I really enjoyed this trip and am grateful for the opportunity to experience such a beautiful area, meet new people, hike, and spend time focusing on wellness. The guides were wonderful. They were kind, knowledgeable, supportive, and genuinely heartfelt, and I felt they put a lot of care into the experience. Yoga was also a highlight of the trip and something I especially enjoyed.
There were a few things that I think could be clarified or improved for future trips. Russian was spoken fairly often in group settings and around various activities. Of course, everyone should feel comfortable speaking their own language, but for those of us who didn’t speak Russian, there were times when we weren’t sure what was being discussed or what was happening. Including the entire group in conversations when possible would help everyone feel more connected and informed.
I also found that I spent more on food than I had anticipated, as I understood that food was included in the trip. It may be helpful to provide more detail beforehand about which meals are included and which meals participants should plan to purchase themselves.
The packed lunches on the hiking days were another area that could be improved. Because we were out hiking for several hours, some of the food was difficult to keep at a safe temperature without a way to keep it chilled. Providing lunches that are better suited for hiking conditions and longer periods without refrigeration would be helpful.
I also think it would be beneficial to provide more information about the difficulty and terrain of the hikes beforehand. Some of the hiking involved significant elevation, standing on ledges, and climbing, which may be more challenging than some participants anticipate. Having a clearer description of these elements in advance would allow participants to better assess their own abilities and comfort level before joining the hikes. I think this would be especially important from a safety standpoint.
I also want to give special recognition to Marsha and Kate. They went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable, supported, and included throughout the trip. They have incredibly kind and generous hearts, and their care and thoughtfulness made a real difference in my experience. I’m very grateful for the way they looked out for me and helped make the trip special.
Overall, I had a very positive experience and would absolutely highlight the wonderful guides, yoga, hiking, beautiful surroundings, and especially the people who put so much heart into the experience. The suggestions above are simply things I think could make an already enjoyable trip even more comfortable, inclusive, and accessible for future participants.