Had a wonderful time. The weather was unexpectedly bad, and between the guides Tom and Lisa, and their crew bck at base in Canberra, we were able to adjust the program on the fly to keep us safe while also seeing some spectacular scenery. The equipment provided was extremely high quality, and everything was thought of. The tours cater to a range of fitness levels by design. The knowledge and experience shon through the guides, and they were also supportive in helping everyone achieve their personal goals. I wouldnt hesitate to do another trip with The Adventure Gene, in fact I'm already planning it.
Verified
Unique experience not to be missed
Had a wonderful time. The weather was unexpectedly bad, and between the guides Tom and Lisa, and their crew back at base in Canberra, we were able to adjust the program on the fly to keep us safe while also seeing some spectacular scenery. The equipment provided was extremely high quality, and everything was thought of. The tours cater to a range of fitness levels by design. The knowledge and experience shon through the guides, and they were also supportive in helping everyone achieve their personal goals. I wouldnt hesitate to do another trip with The Adventure Gene, in fact I'm already planning it.
Just completed the four-day Snowies Main Range Traverse with 5 intrepid, inspirational women guided by our two amazing, knowledgeable, patient and kind guides. Gus and Dan. Definitely a memory to treasure - exquisite views, beautiful alpine lakes and vegetation, stories and histories ancient and new, loads of laughter, delicious meals, tons of tips and tricks for hiking and camping...and so, soon much more! HAS to be experienced! Thank you to everyone at The Adventure Gene ( TAG) for making this incredible experience possible! Highly recommended!
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you for such a wonderful four days. All five of you were such delightful company and it made for a great trip. We wish you all the best on your future adventures!
Gus
Gus
Verified
4- day Snowies Main Range Traverse with The Adventure Gene
Just completed the four-day Snowies Main Range Traverse with 5 intrepid, inspirational women guided by our two amazing, knowledgeable, patient and kind guides, Gus and Dan. Definitely a memory to treasure - exquisite views, beautiful alpine lakes and vegetation, stories and histories ancient and new, loads of laughter, delicious meals, tons of tips and tricks for hiking and camping...and so, soo much more! HAS to be experienced! Thank you to everyone at The Adventure Gene ( TAG) for making this incredible experience possible! Highly recommended!
Four days of hiking through ever changing landscapes and painting our surroundings was the perfect combination to unwind and be present in time.
Maddie our lead guide is exceptional, taking great care of us as a group as well as individually – I learnt a lot about gear (which is top notch), packin and cooking delicious hiking meals. Ineka our talented art teacher was equally attentive and supportive, sharing a guiding eye and knowledge on colour, composition, seeing vs looking. Highly recommend for anyone seeking creativity, connection with nature or just to do something different.
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience Ali 😊 I'm so glad that you had a good trip, it was such a pleasure hiking with you over those four days.
- Maddie
- Maddie
Had an amazing two weeks hiking from Namadgi to Thredbo on the Australian Alps Walking Track. Maddie and Tom have gone to so much effort with the planning, delicious food and gear. All I had to do was turn up and hike. I’ll never forget this, thank you. 🩵
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you so much for the kind words Katie 😊 You were an absolute joy to have in the team. Hopefully we'll see you around Canberra sometime!
- Maddie
- Maddie
I went on the 4 day paint and hike and had a wonderful time. I'm fat, and not particularly fit (though I did do some training) and the guides and group were very understanding and supportive. It was the perfect mixture of challenging, enjoyable and artistic. Highly recommend
Reply from The Adventure Gene
It was a pleasure having you join us on this Paint & Hike trip Di! Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos 😊
- Maddie
- Maddie
Verified
wonderful experience
I went on the 4 day paint and hike. It was the perfect combination of getting out into nature and learning to appreciate it with a new eye. The amount of hiking was perfect - just challenging enough without making you so exhausted you couldn't do the rest. The guides were fantastic, and so was the painting help. I'd strongly recommend to anyone.
I had a great time on the Paint and Hike Blue Waterhole trip. We walked through beautiful landscapes. Maddie is a wonderful guide who cooked up amazing meals and was always there with a smile if anyone needed help. Ineka is a gifted artist and art teacher who inspired us all to get creative. The level of preparation they put into the trip, and the quality of the gear that they provide, is exceptional. Whether you are experienced, or new to either hiking, camping, or painting, I totally recommend this trip.
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you so much for the kind words Sarah, and for sharing some of your photos from the trip! It was a delight getting to know you over those 4 days ☺️
Safe travels back to NZ.
- Maddie
Safe travels back to NZ.
- Maddie
I had an incredible experience with The Adventure Gene on the Paint and Hike trip. The combination of mornings spent hiking and relaxed afternoons around camp learning to paint was perfect. As a complete painting novice, I really appreciated Ineka’s creative, thoughtful teaching—she made it accessible and fun. Maddie was an exceptional guide and somehow kept whipping up gourmet hiking meals like magic! Both Maddie and Ineka were professional, encouraging, and created such a supportive atmosphere. I also loved the “ultralight” approach to hiking gear—it made the whole experience feel easier and more enjoyable. A truly unique and inspiring adventure I’d highly recommend.
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience Susan ☺️ It was a pleasure having you on the trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed our chats about gear and navigation!
Please keep in touch, and best of luck on all your upcoming hikes!
Maddie
Please keep in touch, and best of luck on all your upcoming hikes!
Maddie
I recently completed the 14-day Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) from Canberra to Thredbo with Maddie and Tom, and it was honestly one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had.
While I had done some basic hiking before, this trip was definitely outside my comfort zone when I first signed up. But what I quickly learned is that if you trust their system and follow their process, you will be absolutely fine.
One of the biggest things for me was letting go of the traditional hiking mindset I’d been taught in the past — heavy packs, lots of “just in case” gear, and old methods of packing. Maddie and Tom showed us a far more modern, efficient way of doing things. There is no way I could have completed this trek using my old gear and packing methods. So much of what I previously thought was essential simply wasn’t necessary.
The preparation session the day before the walk was incredibly thorough. They covered absolutely everything you could possibly think of — and then some. One of the things that really stood out was that they actually provide and prepare many of the small essentials for you right there on the preparation day. Things like small bottles of hand sanitiser, sunscreen and other essentials are portioned out into tiny labelled containers to keep pack weight down. Even the foot care supplies are thought through and provided. The level of detail and care that goes into preparing everyone properly is incredible.
Before the trip I had plenty of nervous questions, and Maddie and Tom never once made me feel silly for asking them. They answered the same questions over and over again in such a calm, matter-of-fact way and were always happy to guide us. Knowing I could call beforehand if I was unsure about anything was incredibly reassuring.
For me, trusting the layering system for warmth was one of the hardest things to let go of. I kept wanting to pack extra jumpers “just in case”. But they assured me that if I trusted their layering system and wore the gear correctly, I would be comfortable — and they were absolutely right.
The support vehicle and drop bag system was also brilliant. It gave me the confidence to trust the process because I knew that if I really needed something extra, it was there in my drop bag. In the end, I never needed any of my “just in case” items — which really proved how well their system works. The drop bag also allowed for some lovely little luxuries like fresh socks, clean clothes, or even a treat for yourself along the way.
Each morning we’d discuss the day’s weather and they would guide us on exactly what to wear so we didn’t overheat or get cold — whether that meant using the poncho, an insulation layer, or the rain jacket. By the end of the trip I had completely nailed the system myself.
The level of planning, preparation, and organisation behind this trip is incredible. You don’t realise the hours of work that go on behind the scenes because everything feels so seamless when you’re out walking. All that preparation allows you to simply focus on enjoying the experience.
And what an experience it was — walking with an amazing group of people, lots of laughs, breathtaking alpine scenery, and some of the most stunning night skies I’ve ever seen. We also learned so much about the environment and the landscape along the way.
This was the longest walk I’ve ever done in my life, and it felt completely manageable because of how light and comfortable my pack was. The experience has honestly given me a second wind for hiking. I can’t wait to invest in some of the gear and keep exploring now that I know how good it can feel when everything is set up the right way.
Some friends couldn’t believe I would pay to do a walk, but once you see the amount of effort, knowledge, preparation, and support that goes into making this experience so effortless and enjoyable, you honestly feel like you should be paying them more.
If you’re considering doing the AAWT or any guided trek with Maddie and Tom — just trust the system and go for it.
It was unforgettable.
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Hey Julie! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experience from the trip. We really appreciate you taking the time ☺️
It was an absolute pleasure having you join us, your playful character and good-willed nature was a delight, as well as your enthusiasm for off track walking!
We're keen to see what other trips you get up to in the future. Hopefully we will run into you around Canberra sometime 😁
Maddie
It was an absolute pleasure having you join us, your playful character and good-willed nature was a delight, as well as your enthusiasm for off track walking!
We're keen to see what other trips you get up to in the future. Hopefully we will run into you around Canberra sometime 😁
Maddie
Verified
Unforgettable
I recently completed the 14-day Australian Alps Walking Track (AAWT) from Canberra to Thredbo with Maddie and Tom, and it was honestly one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. While I had done some basic hiking before, this trip was definitely outside my comfort zone when I first signed up. But what I quickly learned is that if you trust their system and follow their process, you will be absolutely fine. One of the biggest things for me was letting go of the traditional hiking mindset I’d been taught in the past — heavy packs, lots of “just in case” gear, and old methods of packing. Maddie and Tom showed us a far more modern, efficient way of doing things. There is no way I could have completed this trek using my old gear and packing methods. So much of what I previously thought was essential simply wasn’t necessary. The preparation session the day before the walk was incredibly thorough. They covered absolutely everything you could possibly think of — and then some. One of the things that really stood out was that they actually provide and prepare many of the small essentials for you right there on the preparation day. Things like small bottles of hand sanitiser, sunscreen and other essentials are portioned out into tiny labelled containers to keep pack weight down. Even the foot care supplies are thought through and provided. The level of detail and care that goes into preparing everyone properly is incredible. Before the trip I had plenty of nervous questions, and Maddie and Tom never once made me feel silly for asking them. They answered the same questions over and over again in such a calm, matter-of-fact way and were always happy to guide us. Knowing I could call beforehand if I was unsure about anything was incredibly reassuring. For me, trusting the layering system for warmth was one of the hardest things to let go of. I kept wanting to pack extra jumpers “just in case”. But they assured me that if I trusted their layering system and wore the gear correctly, I would be comfortable — and they were absolutely right. The support vehicle and drop bag system was also brilliant. It gave me the confidence to trust the process because I knew that if I really needed something extra, it was there in my drop bag. In the end, I never needed any of my “just in case” items — which really proved how well their system works. The drop bag also allowed for some lovely little luxuries like fresh socks, clean clothes, or even a treat for yourself along the way. Each morning we’d discuss the day’s weather and they would guide us on exactly what to wear so we didn’t overheat or get cold — whether that meant using the poncho, an insulation layer, or the rain jacket. By the end of the trip I had completely nailed the system myself. The level of planning, preparation, and organisation behind this trip is incredible. You don’t realise the hours of work that go on behind the scenes because everything feels so seamless when you’re out walking. All that preparation allows you to simply focus on enjoying the experience. And what an experience it was — walking with an amazing group of people, lots of laughs, breathtaking alpine scenery, and some of the most stunning night skies I’ve ever seen. We also learned so much about the environment and the landscape along the way. This was the longest walk I’ve ever done in my life, and it felt completely manageable because of how light and comfortable my pack was. The experience has honestly given me a second wind for hiking. I can’t wait to invest in some of the gear and keep exploring now that I know how good it can feel when everything is set up the right way. Some friends couldn’t believe I would pay to do a walk, but once you see the amount of effort, knowledge, preparation, and support that goes into making this experience so effortless and enjoyable, you honestly feel like you should be paying them more. If you’re considering doing the AAWT or any guided trek with Maddie and Tom — just trust the system and go for it. It was unforgettable.
Best holiday ever. Such a beautiful combination of adventure, chill, and inspiration. The support that the guides, Gus and Ineka, gave us was amazing
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you so much for your review Gill. It was such a joy to walk with you, and we wish you all the best in finding more wonderful trees to paint.
Gus
Gus
I recently completed the Adventure Gene Paint and Hike four-day tour, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Our guides, Maddie and Ineka, were amazing, generous with their time, incredibly encouraging, and exceptionally well organised. They created such a supportive and positive environment for everyone.
Adventure Gene really takes the worry out of preparation. The comprehensive packing list was so helpful, and the option to use their ultra-light hiking gear made the whole experience even more accessible and enjoyable.
I loved the paint-and-hike concept, the perfect balance of hiking through the spectacular scenery of Kosciuszko National Park and slowing down to paint and soak it all in. No matter your ability, whether in hiking or painting, everything felt achievable and inclusive.
Four wonderful days, breathtaking landscapes, and great moments shared with like-minded people. I would highly recommend. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!
Reply from The Adventure Gene
Thank you so much for the kind words Rhonda. It was an absolute pleasure having you on the trip. You bought such wonderful energy (and friendly competition!) to the group.
Thank you for sharing all of these photos! I especially love the one of Ineka and I at Bill Jones Hut 😂
Looking forward to seeing what adventures you get up to in the future.
Maddie
Thank you for sharing all of these photos! I especially love the one of Ineka and I at Bill Jones Hut 😂
Looking forward to seeing what adventures you get up to in the future.
Maddie