Apex Adventures

Founded by Drew Sanders, a veteran mountaineer and guide, Apex Adventures was born from a desire to offer something more than the standard, impersonal package tour. After years of leading trips for larger, budget-focused companies, Drew saw a need for an outdoor adventure company that valued the quality of the experience as much as the destination itself. Shortly after, Apex Adventures was born, and Drew recruited a team of top-notch guides that help make every trip an unforgettable experience.

The design and strategy was a creative passion project intended to highlight just a few of the possibilities when we work together.

For over five years, Apex has been building a quiet reputation for excellence, relying on word-of-mouth and listings on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). While successful, this has prevented them from building their own distinct brand and capturing full-profit bookings. Now, Apex is ready to invest in a dedicated online presence that truly represents the quality and spirit of their adventures, with the goal of increasing direct bookings and building an engaged audience of passionate explorers.

To address these challenges, four primary objectives became the focus for the project.

• Increase Sales and Profitability: A new website will serve as a direct booking channel, allowing them to capture the full value of each tour and increase overall sales and profits.
• Establish a Premium Brand: The website will be an online presence they own, designed to reflect their values of quality, adventure, and exploration.
• Build a Direct Audience: A key objective for the site is to build an email list, giving Apex direct access to nurture leads and communicate with past and potential customers.
• Create Sustainable Growth: By reducing their reliance on third-party platforms, a successful website will provide a stable and reliable source of new business, allowing the founder to focus on what they do best: creating unforgettable travel experiences

The branding components were put together to reflect this Colorado adventure tour company. Vivid blues and crisp white tie the brand to the mountains, which became the logo for this company. A bold font was selected for the headers to further add to the adventurous vibe.

To kickoff the design process, user journeys were thoughtfully mapped out to cater to people looking for trips either by destination or by activity type. The website reflects this strategy by featuring these two items as dropdown menus, as well as adding them in as quick links on the home page.

The dropdown menus were carefully curated to provide sufficient information without overwhelming visitors with a barrage of trip options. The destination dropdown features an enticing lead magnet that helps Apex Adventures build their email list.

A trip details page was also designed with the same mindset of helping potential clients quickly find the information they need. The overview section presents the key details, while the rest of the page provides more detailed information, including plenty of images to help showcase the trip experience.

To increase user experience, the trip quick links (Overview, Itinerary, What’s Included, FAQs) were made into a navigation bar that remains visible as the user continues scrolling down the page.

The design and strategy were interweaved into one cohesive, high-impact website.

The homepage is clean and modern, letting visitors efficiently find the information they need.

Similarly, the trip page provides an upfront overview of the key details a potential client would be looking for. It then continues to provide in-depth information and a picturesque itinerary to captivate their imaginations and help them visualize themselves on the trip.