How it started
Wilderness Escape Adventures started with a simple realization: Alberta’s most famous places are beautiful, but crowded parks like Banff can feel regulated and commercial, not truly wild. When Jelmer moved to Alberta five years ago, he was blown away by the Rockies, yet the busy trails and booked-out campgrounds made real solitude hard to find.
Everything changed when a few locals showed him remote Crown land and quieter valleys beyond the usual tourist routes. In those forests and open landscapes, he found the freedom, wildlife, and star-filled nights he had been looking for, and that experience became the foundation of Wilderness Escape Adventures.
Jelmer saw that many people wanted this kind of deeper wilderness experience but did not know where to start. They were unsure which areas were safe, what gear they needed, or how to explore off the beaten path around Kananaskis and the Alberta Rockies without stress. Wilderness Escape Adventures was created to bridge that gap with small-group and private wilderness trips that remove the guesswork while keeping the feeling of being truly out there.
The goal is simple: give guests access to the real Alberta wilderness, not the crowded version, but the quieter, wildlife-rich country on Crown land and in lesser-known valleys that remind people why wild places matter and why a guided wilderness camping trip is worth the effort.
About Jelmer
I grew up in the north of the Netherlands and have lived in seven countries, including South Africa, Aruba, Curaçao, Australia, and New Zealand. I finally settled in Alberta, Canada. Every move pushed me into new terrain, new people, and new ways of seeing the world, but the outdoors was the one constant: hiking, camping, hunting, and disappearing into remote places became the baseline of my life.
For sixteen years I worked in high-end restaurants and hotels as a sommelier, chef, and hospitality manager. That world taught me discipline, standards, and how to look after people properly, paying attention to details and making sure guests feel seen, not processed. I also guided hunters and guests in New Zealand, blending hospitality with backcountry work long before I ever thought about starting my own company.
When I moved to Alberta, the wilderness took over fast. For the last four years I have spent most of my free time on foot in the Alberta Rockies, on crown land close to Kananaskis in the Livingstone and Ghost areas and in the mountains, forests, and river valleys most people only ever drive past. I know what it feels like to stare at a map not sure where to start, and I know the feeling of hitting the right valley on the right day and realizing you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
To do this professionally, I ensured that the paperwork aligned with the reality on the ground.
I am Wilderness First Aid certified, trained in fire safety and bear safety, an IGA-certified hiking guide, and food handler safety certified. Alongside that, I have years of real hiking and camping experience in the same zones I guide in, so decisions around weather, route choice, and group ability come from experience, not guesswork.
Wilderness Escape Adventures is the result of all of this coming together: international background, serious hospitality experience, and a genuine passion for wild places. I keep groups small, plans realistic, and the atmosphere relaxed and personal so people can experience real wilderness camping and guided hikes around Kananaskis and Alberta's crown land without feeling like they signed up for a bus tour in disguise.
What We Offer
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3 or 4 day guided wilderness camping and hiking trips in Kananaskis Country and on nearby Crown land in the Alberta Rockies.
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Small-group and private trips focused on uncrowded, wildlife-rich terrain and real backcountry solitude.
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Easy meeting points in downtown Calgary or Diamond Valley, then a shared drive toward the wilderness camping area.
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All camp logistics handled for you, including tents, sleeping systems, cooking gear, and freshly prepared backcountry meals.
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Suitable for beginner and intermediate outdoor enthusiasts with moderate fitness who want a guided, safe way to experience real Alberta wilderness.
Explore the Rockies in a way few tourist have ever been able to do
Our Wilderness Camping Setup
Our guided wilderness camping trips are designed to be comfortable, well organized, and simple for guests who want a real outdoor experience without bringing all their own gear. Guests stay in a spacious 16-foot bell tent and sleep on insulated sleeping pads with warm sleeping bags suited to cooler Alberta nights.
We provide the core camp setup, including shelter, sleeping systems, camp chairs, cooking equipment, and a well-planned basecamp that makes multi-day camping more comfortable than a standard campground or backpacking trip. This is a remote wilderness camping experience on Crown land in the Alberta Rockies, not a serviced campground with showers or built toilet facilities.
Camp is set up to give guests a practical balance of comfort and authenticity: a spacious tent, a proper sleeping setup, fresh meals, a fire, and time to relax in a quiet natural setting after each day’s hike. The goal is to make guided camping in Alberta feel accessible, comfortable, and genuinely connected to the landscape.
Outdoor Activities
Our guided wilderness camping trips include hiking, exploring, relaxing at camp, and time to enjoy the landscape at a natural pace. Each trip is built around the weather, the group, and the terrain, but most days include guided hikes, off-trail exploration, wildlife spotting, and time around camp in a quiet remote setting.
Guests can expect a flexible mix of day hikes, time by the river, campfires when conditions allow, and unstructured time to rest, fish, swim, take photos, or simply enjoy being away from roads, crowds, and campgrounds. This is not a rushed tour with a fixed schedule every hour; it is a guided wilderness experience designed to feel personal, relaxed, and connected to the land.
Because trips are small and guide-led, we can adjust the pace and daily plan to match the group’s energy, weather conditions, and what the area offers that day. The goal is to give guests a real Alberta wilderness experience with the right balance of activity, comfort, and time to slow down.
Arrival & Departure
Trips begin with a morning meeting in Calgary or Diamond Valley before we drive toward the wilderness camping area together. Most guests use their own vehicle, and ride options may be available from Calgary by prior arrangement.
The drive takes about two and a half hours and includes a gravel-road section near the end, so guests driving themselves should arrive with a full tank of fuel and be comfortable with basic rural driving conditions. Once we arrive, we choose camp, get set up, and settle into the trip at a relaxed pace.
On departure day, we have breakfast, pack down camp, and return toward Calgary in the afternoon. Most trips are back in the city by early evening, making the start and finish straightforward and easy to plan around.
Food & Drink
Food is an important part of the Wilderness Escape Adventures experience. Our guided camping trips include freshly prepared camp meals designed to be hearty, simple, and satisfying after time spent hiking and exploring in the Alberta wilderness.
Breakfast and dinner are provided at camp, along with drinking water, coffee, and tea. Meals vary by trip and conditions, but guests can expect filling campfire food built around quality ingredients rather than basic packaged camping meals.
Guests should bring their own desired daytime snacks for hikes, such as trail mix, jerky, bars, or sports drinks if desired. Private trips can be customized within reason, and dietary restrictions or allergies can usually be accommodated if shared at the time of booking
FAQ
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Why did you start Wilderness Escape Adventures?
I kept meeting people who loved the idea of real wilderness camping but were held back by three things: not knowing where to go, being unsure of themselves and not wanting to invest in all the serious gear. Wilderness Escape Adventures exists so you can borrow my years of scouting and kit-building and just show up to a comfortable, remote camp that’s already set up the way it should be. -
What makes your trips different from regular tours in Banff or Kananaskis?
Instead of big groups on well‑known trails, I use the routes, camps and systems I’ve refined over years of exploring: secluded Crown land spots, thought‑through camp layouts, reliable gear and food, and flexible plans based on conditions and the group, so the trip feels polished rather than improvised. -
Why should I trust you to guide me in remote areas?
I’ve invested years into hiking, hunting and camping in these exact areas, testing gear and setups until they’re dialled, and I back that with Wilderness First Aid, bear and fire safety training, IGA hiking guide training and a professional hospitality background so guests feel genuinely safe and looked after.