The Road Less Traveled

Staff training has started 🎉

Before our leaders meet teens at baggage claim, we train together for two weeks. They are spending the next few days running wilderness medical drills, testing gear, going over risk management, and figuring out how to build a community out of a group of teenagers who have never met.

The excitement is already building, and we can’t wait to head off to our first trips in just a couple of weeks!

Families sometimes ask us why RLT costs what it costs. It is a fair question. Here is an honest answer.

After 30 years of running these programs, we have learned that the difference in price usually comes down to the things you cannot see in a brochure.

For us, there are a few things we will never compromise on.

🛟 The safety net you hope you never need

A significant part of our tuition goes into infrastructure that is invisible until something goes wrong. 24/7 office support, rigorous risk management, and contingency planning for every single trip. We spend the whole year preparing for Plan B so our leaders and your teens always supported and have access to the best resources.

🤝 Partners we have known for years

We do not work with the lowest bidders. We work with local partners, guides, and families we have known for years, sometimes decades. We believe in paying people fairly for their expertise and their hospitality.

🌎 Small groups on purpose

It is more expensive to run a trip for 12 teens than 25. We do it anyway because that is the only way real mentorship happens. Our leaders are there to help your teen navigate challenges and build real confidence, not just manage a schedule.

3 more things most families don’t know about our Morocco trip 🇲🇦

Morocco is a beautiful blend of Amazigh, Arabic, and European cultures located just a short distance from Western Europe. There is a lot more to the story than just the desert.

🌊 It is a surf and turf experience

The trip ends in Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, and the vibe could not be more different from the rugged High Atlas Mountains where the trip begins. Surf lessons, beachside markets, sea breeze. A refreshing contrast that catches most teens off guard.

🪚 Teens work on village-led service projects

In the High Atlas Mountains, teens partner with local Amazigh residents on projects the community has specifically requested. Light construction, small-scale farming. Because the projects are designed by the village, teens see exactly how their work connects to the community’s long-term goals.

🤝 They meet Moroccan teens

In Marrakech, our travelers sit down with local Moroccan teens and talk about music, school, and daily life. It is usually the moment where they realize that despite the distance and the different language, they have a lot more in common than they expected.