Private & Custom Wilderness Expeditions

Tailored, professionally guided backcountry experiences across the Southeast for private groups, couples, families, and leadership teams.

Custom-designed backpacking and multi-sport expeditions built around your goals, schedule, and terrain objectives.

Adventures Southeast Offers...

Established 1998

27 Years of Regional Guiding Experience

Small-Group & Private Leadership

National Park Operational Expertise

Designed for Focused Experiences

Private and custom expeditions are ideal for:

Couples seeking a structured, immersive backcountry experience
Families with older teens ready for skill-building challenge
Groups of friends preparing for larger wilderness goals
Corporate or leadership teams seeking shared resilience development
Individuals desiring flexible scheduling and route design

These programs prioritize intentional pacing, terrain depth, and instructional focus.

A Fully Customized Backcountry Experience

Unlike scheduled departures, private expeditions allow for:

- Custom route selection within the Great Smoky Mountains, Big South Fork, Pisgah, or Appalachian Trail sections
- Flexible departure dates
- Personalized difficulty progression
- Skill emphasis tailored to your experience level
- Guide-to-participant ratios adjusted to your group

Every expedition is structured with professional logistics, risk management, and terrain expertise.

Route Design

Choose terrain type:

Ridgeline traverses
Creek corridor systems
Appalachian Trail sections
Multi-sport lake and backpacking combinations

Skill Focus

Emphasize:

Navigation systems
Pack efficiency
Elevation pacing
Backcountry decision-making
Expedition leadership development

Format

Select structure:

3–7 Day Backpacking
Basecamp-Integrated Hybrid
Women’s Private Cohort
Leadership Retreat Model
Advanced Skill Progression Track

Wilderness-Based Leadership & Team Development

Custom expeditions are well suited for:

- Executive teams
- Leadership cohorts
- Strategic planning retreats
- Team cohesion development

The wilderness environment creates:

- Shared adversity
- Decision-making under terrain pressure
- Natural hierarchy recalibration
- Authentic communication dynamics

Programs can include structured reflection sessions integrated into the expedition format.

Professionalism Without Performance

Custom expeditions maintain:

- Formal risk management systems
- Weather monitoring protocols
- Backcountry permitting expertise
- Terrain-informed pacing
- Emergency response frameworks

Ideal Cohorts

Our corporate programs are best suited for:

- Executive leadership teams
- Founder groups
- Strategic planning cohorts
- High-performance departments
- Leadership development tracks

We are not designed for entertainment-driven retreats or high-volume conference environments.

Great Smoky Mountains

Dense forest systems and sustained elevation profiles ideal for strategic pacing challenges.

Big South Fork

Sandstone gorge systems supporting terrain navigation exercises.

Pisgah National Forest

Waterfall-rich terrain and advanced elevation options.

Basecamp-Integrated Hybrid

Off-grid structured lodging paired with daily terrain immersion.

Investment Structure

Private expeditions are priced based on:

- Group size
- Duration
- Terrain complexity
- Skill intensity
- Custom planning requirements

Typical private expedition investment ranges:

3-Day Private Expedition: Starting at $4,500 per group
5-Day Private Expedition: Starting at $7,500 per group
Leadership & Corporate Programs: Custom Proposal

Exact pricing provided following consultation.

Participant Feedback

The ability to design the route around our goals made this far more impactful than a standard group departure.

Professional, serious, and precisely organized.

We left with both stronger skills and stronger relationships.

My son and I did the 3 day / 2 night adventure with Mike. First, Mike has incredible knowledge and passion for the Smokies. Second, he was a great educator to my 17yo who was thriving on this trip - my son now has learned the core confidence to lead himself and others in an outdoor experience.

I just returned from this trip two days ago (Big South Fork Backpacking). It's the first year for this trip and it already runs nice and smooth. Cade and Corian made it both fun and challenging. You'll see some unique rock formations and terrain for the area. It's an endurance hike for sure. I believe we went a total of 32 miles over the four days with day two being 12 miles. Everyone on our trip absolutely crushed it - including one 70(!!!) year old woman - but it will wear on you if you're not in backpacking shape.

Discover Nature's Secrets Hidden in NE Tennessee I just returned from this trip. This was my first Adventure trip so I was not exactly sure what to expect. I have to say the whole experience exceeded my expectations. The guides clearly have a passion for the outdoors and enjoyed sharing this with the group. I came away learning more about the flora and fauna of the area than I expected. The trip exceeded my expectations on the natural wonders we encountered time and time again -- from the rock formations like the Twin Arches and the Devil's Den to the very refreshing swimming hole under the O&W bridge. The second day hike is a long day at close to 13 miles but it was necessary to set up the third and fourth days. Keep your packs as light as possible. It was a great trip that was only made better by the knowledgeable guides and like-minded fellow hikers.

Amazing Adventure in Tennessee... I went on the maiden voyage for this trio at the end of March 2023 and had an amazing time! Out guides Ben and Jack were absolutely amazing. They were so very knowledgeable of the trail, the forest and the wildlife and all along the trail they shared the knowlege with our group. This trip totally exceeded my expectations... we crossed creeks, rock scrambled, steep stairs climbs, trudged along the mud and saw undiscovered Tennessee scenery.

Step 1 — Consultation

Schedule a 20-minute planning call to discuss goals, terrain interest, fitness level, and timeline.

Step 2 — Custom Proposal

Receive a structured expedition outline including route concept, daily mileage, logistics plan, and pricing.

Step 3 — Confirmation & Preparation

Secure dates and begin structured preparation process with pre-expedition guidance.

Design a Wilderness Experience Aligned With Your Goals

Private and custom expeditions are limited each season to preserve guide capacity and instructional quality.

If you are considering a private expedition, we recommend beginning the planning conversation soon.