When REI Adventures, one of the top outdoor adventure companies in the world suddenly and unexpectedly shut down its international trips division a few months ago, it left a lot of adventurous travelers at loose ends. It also left in the lurch local tour operators—like Terracotta Journeys in Portugal and Spain—that had supplied that big company’s on-the-ground service and expertise around the globe. Without that big-name brand recognition, how would clients looking for international trips be able to find these small independent companies? Without that known name, how would people know that these were actually the same companies that had already long been providing the high-quality travel experiences they had come to know and rely on?
In response, several of these like-minded small local tour operators reached out to each other. By banding together, we hoped to create visibility and quality assurance for those seeking unique, off-the-beaten-path adventures. And so Terracotta Journeys became one of the founding members of a coalition called WATC – World Adventure Travel Collective. The aim is to keep doing what we already know how to do so well: to use our knowledge, our professionalism and our experienced local guides to provide memorable, high-quality international adventure travel experiences.
A silver lining of this change for customers is that without the big brand-name overhead, we can offer clients substantial savings for the same high level of service and quality.
WATC companies offer a variety of travel-style products: High-end luxury itineraries with premiere personal service and indulgence; charming Boutique regional tours for small groups, offering immersive, niche travel experiences; and Adventure Classic travel focused on specialized outdoor activities with a range of accommodation levels. But we are united in our shared values, our proven track records of reliability, safety and customer satisfaction, and our commitment to excellence and sustainability in our operations.
Together, we also draw on a wealth of collective experience in creating memorable, unique experiences in the most stunning locales on the planet. At this time, WATC has eight member companies from around the world, and may eventually expand to include other trusted top quality ex-REI Adventures vendors. These varied operators offer a variety of outdoor adventure tours, including hiking, walking, trekking and cycling; some offer options such as custom itineraries, driving tours, or specialty tours focusing on food or culture. One organizes volunteer trips to work on environmental conservation projects. Current WATC members include:
» Terracotta Journeys, offering walking, cycling and food & wine tours in Portugal and Spain
» Camino Abierto, leading walking and trekking trips across Patagonia, in Argentina and Chile
» CustomWalks, based in Tuscany but offering walking and hiking tours throughout Italy as well as France Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Spain and New Zealand
» Conservation Volunteers International Program, organizing volunteer trips to Alaska, Costa Rica, Galapagos, Italy, Patagonia, Peru, Scotland, U.S Virgin Islands and Yosemite National Park
» Last Frontier Trekking, creating walking and trekking tours in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and India
» Planet Earth Adventures, leading hiking, walking and cycling tours in Ireland and Texas
» Pyrenees & More, specializing in outdoor adventures and cultural experiences in Northern Spain and beyond.
» Romantic Czech Tours, offering walking, hiking, cycling and custom drive tours in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Austria
WATC companies pride themselves on operations and logistics expertise, on conscientious, safe, well-organized, reliable delivery, but also on our pioneering spirit and sense of adventure. At Terracotta Journeys we are proud to be in such excellent company. Our colleagues’ mission, like ours, is to help adventurous travelers to discover and delight in the most beautiful, special places we know.