Putney offers adventurous travel programs abroad for both high school and middle school students. Exploration trips range from two to four weeks and combine adventurous, emboldening activities with authentic cultural immersion. From Finland to Patagonia, the Canadian Arctic to Australia, and beyond, our Exploration program destinations allow Putney students to experience the world as travelers, not as tourists.

Adventurous Travel

Travel abroad this summer and discover an insider’s view of some of the world’s most fascinating places and cultures through exciting, active, and challenging expeditions and experiences, designed appropriately for high school or middle school students.

Examples of Travel Adventures

Summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa
Navigate a boat through Australia’s Whitsunday Islands
Hike across a glacier in the Swiss Alps
Strap on a pair of backcountry skis and explore snowy Patagonia
Explore hidden ramen shops in Japan
Visit a geothermal power station in Iceland and relax in the hot springs

Cultural Immersion

We design summer adventure travel for middle and high school students to get you off the beaten path and to explore the world as a traveler—not as a tourist. Live with a homestay family for a week on a New Zealand sheep farm, explore approaches to wellness and Finnish sauna culture, or learn to cook a traditional Tuscan meal using ingredients you harvested the same day. Balance city experiences with small-town and rural living, and become a part of daily life in your chosen destination.

Independent Projects

Over the course of your summer adventure travel, take a deep dive into place and culture through student-initiated independent projects, pursuing a topic that interests you.

Examples of Student Projects

Become an expert on the famous artwork of Vincent Van Gogh
Study the effects of climate change on glaciers in Switzerland
Create a recipe book, video, or podcast to document your adventure
Discover the impacts of coral bleaching in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Make cheese with a French farmer
Explore Iceland’s approach to renewable energy
Apprentice with a master gelato maker in Italy
Research the geological processes that created Mt. Kilimanjaro

Our Leaders

Our highly credentialed Exploration program leaders bring a wealth of knowledge and diverse life experiences to our middle and high school summer trips abroad. Seasoned world travelers all, each leader is experienced in areas of study that have prepared them to lead international excursions, including history, environmental sciences, foreign language, and geology, to name a few. When they’re not traveling, many work in middle school or high school settings, teaching subject matter relevant to world travel, including social studies, French, Spanish, or English as a Second Language (ESL). All of our leaders are poised to help Putney students get the most out of their summer adventures abroad, and return home with renewed perspectives on themselves and the world. Click here to meet our leaders.

Off the Beaten Path

Venture beyond the typical to explore some of the most spectacular and wild landscapes in the world, soak up diverse city experiences, make lasting memories, try new things, and have fun.

Cultural Engagement

Delve deeper into place and culture through student-initiated independent projects. Build on your talents, learn new skills and perspectives, engage with local people, and come home with a better understanding of our diverse and ever-changing planet.

Immersive Adventure

Discover what makes a land and its cultures unique. Ski the rugged backcountry of Patagonia, experience Shinto and Buddhism at shrines and temples in Kyoto, summit Kilimanjaro, sample Greece’s culinary heritage, and more.

“My husband traveled with Putney 25 years ago. He was thrilled to see that the quality of programming, leaders, and students drawn to Putney are just as great as they were back then.”

— Carolyn & Ray E., Charleston, SC

Summer 2026