Why so cheap?
The honest answer: we spend your money on the trip
There’s no trick. We strip out the things that inflate adventure-holiday prices and leave the things that make them good.
Where we save
Six decisions that take hundreds off the price
Huts, hostels, cabins, camps
Accommodation is the biggest cost in most holidays. A hut bunk in the Julian Alps costs a quarter of a valley hotel and puts you three hours closer to the summit.
Public transport first
The Bodø ferry, the Tatra Electric Railway, Slovenian buses, Iceland’s highland coaches. They’re cheaper, greener, and frankly more fun than a minibus.
Direct contracts with local guides
Many operators buy from an agent who buys from a ground handler who hires the guide. We hire the guide. They earn more; you pay less.
You book your own flights
Bundled flights come with a margin on top. You’ll find cheaper fares than we can, and we tell you exactly which airport and what time.
No shop, no brochure, no sales team
A website, an inbox and people who know the trips. That’s the whole overhead.
Shared chores, shared dinners
On some trips you’ll chop vegetables, feed huskies or carry the group tent. It saves money and it’s usually the bit people remember.
Where we never save
Safety, guide pay and group size
Guiding ratios, qualified leaders, proper safety kit and fair wages are fixed costs in every trip budget. If a trip can’t be run safely at a thrifty price, we don’t run it.
- Guides 38%
- Beds 18%
- Food 17%
- Transport 14%
- Us 13%
Indicative split for this trip. "Us" covers planning, insurance, this website and keeping the lights on.
The honest box
What “thrifty” feels like on the ground
Every trip page has a panel called “What’s basic about this trip”. Read it. If it puts you off, that’s the system working.
You’ll share rooms
Dorms and shared cabins are the norm. Private rooms are rare and cost extra where they exist at all.
Showers are not guaranteed
Some huts have none. Some have a coin meter. A lake is often the best option.
Plans bend to weather
Mountain and Arctic trips change. Your guide’s call is final, and a missed summit isn’t refundable.
You carry your stuff
Except where mules, horses or buses do it for us, your pack is yours.
Not sure which trip fits?
Tell us your budget, your fitness and your dates. A real person will reply with an honest suggestion — including "not this one".