Country Walkers
Country Walkers is a US-based guided walking-tour operator founded in 1979, operating as a division of VBT Vacations within the Xanterra Travel Collection, selling direct-to-consumer international walking tour packages and Discovery Tours to individual active travelers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersWilliston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Country Walkers does
Country Walkers is a guided walking-tour operator founded in 1979 and headquartered in Williston, United States. Since 2014, the brand has operated as a division of VBT Vacations, itself part of the Xanterra Travel Collection conglomerate, with all bookings consolidated onto the vbt.com platform. The company's core product is guided walking tour packages sold direct-to-consumer globally, covering international destinations and including accommodations, meals, and on-trip guided experiences. The primary go-to-market is a phone-based tour consultant hotline (1.800.245.3868), supported by the vbt.com website and a 200+ page printed and digital catalog. Discovery Tours, a co-developed product line with VBT Bicycling Vacations, extends the offering into immersive, locally led, low-impact travel to destinations such as the Nile and the Australian outback that are inaccessible by traditional walking or bicycling routes.
The business model is one-time payment per tour package, with pricing quoted through consultants rather than publicly disclosed, and the customer base is a long-tail of individual active travelers seeking low-impact, expert-led international experiences. The stated customer satisfaction rate exceeds 98%, and the brand has received Newsweek Reader's Choice recognition in both 2024 and 2025. Distribution is materially enhanced by membership in the Xanterra Travel Collection ecosystem, which provides cross-promotion with sister brands including Windstar Cruises, Holiday Vacations, multiple national park lodge properties, the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Oasis at Death Valley. There is no disclosed proprietary technology, no app, no API, and no AI/ML capability in the current product surface; the offering is operationally light from a technology standpoint and relies on human tour consultants, destination expertise, and brand-driven lead generation.
Country Walkers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Country Walkers
- Legal name
- VBT Vacations
- Website
- https://countrywalkers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Country Walkers is a US-based guided walking-tour operator founded in 1979, operating as a division of VBT Vacations within the Xanterra Travel Collection, selling direct-to-consumer international walking tour packages and Discovery Tours to individual active travelers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Country Walkers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Guided Walking and Active Adventure Travel
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips) (THAJABAL), Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA)
Keywords
Where Country Walkers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Williston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Country Walkers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Walking Tour Packages: The company generates revenue through selling guided walking tour packages to customers. Tours cover various international destinations and include accommodations, meals, and guided experiences. The website references tour information catalogs and direct booking capabilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Walking Tour Packages - pricing by inquiry |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Country Walkers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Country Walkers sells guided international walking tour packages and Discovery Tours to active individual travelers, bundling accommodations, meals, local expert guides, and curated experiences into all-inclusive trips. Since 2014 the company has operated alongside VBT Bicycling Vacations under the Xanterra Travel Collection, with tours sold direct-to-consumer through its website, phone consultants, and a 200+ page catalog.
Product overview
Country Walkers, operating alongside VBT Bicycling Vacations since their 2014 partnership, offers a portfolio of walking and active travel experiences. The core product is guided Walking Tours, complemented by the newly launched Discovery Tours—a hybrid travel style combining elements of bicycling and walking that opens access to unique destinations like the Nile and the Australian outback. Both offerings are part of the Xanterra Travel Collection.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Discovery Tours: A new style of immersive, hands-on, locally led, and low-impact travel created by VBT Bicycling Vacations and Country Walkers, opening doors to destinations unreachable by biking or walking routes alone.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 98% of guests plan to travel with VBT again
Companies that use Country Walkers
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Country Walkers technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Country Walkers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- VBT VacationscoreSince 2014, Country Walkers has worked hand in hand with VBT Vacations, sharing expert staff, travel knowledge, and resources. The two companies have now come together to create a shared online experience with more destinations and ways to explore the world.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Country Walkers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Intrepid Travel: Intrepid Travel operates sustainable, small-group adventure tours worldwide including walking and active itineraries; comparable in product mix, sustainability positioning, and depth of international destinations to Country Walkers.
- G Adventures: G Adventures is a global small-group adventure operator with walking-focused and active itineraries across dozens of countries; it competes for the same cross-border active-traveler customer from a much larger global platform.
- Austin Adventures: Austin Adventures is a US-based active-tour operator offering guided walking, hiking, and biking vacations; its small-group, expert-led, all-inclusive product is closely comparable in structure and customer profile.
- Wilderness Travel: Wilderness Travel is a US-based small-group adventure operator with global itineraries led by expert local guides; it overlaps Country Walkers on guided cultural and walking tours to international destinations.
- Backroads: Backroads is a leading US-based active travel company offering guided walking, hiking, and biking tours worldwide with a similar premium, small-group, expert-led model that directly overlaps Country Walkers' core walking tour product and target customer.
- VBT Bicycling Vacations: VBT is Country Walkers' sister brand inside Xanterra Travel Collection, offering guided bicycling vacations domestically and abroad with the same all-inclusive, phone-and-catalog consultative sales motion; the two brands are now jointly developing Discovery Tours, making VBT the most directly comparable operating peer.
- Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT): OAT, part of Grand Circle Corporation, sells small-group guided trips worldwide aimed at mature travelers; its guided-walking and soft-adventure itineraries to international destinations place it in direct competition with Country Walkers.
- REI Adventures: REI Adventures is the tour arm of REI Co-op, offering guided hiking, walking, and active trips worldwide; it competes for the same active-traveler demographic with a differentiated co-op/retail loyalty ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Tauck: Tauck is a long-established, larger guided-tour brand offering walking components within broader itineraries worldwide; it competes in the same premium guided-travel space but at greater scale and across more travel styles than Country Walkers' walking-only focus.
- Abercrombie & Kent: Abercrombie & Kent is a global luxury travel company with walking and active small-group tours as part of a much broader luxury portfolio; an incumbent overplayer in the premium guided-travel category where Country Walkers competes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Country Walkers social profiles
Digital presenceCountry Walkers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Country Walkers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Country Walkers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Country Walkers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Country Walkers
What does Country Walkers do?
Country Walkers sells guided international walking tour packages and Discovery Tours to active individual travelers, bundling accommodations, meals, local expert guides, and curated experiences into all-inclusive trips. Since 2014 the company has operated alongside VBT Bicycling Vacations under the Xanterra Travel Collection, with tours sold direct-to-consumer through its website, phone consultants, and a 200+ page catalog.
Is Country Walkers a public or private company?
Country Walkers is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Country Walkers founded?
Country Walkers was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Country Walkers based?
Country Walkers is headquartered in Williston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Country Walkers make money?
One revenue line is on record: walking Tour Packages.
Who are Country Walkers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, Austin Adventures, Wilderness Travel, Backroads, VBT Bicycling Vacations, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) and REI Adventures. Broad incumbents are Tauck and Abercrombie & Kent.
Does Country Walkers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Country Walkers.
What industry is Country Walkers in?
Country Walkers's product category is Guided Walking and Active Adventure Travel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAADAA, Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators, with a secondary code of THAJABAL, Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips). Its NAICS code is 56152 and its SIC code is 7900.