A conversation with outdoor enthusiast and AdventurUs traveler Penny Bordokas on the joy of traveling with strangers, finding balance between career and the outdoors, and how remote places change you.

An image of Penny Bordokas during a hike.

Through our "Women Adventurers Who Inspire Us" series, we highlight the voices of women who are expanding that definition.

One of those voices is Penny Bordokas, a full-time professional and lifelong outdoor lover who has learned to build adventure into every stage of her career and life. From watching the Iditarod in Alaska to rafting the Grand Canyon to hiking daily after work, Penny has always made the outdoors a priority, not just a weekend hobby. Through AdventurUs trips, she's discovered the power of traveling with women she's never met, and how those connections go deeper than she ever expected.

In this conversation with AdventurUs intern Caren Ensing, Penny shares how a sixth-grade teacher changed her life, why she now loves traveling with strangers, and how the outdoors became her way of honoring the person who inspired her most.

Q. Why do you think women's adventure travel is important?

Ans: I like women's adventure travel because it is a great place to meet women, and it's not as competitive. Women tend to be more compassionate, and so when you are hiking with them, versus mixed company, you get to know people on another level. You get a sense of people's challenges and what they are going through in life. Getting to know everyone on this deeper level is something that I enjoy.

Q. What is one thing that has surprised you most about traveling with women-only groups like AdventurUs?

Ans: As I said before, I think it is getting to know somebody at a different level. It doesn't feel superficial; it's not about your kids or your job, you get to really understand and know people.

There's also joy in the random group on AdventurUs trips, too. The last two I've done, I haven't known anybody, and it's my new preferred way of traveling. It meant I could engage with people if I wanted to, but also easily pull away and have that quiet afternoon. There's a joy to the random group. Two or three years ago, I might have gotten nervous that I wouldn't click with anyone, but now I want to open my mind to different types of people. In some ways, it adds to the authenticity of the remote place. That you're going with people you don't necessarily interact with day-to-day adds a newness. It's a combination of experiencing a place and strangers whose reactions to that place you don't yet know.

Q. How has the outdoors personally made a difference or had a positive effect on your life?

Ans: My whole life, the outdoors has kind of been my escape from my job. I've always had a connection to the outdoors, whether that was in my former home in Mammoth or hiking. It's been a big part of my life from the beginning, even though I've always had a full-time job. Now, it's become a bigger priority, so it's a daily activity instead of a weekend activity.

Q. Who introduced you to the outdoors?

Ans: It was my sixth-grade teacher. My family itself was not outdoorsy, so when we were going through a tough time, he took my twin sister and me under his wing and brought us camping. Everything changed there; suddenly, there were no troubles outside. It was a peaceful place to be.

Q. How do you balance your work and your passion for the outdoors?

Ans: I have a very lenient job nowadays, which helps a lot, but I also make it a priority. I don't watch TV, so I can go on a hike at five o'clock at night. I also start work at five in the morning, and the market closes by one, so I have all afternoon. It's a nice balance.

I always tell my kids that you put so much time into your job, you gotta love what you do. I mean, your twenties are difficult; you work your ass off in your twenties. But by the mid-thirties, you have to be enjoying what you're doing, because you still have a lot of years ahead of you. In my twenties, I dove into work with long hours. The trade-off was that by my mid-thirties, I was able to have kids and be home. The balance looks different during different periods of your life.

Q. What is your most memorable experience outdoors?

Ans: One of the best trips I've ever done was watching the Iditarod up in Alaska. It gave me the flavor of Alaska, and the whole size of the state blew my mind. Other remote spots like that, too, were big when I was in my twenties, like rafting the Grand Canyon for fourteen days.

The things that are most formative are those that are challenges. The more remote a place is, the more I enjoy it. For example, we ended up in Nome, Alaska. I would have never normally gone to Nome, but it ended up being incredible. Remote places do something to my body. I'm pretty high-strung, but when I get there, I can chill out and be by myself. Learning to be by yourself is a skill. I had an identical twin sister, and for most of my life, I would talk to her all day long. After she passed, not having that was a huge change for me. I used to keep my calendar super full, but now I keep days where I don't talk to anybody.

Q. Who's another woman who inspires you in the outdoors?

Ans: My twin sister inspired me more than anybody. She was a huge lover of the outdoors, so especially upon her passing, I've dove in even deeper to live on her legacy. I know a lot of my growth is because of her. It's a way to honor her, too, to dive into the things she loved most. It only takes one person to introduce or inspire you.

Q. What does the outdoors mean to you in one word?

Ans: Beauty.

Q. If you were stuck on Groundhog Day, and you'd wake up in one outdoor spot every day, where would it be?

Ans: Right now, it's the river outside my house. I keep pinching myself, going 'I can't believe this is my view'.

Q. What does supporting women mean to you?

Ans: Compassion.

An image of Penny Bordokas during a hike holding the AdventurUs flag with another travel partner.

At AdventurUs, we celebrate the women who push boundaries, challenge industries, and inspire others to step outside with confidence. Their stories remind us that the outdoors becomes stronger, richer, and more welcoming when more voices are included.