Quick Details
Covid compliance: Guests drive personal vehicle to the meeting location and to the hiking trails, safely following the guide’s vehicle and practicing social distancing throughout the tour. Bring cloth face coverings for indoor restrooms. Guests bring or purchase their own waters and snacks.
Tour time: Custom timing with seasonal start times recommended, with the start time either 8:45 am, 10 am or 11 am. Tours generally last 4 to 4.5 hours long, but shorter or longer custom tours available.
Popular Private Tour option: We often provide an extended version of our Waterfalls and Blue Ridge Parkway tour, with a more advanced mountaintop hike OR with swimming in our popular swimholes and at the infamous “Sliding Rock,” a 60-foot natural waterfall slide.
Difficulty: We offer a full spectrum of customized tours to meet the needs and desires of your group. The range of tour options includes: no hiking to our longest hikes (such as a summit hike, series of waterfalls, or Appalachian Trail hike)
Required footwear: Sturdy tennis shoes or hiking boots, rubber outsoles (recommended)
Recommended clothing: Rainwear (either rain jacket or poncho); multiple layers (for chilly mornings or high elevation destinations)
Recommended personal items: Water, food, Ziploc bag/dry bag (to protect items, such as small electronics, from rain), Ziploc bag (to dispose of any potential litter items, such as food wrappers), cloth face covering (for restrooms stops)
What’s provided: Hiking poles, a poncho in case of light rain
Tips: Never required but always appreciated!
We understand that planning the logistics for an out-of-town trip can be a hassle, let alone determining which trails to pursue in an unfamiliar wilderness area. We work closely with you to design a Private Tour that fits the scenic interests and hiking preferences of your entire group, to ensure you have an optimal outdoor experience.
On your Private Tour, you will have a designated private guide to lead you throughout your tour, while exploring enchanted Southern Appalachian forests and scenic drives from the comfort of your own vehicle. Your guide will provide riveting stories of the history and ecology of the Southern Appalachians and reveal some of the “best kept secrets” and “hidden gems” of our mountains. We often times incorporate a mountaintop picnic lunch, so you feel nourished with an organic, local meal and also by the surrounding scenery after an active day spent hiking.
Our Private Tours are fully customizable, with a range of options from little to no hiking, easy/moderate hiking to more difficult summit hikes. Some examples of our private excursions include: Appalachian Trail hiking tours, multi-stop Waterfall Tours and Blue Ridge Parkway tours, and more! At Asheville Hiking Tours, we value inclusion in the outdoors and offer tour options with wheelchair/scooter accessibility. We take pride in curating thrilling experiences for all ages— and sometimes for your furry friends as well (leased dogs welcome).
Winter tours note: The Blue Ridge Parkway is closed with inclement weather or in winter months (usually late-Nov to early-March). We nonetheless have plenty of Private Tour options with scenic sites throughout the National Forests, in case of Parkway closures.
Please call to inquire about our diverse Private Tour options so we can begin crafting your unique adventure in the outdoors! We strive to make your tour the highlight of your trip to Asheville. After booking your private tour, feel free to reach out to us with any questions, but also please note that YOUR GUIDE WILL CONTACT YOU the day before the tour to confirm meeting times and locations and answer any additional questions you may have.
Rain/ice/snow policy: Our early morning departure helps us avoid the afternoon precipitation. Nonetheless, many guests have an excellent time in the light rain, under the forest canopy (and rain makes waterfalls even better!) In case of heavy rain or inclement weather, full refunds are provided.