Guidance of the highest order
PERSONAL
GUIDANCE
“We train in extreme conditions, because that is where you find out what works and what does not. That craft is what you take with you into the wild.”
Our expedition guidance is fundamentally different: not touristy or recreational, but professional and personal, built on years of experience in extreme conditions.
At the helm is Koen De Leeuw, founder of Element X, former Para Commando and expedition leader of The Expedition Patagonia and Namibia. He is the benchmark for our guidance.
During the preparation process, you will get to know Koen personally, supported by a strong team of X-Guides. Depending on the expedition, the best possible guide will accompany your journey, perfectly matched with the terrain, conditions, and group.
X-Guides
“We train in extreme conditions, because that is where you find out what works and what does not. That craft is what you take with you into the wild.”
Our expedition guidance is fundamentally different: not touristy or recreational, but professional and personal, built on years of experience in extreme conditions.
At the helm is Koen De Leeuw, founder of Element X, former Para Commando and expedition leader of The Expedition Patagonia and Namibia. He is the benchmark for our guidance.
During the preparation process, you will get to know Koen personally, supported by a strong team of X-Guides. Depending on the expedition, the best possible guide will accompany your journey, perfectly matched with the terrain, circumstances, and group.
X-Guides
A network
of top guides
Element X has grown rapidly in recent years, but one thing remains unchanged: the bar for our guides is set higher than anywhere else in the sector. Our X-Guides are not ordinary guides; they are specialists in wilderness, safety, leadership, and human dynamics.
Each guide holds a Wilderness First Responder certificate plus additional training, experience in extreme cold, heat, altitude, and complete isolation, years of field experience in rugged and remote areas, and an exceptional combination of technical and human skills. They will safely navigate you through conditions where margins for error are small and have a perfect sense of how you are really doing.
A network
of top guides
Element X has grown rapidly in recent years, but one thing remains unchanged: the bar for our guides is set higher than anywhere else in the sector. Our X-Guides are not ordinary guides; they are specialists in wilderness, safety, leadership, and human dynamics.
Every guide holds a Wilderness First Responder certificate along with additional training, experience in extreme cold, heat, altitude, and complete isolation, years of field experience in rugged and remote areas, and an exceptional combination of technical and interpersonal skills. They safely navigate you through situations where margins for error are small and have a perfect sense of how you are really doing.
Who guides you
Meet the X Guides
Not names on a list, but the people walking beside you. Each with their own speciality, matched to the terrain, the conditions and the group.
Simon
X Guide
Professional paramedic with the fire service and a former Para Commando. The coolest head on the team when things get tense.
Marie-Louise T.H.
X Guide
Elite adventure racer. Operates autonomously for days in extreme conditions and leads from a place of calm.
Erik E.
X Guide
Fifteen years as an army physiotherapist, at home and on operations. Builds a solid physical base.
Fred V.D.W.
X Guide
A seasoned expedition leader with experience in the most remote corners of the world.
Landry A.
X Guide
A background as an underwater welder. Combines top technical skills with tireless drive.
Wouter P.
X Guide
Natural leadership. Moves a group effortlessly towards one shared goal.
Renske V.
X Guide
A powerful outdoor professional with an unmistakable passion for nature, on rock, water and snow.
Finn T.
X Guide
A dedicated survival expert with deep knowledge of plants and animals. Calm and patient in how he guides.
Which guide leads your expedition depends on terrain, conditions and group. Read more about the full team on the Element X page.
TOP-LEVEL SELECTION
Becoming an X-Guide is not something that just happens. Those who apply go through one of the strictest selections in Europe. This selection consists of four components.
SELECTION ON
TOP LEVEL
Becoming an X-Guide is not something
that just happens. Those who apply go through one of the strictest selections
in Europe. This selection consists of
four components.
Foreign
test expedition
In cold, heat, or altitude - always under conditions where everything truly matters.
Stress and
behaviour analysis
How does someone react to sleep deprivation, hunger, physical exhaustion, social pressure, setbacks, and unpredictability?
Technical
evaluation
Navigation, rope skills, camp management, survival basics, safety, and emergency scenarios.
Human
assessment
Can this person be your safe anchor while also genuinely connecting and sensing what you need?
Foreign
test expedition
In cold, heat, or altitude - always under conditions where everything truly matters.
Stress and
behaviour analysis
How does someone react to sleep deprivation, hunger, physical exhaustion, social pressure, setbacks and unpredictability.
Technical
evaluation
Navigation, rope skills, camp management, survival basics, safety and emergency scenarios.
Human touch
Can this person be your safe anchor and at the same time genuinely connect and sense what you need?
1. Adventurous rock
Someone you trust when things get tough, chaos arises or safety is at stake.
Our guidance is always based on two important pillars: the adventurous rock and the warm person. Only those who possess both qualities become anX-guide.
2. Warm person
Someone who senses how you are doing, even before you realise it yourself. Who listens, guides, motivates and respects your boundaries.
Adventurous rock
Someone you trust when things get tough, chaos arises or safety is at stake.
TWO PILLARS
Our guidance is always based on two important pillars: the adventurous rock and the warm person. Only those who possess both qualities become an X-guide.
Warm person
Someone who senses how you are doing, even before you realise it yourself. Who listens, guides, motivates and respects your boundaries.
Trust borne by experience
Our personal guidance is essential because we operate in completely off-grid conditions, where trust, experience, and safety are crucial. That is why we consciously invest in proximity before, during, and after the expedition.
That is why we ensure that:
you get to know your expedition leader in advance
the guidance feels personal and professional
every expedition runs safely
you are never on your own
This approach guarantees calm, clarity and trust - even when circumstances become intense or unpredictable.
Trust, supported by experience
Our personal guidance is essential because we operate in completely off-grid conditions, where trust, experience, and safety are crucial. That is why we consciously invest in proximity before, during, and after the expedition.
That is why we ensure that:
you get to know your expedition leader in advance
the guidance feels personal and professional
every expedition runs safely
you are never on your own
This approach guarantees calm, clarity, and trust - even when circumstances become intense or unpredictable.
Find the expedition that fits you
Check if you qualify.
Expedition Xtreme Patagonia
Expedition Patagonia
Expedition Escape The Arctic
Expedition Carpathians
Untamed Adventure Weekend
Expedition Highlands
Ready for the adventure of your life?
Together we take the time to
listen, think along
and guide you to a
expedition that truly suits you.
