World Challenge

“It was one of the best (if not the best) things I've ever done in my career. To see the children developing and growing over the course of the expedition was wonderful. The transferable skills they acquired will prove invaluable in the future. I'll be doing it again and recommending World Challenge to others. Thank you.”
Alex Mees, School Leader

Shene School, Iceland


World Challenge is renowned for delivering the very best in overseas school expeditions since 1987 and is proud to be celebrating 25 years of changing lives. As market leader World Challenge continue to lead the way and are proud to be the first company in the expeditions sector to be offsetting their carbon emissions for School Leader, Expedition Leader and Challenger flights on their 3-4 week 2013 expeditions and onwards!


World Challenge expeditions excite and engage, stretch and challenge, provide new skills and open doors for the future. A World Challenge is not just an amazing trip to another country, but a whole developmental journey that starts long before students step on a plane. All World Challenge expeditions follow the ethos of Challenge, Participation and Environment.


Challenge – Students are stretched beyond their comfort zones where learning outcomes are much more powerful as they overcome adversity, adapt to new environments, understand their strengths and weaknesses and manage problems successfully. 


Participation – Students are encouraged to take full ownership of the whole experience. Months before they depart on expedition, they must plan and prepare as a team through a carefully crafted Build-up Programme to develop increased responsibility, decision making and team working skills.


Environment – Exploring new cultures and landscapes gives students a greater sense of perspective of their own. Students learn to have a greater respect for any environment, which could be trekking through the rainforest, greeting a Masai tribe, working in a classroom or contributing to family life.


The World Challenge Programme continues to evolve in line with key learning outcomes and delivers a truly developmental experience for young people. The Build-up phase is facilitated by a complete programme of meetings and training events run by World Challenge staff both at and away from school. Students and teachers also have access to their personal web portal, My World Challenge, providing online training modules and all the advice and support they need. The Expedition phase is like no family holiday or any other school trip, we’re committed to making memories that last a lifetime. The Review & Reflection phase is where students return and capture all they have learnt through the My World Challenge web portal and learn how to apply it in CVs and application forms. The key life skills they develop whilst on expedition carry through into everyday life and help to transform over 5000 students every year into young adults. 


“Taking part in an expedition is a huge test of your mental strength and teaches you so much as an individual. Your team members become like a second family and you quickly learn to grow and function within the unique team environment that is created on these life changing World Challenge expeditions. Go for it and you’ll never look back.”
Laura, student
Renfrew High School, India (South)