What happens when an active travel company and an outdoors gear expert join forces? You get the new EF Adventures x Backcountry Collection of hiking and multi-adventure tours, launching in 2027.
The two companies used their particular know-how to design the collection of trips, which are all led by a tour director working with EF Adventures who has expertise in the local destination and the various activities involved. The tour directors not only offer logistical support, but they also help travelers learn about the culture and environment of the local destination and foster community building during the trip.
Travelers are paired with a dedicated Backcountry Gearhead, an outdoor expert who works with them one-on-one before departure on gear selection, layering recommendations, and packing. Tours are built around a Backcountry signature moment, a defining day on the trail or water supported by gear selected specifically for that itinerary’s conditions.
“Our travelers come to EF Adventures because they want more from an active trip: incredible experiences in the outdoors, but also a deeper connection to the places, cultures, and people they encounter along the way, guided by experts and local guides who bring each destination to life,” says Heidi Durflinger, CEO of EF World Journeys, operator of EF Adventures. “Our partnership with Backcountry extends that experience to how travelers prepare for the adventure ahead. Confidence on the trail or on the water starts long before the trip begins, and connecting every traveler with a Gearhead who understands exactly what their adventure will need in terms of apparel or equipment gives them a new level of personalized support.”
The four new tours span moderate to challenging activity levels and run from seven to 14 days, with one departure per itinerary in 2027. The collection starts in Utah—Backcountry’s home turf—with the U.S. Hiking with Backcountry: Sedona, the Grand Canyon & Zion trip in April 2027. That adventure guides travelers through the terrain Backcountry’s Gearheads know best, moving from Sedona’s red-rock formations into the Grand Canyon and finishing among Zion National Park’s sandstone walls and slot canyons.
The Backcountry signature moment? A guided descent of the Bright Angel Trail into the Grand Canyon, with Backcountry hydration offerings at the trailhead (think electrolytes, hydration packs) and the possibility of a professional photographer joining the group on the trail.
July brings the Norway Multi-Adventure with Backcountry: Bergen & the Sognefjord trip. The journey through western Norway’s fjord country begins in Bergen and travels inland through the Sognefjord region. Travelers move between hiking, glacier travel, and paddling, with a guided hike on the Nigardsbreen glacier followed by kayaking the UNESCO-listed waters of the Nærøyfjord serving as the Backcountry signature moment.
The Italy Hiking with Backcountry: The Dolomites tour takes place in August, an 11-day experience in northern Italy. The trip includes hikes through high alpine meadows and along ridgeline trails between mountain villages. For the Backcountry signature moment, travelers embark on a full-day hike along the Seceda ridgeline, with a photographer accompanying the group across one of the most recognizable skylines in the Alps.
The new collection finishes up with the Chile & Argentina Hiking with Backcountry: Patagonia trip in November 2027. The most demanding itinerary of the four, the adventure features two weeks of hiking across the Chilean and Argentine sides of Patagonia, through the granite spires of Torres del Paine and out onto the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
Travelers should expect big mileage days, remote terrain, and weather that can change frequently throughout the day. The ascent to Mirador Las Torres for the view of the Torres del Paine towers, plus a mini-trek on the surface of the Perito Moreno Glacier, make up the Backcountry signature moment for this trip.
Each tour includes a curated, itinerary-specific gear list built by Backcountry’s outdoor experts, and select Backcountry gear is provided for use on tour, matched to each destination’s terrain and conditions. Every booked traveler is introduced to their Gearhead after booking to work through the gear list in the months before departure.
“We’ve spent 30 years helping people figure out what they actually need for the conditions they’re heading into, and the honest answer is that most gear questions are really trip questions,” says Kevin Lenau, president at Backcountry. “These four itineraries gave us something specific to solve for…Our Gearheads get to work with travelers on a real adventure with a real date on it and then see them use the gear where it matters.”
Tour prices start at $6,190 per person and include accommodations, most meals, included excursions, adventure equipment, and a tour director for the entirety of the trip. Flights (with included airport transfer), “cancel for any reason” insurance, and trip extension opportunities can be purchased through EF Adventures for an additional fee.
