Life on Expedition

Your destination

Life on expedition will depend very much on where you expedition to.  An expedition to Norway for example will feel very different to an expedition to Madagascar!  However all of our expeditions have an ethos of getting back to basics.  As a team you will be self sufficient, most of the time you will be expected to carry all of your kit in your backpack (so pack lightly!).  In developing world countries standards can be very different from back home in the UK.  Your destination specific training programme will help to prepare you for what to expect.  You school’s Destination Brief will give you some destination specific information.

Where will you stay?

This is an expedition so don’t expect a home from home or any 5 star hotels! Accommodation will be basic and will range from a hostel, tent, hammock, jungle shack to the odd hotel. You will be sharing tents and rooms with other members of your team – you may even decide one night to sleep out under the stars on the beach!  Don’t expect to have a shower every day, and when you do get one – it could be in a waterfall!

What will you eat and drink?

You could be cooking on an open fire, camping stove, or using hostel facilities as well as occasionally trying the local cuisine at cafes and restaurants. You will manage your budget to make sure you get the best value for money and plan ahead for when you want to splash out!

Getting around

Transport ranges from planes, trains, private and public buses. Be prepared for delays and pretty cramped conditions! It’s possible the bus won’t turn up at all!

Health, hygiene and inoculations

While on expedition it is important that team members talk to each other about how they are feeling.  Participants are taught how to maintain standards of health and hygiene on expedition, for example purifying water, how to protect themselves from the sun and how often to wash your socks!

Most of our expedition destinations have recommended inoculations which may not be required for living in the UK.