What is an Expedition?

An expedition is a team of people who set out on an adventure. They may be looking to trek through new environments, see weird and wonderful wildlife, experience a different culture or even just find out how people make tea on the other side of the world!

Nowadays, we have a fair idea of how the world map fits together and there are no more Christopher Columbus expeditions setting off to discover a new continent. The idea of what an expedition is has changed. Expeditions have become as much about the discovery of self as visiting off the beaten track destinations. Our expeditions are about giving our participants a different Outlook – (scuse the pun!). We encourage our participants to gain in confidence through a unique outdoor experience that develops personal qualities such as leadership, teamwork and communication in a demanding environment.

Expeditions teach participants to understand conservation and sustainable development in order to promote awareness of the environment. Participants develop self reliance yet have empathy whilst travelling in foreign places. Individuals will discover and explore their own limits whilst learning about different cultures and extending their global horizons.

Where can you go?

Outlook’s expedition destinations cross 6 continents and include the chance to explore every type of environment, ranging from desert to jungle, mountain to ocean, and rainforest to glacier. The Link Teacher, who co-ordinates the expedition group, chooses the destination or destinations. The participants then choose the expedition focus for their itinerary.

A growing trend

Outlook is pleased to see that it is becoming more of a trend for schools to offer expeditions – they certainly did not have anything like this when most of us were at school!! Offering an expedition programme can help differentiate colleges and sixth forms where there is a competition for catchment. It also gives the school/college plenty of opportunity to gain positive press coverage from the expedition and the associated fundraising events.