How I got hooked on mountains

The story of ExtremeGuide began back when I was still in elementary school. After watching the TV show Travelers’ Club, I dreamed of hacking my way through jungles with a machete and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Then came a children’s camp in the mountains of Crimea.

In 2002, I found myself in what I jokingly call a “cult” — the sports and adventure tourism club “Odessa.” That’s where I met Valeriy Yudin, the club’s president, who once told me: “Parties and discos at your age are something you want right now, but mountains are something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” I truly understood the meaning of those words two years later, during my first trekking expedition in the Caucasus in 2004. The first mountain pass we crossed stood at 3,850 meters. From there, the entire Greater Caucasus Range opened before me, and in that moment I realized: mountains were my calling. It felt as if they were a part of me. From then on, mountains and adventure travel took over 90% of my life.

While still in my fourth year at university, I earned my tourism instructor certification and organized a large outdoor gathering for 200 participants.

In 2005, I became the head of the “Odessa” club. Altogether, I spent up to six months a year on expeditions and weekend outdoor trips. I graduated from university in 2007, but already during my fifth year I realized that office work — and the profession I had spent eight years pursuing as an “industrial automation systems design engineer” — was not what I wanted to dedicate my life to. My mentor and friend, V.Y. Yudin, insisted that I should work in tourism and with people. Thanks to him, I understood that a hobby can become a true calling and mission.

I realized that guiding people in the mountains, opening a new world to them, and making them happy was what truly mattered to me. After all, happiness is the ultimate goal and aspiration of human life.

The year 2008 became the official beginning of ExtremeGuide and my transition into professional guiding. The first version of our website was launched. At that time, ExtremeGuide consisted of just one person: guide, manager, coordinator, and director — all in one. I left my career in industrial automation engineering behind for good.

My mother worried a lot — like many people from the older generation — that I didn’t take a “stable factory job as an electrician” after spending eight years studying and graduating from two universities with honors. Meanwhile, I stubbornly sat at my computer building the website and leading hiking groups. To this day, I still sometimes wonder why I studied at university for so long, although as a student I always had time — just not always the opportunity — to travel.

In 2010, new team members joined us, the number of expeditions grew, and we began setting ambitious goals for the future. That was when we consciously chose the path of growth and expansion.

At first, our tours focused on Crimea and the Carpathians during the summer season. Then, in 2010, we expanded to the Caucasus and Altai, organizing ascents of Mount Elbrus and Belukha. In 2015, we opened a representative office in Saint Petersburg, and the company’s core structure fully took shape.

Between 2015 and 2020, we experienced rapid growth, expanding both our guiding team and back-office operations. Our travel geography grew to 44 countries, more than 200 unique tours, 30 guides, and over 100 groups per season. Our expeditions ranged from the Carpathians to Nepal and South America.

In 2020–2021, we went through a difficult period due to COVID restrictions, and on February 24, 2022, the war in Ukraine began. We closed our office in Russia and discontinued all destinations connected to it.

In 2022, we essentially had to rebuild the business from scratch. Both the war and the pandemic forced us to rethink our entire approach. Some of our guides joined the military, while others had to change professions entirely. Still, a lot has happened since then: as a guide, I successfully summited Everest twice, as well as Lhotse and Manaslu, attempted Annapurna, climbed Denali (McKinley), and much more. ExtremeGuide returned to stable operations in Ukraine and continues to grow. We keep developing new routes, and our core guiding team has remained unchanged — something that speaks volumes about our stability, experience, and reliability.

2026 marks another important milestone for us — the opening of our European Union office in Estonia.

As the founder of ExtremeGuide, I personally take responsibility for the quality of every route, every guide, and every decision we make. We continue to grow and evolve, and like any living team, we can make mistakes. But one thing I know with absolute certainty: ExtremeGuide is not a faceless service — it’s a team of people who truly live for the mountains. And if you ever have questions, suggestions, or concerns, you can always reach out to me directly — I am always open to dialogue.

See you on the trail. May you always find time for adventure, and may your opportunities always match your dreams.

Why ExtremeGuide?

adventures

countries and continents

expert level guides

years as a tour operator

Why should you choose Extreme Guide when planning a trip to the mountains?

Work experience since 2008

We’ve been leading people into the mountains for over 17 years. That’s over 1,000 organized trips in 40 countries across 5 continents

More than 20 experienced guides

The best and most experienced team of guides in Ukraine. We work with over 20 guides across various destinations. Our team includes guides with experience in oxygen-free and oxygen-assisted ascents to 8,000 meters.

Guides with many years of experience

The average experience of guides in a team is 10 years or more (experience in commercial programs)

Regular expeditions to 7,000-8,000-meter peaks

We are one of the few companies in Ukraine that organize regular expeditions to 7000 and 8000 in Nepal

IFMGA Certified Guides

We are the only ones who have IFMGA certified guides on our team, and several guides are in the process of obtaining this certification

Control of standards

Strict control of standards, including recommendations from local guides

Continuous team training

All guides have completed first aid training, and some are professional rescuers

Competent management consultants

Our consultant managers are experienced guides who have spent a lot of time in the mountains and understand your needs and what to pay attention to when planning your next mountain trip

24/7 support

24/7 support for all questions at all stages of the trip, from booking to purchasing tickets once you’re on the route

The best service and fair price

We offer the best service on our trips, and our pricing is as transparent as possible. We’ve ensured that essential expenses are already included in the trip price

Unique travel experiences tailored to your needs

We are quite flexible and do not work for the flow; most of our trips are unique, adapted to your wishes, capabilities and goals, and even the route may differ from that stated on the website

Corporate and individual programs

We are open to organizing customized trips based on your needs. Therefore, our list includes many corporate trips for large international companies and local Ukrainian companies

Small groups on tour

We focus on small groups: 4-6 people plus guides for climbing, and a maximum of 12 for trekking and easy climbs. This helps create a magical, friendly atmosphere on the trip and reduces the likelihood of conflict

How I got hooked on mountains

Why ExtremeGuide?

Why should you choose Extreme Guide when planning a trip to the mountains?

Tours with Oleg Ivanchenko