About the Service
Does it cost more to use a travel advisor?
In most cases, no. For hotel bookings at Fora’s preferred partner properties, there is no planning fee. You pay the same rate as booking direct and potentially receive perks like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, resort credits, early or late check-out, etc. that aren’t available when you book on your own or through a standard platform.
For full itinerary planning where I’m building the trip from the ground up, researching properties, mapping trail access, coordinating logistics, and managing all bookings a planning fee applies. The fee reflects the work that happens before any commission is earned. Details are on the Services Page.
What does “Fora-affiliated” actually mean for my trip?
Fora is one of the country’s leading host travel agencies, with preferred partner relationships across more than 7,000 hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, and experience providers worldwide. As a Fora-affiliated advisor, I’m part of every preferred partner hotel program, which means your booking comes with perks that aren’t available through consumer booking sites or direct booking.
What that typically looks like in practice: complimentary breakfast for two each morning, a hotel or resort credit, priority for room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out when available, and a welcome amenity from the property.
Do you only plan trips to Norway, New Zealand, and Hawaii?
Those are the destinations that most align with the kind of travel Hike & Hue Travel specializes in: serious hiking terrain, exceptional boutique lodging, and landscapes worth painting.
That said, Fora’s partner network spans more than 180 countries. If you have a destination in mind that isn’t on the featured list, fill out the intake form and tell me about it. If it’s the right fit for what you’re looking for, I’ll plan it. If it isn’t, I’ll tell you that on the call.
What kinds of trips do you plan?
Multi-day hiking itineraries. Plein air and creative travel. Boutique lodge experiences. Nature retreat escapes. Solo travel. Small-group cultural trips. Expedition sailing to places like the Antarctic Peninsula, the Galapagos, or the Chobe River in Botswana. The full breakdown is on the main page.
What connects all of these is the approach: I start with what you’re actually looking for, not what happens to be available.
The Process
What happens after I fill out the intake form?
Within 48 to 72 hours, you’ll hear from me to schedule a brief intake call. The call typically runs 20 to 30 minutes. It’s a conversation, not a questionnaire: I want to understand what’s inspiring the trip, what you’re hoping to feel when you get there, what you’ve tried before and what worked or didn’t, and what your budget looks like. From there, I’ll give you a sense of what the itinerary might look like and what tier makes the most sense for your trip. If we’re both aligned, I’ll send a planning agreement and we’ll get started.
Do I need to have a destination in mind before reaching out?
No. A destination you keep thinking about is enough. So is a vague sense that you want to go somewhere wilder or more intentional than where you’ve been. The intake call is where we figure out what the trip actually is. Come with a feeling, a question, or a half-formed idea. That’s a fine place to start.
How far in advance should I book?
For most international trips, four to six months gives us the right amount of runway to secure the properties you actually want, especially boutique lodges with limited room counts. Popular destinations during peak season can require eight to twelve months for the best availability.
For expedition sailing (Antarctica, Galapagos, Botswana), lead times are longer. Popular departure dates fill twelve to eighteen months out. If expedition sailing is on your list, sooner is always better.
For domestic trips in the Southern Appalachians or Hawaii, three to four months is generally workable, though last-minute bookings at boutique properties are harder to guarantee. A $100 rush fee applies to any trip planning request within 30 days of departure.
Fees and Payments
Are planning fees refundable?
Planning fees are non-refundable once paid. The fee covers the research, itinerary design, and planning work that happens before any booking is made. That work is complete regardless of whether the trip goes forward. If a trip is cancelled after bookings are made, cancellation policies are set by the individual suppliers and vary by property and booking type.
What if I need to cancel the trip itself?
Cancellation policies are determined by the individual hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators, not by Hike & Hue Travel. I’ll communicate all cancellation deadlines clearly before any booking is confirmed and send reminders as those dates approach. I strongly recommend travel insurance for any international trip, and I can help identify appropriate coverage options during the planning process.
If something goes wrong during the trip, I’m reachable. I monitor flights, stay in contact with the key partners for your itinerary, and have backup plans ready for common disruptions.
Do you book flights?
Domestic flights and straightforward connections are bookable through Fora’s platform. For international flights, premium economy, business class, and first class bookings are available. A $50 per person fee applies for flight booking. I do not book basic economy international tickets.
For expedition sailing, flights to embarkation ports are often part of the planning process and I may handle those as part of the itinerary.
What if my budget doesn’t reach $500 per night?
The $500 minimum nightly rate reflects the caliber of boutique lodges and properties where Fora’s preferred partner perks generate real value and where the experience aligns with what Hike & Hue Travel plans. Properties below that rate are often outside the Fora preferred partner network, which means the perks don’t apply and the planning experience is different.
If you’re not sure where your trip falls, fill out the intake form anyway. We’ll figure it out on the call.
A Few Other Questions
What if I’m not a hiker or an artist?
You don’t have to be either. The hiking and plein air focus describes the kind of landscape and pace I plan around not a prerequisite for the client. If you want to spend a week in a boutique lodge in Norway’s fjord country reading books and eating well, that’s a trip worth planning. If you want to sketch one afternoon and hike another, that works too. The brand voice comes from a specific belief about what good travel looks like, not a requirement that you do any particular thing while you’re there.
Do you work with groups?
Yes, under the Expedition tier. Group travel (four or more people) involves additional coordination and custom pricing. The intake form has a field for travel party size, include that information and I’ll address it on the call.