The little moments you don’t always find in the guidebooks.

I just spent three weeks scouting CME trips in Europe. I explored three very different destinations for future MedTreks adventures: Iceland, Slovenia, and the mountains surrounding Mont Blanc.

Scouting a trip is one of my favorite parts of what I do. Of course, I’m looking at hotels, guides, transportation, activities, hiking routes and all the logistics that eventually have to come together to create a great trip.

But it is also the little moments that make a place come alive.

The bakery you stumble upon after a long hike. The cheese you discover because you took the time to ask the locals what is the best. The tiny village you almost drove past. The local guide who completely changes the way you understand a place.

Rather than give you the full itineraries, here are a few of the moments that made me fall in love with these places.

Iceland: Wild in Every Direction

Wow. Vast. Rugged. Dramatic.

Iceland feels like several different countries packed onto one island.

One morning you’re waking up with puffins flying over the ocean. By midday, you’re hiking through a lush green canyon toward a towering waterfall. A few hours later, you’re standing beside enormous icebergs slowly making their way toward the sea.

And then somehow you end the day soaking in a geothermal pool, drink in hand, before eating warm rye bread traditionally baked using geothermal heat from the earth.

It really is the land of fire and ice.

What surprised me most was how quickly the landscape changes. Every day—and sometimes every hour—feels completely different from the last.

There is a sense of adventure around every corner here, and I cannot wait for you to experience it with us.

Slovenia: The Country That Completely Surprised Me

Imagine emerald rivers with snowcapped mountains in the distance, beautifully paved e-bike trails winding through the countryside, and tiny villages where you can stop and meet local cheesemakers along the way.

The mountain towns somehow manage to combine cobblestone streets and window flower boxes with rafting, hiking, paragliding – and, of course, really good gelato.

Then there’s Ljubljana, with its riverfront cafés, beautiful architecture, outdoor markets and little shops that make you start wondering whether you really need to leave tomorrow.

And that may have been my biggest takeaway from Slovenia:

There is so much more here than Lake Bled.

It’s active without feeling overwhelming, beautiful without feeling overrun, and filled with the kind of small, local experiences we love weaving into MedTreks trips.

We would love to show you this little corner of Europe.

Chamonix + The Tour du Mont Blanc: The Alps, Our Way

There is something magical about waking up in the Alps. If you ask our opinion: you don’t necessarily need to dedicate ten days to carrying everything on your back and finding your way to a new mountain refuge each night to experience the Tour du Mont Blanc.

There are so many ways to experience the incredible Mont Blanc massif and the three countries surrounding it – France, Italy and Switzerland.

Our version?

Challenging days hiking over steep mountain passes with some of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen. But also mornings with time for a cappuccino, breathing in the crisp mountain air while cowbells ring somewhere in the distance.

Long days on the trail followed by a hot shower, a spa, a great dinner and time to wander through a beautiful Alpine village.

And perhaps my favorite part: crossing between France, Italy and Switzerland and feeling the food, architecture, language and culture subtly change as you go.

Big adventure during the day. A little comfort and indulgence at the end of it.

That feels very MedTreks to us!

This Is Why We Scout

There are thousands of beautiful places in the world. The challenge isn’t simply deciding where to go.

It’s figuring out how to experience them well.

Scouting gives us the chance to slow down, explore the side roads, meet the local guides, try the activities, eat the food, hike the trails and find those little moments that could never be discovered from behind a computer.

Some things make the itinerary.

Some don’t.

And occasionally we stumble across something completely unexpected that becomes one of the best parts of the entire trip.

Those are the moments I’m always looking for.

Iceland, Slovenia and the Alps- you were pretty spectacular. I loved scouting CME trips in Europe this summer.

Now comes the fun part: getting to share them with all of you!