Frequently Asked Questions
Lets's face it, sometimes you just need information. Here are our most popular questions laid out in a quick access format. If you don't see the answer you need, just contact us by email, or give us a call toll free. The number is 877-224-3623. We love to talk about our educational programs!
What is an Earth Explore Adventure?
Since 1995, our programs have offered thousands of students fun, science and culturally-based educational travel experiences that combine adventure and real-world learning. We travel to some of the planet’s most 
beautiful and important places, to study science and human cultures hands-on with experts, while also having lots of fun. Chaperoned by their own teachers, our students are confident from the start. Along the way they learn from the world's finest outdoor educators, at locations throughout the world. Our trips are fully accredited, meaning all students and teachers can earn academic credit. This makes the Earth Explore experience a great platform for future studies, and gives students an academic "leg up" when approaching college.
What is the age range of Earth Explore participants?
Depending on the program, any student currently in the 5th through 12th grades is eligible to take part. Students of similar age travel together in a group. We have separate groups for elementary, middle and high school students. Occasionally, we accept students who fall outside these age guidelines based upon their interest and other factors.
Who are the Leaders, and how are they chosen?
Earth Explore Leaders are outstanding teachers who come from the same schools as our students. The teachers apply and choose an Adventure on which to lead their students. To qualify,
Leaders generally must have experience with students outside the classroom, be active and outdoors oriented, be talented educators, and have a good sense of humor. Once they apply, our teachers also supply recommendations from their principal and at least one parent.
Can other adults, like parents, take part ?
At Earth Explore we feel family travel is an important and rewarding experience that should be part of our students' lives. However, just as schools do, Earth Explore generally limits participation in our Adventures to students and their teachers. Most parents understand that to include lots of parents would change the nature of the learning experience, and the dynamics of the group. The gains in responsibility, self confidence and knowledge that our students experience come in large part from the group bonding that takes place in the student-teacher educational environment. Occasionally, Earth Explore will make an exception for an adult with proven youth chaperoning and leadership experience, whose skills complement the other group leaders. An alternative that some parents consider is to meet the group at some point in their travels, which is something Earth Explore fully supports.
How are students recommended to Earth Explore Adventures?
Students are introduced to one of our Adventures by a teacher they know in their own school or a neighboring school, or are invited to a regional meeting by the National Office. Teachers have the ability to invite those students from their own school who they feel would enjoy and benefit from the experience, and parents have the 
confidence of knowing with whom their child will travel.
Can my school form its own group?
Yes. Many teachers choose to register together and work and travel as a team. In addition, teachers may form a full group from their own school (or district) on any of our programs, provided there is space in the Adventure they choose at the time of group formation.
Our date assignments are based upon your local school closure dates. Departure dates range from June 10th to July 15th, and are usually scheduled within two weeks of the date school ends. In the rare case that a program does not fill to required size, we will offer participants another travel option.
The size of each group is kept to approximately 20-35 students and 3-5 Educator/Leaders to ensure the most rewarding, hands-on experience for each participant. Earth Explore arranges group air transportation for all participants.
Students travel together with their local Leader(s) from the 
time they leave the local departure city until return. Upon arrival, students on most Adventures board a deluxe 47-passenger coach and are joined by their Travel Manager, who accompanies the group during its entire program. The coaches are normally equipped with video systems, and we limit uninterrupted travel time to approximately two hours on any given day.
What are the accommodations like?
All of our groups stay in tourist class hotels, or dorm style accommodations. In hotels students generally share a room with one or two roommates. Depending on location, many of our hotels have pools. In some locations we partner with educational institutions like the University of Hawaii, the University of Alaska and Cal State University, Monterey Bay to utilize on campus sleeping and meal 
facilities.
In some locations students may have the opportunity to stay in cabins, bunkhouses, or tent cabins, such as at a Rocky Mountain guest ranch, or while in Denali, Yosemite, Grand Teton or Yellowstone. There is generally no camping on the Earth Explore program.
If you like to learn and explore in a hands-on way, Earth Explore may be for you. Our activities are fun, active, and led by experts. Depending on the program, our students may be spotting monkeys along jungle canals in Costa Rica, observing whales near Seward, Alaska, exploring volcanic activity at Kilauea in Hawaii, or digging in fossil quarries in Wyoming. Other program activities include kayaking, exploring ocean tide pools or coral reefs, touching glaciers, and rafting scenic rivers.
Because of the quality and variety of our scheduled educational activities, all of our programs qualify students to earn academic credit, at the high school or college level.
How is the airfare calculated?
Earth Explore arranges air travel as a courtesy for each group, to insure problem-free travel. This is done through major airline group desks. There is no prearranged "zone" fare applied, and therefore each participant's statement accurately reflects the exact group air charge that the airline has quoted. Earth Explore endeavors to obtain the best combination of schedule and fare to each Earth Explore destination, but cannot control airline fare structures or group prices quoted.
How much is it? How about bag fees?
It is quite difficult these days to predict airfares, as anyone who travels understands. Therefore, the prices stated below should only be used as a rough estimate of airfares Earth Explore may obtain from airline group desks for any particular group. Earth Explore cannot control airfares, but our air staff endeavors to obtain and pass along to participants the best fares that it can obtain, for the dates of travel required. In the past few years the price range for roundtrip group air transportation for some of our major program destinations has been as follows.
Big Island (Hawaii) Adventure-West Coast $400-600, Mid West $600-900, East Coast $700-1200. Additional $100-$150 for interisland shuttle between Honolulu and Hilo.
Alaska Adventure-West Coast $400-$600, Mid West $400-800, East Coast $500-900.
Costa Rica Adventure-West Coast $400-$700, Mid West $500-850, East Coast $500-900.
Italy Adventure-West Coast $700-$900, Mid West $700-800, East Coast $600-900
Tetons-Yellowstone Adventure-West Coast $200-400, Mid West $200-$400, East Coast $250-450.
Yosemite - Monterey Adventure-West Coast $0-200, Mid West $200-300, East Coast $250-$400.
Bag and airport fees are the responsibility of the participant. Bag fees charged by the airlines currently average $25-$35 per direction. On interisland flights (Hawaii), the fee is $10. On some international flights, these charges are waived for the first bag. For Costa Rica, a $26 airport exit fee is charged, and should be paid by one adult at the airport. The airlines do not allow travel operators to include these fees in the group airfare or to pre-pay these fees, so, as with individual travelers, they are paid at the airport during check-in.
Is there pre-travel preparation?
Yes. Earth Explore provides structured pre-departure sessions to our teachers which they present to our students. The interactive sessions help to bond the group, and cover lots of travel-related information.
Absolutely. All of our programs offer credit at the high school and college levels. Students do assignments related to their program, and take notes on what they learn during the Adventure in their field journal. Individual districts should be consulted to determine if they accept eductional field study credit at the high school level. College level credit is an additional option for students in the 7th grade and higher. Find out more about our credit program here.
This person is an additional staff member who is charged with
handling all program logistics on-site during the Adventure. This includes hotel check-in and checkout, coordination with program locations and venues, and trouble shooting. This leaves Leaders free to devote their time and attention completely to the students.
What items do the students need while traveling?
Earth Explore provides a custom travel cap, photo credentials, T-shirt, field journal, luggage tags and other items for students. The spring edition of our program newsletter includes a packing list covering everything students need to bring.
The day begins at around 7:30 or 8:00 AM when our students rise and prepare for breakfast and the morning meeting. Following breakfast, students set off for a day of adventures, which typically involve an organized morning activity, lunch, and another afternoon activity.
The day ends at dinner and the evening group meeting, at which the day’s activities are discussed, the next day is reviewed. Time may be allotted for games or other group activities. Often there is a chance for swimming at the hotel, socializing with friends, and other free time activities before the Leaders conduct room checks and lights go out.
Our adult to student ratio is the lowest in the travel field. One adult Leader is in charge of 6 to 8 students (depending on the Adventure). One to two Travel Managers also accompany each group. Finally, our partners add additional resource persons (educators, guides) at each venue, bringing the activity ratio to approximately 1 adult to 5 students.
Additionally, our Leaders follow a Travel Handbook that covers 
rules for group travel and addresses all travel contingencies, including proper supervision at hotels, free time rules, and all other Leader-related issues. These rules are reviewed with parents at meetings in the months prior to travel.
Most likely the answer is yes. This depends upon whether your local group has reached capacity by the time that friend contacts us. We allow all participating students to invite friends or siblings for joint participation. Space on the program is allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
What is the cost for students?
Through the involvement of the not for profit Earth Explore Foundation, the cost for students is the lowest of any comparable educational experience. Our 5-9 day programs range from $1500 to $2450 depending upon the destination, and include everything except airfare and spending money. Final payment for summer programs is not due until May 1st, for most departure dates.
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