Raleigh Expeditions

On a Raleigh Expedition there will be between 30 to 70 Venturers during a cycle, depending on the time of year. During projects, you will be split into smaller groups of roughly 15 international Venturers, 2-3 national Venturers and 2 Venturer Managers.

This will vary depending on whether you are at Fieldbase, on project sites or on trek. However, you can expect your living arrangements to be simple as you will stay in remote locations alongside local communities.

In South Africa, you will sleep in large semi-permanent tents while working on Community or Environmental projects and smaller three-person tents during the Adventure Leadership Trek.

In Costa Rica, the accommodation is slightly more varied with a combination of tents and communal living in school buildings or community centres.

For both locations, you will need roll mats and sleeping bags. All sites are safe and secure and a Venturer Manager will always stay with you.

There will often be access to cold showers and flushing toilets. However, this may not be possible in some remote locations. You will also have access to community kitchens when local people are not using them.

This will vary depending on your Expedition location. Your Venturer Coordinator will ensure that you are given a thorough packing list.

Packing guidelines for Costa Rica and South Africa can be found on our website.

We welcome Venturers from all backgrounds and nationalities. If you are aged 17-24 and are seeking adventure, wanting to make a difference and striving to learn about yourself and other cultures – then Raleigh Expedition could be right for you.

Yes, all meals are provided on a Raleigh International Expedition. Food will vary depending on the country you are in but will always be freshly cooked and healthy.

Food will usually be provided at Fieldbase. However, on projects you can expect to turn recipe cards and ingredients into satisfying meals with your teammates.

Projects usually take place in remote areas with access to fridges. The Raleigh pantry consists of ingredients like rice, pasta, beans, chickpeas, porridge, eggs, bread and other local foods.

We can cater for most dietary requirements. However, you must inform us in advance so we can prepare.

In between project phases (approximately every 19 days), Venturers will have access to phones and phone charging facilities and be able to call home. Fieldbase also has free WiFi which Venturers can access during Induction, Changeover and Endex.

Ahead of the trip, we will provide all next of kin access to a WhatsApp group chat where we will share occasional updates. They will also be provided with a contact form, which we can use to pass on messages to Venturers working on projects.

More information for family and friends can be found for both Costa Rica and South Africa on our website.

From selecting locations to providing comprehensive safety training to all Venturers, safety is at the heart of everything we do at Raleigh International and our Safety Management Systems are robust, practical, and effective.

We complete a risk assessment of all aspects of the Expedition, including the countries we work in, project sites and activities.

Every programme is supported remotely by round-the-clock qualified medical staff and all Raleigh staff members are trained in first aid, mental health first aid and incident and crisis management.

Every project team is accompanied by an experienced tour leader at all times and a Duty Manager will be on call 24/7.

In the event of an emergency, all sites have detailed CASEVAC and MEDEVAC plans which can be implemented. We have local resources and a support network of skilled operators at our disposal should we need them.

Raleigh International welcomes people from all backgrounds and cultures. One of the best things about Expedition is that you get the chance to make friends with people you might not normally meet. Raleigh Expedition is a safe and inclusive environment where young people can bring their authentic selves to the programme.