day to day
Day 01 - 02
Arrive Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) ✈ Dalat
On arrival in Vietnam, we will be greeted by our tour leader at Ho Chi Minh City International Airport. En route, our tour leader will discuss with us our itinerary and provide us with a thorough rundown of all the things we need to know when travelling in Vietnam, as well as give us a short history and Vietnamese language lesson. This famous city is Vietnam’s most vibrant: a high-octane city of commerce and culture that has driven the country forward with its vivacious energy. With no time to lose, we will journey downtown to enjoy a quintessential Vietnamese lunch. This will be followed by the opportunity to purchase supplies (food etc.) for our GOLD AWARD trekking activity that will begin tomorrow morning. Later this afternoon, we will transfer back to the airport for our very short flight to the southern highland township of Dalat. After checking in we will set out for dinner at a popular local restaurant. This evening our teachers and tour leaders will brief us more thoroughly on our outdoor educational program at which time we will organise and check all our equipment, supplies and maps in preparation for the days ahead. Please note: Luggage we will not require for the coming days may be stored at our Ho Chi Minh City Hotel. Only the equipment we will require for our 4-day Gold Award component (i.e. our backpacks, sleeping bags etc.) will we need to bring with us this afternoon for our flight to Dalat.
Day 03
Dalat (mountain, biking, abseiling, trekking & navigation)
A very early start this morning will ensure we get away in good time. This morning’s program will begin as we divide into staggered groups for our mountain bike ride over undulating terrain, across waterways and natural obstacles before arriving at our first checkpoint. From here we will collect their equipment to begin the hike through farmland and lightly wooded terrain, before embarking on a steep climb to the summit of Liang Biang Mountain. Whilst there are several possible routes to the summit, each group will need to decide which approach will be the most suitable for our team. Note that your tour leaders will be about at all times to see you’re on the right track. On reaching the summit there will be the opportunity for a short break before each group descends to a cliff area for the abseiling activity. For those of us with no prior abseiling experience or those requiring a refresher course, instructions will be available before undertaking the main obstacle - a 30-metre descent. From the bottom of the obstacle, each group will be required to continue navigating to reach our campsite (campsite 1) through a pine forest. Tonight, we will enjoy a bonfire and a performance by a local minority tribe native to this area.
Day 04
Da Lat & Bak Lak Province (trekking & navigation)
Today we will continue our journey deep into the forested regions of south-central Vietnam, venturing into more densely wooded terrain in the Liang Biang region close to the country’s border with Cambodia. At all times we will be supervised (sometimes at a distance) by our group guides who will be ready to assist in case we become lost or need help. Our guides will also provide explanations about the local environment and the agricultural pursuits of the local people. It is perhaps the most navigationally challenging day of our trek, meaning we will need to be vigilant in checking and re-checking our route bearings. En route today we can expect river crossing, as we trek through lightly wooden forest as well as through thicker scrub areas over undulating passes. It is expected students will arrive at our second night’s campsite situated not far from a picturesque waterfall in the late afternoon.
Day 05
Da Lat & Dak Lak Province (trekking & navigation)
No trip to Hanoi would be complete without a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This imposing Soviet-style block is the final resting place of President Ho Chi Minh. ‘Uncle Ho’ as he is venerably known in North Vietnam, was the leader of North Vietnam when war with the United States broke out in 1962. As a young man, he was deeply resentful of the French colonists who governed Vietnam and he subsequently became the country’s most prominent nationalist leader. Whilst Ho Chi Minh never saw his country free of foreign occupation (passing away in 1969), he is credited with being the leader of Vietnam’s independence. Later today we will farewell Hanoi as we board our flight for our new adventure and a change of scenery to travel to Vietnam’s picturesque central provinces. This afternoon we will arrive in the city of Danang where we will visit Marble Mountain and climb to its peak to enjoy views of the surrounding hinterland and My Khe Beach. Following this, we will travel to Hoi An – a picturesque silk route trading town overlooking the Eastern Sea. Hoi An is famous for its clever preservation of architecture, unique cuisine and friendly locals. This evening we will get behind the wok for a hands-on cooking class hosted by one of the town’s talented chefs, who will reveal the secrets to cooking some of Vietnam’s essential dishes.
Day 06
Dalat ✈ Ho Chi Minh City
We will continue the final leg of our hike this morning – a physically demanding route through lightly wooded forests to our final checkpoint and long anticipated finishing line. Shortly after farewelling our guides who have supported us during the previous days, we will board our awaiting bus to travel back to Dalat and then to the airport for our short flight back to Ho Chi Minh City. Arriving back in Ho Chi Minh City this afternoon, there will be ample time to shower and relax, before we set out to enjoy the delights of this famous City. This evening we’ll enjoy a delicious meal (that we won’t need to cook for ourselves!) followed by an exploration of Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant markets. These sweltering bazaars are a must when travelling in Vietnam, and whilst we can’t vouch for the authenticity of everything, the experience, colour and interaction are the real attraction of these markets.
Day 07
Ho Chi Minh City ✈ Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
This morning we will travel about an hour from the city to visit the peaceful province of Cu Chi. If the tenacious spirit of the Vietnamese can be symbolised by a place, few sites are more symbolic than the guerrilla tunnels of Cu Chi that were established in this unassuming, southern district of the country that we will visit this morning. Whilst the tumultuous events of the conflict are scantly evident at first glance, we will quickly glean some perspective of what happened here as we explore the maze of tunnels beneath our feet, created by the local inhabitants. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. Today we will be able to walk through parts of these tunnels as well as explore this amazing underground complex. We will depart from here, straight to the airport for our flight to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. (Arrive Cambodia in the afternoon) This afternoon we will touch down touch down in Phnom Penh. At the height of the colonial period, Phnom Penh was reputed to be the most beautiful city in French Indochina – a beauty lost during the years of hardship and neglect, although it can still be sought out today by the keen observer. This evening we will board tuk-tuks for an outing around Phnom Penh to view this vibrant city by night, passing the Royal Palace and iconic Independence Monument, we then go for dinner at a popular restaurant where we will enjoy our first taste of delicious Khmer cuisine.
Day 08
Phnom Penh Exploration Kampong Kleang
Today we will learn of the darkest chapter in the history of Cambodia, which will begin with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum. This disquieting setting, formerly a high school, was used as a centre of torture and interrogation by the murderous Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979. It was during this relatively brief time that a little-known teacher called Pol Pot instituted a reign of terror over the country and implemented a plan to turn Cambodia into an agriculture-based society, systematically emptying the cities and forcibly moving the people onto collective (state-owned) farms. It is estimated that during this time over a fifth of the country’s population perished of overwork, starvation and execution. We will then visit the disquieting Killing Fields, one of over three hundred sites around Cambodia where people were executed at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. Many of the graves remain untouched and are marked with a memorial stupa where Khmer Rouge survivors and their relatives, come to pay their respects and remember what happened. In the afternoon, we will travel to Kampong Kleang to ready for our community service program. On arrival, we will acquaint ourselves with the village and villages whom we will be working alongside over the coming days. N.B: Our accommodation is basic. We will be accommodated in communal (dormitory-like) accommodation with a separate house for male and female students. Whilst showers and western-style toilets are available, note that our accommodation is basic, village-style lodging
Day 09 - 10
Kampong Kleang (Dwelling construction community project)
Whilst parts of Cambodia have enjoyed prosperity in recent years, most of the country’s rural inhabitants maintain very marginal standards of living owing to decades of conflict and social neglect. Over the coming two days, we will work alongside local families, supported by tradesmen as well as our tour leader and a local guide. Throughout the day, our tour leader will identify students with skills to perform the more difficult or dexterity-orientated tasks as we erect frames, foundations, floors and beams and transport materials. The days will be long but the results rewarding as we see our project come to fruition and as curious villages from all around come to watch and assist us. Local interaction is very much encouraged as we endeavour to immerse ourselves into village life and come to understand the hopes and aspirations of the people we will work alongside and live with over the coming days. For those of us with the energy, there will be the opportunity to take part in sports activities each afternoon as well as assist with preparing meals to feed our group. -------------------------- On the late afternoon of Day 10, we will farewell the villages we have worked with over the previous three days as we make our way to Siem Reap.
Day 11
Siem Reap (Temples of Angkor)
This morning we will set out to explore the magnificent Temples of Angkor and enjoy roaming this inspirational and ancient expanse on sturdy and environmentally friendly mountain bikes. Often mistakenly referred to as ‘Angkor Wat’ (which simply denotes the name of the largest temple), the Angkor Temple complex is a multifarious arrangement of some 112 buildings that began construction in the early to mid-12th Century. These amazing structures are dedicated to several gods - originally Hindu, and subsequently Buddhist deities - as the later Khmer kings transitioned from a Hindu to a Buddhist viewpoint. Beginning our biking activity with a visit to the architecturally breathtaking Angkor Wat Temple, we will explore this massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five lotus-like towers. After lunch, we will visit the Ta Prohm jungle temple over which nature has truly run riot. This quiet, monastic complex is intentionally left partially unrestored, with large silk-cotton trees growing from its towers and corridors offering some of the best photo opportunities at Angkor. This evening we will enjoy a walking tour of the city’s central district before a special Apsara dance performance. Alternatively, this evening we will witness a performance by some of the country’s brilliant young Phare circus performers. A fantastic blend of traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling, and contortion all beautifully choreographed in a story about Cambodian lives and society. NB: Our bike ride is an enjoyable activity suitable for any student of average fitness with the ability to ride a bike. Our ride will cover a total distance of around 15-20 kilometres. The bikes we will use our new, sturdy mountain bikes with helmets provided. A support crew will follow our group to make running repairs and carry students) if they are not able to ride. Students will be required to carry their water during this activity.
day 01
Siem Reap ✈ Singapore ✈ Dubai
Today is departure day. For those of us up early enough, there will be a final opportunity to explore Siem Reap’s Old Town precinct and perhaps pick up any keepsakes for family and friends back home. Following this we will transfer to the airport in the late afternoon for Our flight back to Dubai. Our tour leader will assist us with all onward travel arrangements before waving us farewell.
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Since 1999, we've led culturally immersive school trips to Asia, the Middle East, and South America, customizing each to your curriculum and student needs. Our goal: transformative travel experiences. We make a positive impact in local communities, fostering agility, curiosity, and compassion in students to address cultural complexities. We also cultivate global citizenship and inspire lifelong exploration of complex issues like poverty, development, and environmental change. 