It's all about choice...

When it comes to choosing who you go on your next adventure with, we'll be the first to admit there are many excellent companies out there to choose from. Competition is fierce. As you explore their websites and catalogs, though, you'll see how similar most of these companies are.

Everyone is offering the same trips to the same destinations.

They all want you to believe that their summit success rates are the highest, or that their all-star guiding staffs are industry-sponsored Everest veterans.

They all want to be the same; no-one wants to be different.

We strive to be different.

What makes VisionQuest different...

Our driving force comes from a commitment to preserving and protecting our planet's environmental and cultural resources.
We're a proud member of 1% for the Planet, a coalition of businesses who have pledged too work together to make a difference. We support and participate in environmental and cultural work projects, in the places where we do our trips as well as at home. We re-use and re-cycle whenever possible, and help create re-cycling programs where none exist. We use re-cycled paper and supplies in our office, and encourage our staff to re-cycle and to use re-cycled products at home.We support organic farmers and sustainable agriculture here at home, and around the world.

We understand that the success of your adventure is largely dependent on your pre-trip preparation.
We make it our job to help you through the preparation process.
Our office staff can answer your questions; they're experienced expedition climbers and trekkers. Know that your inquiries and and correspondence will be answered quickly, accurately, and professionally.

"No question was left unanswered.  I always have the best time of my life being a member of your team."

Ernst Merkhofer, client from Munich, Germany

Personalized Care and Service

Getting ready for your expedition or trek can be an adventure in itself. The success of your adventure takes root in the planning process, months before you hit the trail.  Thorough attention to detail is crucial.  Seemingly minor details can "make or break" a trip.

Our job is to make your adventure a success.  We believe that success isn't an event, it's a process, and we will work with you from the very earliest steps of this process.

"In my years of organizing and leading high-altitude expeditions, I've learned that people consistently make the same mistakes preparing for their trips.  1)Their training programs don't match their specific goals.  2)Nutrition was almost entirely overlooked in their pre-trip preparation. 3)Too much time was spent looking for cheap airline tickets that carry too many restrictions."

Tom Torkelson, Director and Lead Guide

Success and "Specificity of Training"
What you do to train is also very important.  “Specificity of Training” is the most important concept here.  This refers to how closely your training activity matches your performance activity.  The closer, the better.  This is why you never see marathon runners in the lap pool, or field goal kickers pushing the blocking sled. Think of the activities you will be performing on your climb (hiking with a pack, going up and down steep inclines, possibly technical climbing involving all four limbs, etc…) and train for those.

Read more about training..

Optimum Nutrition

Nutrition is one of the most important, and overlooked, component of any expedition or trek.  Pre-trip training puts additional stress on a mountain athlete's body.  On the expedition or trek, factors such as cold weather, strenuous activity, and high altitude combine to further stress the climber or trekker.  Many individuals, and even entire expeditions, have failed to reach their goals because optimum nutrition was overlooked in the planning phase of their trip.
Read more about nutrition..

Professional Travel Planning

It's never been easier to find "cheap" airfares than now.  Hours spent surfing internet travel sites can save you a few dollars, or more, on the cost of your ticket.  But, these "cheap" tickets usually come with a long list of restrictions, and changes can be difficult, or even impossible to make once the ticket is purchased.  These "cheap" tickets often turn out to be more expensive and time consuming in the long run.

Our VisionQuest staff is a well-traveled bunch, and we quit playing the "cheap" ticket game years ago.  We believe that a Professional Travel Agent is the best friend a traveler can have.

Read more about travel planning..