Experience & Expertise

Meet Jen, our founder.

50-year-old mom of four professional big wave surfers. Adventure guide. Community builder. Still asking the same big questions you are.

Jen on the Manaslu Circuit, Nepal Jen Gauvin Smith in the shallows with her longboard
Why women come

"You'll come back a better you."

Ten women. One hard, beautiful thing done together. Jen is on the mountain with you, not waiting at the bottom.

Adventure Experience

Jen has trekked to Everest Base Camp and hiked both Manaslu and the Annapurna circuit. She's summited multiple volcanoes around Indonesia. She knows exactly what it takes to guide women through hard moments and help them come out stronger. She understands the physical and mental demands of real adventure, and she knows how to support women through every step.

Deep Local Knowledge

Seven years exploring Indonesia. Winters in Portugal. Decades of travel that taught her how to find the real places, not the tourist version. She builds authentic experiences through trusted guides and real relationships in the places we go — our global team of porters, guides, and local partners who share her vision.

Community Builder

Decades of organizing everything from intimate gatherings to large-scale events taught Jen how to handle complex logistics without losing the magic of the thing itself. She's built community everywhere she's landed — from homeschooling four kids while traveling the world to creating experiences that bring women together in ways that matter. Today, that community spans the globe.

Personal Journey

Jen is asking the same big questions you are. Navigating the same midlife transitions. Feeling that same hunger to feel fully alive. She's not just guiding these adventures — she's right there with you. This is personal for her too.

From adventure seeker to adventure guide

Jen's Journey

Six chapters from “You Can't Make This Shit Up” — my memoir, published one chapter at a time.

Read all 23 chapters on Substack →

The common thread

Bringing women together, opening space for real adventure.

Witnessing what happens when you push past what you thought was possible.

That's what Jen does. That's what Women of the Wild is about. And that's why we're inviting you to join us.

Explore Adventures →
Ready when you are

Come with us.

Jen knows what it feels like to wake up one day and realize you're ready for something more. That's why WOW exists.

If any of this sounds like where you are right now, let's talk about which adventure fits.

Join the Adventure →