburg, TN.

BOOTS = HIKING

Get your blues and greens in on three stunning hikes that don’t even look real. The views from Charlies Bunion and Ramsay Cascades are complete madness. Wind your way through pine trees and over classic creek crossings that make you momentarily consider a coonskin hat. (But not really, because animals ♥️)

ROOTS = HER-STORY

Did you know a woman was the first settler to move to the Smoky Mountains? You didn’t? That’s because Martha Jane Huskey Ogle’s husband called dibs on the fame. Learn about the deliciously woman-heavy history of a wilderness that man tried real hard to claim as his own. Your Explorer Chick guide will drop all the juicy gossip, connecting you to the goosebumpy sisterhood who walked before you.
Deep dive into Appalachian crafts straddling a wheel and molding a coffee mug with your very own hands. Local artists will guide you through the entire pottery process and only help when needed. After 10 weeks of drying, firing, and glazing, your mug will show up at your doorstep. Surprise! Relive the SHE-nanigans of your Smokies trip.

YOU FEELING MAX COMFY WHILE GLAMPING

Put your feet up in total Insta-worthy digs at our adorable glamping site minutes from Gatlinburg. You will sleep in a tent that has been tastefully decorated and luxuriously appointed with WiFi and temperature control – with meals freshly prepared at camp by your Explorer Chick guides. You only have one task after hiking: RELAX.

ADVENTURE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Hike the Appalachian Trail to the sweeping panaromic views from Charlies Bunion
• Get up close and personal with the Smokies tallest waterfall, Ramsey Cascades
• Learn how to work clay on a wheel as you create your one of a kind glazed coffee mug
• Kick back at camp with breakfasts and dinners cooked by your Explorer Chick guides.
• Sleep easy at our Glamping site with canvas tents outfitted with all the creature comforts.
• Relax with a comprehensive itinerary that makes the logistics, transportation, navigation, meal planning, lodging, and everything between easy.
• Geek out with supportive and encouraging Explorer Chicks on a private, women-only, small group adventure tour.