People flock to join female-led tour group founded in the bush

Founded by a crew of country women, Pink Pelican Tours is a boutique international tour company that specialises in unique and authentic experiences for small groups.

From food to interior design and shopping, each overseas trip is carefully curated to offer travellers an unforgettable adventure.

Directed by 9Now Getaway's senior researcher and associate producer Felicity Armstrong, the tailor-made brand launched in January and has just opened its books.

Gone are the days of feeling slightly envious of Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree as she explores the world.

With Pink Pelican Tours you can swap the couch for the coastline of Cinque Terre, Italy, or Central Mexico and write your own episode.

"I've clocked up 20 years at Getaway and I absolutely love what I do there, but I was ready to branch out and use my skills to create something fabulous," Mrs Armstrong said.

"I organise international itineraries for the crew at Getaway. I send them off every couple of weeks with a new itinerary to explore, but I wanted to do this for the rest of the world, not just the Getaway crew.

"I got chatting to Sophie Hanson at the Cootamundra Picnic Races and that's where the idea of specialised tours that focus on something like food or shopping came to be.

"I loved the idea of offering unique adventures that includes the sights and delights of major tourist attractions but also uncovers local areas and hidden gems of culture and history."

Food writer and cookbook author Sophie Hansen, interior designer and stylist Addy Nuthall and professional travel consultant Melissa Bowman join Mrs Armstrong as Pink Pelican's tour guides and coordinators.

Offered during autumn and spring each year, tours are capped at 14 individuals to create an intimate and personable feeling.

The all-inclusive packages cover everything, where guests stay, eat, travel, and of course the fun activities.

Pink Pelican's tour guides and coordinators also take care of the bookings so travellers don't have to worry about a thing.

Currently, there are two tour types available, Sophie's Italian Food Tour in October and Addy's Mexican Shopping Tour in November.

When it comes to selecting the tour locations Mrs Armstrong said the guides decide based on where they think they can share their knowledge the best.

"Sophie told me she wanted to go to Italy because she lived there for three years and knows it like the back of her hands," Mrs Armstrong said.

"She especially knows of the fabulous little foodie spots and hidden gems.

"So we sat down together and Sophie mapped out where she thought we should go and I created an itinerary with all of the finer details.

"By offering the tours in autumn and spring, we can maximise the travel experience in the shoulder season when there are less crowds and the weather is still lovely."

Pink Pelican Tours opened its bookings on February 18 and has received an overwhelming response thus far.

"One of our tours is almost booked out and the others are filling up quickly," Mrs Armstrong said.

"Our motto is to have fun and our tours are all about exploring new places, meeting new people and squeezing every drop out of life.

"It's about more than just exploring together; it's sharing laughter, stories, and creating lasting bonds.

"Our demographic is broad but guests who have booked so far are predominantly aged in their mid 40's to mid 50's, but we are open to all travellers from 20's up to retirement age.

"Our active tours aren't just for women, we've had some couples book, men are absolutely invited too."

Looking towards the future, Mrs Armstrong said she's really excited as the team aims to keep growing and evolving .

"Together we have decades of experience in doing this and hopefully people will feel like they're in good hands and can trust us," she said.

"We'll do the work and all people have to do is turn up and enjoy the journey.

"The main focus for our guests is to have fun and enjoy themselves while our tour guides lead the way."

For more information about upcoming Pink Pelican Tours jump online and visit the website.