Overview
The Adventure Gene was started from the belief that the best way to explore this earth is using your own two feet. Our mission is to enable outdoor journeys by sharing hard-fought knowledge and expertise. With over 40,000km of experience, we strive to make your outdoor aspirations a reality.
We do this by leveraging our extensive experience in ultralight gear, modern hiking techniques, and performance nutrition. This allows us to create and execute guided hiking trips in regions that are typically reserved for highly experienced hikers on personal trips.
No matter the trip, you can always expect the same core experience.
The best gear and clothing
All our trips include access to our Ultralight Comfort System™. We’ve partnered with industry-leading brands to equip you with cutting-edge ultralight gear and clothing for your trip. This includes tents, sleeping bags, hiking packs, down layers, fleece layers and more. All you need to bring are your shoes and the clothes on your back! This allows us to keep your pack weight around 10kg (hiking) or 15kg (snow camping).
Home-made quality meals
An authentic wilderness journey
Industry-leading guides
Our guides have extensive outdoor experience, drawing on tens of thousands of kilometres from their own personal expeditions. Whilst every guide has their own unique background and interests, they all share a common set of skills and traits. No matter the guide you can expect a world-class educational experience, safe and supportive guidance, and a friendly face!
Meet our Guides
We have some of the best guides in the outdoor industry. All of our guides have a wealth of knowledge and experience, gained from thousands of kilometres of personal hiking. They are dedicated to giving you the best on-trail experience, tailoring your adventure with their own unique areas of interest.
- Co-founder
Tom Bartlett
Based in Canberra, Tom is an accomplished endurance athlete with over 20,000km of hiking experience and speed records on iconic trails like the Australian Alps Walking Track and the Bibbulmun Track. His most recent trip was a full winter traverse of the AAWT.
As our resident gear guru, Tom ensures your pack is as light as possible without compromising safety. Tom’s passion for the outdoors is matched by his extensive knowledge and dedication to helping others explore the world on foot. Whether hiking, running, skiing or cycling, Tom’s adventurous spirit and expertise ensure every journey is unforgettable.
Join Tom on a trip to fast-track your outdoor skills and knowledge.
- Co-founder
Maddie Wait
Originally from Perth, Maddie has over 15,000km of hiking experience and developed a love for the mountains after moving to Canberra.
In 2024, she set the overall self-supported record for New Zealand’s Te Araroa trail, and has recently completed a full winter traverse of the Australian Alps Walking Track.
As an elite endurance athlete, Maddie is our backcountry nutrition expert, designing and creating the delicious, high-quality meals for our trips.
Join Maddie for an adventure and be inspired by her incredible enthusiasm and friendly nature.
- Head Guide
Gus Haddad
Gus grew up in Tharwa at the foot of Dharwa (Mt. Tennent), with Namadgi National Park serving as his backyard. This deep-rooted connection to the land sparked a career as an outdoor educator and has since guided groups through environments ranging from high alpine peaks, to remote desert, to coastal Karri forests.
With a strong background in leadership and logistics, Gus has coordinated field programs for up to 60 participants and plays a key role in staff development and training.
Join Gus on trail to learn how to travel softly while exploring some of Australia’s most remote landscapes.
- Artist Guide
Ineka Voigt
Based in Canberra, Ineka is a visual artist who finds her inspiration in the natural world, capturing her surroundings through sketches and paintings en plein air.
After being introduced to the world of thru-hiking, Ineka found the perfect way to merge her two great passions: walking through the mountains and painting from nature. Ineka has facilitated dozens of creative workshops across Australia, and now leads our Paint & Hike trips as our dedicated artist guide.
Join Ineka on a Paint & Hike trip to spark your creativity in a wilderness environment!
- Head Guide
Tearloch Carr
Tearloch’s path to the wilderness began in the saddle as a professional cyclist and world’s youngest cycling Everester (age 16). Now a dedicated explorer of the Australian bush, he enjoys the rugged terrain of the Budawangs, and has completed many long-distance hikes such as the Larapinta Trail.
He brings a unique technical mastery to the team as the founder of Zero G Gear, where he designs and handcrafts his own ultralight equipment—from quilts and tents to backpacks. Tearloch believes that stripping away unnecessary weight allows for a deeper, more immersive connection with nature.
Join Tearloch on a trip to learn more about ultralight gear, and how to apply pro-athlete nutrition principles to your own bushwalking.
- Senior Guide
Steve Bickerstaff
For Steve, the mountains have been both a workplace and a sanctuary for over four decades. Whether hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing, his journeys are defined by a deep-seated passion for the alpine environment. Steve brings a wealth of experience to the team, having designed and led alpine programs for a diverse range of organisations – including training Maddie and Tom!
He operates on the belief that long, snowy journeys have a unique ability to inspire young minds and rejuvenate older ones. For Steve, guiding is not just a profession; it is a privilege to share the transformative power of adventure.
Join Steve to explore the Snowy Mountains with one of the most experienced alpine guides in Australia.
- Guide
Lisa Vullings
Currently dividing her time between Hokkaido (Japan), Jindabyne, and the South Coast, Lisa is a seasoned outdoor professional who embraces a life of freedom and exploration.
Specialising in alpine backcountry travel, Lisa pursue’s winter across both hemispheres focusing on splitboarding and snowshoeing. Lisa holds a Level 5 New Zealand Avalanche Rescue Management certification and is trained as a ski and snowboard instructor. She is intimately familiar with Australian backcountry conditions and brings her friendly nature and hard-fought expertise on every snow-capped adventure.
Join Lisa and challenge yourself on a snow camping expedition this winter.
- Guide
Dan McKinnon
Hailing from Mount Gambier, Dan’s passion for the outdoors was forged in the Australian Army, instilling a deep appreciation for navigating challenging environments. He’s since completed some of the world’s most renowned trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail and Tour de Mont Blanc.
Despite hiking all over the globe, Dan is always drawn back to the Australian bush and is excited to be back guiding in the Australian Alps. Dan’s military background and extensive global hiking experience give him a unique perspective on endurance, navigation, and appreciating the wild.
Join Dan to see the wilderness through the eyes of a resilient and down-to-earth adventurer.
- Guide
Bec Conroy
Originally from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Bec now lives on the NSW South Coast where she spends the majority of her time trail running and hiking.
Having studied Exercise Physiology at Sydney University, she brings a wealth of technical and lived experience to the team.
Bec has just finished hiking the 4300km Pacific Crest Trail in the USA, and has returned to Australia to spend more time around the local mountains – and guide some trips of course!
Join Bec on an adventure and tap into her unique blend of technical knowledge and hiking experience.
- Driver
Han Worsley
Han grew up on a farm in northern NSW, but has been living in Jindabyne for almost 5 years. After turning up for a temporary teaching contract, the allure of all their favourite things (hiking, water skiing and snow skiing, mountain biking, and horseriding) was too much to ever leave!
While Han studies and works in education, driving for TAG gives them the chance to live vicariously through your adventures. Han is always up for a yarn – ask them about their best skiing stacks, Australian Stock Horses, or their favourite Aussie travel stories.
- Artist Guide
Annika Romeyn
Based in Canberra, Annika combines painting, drawing and print making to convey the humbling and restorative experience of walking in nature. Annika is an award-winning visual artist, an experienced educator and an avid hiker. She loves the process of sketching on site, in the elements, as well as the unique way that sketchbooks can hold memories, connecting her back to meaningful moments and journeys.
Join Annika on a Paint & Hike to embrace creativity as a means of slowing down and deepening your engagement with place.
- Artist Guide
Sophie Baker
Growing up on a cattle station in NSW, Ngunnawal Country, Sophie ‘art’ Baker caught the wilderness explorer bug early. A plein-air impressionist landscape painter, she studied Creative Arts alongside Science and worked as a neuroscience researcher and trainer before returning to her lifelong love of wild places. Hiking or riding her mountain bike, Sophie paints in the open air to explore identity, capture the feeling of being there and pay respect to Traditional Owners. Her work captures the immediacy of nature: birdsong, heat, rain, elevation, plants, colour and light.
Join Sophie on a Paint & Hike to slow down, notice more deeply, and experience creativity in the landscape.
- Logistics Manager
Karla Guevarra
Karla is the operational backbone of The Adventure Gene, overseeing the detailed work that turns every itinerary into a carefully coordinated departure. As our Logistics Manager, she brings together the many moving parts behind each trip and communicates closely with clients, ensuring they feel informed, confident and ready for their journey.
Her oversight allows our guides to focus on delivering an exceptional experience in the field. Having personally explored many of the regions where we guide, including Blue Waterholes, Jagungal Wilderness, the Main Range and Sapphire Coast, Karla brings valuable firsthand knowledge to her role. Outside work, she and her partner enjoy participating in fun runs.
- Social Media Manager
Gayle Rufole
With a background in tourism and a natural eye for visual storytelling, Gayle manages our content team and leads the creative direction of the business. She develops ideas, shapes designs and finds inspiring ways to share our adventures across social media.
Outside work, Gayle enjoys photography and co-founded Trailmates PH, an outdoor community that encourages people to explore nature, try new experiences and connect through shared adventures.
- Multimedia Specialist
Ken Aparicio
A keen hiker and creative storyteller, Ken helps bring our adventures to life as part of the content team. He edits trip photos for our clients and creates engaging videos for social media, helping people relive their experiences and inspiring others to explore the outdoors.
Ken has climbed Mount Kosciuszko and co-founded Trailmates PH alongside Gayle. Through the community, they bring people together to enjoy hiking, discover new places and share memorable outdoor experiences.
Tom & Maddie's Story
The foundation of The Adventure Gene is an unparalleled depth and breadth of experience in ultralight hiking. This includes setting hiking speed records on trails such as the Australian Alps Walking Track, Bibbulmun Track and Te Araroa.
After studying theoretical physics, we (Tom and Maddie) decided to leave behind the academic life and pursue our love for sharing the outdoors with others. Too often we would meet people who aspired to adventure, but lacked the confidence to commit to their dream. We knew that with the right guidance, these dreams could often turn into reality.
Based on these experiences, we set out to provide outdoor adventures built on three pillars: the best gear, in-depth education, and wilderness immersion. We couldn’t find a guiding company that shared this philosophy, so we decided to start our own.
Below, you’ll find a map and list of the personal trips that we have completed. If you have questions about a specific trip or would like some advice for your own planning, please reach out. We would be more than happy to have a chat.
Adventure Map
Trip Timeline
Winter Australian Alps Walking Track
ACT/NSW/VIC, Australia
Jun/Jul 2025
Australian Alps Walking Track
ACT/NSW/VIC, Australia
Dec 2024
Attack of The Buns
NSW, Australia
Apr 2024
Te Araroa FKT
New Zealand
Jan/Feb 2024
NOLS Instructor Course
New Zealand
Feb/Mar 2023
Bibbulmun Track FKT
WA, Australia
Sep 2022
Pacific Crest Trail
North America
May 2022
Australian Alps Walking Track FKT
VIC/NSW/ACT, Australia
Jan 2022
Mt Magog, Talyuberlup Peak, Mt Toolbrunup
WA, Australia
Oct 2021
Stirling Range Ridge Walk
WA, Australia
Oct 2021
Bibbulmun Track
WA, Australia
Sep 2021
Cape to Cape Track
WA, Australia
Sep 2021
Huemul Circuit
Argentina
Feb 2020
Torres Del Paine Q Circuit
Chile
Jan 2020
Greater Patagonian Trail
Chile & Argentina
Dec 2019
Mt Chachani
Peru
Dec 2019
Colca Canyon Trek
Peru
Dec 2019
Ausangate Circuit
Peru
Dec 2019
Lares Trek
Peru
Dec 2019
Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu
Peru
Nov 2019
Mt Kosciuszko Bikepacking Loop
NSW, Australia
Sep 2019
Larapinta Trail
NT, Australia
Jun 2019
Budawangs Corang Arch and The Castle
NSW, Australia
Jun 2019
Great South West Walk
VIC, Australia
Feb 2019
Great Ocean Walk
VIC, Australia
Nov 2019
Wilsons Promontory Southern Circuit
VIC, Australia
Jan 2019
Walls of Jerusalem
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Overland Track
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Penguin Cradle Trail
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Frenchmans Cap
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Bay of Fires Walk
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Freycinet Loop
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
Three Pillars Track
TAS, Australia
Jan 2019
HUNT 1000
VIC/NSW/ACT, Australia
Dec 2018
Great South Coast Walk
NSW, Australia
Jun 2018
Te Araroa (South Island)
New Zealand
Dec 2017
Poon Hill Trek
Nepal
Nov 2017
Great North Walk
NSW, Australia
Jul 2017
Australian Alps Walking Track
VIC/NSW/ACT, Australia
Dec 2016
