West Friends - Guided Hiking Tours -

Shelby Trenkelbach

You haven’t seen Malibu until you’ve seen Malibu with West Friends.

This hike came highly recommended by a friend who’d gone on one last fall, and I’m truly glad that I took her advice. The views are literally stunning, and I thoroughly enjoyed the hike itself. Best of all, I walked away feeling really connected to Malibu—to its natural landscape, to its beauty and cultural history, and to the plants and animals who make their home here—all thanks to Andrew’s vast knowledge about the area and his excellent guiding skills. Tip: if he gives you the choice to stay where you are or to hike a little bit farther, choose the latter, because something beautiful is right around the corner. 🙂

This ecocultural adventure is a wonderful way to get to know the land you’re standing on, AND it becomes a great memory to take with you afterwards. Highly recommend!

Lauren Rossi

Myself, husband and our 8 year old were staying in the area and wanted to plan some outdoor activities. We usually like to do our own thing while visiting somewhere, but I came across Andy's tour and it just seemed perfect for us and what we came to the area for. After talking to Andy on the phone, he got us super excited and we booked the 4 hour tour. Andy took us for a hike in the Point Dume area. We learned about the native (and non-native plants), as well as the animals and the lesser known facts about the area and it's original inhabitants. We saw things and went to areas that I'm positive we would have never found ourselves. We walked away with such an appreciation of the area and a much deeper connection overall with nature. We have Andy and his passion to thank for it. We went to another location that was just as spectacular-- again, I don't think we could have found it ourselves. Andy made us feel included and welcome in his journey and we are walking away from the experience better humans for it. Don't hesitate to book a hike with West Friends, even if you live in the area. What they offer is what we need more of, now more than ever to protect and appreciate our natural world. We certainly hope to do another when we are back in town. In the meantime, we will take with us a new friendship and a sense of responsibility to care for our fragile Earth. Thanks again, Andy!

Amy Johns

These guys are truly amazing. Their knowledge of the native plants, how the non native plants arrived, and history of CA made the hike a very special experience. We were lucky enough to see several birds on the hike and they were equipped with binoculars so we could get a closer look at plants and the birds. We brought all 3 of our kids and who loved the hike and still talking about it! Their ability to keep a 4, 6 and 12 year old excited for 4 hours was a real treat for us. We can't wait to book another hike with Andy and Kyle.

D Massey

We booked a hike with our tour guide, Andy. We have a 2 and a 4 year old and explained our situation. He was informative about our options and was very prompt with his responses. We chose the Tuna Canyon hike. Andy was super kind, had a great attitude, had a lot of very good history and information to share, which obviously make the hike 10x more fun than it would have been without him being there. The kids loved absolutely loved the hike, and the parents did too. I've lived in LA my whole life and have never heard of Tuna Canyon, and I've been on quite a few hikes in the area. There were many trails to explore, and it was just great having such a knowledgeable guide share the history and stories of the land. Definitely an A+ and we'll for sure be coming back with West Friends. Completely worth it and more! Thank you!

Brooke Oliver

Thank you for opening my eyes to the expansiveness of the Santa Monica mountains! I grew up in LA and never knew there was so much to explore. Andy and the West Friends team helped me completely customize my experience for me and my friends. We asked for a hike with ocean views and wild life and he took us on a glorious 4 hour excursion where we saw a red tailed hawk, 100+ year old oak trees and million years old fossils!
I was blown away by Andy’s knowledge of the habitat and his devotion to preserving the indigenous species. Can’t wait to book another hike once the wild flowers bloom and join them on one of their community beach clean ups!
Thank you thank you thank you!

Zack Boger

We are so glad we hiked with Andrew at West Friends! Our friend highly recommended him, and when we reached out to him, he worked with my wife and I to find some not-too-difficult dog-friendly trails in Malibu.

Both were hidden gems. Gorgeous, panoramic views of Malibu and the Channel Islands, and we were practically the only people on the trails! Andrew is so knowledgeable about the history of the region and native plants, but doesn't lecture: he's more like your super smart friend who will meet you wherever your interests lie. He is so passionate about what he does and that enthusiasm is infectious.

We had a great time exploring and learning all afternoon, and ended up with a much greater appreciation for the wildlife that keeps these mountains so beautiful! Whether you're an LA native and think you know everything, or just visiting and want to learn more about the area, I can't recommend Andrew enough! We hope to hike with him again soon!

Max

Andy is treasure trove of botany, anthropology, and all things local. He selected a spectacular location as the backdrop for our educational hike. What a delightful escape from Los Angeles. He also recommended a terrific restaurant called Sunset. Perfect hike followed by perfect meal with a view…thank you

Julia R.

I had an amazing time on this tour! Everything was perfect (communication, choice of locations, organization of transport). Andrew is the best tour guide you could wish for. He really knows his stuff and you could tell how passionate he is about what he does. I highly recommend going on a tour with Andrew 🙂 I can't wait to come back and go on more hikes!