North Carolina Ecovillage Tour
8 DAYS | Max group size: 16
Join us for an eight-day journey across North Carolina during the height of fall color, from the mountains of the Blue Ridge to the rolling landscapes of the Piedmont. Along the way, we will visit a network of established ecovillages and regenerative communities rooted in place, cooperation, and ecological design. All these communities are open to new members.
This year’s tour holds special meaning as Western North Carolina continues its recovery following Hurricane Helene. Traveling here is a gesture of solidarity and support, and an opportunity to witness the resilience and renewal shaping communities across the region.
After the storm, communities rise. Come see what is taking root.
North Carolina, USA
Ecovillage Tour
Next tour dates:
October 10-17, 2026
Early bird sale! Place your deposit now to save on your trip.
Tour Highlights
What you can expect to experience during your time in North Carolina.
Visit multiple established communities with opportunities to join
Meet residents, learn their models, and explore real pathways into community living across a diverse network of ecovillages and regenerative projects.
Travel from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Piedmont
Experience the cultural and ecological richness of North Carolina across landscapes, from mountain hollows to fertile Piedmont farms.
Witness resilience and renewal after Hurricane Helene
Your presence supports local recovery while offering a rare chance to see how communities rebuild, adapt, and move forward together.
Featured Communities
Explore the communities you’ll visit on the trip. Subject to change.
Earthaven Ecovillage
Location: Black Mountain, North Carolina
Land: 329 acres
Open to new members: Yes
Website: earthaven.org
Founded in 1994, Earthaven is located on 329 acres in culturally rich, biologically diverse western North Carolina, about 45 minutes southeast of Asheville. They are dedicated to caring for people and the Earth by learning and demonstrating a holistic, sustainable culture. In recent years, the community has consisted of about 75 adult residents and 25 children. They intend to become a village of at least 150 people on 56 homesites. They govern themselves with a consensus decision-making process and a Council and committee structure, with a Homeowners Association board. The HOA owns title to common land, which was financed with private loans from members. Most of the neighborhoods are incorporated as housing cooperatives.
Terra Futura
Location: West Asheville, North Carolina
Land: 3 acres
Open to new members: Yes
Website: terrafuturafarm.com
Terra Futura is a regenerative neighborhood in West Asheville cultivating an ecological, multi-generational village life—infused with the mystic energy of the Appalachian Mountains and the art-and-music spirit of our neighborhood. Clustered homes open into permaculture gardens, forest paths, a sauna & cold plunge deck, a starlit hot tub, and a barn-loft contemplative space for music, movement, and reflection. Designed to balance privacy with participation, Terra Futura is a place where belonging feels embodied, resilience is shared, and care for Land—and one another—is woven into everyday life.
Adawehi Wellness Village
Location: Columbus, North Carolina
Land: 125 acres
Website: adawehi.com
Open to new members: Yes
Founded by Jackie Woods, the Adawehi community has been together for over 25 years. They have found that living in community, surrounded by loving people, ensures ample opportunities to really get to know yourself and embrace the real in others. The community is a place for people to immerse themselves in an environment that encourages growth. From their organic grocery and greenhouses to their resale shops and labyrinth, they invite visitors to share their expressions and explore the undiscovered parts of themselves.
Living Well Ecovillage
Location: Franklinville, North Carolina
Land: 128 acres
Open to new members: Yes
Living Well Ecovillage is a neighborhood that values social, cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability. They commit to working together to create a community that restores harmony and minimizes harm through physical design and personal and community practices. The property spans 126 acres bordered by about a mile of frontage on the Deep River on one side and almost a mile of frontage on Sandy Creek on the other side. The community features a combination of private and shared spaces, a community garden, a Greenway/Railtrail along the Deep River, a neighborhood park, and 53 acres of natural area buffering the creek and river. The Living Well Earth Stewards, a separate nonprofit organization, offers a monthly Folk School. The property boasts mountain-like topography, the river, rock outcroppings, high areas, the creek, trails, beautiful woods, and abundant wild edible and medicinal plants.
Common Ground Community
Location: Mebane, North Carolin
Land: 112 acres
Website: CommonGround.eco
Open to new members: Yes
Common Ground Ecovillage is a growing intentional community with a deep commitment to both environmental and social justice. The community focuses on cooperative living and regenerative agriculture and forestry. Guided by the principles of sociocracy, and located on 100+ acres of meadow and woodland, the goal is to develop a space where residents can provide for themselves and their families while giving back to the land and the larger communities that sustain them. They are actively seeking new members. It will be a rural village; a close-knit community with space to roam for people of all ages and walks of life.
Trip Details
Explore detailed trip information to prepare for your adventure.
Included
All ground transportation from tour start and end point
All lodging in shared rooms (Private surcharge for single room upgrade)
All meals, except when you choose to eat separately or purchase extra drinks
All entrance and tour fees
Not Included
Transportation to/from country
Insurance of any kind
Alcoholic beverages (except during wine tours)
Optional gratuities to guides
Laundry fees and items of a personal nature
Pricing
Click “Book Now” to see current pricing and available discounts. Payment plans available. Pricing subject to change, but your rate is guaranteed with your deposit. All prices listed in USD.
$1,999 + $500 deposit Early bird through July 1, 2026 (save 10%)
$2,249 + $500 deposit Normal price
Travel Planning
We encourage you to book your flight as soon as possible, as the better deals are often found in advance. We recommend flying in and out of Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) located in Fletcher, North Carolina. Alternatively, you may find cheaper flights from the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) located in Greer, South Carolina, about an hour’s drive from the AVL Airport. You'll be responsible for your own transportation to the AVL Airport.
Our tour will begin at the AVL Airport. Participants are asked to plan their arrival at the airport to be before 1pm local time on the tour start date for pick up. Long-term parking ($12/day) is available at the airport for participants driving to Asheville.
Our tour will conclude back at the AVL Airport by 12pm noon on the last day of the tour. Lunch and lodging is not included on the last day of the tour. Kindly book your flights for that afternoon or stay on in Asheville if you choose. We can drop you off in the Asheville area.
Weather
The North Carolina Ecovillage Tour takes place in mid-October, one of the most beautiful and comfortable times of year to travel through the Blue Ridge Mountains and Piedmont region.
Expect crisp, pleasant autumn weather, with daytime temperatures typically ranging from 60°F to 70°F (15°C to 21°C). Sunny afternoons can feel warmer, especially in lower elevations, while mountain areas are often cooler and fresh. This is peak fall color season, with forests and hillsides alive in reds, golds, and oranges.
Evenings are cool and cozy, around 40°F to 50°F (5°C to 10°C), ideal for shared meals, fireside conversations, and quiet time under the stars. October brings clear light and comfortable days, offering perfect conditions to explore the landscapes and communities of the region.
Packing
A full packing list will be provided after booking the tour. Laundry service will be available at some of our locations. We ask that you only bring a day pack and one carry-on sized luggage due to limited space in our vehicle.
We recommend packing comfortable walking shoes and layers for the changeable autumn weather, including light long-sleeve shirts, a sweater or fleece, and a light jacket for cool mornings and evenings. Mid-October days are often sunny and pleasant, so a sun hat and sunscreen are still useful. You may also wish to bring a swimsuit if you’d enjoy hot tubs or swimming opportunities along the way.
Meet Your Guide
Embark on your journey with confidence – get to know your experienced guide.
Lucas Babinec
These days Lucas grows community in a diversity of ways out at Common Ground Ecovillage (Eno River watershed, North Carolina). He helps lead up the CSA business based on the land, Full Table CSA, feeding over 80 households each week, year round, with some of the best veggies around. He makes decisions within the community’s sociocratic governance structure, cooks farm to table meals for big groups, sorts the compost, sings to trees, organizes educational events via Many Turtles Learning Collective, and tends the fire at wheel of the year gatherings.
He apprenticed at Rancho Mastatal (Costa Rica) in 2022 for a year of experiential learning and immersion in permaculture, natural building, agroforestry, and intentional community living. The profound experience of personal vitality, healthy community, and connection to nature gave him a visceral memory seed that he carries forward into his participation with Common Ground Ecovillage and all other endeavors.
Lucas believes the current polycrisis is an initiation moment for humans as a species. Pathfinding regenerative futures is his ongoing life’s work. Some of his other current devotions include bringing back uplifting camaraderie for all on the sandlot ballfield with the Eno River Possums, supporting important weather ritual work at Stone Mountain in Georgia, and caring for a nourishing home space with his wife Kara.
Reviews
Read authentic reviews to make informed decisions about your journey.
One of the greatest experiences I have ever had. A completely unique journey to some wondrous ecovillage projects, full of inspirational humans. To share the tours with others with similar visions was enriching and a real privilige. I left feeling fulfilled and educated.
— Adam Bates
Best summer camp ever! A must see!! People, food and lodging were more than I could have hoped for in a travel experience like this!! Definitely will be back.
—Megan Zimmerman
It is an experience worth paying for. You get to know places and people who are on the real hands on effort for bringing change and make local ecosystems more resilient.
— Edward Bryce
Ecovillage Tours has put something really special together. The amount of research and care they have put into this trip is impressive in and of itself and have helped facilitate meaningful connections both within the tour group and with the communities hosting us. This eye opening experience has the potential to change your life by exploring more unique paradigms.
— Nathan Oxenfeld
Is this tour right for me?
On the fence? Discover if this tour is meant for you.
Choosing to embark on an ecovillage tour is an investment in your journey into intentional community living. Thanks to years of relationship building with community founders, we’re able to give you an experience that’s simply not available to the regular traveler.
Still unsure?
Explore if this tour is right for you…
This tour ideal for those who want to:
Join intentional communities: Engage directly in projects that focus on environmental and social regeneration, creating vibrant, sustainable spaces for communal living.
Explore sustainable living: Dive into the world of ecovillages as a lifestyle choice, integrating principles of ecological balance and community harmony into your daily life.
Network with regeneration leaders: Forge deep connections with key figures in the regenerative movement, gaining inspiration and momentum to advance your life's purpose.
Get a true eco-vacation: Embark on adventure travels that support ecovillages, choosing experiences that contribute positively to the planet and align with your values.
Learn from successful projects: Observe and study the approaches of others, applying their strategies and innovations to develop your own land or community initiative effectively.
Why choose this tour?
Knowledgeable guides: Led by experts in ecovillages and intentional communities.
Authentic experience: We partner with local communities for a genuine and unfiltered experience.
All-inclusive: From eco-friendly lodging to local cuisine, we've got you covered.
Small group size: We limit the number of participants to ensure a personalized and intimate experience.
Hassle free travel: We cover all the logistics, so you can get the most out of the experience.
What’s the alternative?
You could try visiting intentional communities on your own, except that…
Many communities are not open to the public and, if they are, the founders will not give you their undivided attention as a just normal passer-through.
Figuring out the logistics of getting yourself around the country is a headache and you’ll have no immediate support if something goes awry.
Traveling alone isn’t as nourishing or nearly as fun journeying with a small group in an intentionally held container for connection.
It’ll take years of relationship building and financial investment to even come close to the experience that Ecovillage Tours is able to offer… because we’ve done all that work for you already!
Still have questions?
We are happy to help!
Ready to go?
The communities are excited to welcome you. Let your adventure begin.