Our Beginnings
The year was 2003.
Gavin, Stride's founder, was excited about his upcoming trip to Machu Picchu, Peru. Not only was this going to be a great physical challenge, but being a a bit of a history nerd, Gavin was ecstatic over the chance to see the ruins of this ancient hidden city high in the Andes mountains.
So now it was time to find a tour.
Being a savvy traveler, Gavin knew that traveling with a local guide would offer the best chance to experience the Peruvian culture and its people. Besides, a guided group tour could be just as authentic as traveling independently - if he chose the right trip.
But that’s where Gavin hit a snag: he wasn’t sure how to choose the right tour from thousands of different tour companies.
Sure, he could spend hours trolling the website of each tour company, but how could he be sure to find the right itinerary at the right price, let alone a trip that fit his dates? This was a frustrating endeavor and he knew there had to be a better way to find his perfect trip.
You might be guessing what came next, but in fact, Stride wasn't founded until years later, after Gavin had worked for the leading online marketplace for day tours. When the company decided to continue focusing on day tours (and not multi-day), Gavin knew the time was right!
So he set off to build Stride and never looked back.
Today, Stride ultimately exists to help travelers explore more of the world around them.
Our goal is to eliminate the hassle and stress that often accompanies the planning of an international, multi-day vacation. We want travelers to feel confident that they found their perfect trip - whether it's trekking to Machu Picchu like Gavin, going on safari in Tanzania, or exploring the French countryside.
