We're here for students who want to travel as a group, but don't want to be tourists.

The characteristics of our trips reflect a balance between a desire to provide students with the same experience as independent travelers while maintaining the affordability and safety of traveling as a group.

Group Size

We keep the student group small, most trips have 8 to 16 students.  This allows the students to engage in the same activities as independent travelers, enjoying small street cafés, ordering individually, engaging in friendly banter with locals, traveling on small shuttle buses and taxis.  Depending on where we're traveling, the students can also take advantage of activities organised specifically for small groups, for example horseriding or kayaking.

Itinerary

Our itineraries are comprehensive.  Because flights are expensive we try to extract as much value out of them as possible.  Our student group is out early in the morning, in late at night, and their day is loaded with great activities.  Our longer trips allow the student to relax and become immersed, with activities including picnics, beach time, and open markets.

Group Director

We always provide students with a Group Director.  The Group Director handles on-ground logistics that cannot be handled in advance, typical tasks include making sure rooming arrangements are accurate at hotels, shuttle buses and taxi drivers are on time, meal reservations are prepared, and gratuities are paid.  The Group Director knows the destination well and can help students find great stores and restaurants, interesting plazas, promenades and towers, and places where they should take photographs.

For groups of students the best group directors have a teaching background, passion for the destination, great rapport for students, and come highly recommended by peers, students, and parent.

Chaperones

Students under 18 must be chaperoned, so we provide free travel for chaperones with every six students.  For groups being coordinated by a teacher, the teacher is the chaperone.  Students co-ordinating their own trip are encouraged to invite a teacher with a passion for travel.   If they cannot find a teacher, we can match them with a teacher from our network of Group Directors.

Flights

Connections always waste time, lots of connections waste a lot of time, and missed connections can waste an immense amount of time.  We try exceptionally hard to provide direct flights, and the earlier you plan your trip the more likely it is your group will have direct flights.  We can usually let you know your flight information before you enroll any students.
 

Hotels

Hotels outside the city center (suburban or metropolitan hotels) not only take you away from the pulse of the city, they waste a lot of time walking or catching public transport.  We always book hotels in the heart of the city, within walking distance of major points of interest.  

Hotels should be also safe and comfortable, so we book three-star hotels.  The three star rating is awarded to hotels with a staffed lobby (not just a swipe card), daily room cleaning, private bathrooms with towels and hair dryer, telephone in the room, internet service in the room or lobby.

Meals

Breakfast is usually a buffet at the hotel.  Sometimes we head out for breakfast, especially if the destination has breakfast spots that qualify as points of interest.

Private Trip Website

The Group Director takes pictures constantly and uploads them regularly to a private trip website along with commentary on the days events. 

All-Inclusive

Our fee includes everything except lunch and pocket money.  See Fees for details on what we mean by everything.