Wilderness is for everyone
Institute of Wander is a London-based travel company founded by a hiker and travel writer Marion Joepera.
We specialise in hiking trips to the planet's wildest corners, some of them far, some of them surprisingly close, helping you discover the wild close to your home.
Trips
The purpose of our trips is to experience the wild as directly as possible, to understand human and cultural connections to the landscape, and to learn new things about the world and our place in it. All Institute of Wander’s trips are designed with environmental well-being in mind. Wherever possible, we use public transport to get to our start and finish points, choose locally produced meals and use local expert advice. Most of all – we never rush and go out there to fully become part of the journey.
Where?
From the forests in Scandinavia and the highlands in Scotland to the deserts of Egypt and the wadis in Yemen, Institute of Wander’s trips have a strong focus on the local culture, storytelling and sleeping under the stars.
Can I make it?
You don’t have to be an endurance athlete to join. If you can hear your backpack whisper "It is time to go!", it is time to go.
Our Crew
Ali Said Alahmi
Ali Said Alahmi is one of Socotra’s most passionate guides. He has experience working with some of the most eager trekkers and knows how to point out rarities in nature that would otherwise go unnoticed. Ali believes that the beauty of Socotra cannot be found anywhere else and that the spectacular mountains and the stunning nature will make travellers deeply appreciate the island. He is a passionate storyteller and Institute of Wander’s local guide for the wild Socotra trek.
Marion Joepera
Marion started sleeping in the forest as a child and soon gathered a reputation for taking the neighbourhood’s children to the depths of her local forests and wetlands. Since then, not much has changed. Marion has studied psychology and how humans experience landscapes, has trained as a theatre dramaturg and used these skills for designing cross-terrain adventure experiences and environmental education games. She has guided and organised trips in the wilderness for over a decade, is a Mountain Leader Trainee and holds an outdoor first aid certificate.