Our Private tours are fully customizable to give you the perfect experience. We will spend about 2-3 hours on the trails, but the pace and the terrain we go on will depend on your preference. During the booking process, you will have an opportunity to share your desired distance, and you will also have the opportunity to tell your guide about any special circumstances that he or she should be aware of. On our Guided Tours, we will cover around 2 miles on relatively flat terrain, but, due to the nature of the hike (being a group tour), there is less room to customize for your specific needs. If you have a very limited time but want to see the mountains (or you do not wish to walk far), we recommend our Sunrise experience, where we take a stroll to a perfect and secluded spot and wait for the sunrise while your guide makes local coffee.

In addition to you being the only group on the tour (i.e. we are not booking additional parties on your trip), our Private Tours also include transportation to and from your place of stay in Asheville. In addition, given that you are the sole party on this trip, we will have all the flexibility in the world to customize the hike specifically for your group. We recommend this option for families or larger groups in order to accommodate a wide range of abilities and interests. By contrast, if you decide to choose a Group Tour – you are still in for an amazing experience; however, we will meet near our trailhead from where we will all ride together to our hiking spot. Our group tours usually have 6-8 people on them, but never more than 14.

If you wish to cancel up to two weeks before your trip: 100% refund (minus the administrative fee). If you wish to cancel within two weeks: 50% refund (minus the administrative fee). If you wish to cancel within 48 hours: no refund. If you wish to cancel any time and receive a full refund (inclusive of the administrative fee): purchase our trip protection for $39.99. If we have to cancel due to unsafe conditions (lightning, ice, heavy rain), you will receive a full refund. However, please note that we will work with you to find an alternative tour time or date before cancelling your tour!

Absolutely – we have led big and small groups, and we have also been witness to several wonderful engagements. We would love the opportunity to help you plan your special outing!

We will take care of water, snacks, rain ponchos, first aid kit, sunscreen and insect repellent on all our hikes, and the coffee-making kit for our sunrise experience. We expect that all our guests have comfortable trail shoes (sneakers and running shoes will work as well), and please also bring extra layers given that we often experience temperature swings and weather changes regardless of the time of the year. While all guides will have a first-aid kit with them, please ensure your pack any personal medications such as an epi-pen.

We have worked with individuals with a wide range of needs, and we believe that everyone can and should enjoy the great outdoors. We recommend booking a private tour to ensure all your needs are met. Please make sure to note what those needs are during the booking process.

Our goal is to make sure your experience is exceptional. If your guide achieves this goal, then we ask that you show them your appreciation. Our amazing guides are always thankful to receive a tip! (typically, in this industry, tips are between 15% - 20% of the cost of your activity)

The majority of the hikes are between 45 minutes to a 1-hour drive from Asheville.

We hike in all kinds of weather conditions – including rain and snow. Our guides always check the weather the day before your tour, and in case we deem that the conditions are not safe (lightning, ice, heavy rain), we will inform you and provide you with an option to rebook or issue a refund (see our cancellation policy for more information). Please note that our tours take place in a rainforest, so light rain is very possible during our tours. However, this is not a cause for concern – the forest canopy is often so thick that it prevents the rain from reaching the ground (and you), and we have also had some of the best outings during the rain, as it makes the waterfalls look extra pretty!