Guided Wilderness Expeditions Across the Southeast
Adventures Southeast offers multi-day backpacking and multi-sport expeditions designed to build skill, resilience, and meaningful connection with terrain.
Save 15% off any Fall backpacking trip, now through November 16th with code FallBP15!
27 Years of Continuous Guiding Experience
National Park Operational Expertise
Structured Risk Management
Small Group Expeditions (8–10 Participants)
Guided Backpacking Trips Across the Southeast
Travel deep into the Appalachain Mountains with a Great Smoky Mountains trip with Adventures Southeast.
Arches in the East?! Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is a hidden gem right in middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky.
Views for days on our Pisgah National Forest Backpacking trips. Pisgah showcases expansive views and the cold waters of Blue Ridge!
With the Appalachian Trail there’s something new to see around every corner. Deep forest rhododendron tunnels, waterfalls and views.
Why a Guided Expedition with Adventures Southeast Changes the Experience
- Terrain-specific route intelligence
- Structured risk management frameworks
- Accelerated skill development
- Ecological interpretation
- Logistical burden removed
Upcoming Adventures Southeast Expeditions
4 Days | 5-10 mile days
From $1,099
Limited to 6 Participants
4 Days | 5-10 mile days
From $1,099
Only 5 Spots Remaining
4 Days | 5-12 mile days
From $1,499
6 Spots Remaining
What Participants Say
Our Roots
Adventures Southeast was created by the team behind A Walk in the Woods — an award-winning Smoky Mountains guiding company serving guests since 1998.
As more guests asked for multi-day, physically demanding, and regionally diverse expeditions, we built Adventures Southeast to serve that next chapter.
Built on 28 Years of Regional Guiding Expertise
In 1998, Erik and Vesna Plakanis founded A Walk in the Woods with a simple belief: when you step into the Smoky Mountains with the right guide, something shifts inside you.
What began as naturalist-led guided hikes soon grew into something more — backpacking adventures, youth education programs, corporate retreats, firefly experiences, and eventually an off-grid Wilderness Basecamp designed for deeper immersion.
Over the years, more than half a million guests have stepped onto the trail with us. Along the way came recognition — four REI Top Guide awards, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice honors, and Sevier County’s Attraction of the Year in 2025.
But the heart never changed.
As the Smokies community grew — and as more travelers sought curated, high-quality outdoor experiences across the Southeast — it became clear that the mission could stretch beyond one name.
Adventures Southeast was a natural evolution.
Where A Walk in the Woods continues to serve as the legacy Smoky Mountains guiding company rooted in naturalist interpretation and education, Adventures Southeast expands the vision — connecting guests to exceptional outdoor experiences, partnerships, and regional adventures throughout the broader Southeast.
Two brands.
One philosophy.
One commitment to meaningful, transformative outdoor experiences.
What started as a single guided hike in 1998 has grown into a movement rooted in connection, conservation, and courage — helping you step further, explore deeper, and discover what you’re capable of.
Designed For
- Structured challenge seekers
- Individuals building wilderness competence
- Active couples
- Corporate & leadership groups
Not Designed For
- Resort-style vacations
- Amenity-first travelers
- Party groups
- Adrenaline-only marketing
Our Approach
Nature is not spectacle. It is relationship.
Adventure is not adrenaline. It is intention.
Comfort supports immersion. It does not replace it.
Enrollment Is Limited by Design
Space is intentionally limited — and that’s part of what makes your experience meaningful.
Whether you’re joining a guided hike, a backpacking trip, or staying at our Smoky Mountains Wilderness Basecamp, we keep our group sizes small so you can truly connect — with the forest, with your guide, and with each other. In a place as biodiverse and delicate as the Smokies, smaller groups allow for quieter trails, more wildlife sightings, deeper conversations, and a pace that feels personal rather than rushed. You’re not one of fifty following a flag — you’re part of a shared story unfolding step by step.
There’s also a stewardship reason. We’ve spent more than 25 years guiding with care, and protecting rare habitats, sensitive trails, and places like our Blue Ghost Firefly ecosystem requires intention. Limiting space allows us to preserve the very magic you’ve come to experience — the hush of a fern-lined hollow, the flicker of fireflies at dusk, the feeling of having a ridgeline to yourself.
When you join us, you’re not just booking a spot — you’re stepping into something curated, protected, and deeply personal.
And that’s worth keeping small.