2022 Parent Testimonials

Coral loved her first experience with AT. Prior to the trip she was a little apprehensive about spending two weeks tent camping with people she did not know. She was a bit concerned about bugs, not being able to shower regularly, and not having access to flushing toilets. I think she surprised herself! She embraced the whole experience. Coral loved all of the activities. She enjoyed hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, jumping off a ledge into the river, and even bowling when weather prevented them from rock climbing. Coral felt like she was the camp chef, which she thought was awesome as she enjoys cooking at home. She made great friends that she talks to almost daily since the trip. This experience pushed Coral outside of her comfort zone, challenging her in new and different ways. She was able to accomplish new activities and overcome “fears” of being away for her normal comforts. All of her concerns prior to the trip ended up not being that big of a deal because she was having so much fun to even really care about those things. Coral is hooked and excited to return next year. – Laura Sklenicka, Atlantic Beach, FL

This was Grace’s first AT trip. AT has been such a formative experience for her brother that I think she has always been curious to know what all the fuss was about. She wanted to see if she could do it. And actually we wanted to see if she could do it, too. Mission accomplished! As parents, you search for experiences that will stretch and grow your child; from their earliest age you share books and music and art and sports and travel with them. But you CANNOT provide your child the experience AT can—because they can only stretch and grow in some crucial ways in your absence. AT challenges your child physically, socially and emotionally, but with lots of support and care and fun. It’s everything you want for your kid. The discomfort and physical challenges of the trip were really good for my daughter. The first backpack on the Olympic Peninsula was really hard for her, but afterward she was exhilarated by her accomplishment and by the bonding her group did through the challenge. And I also believe she loved all that time spent with her peers, away from phones and school, quality time without academic or social pressure. She absolutely loved that. – Laura Miller, Cabin John, MD

My kids had a great experience. They were exposed to all kinds of wonderful outdoor adventures. They made great friendships and learned valuable experiences. They also got to experience a different part of the country than where we live which is great. And communication was great! Every interaction I had with any of the staff instilled confidence with the company in me. I think that you guys are doing an amazing job, and I am so grateful to you for doing outdoor adventures in an allergy safe environment. – Whitney Will, New Fairfield, CT

AT trips are incredible growth opportunities. One of the most valuable aspects of these trips is the community the instructors create: a safe, open, fun, tight-knit group. The instructors were optimistic and open. They did an incredible job of creating community. – Leslie Bragg, Huntersville, NC

Josiah went in open and excited but apprehensive. He knew nobody on his trip or anybody who had ever been on an Adventure Treks trip. When I picked Josiah up from his trip, he was proud, calm, and inspired. He is a blessed kid who has been given wonderful opportunities, and Adventure Treks was one of his most favorite of all his life experiences. He made incredible friends, loved his instructors, had exciting experiences, and is negotiating daily regarding how to visit his friends in other cities. He said, “I loved it. One of the best communities I’ve ever been in.” Thank you, AT. – Sarah Weinberg, San Francisco, CA

Allison went on an Adventure Treks trip last year, and it was the highlight of her year. This year, she returned for Ultimate Northwest and once again, it was the highlight of her year. She loved the friendships and the challenges and the natural beauty of the places they went. Adventure Treks is a trustworthy, highly professional organization that understands teenagers in every aspect. They can articulate honest and thorough responses to parent questions, and they hire instructors with extensive outdoor leadership skill and experience, and who are also in tune with the developmental aspects of teenagers. I felt sure that AT could provide structure, rules and supervision and cultivate a culture of respect and agency for the groups and for each child. This year, my daughter said the group was great and that she became really close to a couple of the members. She said everyone was respectful and found their people. – Catriona Moore, Durham, NC

Adventure Treks was such a great opportunity for my daughter to experience a beautiful part of the country she’d never seen, as well as, physical challenges and meeting new people. The first thing she said upon her return was to tell me what trip wanted to go on next year. Excellent. 5 stars all the way. – Sarah Bruno, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Thank you Adventure Treks. My son returned home a bigger person inside and out. The level of guidance and care and adventure led by the instructors made for a stellar summer or growth for our teen. Wow. Outstanding communication from beginning to end. Another teen of ours was at a sleepaway experience with a different organization during the same weeks. The AT team hands-down had the operational communications and logistics with families on point. It was impressive and the strength of AT on full display as both teens handled emergencies. – Valerie Grabiel Butler, Boston, MA

We chose Adventure Treks because we wanted our son to have a non-traditional camp experience that included lots of outdoor activity, no screens, and a place where he could learn to rely on himself and build confidence in his ability to meet any challenge he faces in the future. Our son’s three weeks with Adventure Treks was life-changing! The outdoor experiences and friendships made mean so much to him. He came home a more confident and mature young adult. He can’t wait to return for another trip next year. I believe his being put in unknown and not always easy situations has given him a significant/noticeable difference in his maturity level. Also experiencing multiple outdoor activities will hopefully help him toward a lifelong love of the outdoors. He made great connections with his instructors and peers. He feels he has made several long-term friends. I just want to thank the instructors! What an awesome responsibility to take these kids through the logistics of traveling and out into the wilderness AND to make it fun. Y’all are awesome!!!!! – Sarah Castore, Columbus, OH

This was our daughter’s first sleepaway program. At first, we were hesitant to send her far away and engage in activities that she had no experience in. But, after speaking with Amanda several times and having all my questions answered, as well as checking out previous reviews and testimonials from former AT parents, we felt very comfortable sending Anna on the trip. The AT office was always responsive (sometimes within minutes!) to calls and emails—before, during, and after! We think that the ability to be independent yet in a safe environment was extremely valuable to our daughter. She learned the value of teamwork, following other adults’ directions, cooking meals together, and gathering all the necessary equipment (and coming home with everything she left with!) to have a great time. We can’t thank AT enough for their patience and understanding in alleviating our concerns for a child’s safety! – Joanna Flagler, Chicago, IL

Avi felt excited by his adventure and supported by his instructors and peers. We felt at ease because Avi’s instructors were so wonderful, and communication was so great. Thank you so much for taking such good care of Avi, nurturing him, challenging him, teaching him and helping him grow! – Nicole Wilson-Spiro, Wilton, CT

We heard great things about Adventure Treks from our friends and the dates were perfect. We were then very impressed with Amanda and with how professional everything seemed. This experience was a once-in-a-lifetime, indelible experience for our daughter. From the moment that she landed, she knew that she was in good hands. Her instructors were professional and clearly experienced, the various protocols were well thought out (placing kids in different small groups as a means of getting to know each other better, etc.), the details of everything related to the adventure were impeccably implemented. She made wonderful friendships, laughed more than she has in years, had experiences she will never forget. She was the most bubbly that we have seen her in YEARS and could not say enough about how wonderful the people were and how close she became to several of the other kids on the trip. This was truly a life-changing experience that we are all immensely grateful for. I just want to know how you did your magic. I am blown away by this experience that Emmy had. Don’t change, ever. – Jill Holland, Cabin John, MD

My kiddo looks forward to this all year. He loves being outdoors. It’s an amazing way for him to unplug and unwind and enjoy nature, and it’s a chance for him to do what he loves in a supportive, safe environment. It makes him incredibly happy and has given him insight into the kinds of education and career that would set him up his best possible life in the future. He thought it was a really good group this summer. He seemed like he really liked everyone and was sad to say goodbye. Y’all are pros and it shows. – Nancy Tray, St. Johns, FL

My kids wanted a coed outdoor challenge where they could learn new things, get outside their comfort zone, and meet people different from their friends in NYC. All of these were accomplished! My daughter had an amazing time at AT. She met interesting people, pushed herself beyond what she thought she was capable of (she described some hairy moments in a whitewater kayak), and learned new skills. She was surrounded by other kids who were accepting and also pushing themselves. The instructors were top-notch and safety-focused and provided excellent support. Also, one of my favorite things about camp (always) is being off electronics for three straight weeks. – Susan Blank, New York, NY

We trust AT, and our children loved the adventure, backpacking, and other activities, but more important, they learned to connect with peers and become more confident and independent. They really enjoyed making connections and felt supported. – Monica Cantor, Morganville, NJ

AT was an incredible opportunity for our son. He challenged himself in ways he never has before and that will benefit him in the years to come for sure! He had the most amazing time adventuring and seeing new places. AT takes the lessons learned at camp to a whole other level, but one that a teenager really can appreciate and learn from. Developing close friendships with kids from all over the world and having to work together as a team, learning from the role modeling of his instructors, having to take care of himself, and recognize what it means to be a leader—when it was OK to joke around and be silly, and when it was time to hone it in and focus because others will follow your lead. A wonderful summer and one he will never forget! I know he will stay in touch with the kids he met this summer and he is looking forward to going back to AT again next year! And communication was VERY good! As new parents this year to AT, all questions were answered right away and no question was viewed as silly or crazy. Very professional and warm. – Audrey Farquharson, Atlanta, GA

We were looking for an adventure activity for Jonah, but were uncertain about Outward Bound or NOLS at this point. We were very happy to find Adventure Treks with its focus on both outdoor adventure and social interactions (community-building). Our child is interested in so many outdoor adventures that as parents we aren’t active in (mountain climbing, bouldering, multi-day backpacking trips, to name a few). It was great to have Adventure Treks care for our child and guide him in all of the above and more. He loved it. Everyone was kind and supportive. Just great!!! – Ron Pernick, Portland, OR

The trip was recommended by a classmate. Norah has thoroughly enjoyed this tough but rewarding trip and is already talking about returning and which trip to sign up next. With peers and instructors alongside, Norah was able to be pushed beyond her comfort zone and flourish. – Lei Huang, New York, NY

My son had an amazing experience on his trip. My son had ZERO complaints and came home happy and feeling confident and challenged. The instructors helped to create a great community and the mix of activities was a great balance. AT was a great choice for our family! – Amy Korpus, New York, NY

It is hard to describe how this experience helped my daughter grow and learn about herself. At first Keira was apprehensive about meeting total strangers and sharing tents, food, and experiences. She ended her trip with sadness over having to say goodbye and came home with amazing stories of happy times and difficult challenges that she crushed! The best part was making new friends eye to eye without the use of social media. She talks to her new friends almost daily! Thank you so much! – Bob Nyberg, Tucson, AZ

Faith was both excited and a little nervous about her trip prior to it starting. It was her first experience being so far from home and sleeping in a tent. When she came home I asked her how she felt about the trip, and she said it was awesome! There were parts she enjoyed more than others, but she was grateful for all the experiences. – Mellisa Sarcletti, Shorewood, IL

AT was an experience of a lifetime for our daughter. She was able to grow as a person during her 20-day experience. She learned new skills, learned how to navigate through new types of activities, and persevere through challenges. Completing a program like AT has really shown our daughter that she has no limits and she is stronger than she thinks. The look in her eyes when she talks about her Adventures is one of pride for what she accomplished and overcame in her journey. Layla really enjoyed the group of people she was with on the trip. It was so nice for her to meet people from all over the country, some older, some younger, some girls, some boys, but in the end they all had a collective love for nature and the outdoors! – Stacey Rothberg, Atlanta, GA

AT really helped our child develop his social skills and independence, and improve his self-esteem. We strongly recommend AT for young teenagers that spend too much time playing video games and are hooked on social media. AT’s most valuable experience was to not be afraid of trying new things and new experiences. Overall, the communication with AT was very good before, during, and after the trip. – Monica Samuels, Plainview, NY

My child returned happy, more independent, more positive, and with new friends all over the country! He loved AT! He raved about the instructors and students. Everything was awesome! – Tiffany Drilling, Atlanta, GA

Bridger is a pretty introverted person and was somewhat apprehensive to go to Adventure Treks. But he made friends quickly and had a really incredible summer. He had experiences that he could not have found anywhere else! His limits were tested, and he found that he didn’t reach the boundaries of his own limitations. He discovered that he was stronger and more capable than he had realized. So cool! Excellent. I felt that the communication was really first-class. You all were clear and very responsive. I felt very at-ease with all elements of the program due to this kind of responsiveness. And Bridger LOVED the instructors. He wasn’t sure what to expect, and he was very impressed with how approachable they were, and how sweet and inclusive they were. Nice work in your hiring, AT! We’re so happy Bridger was able to go to AT this summer! – Mike Caulkins, Flagstaff, AZ

We absolutely love everything about AT! Amanda and Dmac are amazing, the attention to detail and the quality of instructors and programming is the best! Our son really loved the group on his trip and felt that it was a fun, diverse and supportive group. He really loved his instructors and I think that they had a large impact on how much he loved his trip. I can’t think of anything that y’all could do any better! – Emilie Samet, Greensboro, NC

AT is a perfect opportunity to engage in outdoor experiences with the right amount of scaffolding and pushing out of your comfort zone in a safe way. The values of the program, such as social inclusivity and personal growth, are not just talked about, but acted upon by the staff. Both summers my daughter has attended has exceeded expectations and offered exactly what we as parents were hoping to gain from a summer program. – Lisa Goodman, Chicago, IL

Dash had a great time getting to know his instructors and peers. He got out of his comfort zone, and even participated in an activity he already knew he didn’t like. He had a great time and learned a lot! Communication was great. We already have a level of comfort with the AT community, so we didn’t need a ton of communication. We got just what we needed before the trip. During the trip, Amanda was great in helping me out when I realized I wouldn’t be available on phone call day! – Sarah Wessell, Chapel Hill, NC

It turns out that kids actually like being untethered from their devices when they can go new places, experience new things, and make new friends. Phoebe said that this year’s group was amazing. She wished she had been with them all 3 years of her AT experience. – Andy Greene, Katonah, NY

It was really excellent across the board. Our daughter has often struggled to push herself outside of her comfort zone, and this trip really gave her the support to do so much more than she thought she could. It’s really expanded her personal horizons and she loved the people she did it with, both students and instructors! The reliance on yourself to just accomplish the everyday challenges… It helped our child realize how much she could actually do! Frances loved working with the instructors and really respected them and their support. – Matt Kramer, San Anselmo, CA

We chose to return to Adventure Treks because it is perfection. It exceeded all expectations for our son Mac. AT is an amazing and magical group of instructors led by a very strong management team (Amanda and Dmac) that we know is the strength/foundation of its success. To be able to send Mac off to the opposite side of the country doing so many very physically and mentally demanding adventures takes so much trust and we know AT team takes none of that lightly. Mac was pushed in the best of ways out of his comfort zones and made some lasting friendships. He came back once again full of newfound confidence, strength mentally, and new friendships. This group Mac said was even stronger than last year’s. And he said the maturity level and attitude for all five instructors was so high/positive. We cannot thank AT enough for thinking of everything from the pre-trip phone calls, to updates along the way, to postcards of memories from the instructors. It’s all the little details that AT manages flawlessly which create phenomenal adventures. So grateful for this program!! – Carey Macaleer, Brooklyn, NY

AT is an amazing experience, where students are challenged and encouraged to take risks. The community is very supportive, and the instructors are fantastic! I think that being away from home in an unfamiliar environment, being pushed to take risks, and having to work with people who they do not know helps promote growth and independence. My kids have had great experiences and have continued to be challenged and grow. – Julie Morris, Durham, NC

Aidan had a great time last year on the Pacific Northwest trip and made many friends. He enjoys the outdoor activities/challenges and wanted to do it again with the friends he’d made. He had a great time again and met great people in a comfortable/accepting social environment. He has enjoyed all of the outdoor activities and has become confident in his outdoor skills. – Meghan Strong, Tempe, AZ

It was the “best thing Elle did all year” last year. The “most fun thing ” she did… and we took great vacations and had some cool experiences… BUT CLEARLY, this is all about the program! WHAT THEY GAIN IS NOTHING THAT WE (as parents) CAN GIVE THE M. It’s something they gain internally that can not be bought or taken from them. PRICELESS. She loves the community. She can only smile anytime an AT story is told. YOU ALL HAVE THEY KEY… It’s all authentic and real! – Elizabeth Lenihan, Glenview, KY

Hayley loved it last year and wanted to go back. She seemed to grow in confidence after her first trip, so we were excited to send her again. This year, Hayley had fun, made friends, gained a great deal of independence and confidence in herself, and is able to communicate her needs better in a group. – Maurine McAdams, Chicago, IL

Lucy chose to attend for a second year because her experience in the Pacific Northwest trip was amazing and a lot of her friends from that trip joined the California Challenge. Our daughter gets out of her comfort zone with AT and was challenged in such a healthy way and comes back home walking taller and more confident. – Jennifer Walters, Granville, OH

You’ll spend lots of time before the trip planning and worrying. During the trip, you’ll be waiting for a phone call, picture, or blog post. After the trip you’ll hear stories every day, for weeks. Totally worth it. Great program; we were new to it, but everything happened as advertised. Happy to recommend to anyone. – Justin Hersh, Gaithersburg, MD

My son learned more about friendship, community, and socialization in three weeks than he does all school year. He was SO HAPPY at camp, made amazing friends, and enjoyed nature. – Jeanne Lugert, London, England

Camille had such a remarkable AT California trip the prior summer and wanted to build on her skills and experience. She has developed such a passion for your program. Another transformative trip… the spectacular Alaskan landscape, her wonderful co-participants, the incredible instructors. Most important, the Adventure Treks outlook itself: The time-tested tenets which inspire AT to build such magical, meaningful programs filled with challenge, fun and profound opportunities. Camille genuinely connected with every participant on the trip. She felt an amazing sense of sisterhood and brotherhood with the group. Excellent. Thank you as always to the wonderful office staff and leadership staff at AT. – Yvette Joffe, Los Angeles, CA

Once our daughter decided to go on an adventure trip this summer, and she chose Adventure Treks for the group size, instructor to participant ratio, variety of activities, and location. Emmy was also reassured that whether she had some experience or none doing a certain activity, she would be supported and not alone in her experience level. This was so true! She was anxious beforehand about not knowing anyone and doing new activities that were challenging. She made wonderful friendships, said everyone was so kind and inclusive, and is still in touch with her new friends. She is so proud of her accomplishments and having done so many new challenging activities. She has wonderful stories of how all of the trip members and instructors supported one another every day with kindness and humor. This was an experience of growth and she got to see a beautiful part of our country and she cannot wait to do it again! I have to include that the staff is incredible. Emmy has many food allergies and we were very concerned about her being able to eat on this kind of trip. We had nothing to be worried about! She came home a new and adventurous eater. It is life-changing and we will be forever grateful to the trip leader that made this happen! Emmy loved her trip! As a parent, there is not a better feeling than witnessing the extreme joy our child exuded during and after this trip. You do a great job and communicate things I wouldn’t even have thought to ask. Thank you Adventure Treks! – Emanda Lenet, Owings Mills, MD

AT gives kids an opportunity to develop character, build community, and increase confidence and skills while enjoying nature and wilderness activities. Bethany has increased her confidence and independence after both trips, and she loved this year’s trip and wants to go again next year. You are doing a great job. Thank you. – Jennifer Allen, Kennewick, WA

After Alaska, our daughter has more confidence and has learned mental toughness. Same exact for my son Max, who was on Pacific Northwest. Same ratings for that trip (10/10). Your child will have a great time and learn mental and physical grit, while making memories for a lifetime. – Robert Gold, Sleepy Hollow, NY

This was the fourth AT trip our daughter attended. We cannot say enough wonderful things about her experiences on all of her trips. They have been transformative for Summer and truly have given her important skills and the confidence to tackle other challenges in her life with more self-awareness and insight. Not only has she had numerous opportunities to be physically challenged on her trips, but more importantly through the AT experience she has been given the opportunity to connect with peers, unlike how most teenagers do anymore due to the distractions and pressures of their everyday life. These friendships are so special and unique because of their shared experiences and the environment that is created, which allows them to be more “real” and feel accepted for their authenticity. We are so happy that we were able to give these experiences to our daughter and feel fortunate that she is part of the AT family. – Laura Sklenicka, Atlantic Beach, FL

Ellie has grown so much as a person with AT. She has become more independent and allowed herself to be vulnerable, which helped her to learn how to accept help and support. The friendships she has made are lifelong and memories she will carry with her forever. Every year, Ellie thinks she has met the most amazing people and the next year it probably wouldn’t be the same… but every year she finds new and meaningful relationships which gives her confidence in her ability to make friends and build a meaningful relationship. I can’t thank AT enough top to bottom for all the amazing experiences Ellie had during her four years. She now has a lifelong love for the outdoors and knows how to build a community of friends. – Terri Cain, Mason, OH

AT has been one of the best educational experiences for our son. He always loves it, learns a lot, pushes himself, and comes back with a new fire and passion for his life at home. We love it. – Marika Reinke, Seattle, WA

As a parent, you realize that you can’t provide everything your child needs to become confident, independent, and responsible. AT provides that in spades with the wonderful, yet challenging, trips and encouraging and knowledgeable instructors. AT has allowed our daughter to really blossom. She’s become so confident and self-assured with doing AT, and it’s wonderful to see that though being an introvert is much of who she is, going on outdoor adventures brings out her extroverted self. – Ann Collier, Durham, NC

Your child will form deeper friendships during this trip than they have in their life. They will push themselves harder than they imagined possible and will love every minute. They will realize they are MUCH happier without social media. But when they return, they will experience AT withdrawals, so be prepared for at least a week or so of sulking. My daughter said it best when she said “everyone I met became my second family. I knew I would see you again but can’t believe I will never see my second family again.” Although she said she couldn’t be happier that she went, she wasn’t prepared for how sad she would feel the days after returning. She spent days looking through the photos laughing and then missing her friends so deeply. – Dorothy Ottolia, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

This was one of the most amazing experiences for my child to be a part of. From start to finish, I felt the program had our best intentions at hand. They are super organized and amazing at answering questions in the beginning and keeping us informed throughout the trip. The information provided for first-time nervous parents was great! We felt very taken care of. The way that they organize the social aspect was perfect and my daughter also attested to that. It sounded like the physical and emotional challenge was respected for each child. It certainly was for our child. The safety of the trip was the highest priority. The fact that they use outside outfitters for the water and mountain summit trips is great. The instructors were all respectful and fun according to our daughter. She had a great time and made many friends. – Stephanie Brodsky, Sacramento, CA

Nate’s experience with his adventure exceeded our expectations tenfold. He was able to find himself by taking a chance on being more extroverted and making connections with people that he had never done before in his life. He opened up to people and put himself out there and realized that he could make friends and develop relationships without getting hurt. The most valuable experience for Nate was bonding with kids his age and finding connection with people. Removing electronics and giving him the opportunity to talk about himself and learning about others was huge for him. And communication was fantastic, incredibly organized, and complete. – Jenny Fisher, Tampa, FL

Adventure Treks allows your children to learn independence, responsibility, and experience new communities and activities within a safe environment. It gave our child an opportunity to experience challenging activities in a community of his peers, while still having fun and being under the watchful eye of competent instructors. Our child had a blast. He’s mentioned stories, inside jokes, challenges, and the natural beauty of the trip every day since he’s been home. He enjoyed the trip and the people more than he thought he would. Communication with AT was great. We felt informed and in the loop at all times. – Tara Peterson, La Habra, CA

AT provided a fantastic independence experience for her son. And he was able to learn new skills, be completely independent, and step out of his comfort zone. He came home with a sense of ownership in the kitchen and contributing to family meals. – Debbie Collins, Seattle, WA

Truly a gift that Zoe is so grateful for! The adventures, the new friendships, the disconnect with the day to day but true connection to yourself and nature. An eye-opening experience that she will cherish forever. THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge of the outdoors to our rascals!!!!! What a gift you have and we are forever grateful! – Christy Tankersley, Williamsburg, VA

Adventure Treks is a wonderful experience for teenagers who are growing and learning about themselves and about nature. This program supports self-awareness and challenges young girls and boys to find their limits and exceed their expectations. And AT communication has always been superb. – Ginny Pace, Hendersonville, NC

Participation in Adventure Treks allows your child to grow, mature, and learn how to function in a group. In times when we shelter our kids and provide for them, this is a very important experience to allow them to become independent, and also caring and less selfish. Exposure to pure nature allows them to appreciate the world around us. – Agnieszka Beckford, Ossining, NY

This is an amazing experience. Besides all the experiences the kids get and learn, they do a fantastic job of mixing up the kids and letting them get to know each other and to be one big group. She made lifelong friends from all over the United States and world and learned lifelong experiences. Each trip she loved her instructors and thought they were fun, knowledgeable, and really bonded with the kids. The communication is great… they answered all of our questions, got back to us timely, and communicated very well with anything important regarding the trip. This is a well-organized trip, and I highly recommend it! – Lori Shapiro, Northbrook, IL

AT went beyond our expectations in the areas of safety/expertise of the instructors, organization, experiences, and friendships our child had. Overall, it was a huge growth and learning challenge for our daughter. She says that her group are all still close and open with one another. Everyone helped, lead, and remained supportive throughout the trip. Amanda was very responsive and caring. Kyle was incredible—he is warm, caring, reliable, and I felt he had the kids’ best interest and safety in mind at all times. – Marney Whitney, Chapel Hill, NC

Adventure Treks is a rare opportunity for your child to experience how life without phones and technology can be fun and fulfilling. Enjoying the outdoors and physical challenges with a team of kids your own age is a great way to get your teen ready for the independence of college life. Wes felt that the Adventure Treks environment helped him open up to his peers and create strong bonds. – Julia Nickerson, Leander, TX

Daniel continued to work on improving his independence and teamwork skills. He developed a newfound passion for rock climbing and whitewater kayaking and had a much-needed break from all things digital in an age when it is so hard to avoid these influences in our modern world. Kids these days spend so much time in the digital world that it is really important for them to be reminded of the value of individual and group interaction doing fun, healthy, and challenging activities with their peers and mentors without the digital crutch. – Don Larsen, Seattle, WA

It was an amazing trip filled with incredible instructors, students, and activities. Adventure Treks was very organized from the moment that I first called with questions through to the end of the trip. Landon thoroughly enjoyed the trip and can’t wait to go on another one next summer. I think it was valuable that Landon was part of a community and worked together as a team with other students and instructors to make all of the activities possible. It was great that he was able to strengthen life and social skills. Communication with the AT office was excellent. Before signing my son up for the trip, I had many questions and Amanda always made time to answer all of my questions. When his Yellowstone trip was canceled, AT was transparent and quickly helped us to find another trip. Kurt called before the trip and it was comforting to hear directly from a instructor who would be on the trip. I found the webinar before the trip to be very informative and helpful. Thank you! – Christine Tamaddon, Stevenson, MD

We love AT! We were referred by a family friend, and we feel so fortunate to have discovered and experienced what AT has to offer. The growth and independence that we feel our daughter achieves with each trip is the reason we return. The physical challenge is daunting but such a great way for her to prove to herself that she can do anything. The bond with instructors and other teens from around the country is so strong, and I love that lifelong friends are being made—especially as some of them start to think about college and having friends in different parts of the country. We also love that our daughter gets to connect with nature and disconnect from everyday life (and technology) for an extended period of time. All of these things make for an incredible summer experience that we hope she will have again and again. What a gift this is to teens! Thank you for all that you do to offer these life-changing experiences. – Meredith Alderson, Austin, TX

Two of my daughters participated in different California Challenge trips separately over the last two years. We had hoped for both of them that they would not only have fun, memorable experiences, but also ones which would promote a sense of confidence and independence. Adventure Treks delivered much more than we had hoped for. The activities and environment did in fact create many fun and rewarding challenges. But it was the caring instructors and the thought that was put into the trip which created meaningful group experiences which allowed my daughters to grow as people. They have maintained many of their friendships from their trips and have been eager to return for more Adventure Treks experiences. – Robb Ellis, Simpsonville, SC

Being homeschooled for over two years and having limited contact with new people due to the pandemic, we knew it was important for our 13-year-old son to experience some independence while having a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We found AT online and knew immediately it would fit the bill. It has exceeded our expectations in every way. – Lilly Lin, Atlanta, GA

AT offers an experience that most kids don’t get but desperately need: screen-free time in nature, appropriate risk-taking and challenge, a supportive community, and lots of adventure. The combination of adventure, personal growth, community, and hard/soft skill-building that AT offers has been instrumental for Brooke. And, she loves it! – Jen Cippoletti, Darien, CT

An incredible experience, all three trips over consecutive summers, that built on each other in challenge, length of time, leadership skills, resilience, and, ultimately, confidence. The friendships gained by our son have endured. The inclusivity is bonding. The places visited and the journeys to reach them were astounding. Such beauty. Some of the best times of our son’s life were on Adventure Treks trips. – Anne Fiorito, Oakland, CA

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