Two full days on Acadia trail crews alongside National Park Service rangers, plus 80-foot granite climbing, sea-cave kayaking, and a sunrise hike to Cadillac Mountain. A compact week that asks real things of your teen.
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Volcanic geology study, kayaking the Sete Cidades crater lakes, snorkeling endemic-fish coastlines, and caring for donkeys at a working sanctuary on Sao Miguel. 14 days, high school.
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Teen travel program costs vary widely. We break down what’s included vs. hidden costs, how to compare programs fairly, payment plan options, and financial aid available to families.
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What happens if your teen gets sick on an RLT trip? We walk through the medical response protocol across minor illness, urgent care, and evacuation, and how RLT keeps you informed every step.
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What should your teen really pack for a week or two away? We cover the essentials, what’s optional, what’s a waste of space, and how to avoid overpacking (a very common mistake).
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Trip insurance can be confusing. What does it actually cover? When do you need it? We walk through cancel-for-any-reason coverage, medical evacuation, RLT’s recommendations, and how to choose the right plan.
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What’s actually going to happen on your teen’s first trip? We walk through pre-trip, arrival, the first week (hardest to easiest), mid-trip, and what reentry looks like when they come home.
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RLT runs three distinct trip themes. Wondering which one is right for your teen? We break down service-focused, wilderness-focused, and cultural-immersion-focused trips, and what each teaches.
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Parents often ask whether a teen should travel in the U.S. first, or jump straight to international. We break down the real differences across logistics, complexity, cost, and readiness to help you choose.
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Whitewater rafting the Matanuska, sea kayaking Prince William Sound, hiking Exit Glacier, and four days of environmental service in Peterson Bay. Anchorage to Homer. 14 days, grades 9-12.
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Walk through a composite day on an RLT trip, from morning routine to evening reflection. A realistic picture of structure, challenge, connection, and rest on a teen travel and service program.
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Why do RLT trips collect phones? Research on adolescent screen time shows that phone-free periods reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and deepen real-world relationships.
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Service on RLT trips means doing real work with real communities, not posing for Instagram. See what service learning actually is, what teens do, how we measure impact, and how we avoid voluntourism traps.
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RLT’s leadership vetting process is rigorous by design. Every trip leader carries current WFR, passes background checks, completes Mental Health First Aid, and goes through 10 days of in-house training.
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Five days living with rural Costa Rican families on trail and garden work, a 2-day Class II-III rafting expedition, Indigenous cultural learning, and jungle exploration. Grades 6-8.
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Six days living with rural Costa Rican families on construction service work, a 3-day Class II-IV river expedition, Indigenous community learning, and rainforest immersion. Grades 9-12.
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Snorkeling with sea turtles, night-kayaking bioluminescent bays, ziplining the rainforest, hiking waterfalls, and environmental restoration work. Grades 6-8.
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Earning PADI open-water scuba certification, restoring coral ecosystems on deep-water reef sites, paddling bioluminescent bays at night, and hiking El Yunque rainforest waterfalls. 14 days, grades 9-12.
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Caring for rescued, endangered wolves at Mission: Wolf sanctuary; backpacking the Sangre de Cristos at 12,000 feet; Class II-III Arkansas River rafting; granite-spire climbing; Great Sand Dunes camping. 14 days, grades 9-12.
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Caring for rescued horses, goats, pigs, and llamas at Kindness Ranch; paddleboarding on Horsetooth Reservoir; beginner rock climbing in Estes Park; Rocky Mountain hiking. Grades 6-8.
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