General
Reserve your place by getting in touch with us or call us at:
AU +61 482 099 562
NZ +64 9 801 6696
There is a maximum group size of 12.
Patch Adventures’ trips are designed for women who are curious about the world, love having a variety of experiences, enjoy interacting with other cultures, and are great travel buddies. They are flexible and open-minded with a sunny disposition.
Age is a number we aren’t worried about — some 30-year-olds struggle to walk a flight of stairs while some 70-year-olds are climbing Mount Everest. If you have a mature soul but are young at heart, you’ll make a great Patchie.
To enjoy our trips, you will need a general level of health and fitness — there will be some days where you’ll be walking and spending a lot of time on your feet. Daily activities may include city walks and getting on and off various forms of transport. As long as you’re able to do this, you’ll be fine.
Unfortunately our tours cannot accommodate people requiring walking aids.
What sort of people are coming on our trips we hear you ask? Patchies are women generally between the age of 55 and 69, but we’ve also had Patchies either side of this age bracket. It all comes down to being open minded, open hearted and with a keen sense of adventure.
Patchies travel for a variety of reasons, but they always have one thing in common – they don’t want the usual box ticking you might otherwise find in those destinations. They want to meet the local people, eat the local food, drink the local wine. They want to come away feeling like they have made 12 new like-minded friends.
Most people who show interest in a Patch Adventure are in the 50-69 range, but we get bookings from people both younger and older than that!
We all know that many 70-year-olds can run rings around people half their age! This is why we’re looking for “mature-minded, young-hearted” travel buddies as our fellow Patchies. So, if you’ve read the itinerary and looked into the destination, and feel up to it, then we’ll see you there!
Getting into nature — hiking, snorkelling, kayaking — is one of the most fun parts of any adventure. You’ll have a much better time if you come prepared for it, however none of the activities we plan are designed to be competitive. We’ll go at each others’ pace and support each other to the end.
Most activities are optional, meaning that if you don’t feel like it, you can skip it but it will be impossible to enjoy your trip if you’re not able to do a walking tour for a full afternoon.
Unfortunately this tour cannot accommodate people requiring walking aids.
Patch Adventures are designed for solo travellers, but you can certainly feel free to bring friends. We’ll get to know each other quickly and will be well on the way to making great friendships within only a couple of days of starting.
Accommodation is shared, but you can take a single supplement if needed and available. You’ll most likely find that it’s not needed, however! Patch Adventures is all about joining together fun, adventurous, like-minded women.
Yes, unless you take the single supplement option!
It’s natural to be a little nervous about sharing a room with someone you haven’t met. That being said, all the other guests are friends you haven’t met yet! Patch Adventures is for open-minded, friendly, curious women. If that sounds like you, you’re going to find yourself in great company and amongst like-minded friends in no time at all.
We’re going to get to know each other quickly — by the end of day one, we’ll know each other well, and by day three, the ice will be well broken.
This depends on the adventure, but to keep groups small, we are targeting a maximum of 12 on each trip. Check out the trip you’re interested in for confirmation.
There are some key considerations to remember when going on a Patch trip, here’s how you and your group can have a great time. If everyone brings a similar attitude, everyone can have an incredible trip:
Culture Etiquette
- Respect cultural customs. Cover shoulders and knees and be ready to remove footwear at a moment’s notice.
- Go with the flow. There are different ideas of punctuality and customer service in other countries, amongst other things.
- Learn some local words. Ask your guide to teach you.
- Ask permission before taking a photo of someone.
- Bring a readiness for adventure – show curiosity, and try new foods and drinks. If something intrigues you, great – dive in! We’re not trying to rush this – as a group, let’s bring our curious, interested selves and look for opportunities to say YES!
- Look out for your fellow Patchies. Especially in the first days of a trip, it can take some people a day or so to get into the groove of the trip and become acclimatised. Culture shock, jet lag, and new foods can all play havoc on usually easygoing behaviours (and bellies!) so be gracious to yourself and your fellow Patchies – you’re all in this together! If you see someone feeling unwell or uncomfortable in some way, why not ask them gently, privately if they’re ok?
- Look out for yourself. Look out for your health. Listen to your body. Don’t push yourself if there’s no need. And stay hydrated!
We hear you! While Patch Adventures caters exclusively for solo female travellers – as many women prefer this – we do have other travel brands that offer mixed gender travel: Magnificent Rail (for rail travel enthusiasts), and Fencox Travel (for solo travellers who only do single supplements)!
You need to make a deposit to hold your spot (check the specific tour page to see how much the deposit is). From there, you need to pay the final balance of the trip at least 90 days before the start of the trip. This is not for our benefit — our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability. You can pay with a major credit card such as Visa or Mastercard (fees apply) or with a bank deposit (please contact us to complete a bank transfer).
Note: Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:EUR exchange rate. Please refer to the full terms and conditions.
This is one of the most established yet disheartening practices of tourism worldwide. We aim to never take you to shops where you’ll be pressured and to always put your interests first. Again, if you ever have any concerns about this or need help negotiating the purchase of an item you fall in love with, we’ll be there. Most people who visit the countries that we travel to do want to visit shops and do end up buying exotic wares; that being said, we try our very best to avoid situations where you may feel uncomfortable.
No! As much as possible, activities are included in your trip price. Any additional add-ons will be as reasonable as possible, and alternatives will be provided where requested and practical.
We believe strongly in the principles of sustainable tourism. All our guides are certified (where relevant), trained, and well-paid in their local context. Beware of a tour that is suspiciously cheap – this is the first place that less reputable operators will go to cut expenses.
We strongly believe in the humane treatment of animals. We have verified that the animals whose help we enjoy on any of our trips (for example, the camels and mules on our Morocco itinerary) are treated well, fed properly, and cared for.
If you have any concerns, at any time, about the treatment of animals or the environmental impact of an activity managed by us, please raise them. We love this Earth and the gifts it has provided. Protecting those things is critical to the mission of Patch.
Patch Adventures does not require proof of vaccination to travel. However, we are bound by the laws and regulations of the countries we travel to, and because of this, some trips may require proof of vaccination and/or mandatory covid testing.
What happens if someone shows symptoms of COVID-19 on the trip?
If a guest feels unwell during the trip, the Trip Leader will request that they take a COVID-19 test. Depending on local regulations, the guest may choose between a PCR (when available) or a RAT.
If the test is COVID-19 positive, the guest will be required to isolate, and they will be cared for separately from the group. Patch Adventures will assist with sourcing any alternative accommodation and medical care that’s required, but these expenses will be paid for by the guest.
If you plan on claiming on insurance, you will need to contact your insurance company immediately to understand their requirements and get approval on next steps. The insurance company may require you to take a PCR test and go through additional steps that may extend your isolation period.
In the case of a positive test, the Trip Leader and any crew are required to take a test. The Trip Leader may also request other guests who have been a close contact to take a RAT test, in order for the group to continue on the trip safely.
Our aim is that the trip continues wherever possible, unless local regulations require otherwise.
Caring for you
For all our trips, we have contracted a local back office support team that helps us to resolve emergency situations if they arise.
If you test positive, you will be connected with that service and they will work with you to manage your case until you test negative once more.
You will also be added to a group Whatsapp chat with our team, where you can ask questions and receive support.
When can the guest rejoin the group?
Once the guest tests negative by 2 consecutive RATS tests (12 hours apart) or by 1 PCR test, Patch Adventures will make the arrangements necessary for the guest to rejoin the group, as soon as logistically possible.
Travel insurance is mandatory for travelling with Patch Adventures and we encourage all guests to ensure that their policy includes COVID-19 medical and trip interruption coverages, and to understand the testing requirements of their policy.
It is at our discretion to move the guest to a new location if the circumstances warrant. Examples would include a lack of accommodation, available support staff, or local medical facilities. This would happen in separate transportation to the main group.
What if the trip is ending?
Once a trip is over, and a guest is still isolating, it is at the guest’s discretion to organise any changes to flights. If extra accommodation, transportation or services are needed, we will work with the guest to ensure these services are provided until the isolation period ends.
Mask Wearing
Even if testing negative to Covid, if you are showing any signs of a cold or flu, you will need to wear a mask while in enclosed spaces such as vehicles.
If you have a group and want to travel privately on any of our itineraries, that’s not a problem. Contact us for a quote if you’re interested, and we’ll customise to your needs. Note: all pricing on our website is based on groups of 12 people. Costs will vary for different amounts of people, but please keep in mind that a guide’s salary does not vary with trip numbers. This means that the per person price for a very small group might be significantly higher.
Yes! Feel free to reach out with any requests as we’re always investigating new destinations.
Unless specifically mentioned, airfares are not included. You can connect with the specialist travel agents in our network to get your flights organised — just ask and we’ll put you through to someone.
AUD
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf. The amount for each trip is unique.
Get ready for an adventure where all women, including our LGBTQI friends, are celebrated! At Patch Adventures, we’re all about diversity, creating small-group tours that bring together incredible women to experience off-the-beaten-path places around the globe.
For this reason, it’s important for our guests to be aware of the local laws and customs in the destinations we visit as some countries have laws that discriminate against LGBTQIA+ people. We recommend you visit Equaldex and/or Smartraveller before you choose a trip for up-to-date advice and information about LGBTQIA-related laws.
As a tour company for groups of 12 women, we book travellers solely based on the gender info in their passports to make sure everyone’s journey with us is smooth and secure (as individuals, in a group, and as roomies. If you identify differently from the gender marker on your passport, please let us know in advance and we’ll suggest a tour that would best suit your needs!
We also have a Single Supplement available on most trips for guests who prefer to have their own room.
Imagine small groups, big connections, and a vibe that’s all about camaraderie, exploration, and empowerment… We’re about building friendships and unity among women from various backgrounds. We have zero tolerance for any kind of discrimination, violence (verbal or physical), or sexual harassment, whether it occurs among fellow travellers or involves our leaders, partners, or local individuals.
If you experience any inappropriate behaviour during your travels with us, kindly bring it to the immediate attention of your tour leader or local guide. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities, and we are committed to ensuring a respectful and inclusive environment throughout your journey.
This is an adventure! It will be challenging. It will not be 100% moments of bliss and joy. There will definitely be moments where your legs are sore, your back is aching and you’re wondering why you did this!
And on top of all that, things may go wrong. That’s just the nature of travelling. From little things to huge things, such as arriving at a hotel and they have misplaced our booking… we triple confirm everything but wherever human beings are involved, mistakes can happen.
Come ready to have an amazing time, because those who LEAN IN and go with the flow are the ones who have the most memorable adventure! We hope you have the best time and we can’t wait for you to join us.