Wild Women Expeditions Await in 2015

Once upon a time in the Dark Ages, women getting outdoors and having adventures like the menfolk was laughed at. And women getting outdoors and having adventures with only other women? It was unheard of.

Then, in 1991, Wild Women Expeditions, one of the first companies of its kind, was founded in northern Ontario. The lesbian-owned venture was a rousing success, growing steadily over the next couple of decades to offer women-only trips across the whole of Canada.

Born to be Wild

Wild Women Expeditions eventually attracted the attention of one particular wild woman, a Canadian swashbuckler with a background in international relations. Jennifer Haddow found the WWE trips she took so diverting she bought the company five years ago.

Since then she's expanded it to offer jaunts of all sorts across the globe, from trekking to the Everest base camp in Nepal, to cycling the back roads of Tuscany. Haddow, who is bisexual, has been careful to keep the inclusive foundation the company was built on: Around 30 percent of the women who take WWE excursions are gay, and the company's website plainly states that transgender woman are also welcome to join in on the fun.

When Haddow speaks of her company, it is with the passion of the true believer. "We're ambassadors for women in outdoor adventure. You don't have to be an athlete! If you're with professional guides and in a group that's really geared towards being supportive, those kinds of experiences are more accessible than people think. We want all women to feel empowered and safe and included and to create that kind of community. It's about the connection that women have with each other. Because the wild belongs to all women. We belong in nature."

It's a Wild World

Although it's impossible for Haddow to pick her favorite Wild Women adventure, she is able to spotlight a few, like the Thailand Elephants, Golden Temples and Jungle Trek trip. Led by a local lesbian couple, it includes jungle hiking and river rafting, plus a cooking class and plenty of Thai massage.

"We also live with the elephants at a jungle rescue sanctuary for a couple of days," says Haddow, "so rather than treating the elephants like entertainment and riding them, we actually live with them in their natural environment. That's a real highlight."

For those looking for a more mild adventure, Haddow suggests the Greek Goddess Sailing Adventure. "On this trip you can learn how to sail, but you don't have to," she explains. "Basically you're spending a week sailing around the Greek Islands on a private yacht. You do some hiking and some snorkeling, but it's really easy. Of course, it's a very romantic setting. We've actually had quite a few women on it that were looking for love. And you can book that as a private trip with five or six friends."

Haddow also proudly recommends the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu, Peru, which proves Wild Women Expeditions, even at nearly the ripe old age of 25, continues to blaze trails. "Seeing Machu Picchu is on many women's bucket lists," notes Haddow, "but I'm not aware of any other company that gives women the chance to do the Inca Trail in a women-only group. If someone wants to have a really authentic Machu Picchu experience and they trek the 27-mile trail to get there, it's a fantastic trip."

More Adventures Await

More Adventures Await
Wild Women Expeditions has plenty of other escapades to offer, including: