“The biggest issue is the misleading info on the website. The cost is high so we thought it will be a premium camping experience, meaning that bags will be carried for us, nicer tents and equipment, and good food and coffee. The thing is, most of the days you will be pressured into washing dishes, doing your tent, carrying all of your bags. Food is well made but mostly veggies. I missed a good burger, and without meat, I didn't have as much energy.
Also, most of the activities are free parks and hiking. If you want anything a bit fancy such as hot springs, surfing, etc, the cost is additional - by the way, we did the 7 days Vancouver Island tour.
All women too. Nothing wrong with that, just not for me...
Our guides are wonderful. They are young and full of positive energy. I enjoyed them around, and they worked hard and did their best. So, 5-stars for both of them. Cheers for Catherine and Hubert!
Cheap tents, but easy to build. Great camp sites, beautiful trees and hot showers, but all the other campers had better tents, better equipment. I got a bit jealous seeing what they had.
I think Fresh Adventures have a wonderful business vision. But it's not good to over-promise and under deliver, especially the cost is high for customers.”
“We just got back from the 9 day hiking/camping trip of the Canadian Rockies with Fresh Adventures (FA). So that I can offer enough context, this review will be in 3 parts - 1. Highlights 2. 'Good to know' for future travelers 3. Feedback for FA management team.
1. Highlights:
Our guides - Annabelle and Jeremie (J) were AMAZING! They were respectful, communicative and very hard working, they set clear expectations and made sure we were having fun through all the hikes and excursions.
The food - Anna and J really brought a lot of variety to our meals, there was always fresh fruits and veggies, snacks, beverages and dessert to go around a big group of 11. They accommodated our request for vegetarian friendly options.
The hikes and (optional) excursions - We did some really rewarding hikes, the views were amazing. No one can control weather, we got some surprise showers in July, but our guides were able to adapt well in order to give us the best experience. There were optional excursions (for an additional cost) like rafting, glacier walk, buffalo ranch etc. that gave people the option to not hike.
Our group was AMAZING! We had more than one curveball thrown at us, think mosquitoes, freezing rain, unexpected chores, aches and pains, but our group kept things positive and helped pick each other up.
2. ' Good to know' for future travelers
This is not a 'beginner friendly' hiking tour. We covered a lot of distance and elevation, some hikes were very technical. You need to have hiking experience to fully experience and appreciate this trip.
You ABSOLUTELY need hiking poles, hiking boots, a daypack, camping slippers (for showers), hydration pack. Some items on the packing list are 'optional', but they are necessary. You CANNOT do the hikes wearing trail or running shoes.
In addition to taking down and setting up your tents/sleeping pads/sleeping bags in 3 camp sites, you will do a lot of chores - e.g. dishes for the whole group (plus lunch boxes, pots/pans, prep bowls, silverware, etc.) The group takes turns doing them, but it does take 30-45 mins twice a day to do so. Some of our tour mates that did the 12 day trip also helped clean the van and trailer at the end of their trip.
3. Feedback for the FA management team
Some of the information on your website is misleading. Having done guided camping/hiking tours with other companies, you do not provide a realistic perspective of what this trip really entails. We had people in the group that had never camped before, they were surprised/disappointed on a daily basis. For e.g. the packing list needs to be more thorough, you need to be more clear/detailed about the chores, state the fact that sleeping bags are not washed between use, only the liners are etc. The website makes the trip sound more 'premium' than it is.
Why Golden? Having been through all the hikes and excursions, driving routes and logistics, our group was really confused as to why you picked a campground in Golden where you know that the mosquitoes are HORRENDOUS and facilities are far and sparse? We were driving 1-1.5 hours every day, couldn't we have done that from Banff? Doing dishes without running water (or a sink) and electricity was really hard. Why take us to a swamp in July?
It is better to overcommunicate and set realistic expectations upfront, before the trip, so on the ground, your guides are not facing the brunt of our questions/disappointment. They are doing their best with what they have at hand. We understand that you are a new-ish company and trying to find your footing, so we hope that this review gives you our perspective and helps you get better, we are rooting for you.”
