Fearless Female Guides’ Best Adventure Destinations

Norway Guide → Vibeke
Favorite adventure destination → Jostedalen Valley

Vibeke leads our Culture + Walking and Family tours in Norway. A mother of two sons, she’s a downhill skier, cross-country skier, gourmet chef, and has a degree in Medical science.

“I can tell you Norway’s best adventure destination without hesitation! Jostedalen valley is my favorite for adventure in Norway. The drive to get there feels a little like a road to nowhere. Then you see a tiny little village. And THEN you realize why I picked Jostedalen, because you’re in a landscape sculped by glaciers from the Ice Age! We begin by kayaking across a glacial lake, over vivid blue water, past floating shards of ice. Then, we meet friends (also professional glacier guides) who are waiting to greet us on the other side. Now, it’s time to proceed onto the glacier, a kingdom of blue ice. Every time I go here it’s different, with new crevices and caves to explore, and kitted out with crampons and safety gear, you can really explore it up close.”

Morocco Guide → Saida
Favorite adventure destination → Erg Chebbi

Saida is a mother of two daughters, one a doctor and the other an engineer. She has a degree in journalism, and worked as a journalist before switching careers to share her beloved Morocco with guests on our Morocco Culture + Walking, Family and Multisport tours. One of the country’s most celebrated guides, she has guided presidents, prime ministers, royals, and celebrities.

“Moroccan legends state that the village of Merzouga was a tropical jungle which God turned into a desert, before became a stop for merchants on the ancient road to Timbuktu. These days, we call the region a “wonderland of sand” and Erg Chebbi is the reason why. My favorite way to visit is by Land Rover. Arrive just in time for sunset, then switch your Land Rover for the back of a camel and ride through the dunes as Moroccan adventurers have for centuries. We do this on the Classic Journeys Culture + Walking tour, ending at our base for the night a private Berber encampment, lit by stars and traditional lanterns.”

Montenegro Guide → Vesna
Favorite adventure destination → Tara River and Durmitor national park

Having been involved in various international projects, Vesna became a guide in 2008 and leads our Culture + Walking tours. Her interests and education are diverse and extensive, including languages, history of art, design and nature, all of which Vesna incorporates into her guiding.

“Montenegro may be tiny, but trust me, it’s big when it comes to adventure. Through the heart of Montenegro, the Tara River (which we call the “Tear of Europe” because it is so clean and pure) runs into Europe’s deepest river canyon. Cross the river on the Đurđevića Tara bridge, a great concrete arch. Then go into the Durmitor national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can walk on the glassy Black and Zminje Lakes, with pine covered slopes and looming limestone cliffs around you.”

Canadian Rockies Guide → Rosemary
Favorite adventure destination → Columbia Icefields

A Rocky Mountain native, Rosemary has been sharing the wonders of Banff National Park with individuals and groups for over 20 years. An enthusiastic park naturalist, Rosemary has her Master’s Degree in Tropical Rainforest Ecology, and did her field work studying orangutans in Indonesia and Borneo. You’ll meet her on our Multisport and Family tours of the Canadian Rockies.

“It’s difficult for me to pick the best adventure destination in the Canadian Rockies, adventure is everywhere, all through the year! But I think I would pick this: Icefields Parkway is more than one of the world’s most cinematic mountain roads. It’s the route to Columbia Icefields. Feeling like another planet, this sheet of ice spans over 125 square miles! It’s one of the world’s biggest non-polar ice fields. When you walk on the Athabasca Glacier, and see icy cervices up close, you feel like an intrepid explorer. It really is remarkable.”

Japan Guide → Yumiko
Favorite adventure destination → Mount Fuji summit

Growing up in Tokyo, Yumiko—who leads our Japan Culture + Walking tours—traveled Japan extensively with her father, who worked for Japan National Railways. She majored in Chinese ancient literature and Chinese language in Beijing, and has been guiding for around 20 years.

“Climbing Mount Fuji is, for me, the ultimate Japanese adventure. You start at the 5th Station in Gotemba, positioned at the foot of the mountain. Most visitors to the 5th Station don’t continue any further, they just take in the view of the mountain, snap a few photographs, then leave. But if you wish, you can continue walking, up slopes of  black volcanic rock. Stop for the night in a traditional ryokan (inn), and go to sleep early. Because the next morning, you will want to wake before sunrise, to walk to the summit and watch the rising sun. When we do this with Classic Journeys guests who visit in the fall, we provide a sunrise breakfast. It will be the most spectacular breakfast you will ever have!”

Arizona Guide → Monique
Favorite adventure destination → Grand Canyon 

Monique leads our Bryce, Grand Canyon & Zion Family and Multisport tours. Outside of guiding, she enjoys discovering new foods, exploring new mountains, and rescuing animals.

“As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon has to be the best adventure destination—not just in America, worldwide! You are walking among rock layers that are millions and in some case two billion years old. It is both inspiring and mind-boggling! I have a favorite walk to a vista that looks over the Roaring Springs, Bright Angel Canyon and the South Rim, many of the most beautiful parts of the national park. The route is filled with bird life, swifts, swallows, bald eagles and willow flycatchers. It’s an easy walk which doesn’t take long, but it feels so adventurous.”

Cuba Guide → Audrey
Favorite adventure destination → Zapata Peninsula

A keen salsa dancer, Audrey has been leading tours in Cuba since 2014. You’ll meet her on our Cuba Family, Havana Long Weekend, and Cienfuegos Trinidad & Havana tours.

“As much as Havana is filled with culture, Zapata peninsula is filled with adventure. Almost uninhabited, and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and National Park, it has the most fabulous flora and fauna, on land and under the water. Spot the Cuban crocodile in the wild mangroves. By boat, you can visit the Laguna del Tesoro, AKA “Treasure Lake”, where Taino tribes once hid their gold from pirates. Don’t forget to go snorkeling in the Bay of Pigs, the water here is amazingly clear and you can spot striped goatfish, peacock flounder, or Creole wrasse and more!”