Backcountry Travel Experiences

Carry your essentials. Move with intention. Earn the wild. 

Valkyrie Backpacker Experiences are immersive, multi-day journeys into remote landscapes. Designed for women with prior hiking experience, in this tier you carry your own pack with essential gear, learning how to manage weight, pacing, terrain, and energy across consecutive days on the trail.

These guided journeys move into more remote landscapes where solitude, immersion, and self-reliance while traveling through Nova Scotia’s most rugged coastal and wilderness terrain.

The Experience

Shelter Cove

Distance: ~6.9 km
Elevation Gain: ~68 m
Time on Trail: ~2 hours per day
Trail Type: Out and back
Trip Duration: 2 days, 1 night

This guided coastal hiking experience invites you into one of Nova Scotia’s last pristine, unroaded landscapes for an immersive overnight journey through wild shoreline terrain. The route weaves through protected bays and coves, a short tidal crossing and concludes at two stunning white sand beaches. Blending hiking, wilderness tent camping, and dramatic seaside scenery, this Valkyrie Backpacker experience is rooted in immersion, natural solitude, and meaningful connection to the coastal environment. Limited to six women per journey, this coastal tent based experience allows for a slightly larger group while preserving pacing and connection..

Arch Gulch Cabin

Distance: ~18 km
Elevation Gain: ~350 m
Time on Trail: ~4 to 6 hours per day
Trail Type: Out and back
Trip Duration: 2 days, 1 night

This backcountry route descends into the rugged coastal wilderness of Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, following forested trails with sustained elevation shifts, roots, and uneven footing. The terrain demands steady pacing and deliberate movement, particularly through rocky sections and descending approaches into Arch Gulch. The effort is rewarded with a strong sense of remoteness and immersion as hikers reach Arch Gulch Cabin, a satisfying endpoint for hikers seeking extended distance, solitude, and the experience of carrying your gear into a remote overnight setting. This journey requires endurance, steady pacing, and thoughtful pack management over consecutive days. Limited to three women per journey, Arch Gulch Cabin contains four bunks, creating a more intimate backcountry experience with a smaller group size.

Eatonville Cabin

Distance: ~28.2 km
Elevation Gain: ~300 m
Time on Trail: ~5 to 7 hours per day
Trail Type: Out and back
Trip Duration: 2 days, 1 night

Eatonville Cabin represents a significant step deeper into Cape Chignecto’s interior backcountry. The route travels through dense coastal forest along long, undulating terrain marked by sustained elevation changes, roots, mud, and rocky footing that become more pronounced across the full distance. As the trail progresses farther from main access points, the setting grows quieter and more remote, reinforcing the sense of true wilderness immersion. Tucked away from the primary route, Eatonville Cabin provides a satisfying endpoint for hikers seeking extended distance, solitude, and the experience of carrying your gear into a remote overnight setting. This journey requires endurance, steady pacing, and thoughtful pack management over consecutive days. Limited to seven women per journey, Eatonville Cabin includes eight separate bunks, allowing for a full small group overnight experience.

  • Sturdy hiking boots or trail shoes suitable for uneven and potentially wet terrain

  • Personal clothing appropriate for variable coastal weather, including layered insulation and rain protection

  • A properly fitted backpack capable of carrying overnight gear comfortably

  • A sleeping bag rated for seasonal conditions and a compact pillow

  • All personal food and snacks for the duration of the experience

  • Personal hydration system, minimum 2 litres capacity

  • A detailed packing list and preparation guide will be provided after booking, including recommendations for pack organization and weight management.

  • Camping gear rentals are available through our partner Rental Program – The Trail Shop

What you need to bring

  • Professionally guided two day backcountry experience

  • Small group pacing and structured trail leadership

  • Route planning, navigation, and terrain management

  • Overnight campsite or cabin coordination

  • Pre trip preparation guidance including detailed packing list

  • Real-time safety oversight and risk assessment throughout the journey

  • Emergency communication equipment carried by your guide

  • Group check in and debrief discussions each day

  • Tidal timing coordination where applicable

What is Included

Due to the logistical planning, limited group size, and backcountry permitting requirements associated with overnight trips, the following cancellation terms apply.

Participant Cancellations

  • Cancellations made 72 hours or more prior to departure receive a full refund

  • Cancellations made within 72 hours of departure are non refundable. However, if your spot is filled from the waitlist, you will receive a full refund minus a $10 administrative fee

  • All cancellation requests must be submitted by email to valkyrieadventuresinc@gmail.com

Weather and Safety Policy

Valkyrie Adventures reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or modify an experience if conditions are deemed unsafe. This may include lightning, high winds, severe weather warnings, extreme heat, or any other circumstance that could compromise participant safety.

If an experience is cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen safety concerns, participants will receive either a full refund or the option to transfer to a future date.

Cancellation Policy

Shelter Cove - see On the Edge of the Sea Experience

Arch Gulch Cabin: $350 CAD per participant

Eatonville Cabin: $400 CAD per participant

Adventure Fee

Ready for the Backcountry?

Only a limited number of women per journey to preserve pacing, connection, and personalized guidance.

If this experience aligns with where you are in your hiking journey, join the list to receive upcoming dates and booking access.