World Challenge Adventures

Adventures

A week away in Europe, based in one area, with a trained Expedition Leader guiding the group throughout. Half the week is spent at a basecamp, the rest camping out on a trek or a canoe journey. Students try new things, work as a team and come home more confident.

What is a World Challenge Adventure?

A week of challenge and adventure, designed by World Challenge and guided throughout.

A World Challenge school Adventure is a week of real challenge in Europe, designed and led by us. Your school group works from a European basecamp, then heads out on a challenging journey like a trek or a canoe trip, camping out along the way. A trained World Challenge Expedition Leader guides them throughout.

Students take responsibility for themselves, their kit, their time and their part in the team. Challenges are set, but how the group gets through them is up to them. Some days they’ll step up and lead a part of it. Other days they’ll back someone else up. They come home more confident and better at working with others.

  • Six nights in Europe
  • A basecamp, plus nights camping out on a trek or canoe journey
  • Trained Expedition Leader guiding every school team
  • 24/7 Operations Centre and support team behind every group

You travel with them as a teacher, not a tour manager.

Students white-water rafting on the Tara River in Montenegro
Trekker looking out over a mountain lake in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

What do students do on a World Challenge Adventure?

The week is built around a basecamp, the group’s home base. It’s where they start, finish and keep coming back to, and depending on the destination it might be a campsite or a youth hostel. From there, groups head out on a journey, trekking or paddling, and camp out along the way before returning.

Before they go, students get short videos and a checklist to help them get ready, covering what to pack, any vaccinations or visas, and fitness. The group then meets for a build-up day before departure to do their final prep.

Students take responsibility for their own kit, manage their own time and take on challenges they haven’t tried before. Some days they’ll step up and lead a part of it. Other days they’ll back someone else up. A trained Expedition Leader is with them throughout, guiding the group, knowing when to step in and when to let them work something out for themselves.

Reflection is built into every World Challenge trip. Most days, the Expedition Leader runs short activities that get students thinking about the highs and lows, what they’re learning, who’s supporting them and what they bring to the team.

That’s what a week looks like for a student. If you want to know how an Adventure comes together from the school side, see how to plan your trip.

  • Develop confidence by trying new things and taking on challenges
  • Teamwork that’s real, not simulated
  • Students take real responsibility for their own kit and their part in the group
  • A week outdoors and away from screens
  • Guided throughout, so no group is left to work it out alone
0

years’ experience

0+

countries visited

0k+

school trips completed

0k+

student journeys

Who is a World Challenge Adventure for?

Adventures are designed for secondary school groups ready to take on a real challenge and have a European adventure in a format that fits a school week.

They suit schools trying something like this for the first time, students who do well with structure, and groups that can only go away for a week. They also work well as an annual school fixture, with a different destination each year.

Students who take on a World Challenge Adventure come home more confident, responsible and better at working together. They’re encouraged to step up and we support their whole school group, teachers included, every step of the way.

See how we keep every group safe and supported >

Student on a zip line through the forest in Norway

Where our Adventures go

What do students gain from a World Challenge Adventure?

Adventures build the confidence, teamwork and personal responsibility that sit at the heart of character education and the personal development priorities many schools are already working towards.

Students come back able to explain not just what they did, but what they learned about themselves. These are experiences young people can draw on in personal statements, interviews and applications further into their education and lives.

Your week at a glance

Basecamp

Half the week is spent at a basecamp, the group’s home base. Depending on the destination it might be a campsite or a youth hostel.

The journey

The rest of the week is spent trekking or paddling, camping out along the way before returning to basecamp.

Guided throughout

A trained Expedition Leader guides every school team, with our 24/7 Operations Centre and support team behind every group.

How to book an Adventure

Tell us about your secondary school group and what you’d like them to get out of the week, and we’ll talk through the destinations with you to find the one that suits your school.

We handle the planning, logistics and risk management. You’ll have one point of contact from the first conversation to the day the group gets home.

Students scrambling up a rocky slope under a rainbow in Norway

Our World Challenge expedition to Morocco was genuinely one of the most rewarding school trips I’ve been part of. Seeing our students grow in confidence, independence and resilience as the expedition unfolded was incredibly special. From finding our way through Marrakech and working alongside a local community, to challenging ourselves in the Atlas Mountains, we shared experiences and created memories that I know will stay with us for years. World Challenge gave our students the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of. A huge thank you to everyone at World Challenge and in particular Jess, our Expedition Leader!

Teacher, Saint Felix School, Morocco school expedition

The World Challenge model offered our pupils an exceptional experience. The planning of the trip is handled by experts, the communication with our parents has been regular and informative, and the organisation has been seamless. Our pupils have been suitably challenged in unique and inspiring locations, and unlike other school trips, the pupils are all expected to take on leadership roles throughout the trip. Would highly recommend.

Teacher, Shiplake College, Borneo school expedition

World Challenge is an outstanding provider of challenging and exciting experiences for young people. The expeditions are well organised and offer a variety of experiences from challenging treks to valuable and worthwhile initiatives. Be prepared for an immersive and eye opening journey outside of your comfort zone.

Teacher, Vandyke Upper School, Vietnam school expedition

World Challenge trips inspire personal growth by giving students meaningful opportunities to explore the world, broaden their perspectives, and better understand their place within a global community.

Teacher, Woodward Academy, Eswatini school expedition

Having the opportunity to support students on the World Challenge expedition to Norway was an incredibly rewarding experience. Throughout the expedition, I watched the group grow in confidence, resilience, and independence as they embraced every challenge with enthusiasm and determination.

Teacher, Emmanuel College, Norway expedition

Frequently asked questions

Campfire at dusk on a World Challenge Adventure in Norway

Latest news and insights