Last summer, I participated in my first Adventure Treks trip. This kind of camping was a whole new experience with good moments and hard moments. But it was worth it in the end. From backpacking and sunbathing by a waterfall to whitewater rafting and swimming in the beautiful rivers with some of the greatest instructors and raft guides… Even sleeping in some of the most scenic places of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks was a breathtaking experience. Everything was planned out perfectly for our group. A very large portion of why this trip was so amazing was because of the people who I had the experience with. I can’t lie—some of us showed unsure, but we made the best of it. In the end, we had a wide range of so many amazing people who I miss so much. It was so refreshing to be able to truly find a bunch of people who I enjoyed and wanted to spend every minute with—like singing in the vans and entirely changing my music taste, chatting in our tents, pulling each other of our rafts, and throwing the frisbee or football for hours a day. I miss everyone who I had the pleasure to meet and will remember forever. This experience is one I will never forget and honestly wish I could repeat. It’s not as glamorous as “Camp Rock,” but it was a movie-like camp experience and everything I could have wished for. I’m so excited to continue with Adventure Treks next year!

What an amazing adventure for our son. He was exhausted, happy, and full of fun stories when we picked him up. He even told us he was going to spend less time on his phone in the future (we’ll see…). He is excited to do another Adventure Treks trip next year and also wants to continue learning about river rafting. What was most valuable for him was getting into nature with peers, forging relationships without media, working with the group toward a common goal, stretching himself to do things he wouldn’t otherwise do, and finding inner strength. We are so happy he was able to do this adventure!

My son LOVED his Adventure Treks experience. He met new friends from across the country and had new experiences from rafting to backpacking to flying without his parents to and from the trip. After 15 months of COVID, being outside with great instructors and kids and doing new things was renewing and confidence-building. It was a very healthy experience in building independence. He and his friends are already planning the Adventure Treks trip they want to do next year. Also, I am amazed by how organized Adventure Treks is and the excellence and thoroughness of your communication. I also appreciated Amanda’s attention to detail and responsiveness on all the travel arrangements. Truly exceptional.

My daughter left feeling extremely nervous about who would be there, and if she could handle all the challenges that would be presented… but after two weeks, she didn’t want it to end. The instructors provide the framework for the most meaningful experience. She talks about some of the traditions and conversations they had as a group, and I am overwhelmed and so grateful for everything she tells me. THE PROGRAM JUST WORKS. The framework that Adventure Treks has in place is what makes every session work. I think the most valuable results from her Adventure Treks experience were the con and independence and recognition for being her 100 percent authentic self. She made all these relationships on her own. A community built with no social media and all real conversations and experiences is priceless and a sure success! She returned so happy and confident, and she loves her new friends and the instructors.

Adventure Treks creates opportunities for young adults to learn important life skills, like cooperation, perseverance, and creativity. These lessons are learned through experiences, rather than contrived ones as they might be in a traditional classroom setting. As life moves on and presents moments of beauty and moments of hardship, the Adventure Treks participant has these acquired character traits and experience to reflect upon, and this will allow them to appreciate the beauty and/or conquer the hardships with grace. I really cannot think of anything that needs to improve. I love the level of professionalism. I feel that my child was safe, learning, having fun, and seeing sites that most people only dream of seeing in a lifetime. I feel blessed to have the ability to send my children on these adventures.

My daughter returned from her Adventure Treks experience more mature, confident, and generally more smiley. This was not our primary motivation for sending her on the trip, but it is simply the outcome I observed. We enrolled her in the two-week Yellowstone trip, hoping she would have fun; enjoy active, outdoor experiences; grow to appreciate nature; and learn about how to be a part of a community of peers under the guidance of able leaders. As she reports, all of these goals were met and exceeded. She loved it! I believe the social emotional development was extraordinarily helpful. Also, the fact that she came home interested and excited about Yellowstone, the outdoors, and appreciating our Earth so much more.

Adventure Treks is super well-organized and thoughtful about everything, from preparing beforehand with detailed information on what to pack and expect, to the social dynamics of groups of teens. We loved their focus on healthy social dynamics, avoiding cliques, inclusiveness, and high expectations of the kids to participate in all parts of the trip, from making food to setting up tents. The daily evening check-ins and fun activities helped even the shyest kids feel part of things and bond and have a great time. As parents, we also really appreciated the staff’s willingness to communicate and answer questions specific to our child, and their blog posts and photos throughout the trip were eagerly awaited and assured us that Ryan was having a good time! When I picked Ryan up at the airport, the look on their face was priceless. Big, big smiles and so much more self-confidence. On the way home in the car, Ryan couldn’t stop talking about camp. They also said (about the big summit hike at the end) that they didn’t know they were capable of that. The confidence-building, willingness to do hard things and the camaraderie of a diversity of peers were priceless for my child. When I asked if they’d like to do one next year the answer was an immediate “Definitely!!!”

This is THE PREMIER adventure experience for kids in the states (or probably anywhere for that matter). The program is so well run by the administration, and the instructors (even first-timers) were outstanding—my daughter loved every one of them. They were sharp, on top of any issues that arose, and seemed to really know what they were doing. They also cared about the kids. They helped form a really tight-knit group! For the most part, they all seemed to have gotten along really well. On phone calls home and since she’s been home, she has shared numerous stories about lots of different kids, each with smiles and laughter. They really had an amazing time.

I was referred to Adventure Treks from another AT family. Hearing their daughter describe her own experiences year after year with AT got my kids really intrigued. We watched each of the videos to decide what would be the best fit for one of my kids, and by the time we had decided, another one of my kids had decided that she also wanted to go. The excitement built for more than six months as they each looked forward to their trips. They both returned home on the same day, and hearing them share stories with each other and comparing their trips was so much fun for me. They were both sad to be leaving their friends and getting back into the real world. My daughter shared with me when she returned that she was sad to be home because AT had become her life with her new friends. Two weeks just wasn’t enough! We can’t wait to go back and try other destinations!