“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

– Confucius

In 2021, when we officially launched DeLuxe Hiking, we were cautiously optimistic about the travel market; we knew people would want to get out and explore, but could we successfully run tours during the pandemic?

In September, when it was deemed safe, 14 guests joined us for our first Niagara Hiking Tour, and we spent four days hiking portions of the Bruce Trail, picnicking by a waterfall, and enjoying the region’s famous wine!

Niagara Hiking Tour – 2021

Heading into 2022, we were looking forward to continuing with the momentum of our inaugural DeLuxe Hiking Tour, but that came to a halt in March when COVID morphed into a variant causing a spike in cases across the country, and we had to cancel most of our programming - all except for a 9-day hiking tour of Québec’s Gaspé region. 13 hikers, led by Gayle, hiked in three of the four National Parks in the area, witnessed whales, and learned some of the history of the First Nations people in that region.

These two tours were great learning opportunities for our staff. We discovered the need to refer guests to our fitness scale so they can realistically self-assess their readiness for these adventures. Part of being ready, having proper hiking footwear is critical to being able to participate. We also now know that the use of hiking poles is a subjective, personal preference, and since these items are easy to bring along, we suggest bringing them.

Gaspé Hiking Tour – 2022

2023 is gearing up to be an exciting one. We have added some exciting new tours to our offerings, and we have hiking tours all across Canada, from Alaska and Banff to Ontario and Québec to PEI and Newfoundland. We are also excited to be at the Toronto Outdoor and Adventure Show, February 24-26, at the International Centre. Come, visit our booth and say hello, and allow us to introduce ourselves and our tours, and give out some great prizes.

While the path to 2023 has been slower than we imagined, our boots are laced, we are “Ready for Adventure”, and as Confucius said above, we will keep on going!