Outdoor Adventures

There are almost as many ways to conduct an outdoor adventure as there are individual personalities. Broadly defined, your business will take groups of people into the outdoors, camping, hiking, and experiencing the vanishing wilderness as participants rather than as mere observers. The supply of popular, long-established organizations offering outdoor programs has not nearly met the demand. Many small organizations have been very successful in offering related services such as corporate retreat planning. Some focus on learning to exist with little material support in a wilderness environment. Others offer opportunities for self-development, self-re?ection, or fitness. Another popular approach is to create group activities that build relationships of trust for business organizations, college freshman orientations, and similar groups.


Your decisions about equipment will aff ect the cost of your start-up and of your continuing operations. Advertising will be an ongoing requirement; expect to spend at least $5,000 on that alone each year. However, if you market yourself well, especially via the Web to corporations, you can really carve out a mighty fine living for yourself to the tune of $100,000 or more. Plus you’ll have a good time doing it!


An outdoors adventure business will rely on your love of the wilderness and your creativity in designing effective, appealing programs that allow your customers to encounter it. But not everyone who can build a camp out of hemlock twigs and catch mountain trout for dinner is also people-oriented enough to share their expertise with others. Wet, cold campers with blistered feet are not as easy to charm as day trippers on a short hike. So emphasize that experiencing and surviving the full range of challenges builds self-esteem, group solidarity, and an enduring respect for the power and beauty of nature.


Approx. cost of start-up:$5,000 to $10,000Approx. potential earnings:$50,000 to $100,000Typical fees: $300 to $1,000 per person (depending on length of excursion, group size, and corporate versus individual rates)


Where to promote: Magazines with an outdoor or fitness focus, newspapers, public speaking on outdoor and environmental issues, direct mail, banner ads on health and fitness-related Web sites, your own Web site with descriptions of your exciting packages plus client testimonials


Qualifications: Outdoor leadership skills and experience, knowledge of the natural world, first aid certificate, excellent planning ability


Things needed: Outdoor equipment for yourself and group, van, basic


office setup (including computer, high-speed Internet


access and fax), cell phone


Required staff: Yes


Hidden costs: Insurance, equipment repairs and replacement