About Us

1) The Leaders are all very well trained volunteers.

2) Expedition fees are wholly inclusive; there are no hidden extras.

3) These include a “Selection” course, training, insurance, flights and airport taxes, overland transport, hotels, food, medical supplies, climbing permits, guides, specialist equipment, canoes, rafts, mountain bikes (except where stated), administration and membership of the Dorset Expeditionary Society.

4) Expedition teams are selected at a “Selection Weekend”, so you will be joining a unique team. Youngsters cannot buy their way onto the expedition.

5) The groups are recruited nationally and are not based on one school, college or university. You will meet young people from right across the United Kingdom.

6) We are committed to empowering young leaders, and to this end sponsor our members through training courses.

7) We are committed to supporting successful young expeditioners in running their own Peer Group expeditions.

8) Our members receive a regular newsletter, and we hold a number of social events and exciting activities within the U.K.

Safe & Responsible Expeditions

We are serious about safety and firmly believe that successful expeditions are based on sound planning. Past expeditions we have run have gained national recognition including the Karrimor and Sir Vivian Fuchs Awards.

We maintain close links with the Young Explorer’s Trust, The Royal Geographical Society, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Association for Outdoor Learning.

We actively contribute to the Young Explorer’s Forum and as responsible youth expedition providers, we are keen to contribute and sign up to standards that ensure the safety of our young people.

All trip leaders are highly experienced volunteers, having led over fifty major overseas expeditions in the last twenty years.

We are committed to promoting leadership in young people. Safe and responsible expeditioning demands the highest standards of leadership. Members are frequently sponsored to gain qualifications such as:

Walking Group Leader Award Rescue Emergency First Aid Care British Canoe Union Instructors Award Mountain Bike Leadership Award Mountain Leadership Award Single Pitch Assessment Cave Leadership

On overseas ventures, each group member accepts responsibility for one vital area of activity. This specialised responsibility may require them to gain qualification or more specific experience before taking to the field. They learn that to succeed on expedition, they must be competent in their chosen field, work together and achieve a high degree of interdependence.

When the expedition leader receives an application, they will then invite you to attend a selection weekend to determine your suitability for a particular expedition. Selection may vary slightly from expedition to expedition but leaders will be assessing your leadership potential and your ability to work in a team. With expeditions operating in challenging environments every member is a vital link in the chain. Any weakness could seriously affect the safety of the expedition. Having an effective selection procedure is part of our commitment to provide safe but challenging expeditions.

The weekend will involve you working physically and mentally hard, and you will be put under pressure. A typical weekend may include initiative tasks, timed physical activities, camp craft, climbing and abseiling and swimming. You may be asked to deliver a talk on any subject at any time of the day or night. All the while you will need to maintain your focus and keep your sense of humour.

Although they are demanding, selection weekends are always remembered by expedition members. It is here that they made new friends, which post expedition, are forged for life.