School Tour FAQs | Edventure Travel

Which countries do you travel to?

We run student trips and private tours to Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. We’re experts in a few countries in the Asia-Pacific region, rather than generalists in many countries.

Do you run information nights?

Yes! Our information nights are complimentary for all student trips and private tours. Depending on how far you are into your decision-making process, you can choose from either a promotional session to raise interest or a pre-departure information night, or both.

‍Promotional session to raise interest: We’ll arrange an online (Teams/Google Meet/Zoom) group call, to help generate awareness and buy-in for your proposed tour. We’ll cover topics like your group’s learning interests and needs, the itinerary, optional activities, safety issues, and more.

‍Pre-departure information night: We’ll arrange an online (Zoom/Teams/Google Meet) group call to discuss all relevant issues for your upcoming trip, including health and safety, in-country communications, transport arrangements including flights, travel insurance, daily itinerary, tour guides, room arrangements, food allergies, and cultural etiquette.

All information sessions are run at a time convenient to you and your group.

How does travel bring learning to life?

An educational tour through Asia and the Pacific brings subjects to life in a way books or the internet simply can’t. Through hands-on activities and direct interactions with local people, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of different cultures, perspectives and ideas. You’ll also witness the impact of political, environmental and development issues firsthand.

Our tour leaders encourage your curiosity. They’ll help you look beyond the unusual scenery, sounds and scents to delve deeply into the why and how of everyday life in the country you’re visiting. As you step outside your cultural comfort zone, you’ll also be invited to reflect on your own life.

What kinds of subjects and skills can I learn?

Student trips: Subject areas for students will match your curriculum. They can include everything from history and humanities to geography, STEM, environment, the arts – and more! On tour, your students will also learn foundational skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, budgeting and inclusivity. For more detail, check out the ‘Subjects, skills and curriculum’ section in our FAQs for Teachers below.

‍Private tours: If you’re a life-long learner, choose your own tour theme based on an area of knowledge you’d like to develop or a particular skill you’d like to hone. From gourmet cuisine and cooking, to photography, motorbiking, textiles or martial areas, we can tailor your tour to any subject imaginable. Check out our private tours page for more ideas.

What learning model underpins your educational tours?

Our educational tours are underpinned by mutual learning through immersive cross-cultural exchange. We follow community development principles to help travellers learn through teamwork, cooperation and friendship with local communities. Naturally, each tour is tailored to your group’s unique learning goals, needs and interests.

Can my tour include a community service project?

Yes, we offer community service projects on both our student trips and private tours. Community service projects are a chance to collaborate with people you couldn’t otherwise meet. Each project is unique and hands-on, and offers an effective way to ‘learn by doing’.

You’ll work together with locals, doing the very same tasks, on a community-led task with lasting impact. For example, your group might help build a house, install irrigation, or support local students with English lessons. In fact, you can even include multiple community service projects in your itinerary.

In countries where community service projects are less common, like China and Japan, we offer authentic interaction with local schools, community groups and youth organisations.

How are your community service projects designed?

Our community service projects are devised in consultation with local communities, NGOs and village governance groups. We develop every project through partnerships founded in trust and understanding and built over several years.

Our community-led approach means every project is well-planned, inclusive and non-exploitative. What’s more, each project delivers tangible and sustainable benefits to both you and the local communities you’ll work with. For more detail, check out the three different types of programs you can choose from.

What makes you safer than other companies?

No matter which country you’re travelling through, we’re prepared for any worst-case scenario. We offer major international services for medical and crisis care, with major providers like International SOS and Global Rescue.

We complement major providers’ reach with in-person support from our trusted local staff. They’re trained in first aid, speak the local dialect and can respond instantly in a crisis. They’re able to provide real-time information, on-the-ground support and expert knowledge of local emergency and medical services.

This blended approach ensures you can access expert medical attention at any time of day, no matter where you are. It’s also essential outside of major cities, where some major providers’ services are limited.

How do you keep travellers COVID-safe?

Edventure Travel follows current Australian Government health advice and the local health regulations of the countries we operate in. Our health and hygiene practices align with what is considered standard for international travel today.

Our approach is informed by practical frontline experience. Edventure Travel’s Director, Billy Penfold, previously worked in an Australian COVID-19 testing clinic, supporting doctors and nurses and completing training in infectious control and respiratory clinic procedures.

Students and staff receive pre-departure briefings on any relevant health requirements, with updates provided in-country if protocols change. If a student becomes unwell during the tour, standard medical and communication procedures apply, including informing parents or guardians where required.

Do you provide travel insurance, flights and visas?

Yes, we can arrange comprehensive travel insurance for your group, arrange your international flights and organise any visas you need, as an additional trip cost.

Do you offer 24/7 support?

Yes. Our support staff and tour leaders are contactable at all times – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – to help immediately if any issues arise. For student trips, we’ll provide your school with your tour leader’s mobile phone number well in advance.

What is a tour leader and why does my group need one?

Your tour leader is your teammate on tour. Having them by your side enhances your travel experience, as they provide incredible local insights about the places you’ll visit. They’ll explain everything from the local culture and traditions, organise your transport, and suggest what local cuisine to eat and where.

They’ll also assist you with daily planning and organisation, brief you on in-country etiquette and monitor your group’s wellbeing. Working in partnership with you, they’ll share responsibility for accommodation, security and travel arrangements, and risk management. Think of your tour leader as an educator, interpreter, problem-solver – and a friend!

Why do you employ local tour leaders?

The best people to lead you through a country are the locals who live there. They know the most efficient travel routes, the best local restaurants, and where to enjoy the most magnificent views at the end of a busy day. They also speak the local language fluently and can introduce you to their remarkable culture.

What training do your local tour leaders receive?

At Edventure Travel, each of our passionate tour leaders are qualified professionals. They have at least 5-25 years’ experience leading groups, and many also hold degrees in tourism. They’re trained in theory as well as practice, and they’re adept at teaching travellers of all personalities, interests and abilities.

They’re also trained in first aid, meaning they’ll make sure your group always stays healthy and safe. And to ensure communication on your tour stays smooth, all our tour leaders are fluent in English as well as their national language.

Our tour leaders and tour guides have passed their National Police Check or equivalent. (If you’re booking a student trip, please note that most countries don’t offer Working with Children Checks as they do in Australia.)

How do your tour leaders work with young people?

You’ll be pleased to know our tour leaders are expertly trained to deal with young travellers’ distinct needs. All our tour leaders are experienced in leading student groups and are knowledgeable about young people’s attention spans, endurance levels, tolerance to heat, enthusiasm levels in the morning compared to the evening, emotions at confronting sites and museums – the list goes on!

Why are your tour prices often lower than other companies?

Our business model and operational framework is efficient and slimline. Rather than outsourcing our trips to third-party providers, we operate 100 per cent in-country. We use local tour leaders to manage your trip and work directly with local communities, guides and suppliers.

By working locally, we reduce our overheads – which means more of your money goes directly toward your tour. In turn, you receive a more competitive tour price.

For student trips in particular, it’s our ethical imperative to provide an affordable educational travel service to as many students as possible. No-one should miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime to travel abroad. To overcharge students goes against our philosophy.

What happens if civil unrest/major incident breaks out before the tour?

We constantly monitor the political situation in every country we operate, through local authorities’ websites and government announcements such as Smartraveller. If conflict appears likely to break out, we may change your route, destination or travel dates to avoid any problems.

What happens if a traveller becomes ill or injured before the tour?

For student trips and private tours alike, we ensure all travellers take out travel insurance at the time of travel and apply for cover for any pre-existing medical conditions. Alternatively, we can pre-arrange competitive travel insurance for your trip.

If you need to cancel your participation for medical reasons, travel insurance will typically cover your trip cancellation costs. And if you’re a teacher undertaking a student trip, your students will also be covered under any overseas trips clauses in your school’s insurance policy.

What happens if a traveller becomes ill or injured during the trip?

If a student becomes unwell or injured while on tour, the response depends on the severity of the situation:

‍Minor issues: These are usually managed by the accompanying teachers, who provide care and monitor the student.

‍Serious issues: Teachers will take the student to the most appropriate medical facility, prioritising an international hospital if available, or the best local hospital or clinic. An Edventure Travel representative or staff member will escort the student, and tour leaders or local guides will act as interpreters for medical staff if required.

Parents or guardians are contacted immediately and informed of any decisions relating to medication, medical procedures, or next steps. We also liaise with the student’s travel insurance provider, which offers a 24-hour emergency hotline for medical advice, procedures, and documentation for claims. In very serious cases, a company director may attend to ensure the student receives the best care.

What happens if we miss our flight?

If your group misses your flight, we’ll do our best to book you on the next available flight, or adjust your itinerary so that you maximise your time in-country. We ask all travellers to arrive at the airport in plenty of time and make sure you have the correct documentation to fly.

What happens if there’s an emergency during the trip?

If your trip is affected by natural disaster, heightened security risk or another emergency, we’ll contact your next of kin (parent/guardian for student trips), your travel insurance company and the relevant embassy. We’ll keep these parties up–to–date with the situation and any new arrangements that need to be made as a result of it.

What happens in extreme weather?

Climates vary, and on rare occasions, our trips can encounter extreme hot or cold weather. We keep a constant watch on local weather forecasts to anticipate severe weather. We may need to alter your group’s itinerary to avoid extreme weather events.In your pre-departure briefing, we’ll also let you know what seasonal weather to expect. We encourage you to pack appropriately, be prepared and stay hydrated throughout your tour.

What areas of study can we focus on?

Every student trip we run through the Asia-Pacific region can incorporate a range of themes. For the broadest appeal, we advise you choose several study areas within one educational itinerary.

Here are some examples of the subjects we can offer your students:

Globalisation and business
Sustainability and environment
Social justice and social change
Human geography and cultural studies
Art and design
Wildlife and conservation ecology
Peace, justice and reconciliation
Comparative religion
Indigenous affairs
Urban development and urban sprawl
Military history, battlefields and the Cold War
Leaders and influencers
Case studies on a specific topic of your choice

What other activities do you offer students on tour?

If you like an action-packed itinerary for your students, there are many exciting local activities you can include. Here are just a few:

Visits to local schools
Crafts and textile workshops
Language classes
Culinary delights – farm to plate
Outdoor-ed, trekking and camping
Community-led projects and service-learning programs
Interactive museums
Ethnic minority village experiences
Great Race style team-building challenges
Sports and adventure activities

What specific school curricula do you support?

Each tour is customised to your school’s curriculum, student needs and educational goals. Our school trips cater for a range of school programs, and we’ve supported schools that follow the International Baccalaureate curriculum, CAS, the Australian Curriculum and more.

We can also tailor your school trip to meet Duke of Edinburgh Award, Week Without Walls, International Award or Global Action program criteria.

What skills will students build on the trip?

On an Edventure Travel educational tour, students develop practical and life-ready skills, including:

Communication and teamwork: through cross-cultural activities and interactions with local people, your students will learn to work together effectively to overcome cultural and language barriers.
Inclusivity: as your students negotiate complex cultural situations, we’ll encourage them to respond in ways that uphold local people’s dignity and show respect for cultures other than their own.
Cultural awareness & empathy: Through immersive experiences, students practice responding respectfully to different customs, perspectives, and ways of life.
Budgeting: your students will practise basic money management by counting foreign currency, calculating currency conversions, and preparing and following a daily budget.

What personal qualities will students develop on the trip?

As students come to understand the country around them, they’ll put a range of valuable skills into practice, such as:

Tolerance, empathy, compassion and humility – students will expand their perspective and see the privilege of their own life back home through exposure to new opinions and lifestyles.
Courage, independence and self-management – students will build self-confidence by interacting with local peers, learning a new language and cultural etiquette, and stepping outside their familiar environment.

What does a teacher’s role look like on tour?

Travelling overseas with your students for the first time can feel a little daunting. But you needn’t worry – we take care of more than you might think!

What accommodation do you offer?

Our student trips use a wide range of accommodation – from twin- and triple-share hotels, to guest houses, communal homestays, 4 berth soft sleeper overnight trains, and more!

We take great care to ensure your accommodation arrangements are just right. This may mean girls on one hotel floor, boys on another. Teachers are located on corresponding floors and are provided with a numbered room-share list for reference. Likewise, details of fire safety plans, emergency exits and overnight on-call staff members’ room numbers are shared with every student.

Before we check in to any accommodation, we’ll have the room-share arrangements worked out in advance. These can be made in collaboration with teachers. Importantly, no student room will be on a floor without a travelling staff member.

How do you manage student-to-teacher ratios?

Each school has its own student-to-teacher ratio requirements. While we work flexibly to meet your needs, student-to-teacher ratios may vary depending on: your itinerary, the specific activities you’ve chosen, maximum bus sizes, cost-effectiveness, comfort levels, and the number of students you have on tour.

Our student tours usually require a minimum group size of 16 students and 2 staff members. Our most common groups contain 20-25 students and 3 staff members, or 30-35 students and 4 staff members. We can easily accommodate groups of up to 100, which we split into 3 subgroups in 3 separate buses.

Who handles passports and money during the trip?

Your tour leader takes responsibility for your students’ passports and other travel documents throughout your tour. On arrival, your tour leader will take students’ passports for safe keeping.

Alternatively, as a teacher accompanying the tour, you can request to hold students’ passports if you prefer.

While on tour, students will have control of their spending money. Our tour leader will advise your students on local pricing and can take them to change money at reputable currency exchange centres. They’ll also explain the best way to ensure money and valuables are kept safe.

How do I begin designing a student trip?

Planning a student trip starts with contacting us to share your preferences and requirements. From there, you’ll promote your trip within your school community, then make your deposit and complete your students’ paperwork.

For a breakdown of what’s involved within each of these four steps, please visit our student trips page.

Can I see a sample itinerary?

In addition to our tailored tours, we also offer a large range of ready-made student tours to all our destinations. These can be run as they are or modified to meet your school’s needs.

You can view a range of sample itineraries on our individual Destination pages (Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam), or contact us for more options.

Do you offer risk assessments for schools?

Your students’ health and safety are paramount, which is why we undertake careful risk assessments for every tour, and assure all our staff are trained in risk management.

Before the tour, we’ll provide a detailed risk assessment for almost every activity in your itinerary. This comprehensive risk assessment is given to your school before the trip is agreed upon.

During your tour, we’ll consult with you and other travelling staff members about any potential safety issues. We’ll always do this before we brief your students on the day’s upcoming itinerary.

Occasionally, we may decide to skip or modify part of the tour program if we deem it to have become unsafe for some reason. For example, we’d modify your program if a severe weather event was approaching an area your students were travelling through.

What are your booking conditions?

To gain your school executive team’s approval for your student trip, you’ll need to show them detailed booking conditions. Since the onset of COVID-19, when many tours were cancelled, this has become even more important.

Our booking conditions are clear and transparent, especially in relation to cancellations, deferments and refunds. We don’t hide behind the fine print.

How does travel insurance work?

Your school executive team will also want to see you’ve sourced comprehensive travel insurance with adequate coverage.

As authorised agents, we sell group policies from several travel insurance companies. We’ve done the research for you and offer a selection of excellent insurance policies with clear conditions and payment schedules.

If you choose one of our travel insurance policies, we’ll provide you with the policy details along with terms and conditions, coverage amounts and the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS).

We do ask that all student groups travel on the same travel insurance policy together, whether it be one of our group travel insurance policies or your school’s own insurance policy. This ensures all travellers have the same inclusions and coverage amounts. It also means we only deal with one insurance provider should a group incident occur.

Can teachers come on a free reconnaissance trip before travelling with a student group?

Yes. We’re happy to escort you and another interested colleague from your school or educational institution through the region on a complimentary, one-on-one reconnaissance (‘recce’) trip. The trip will acquaint you with our travel style, community service projects, staff and safety procedures.

To show your school’s serious commitment, we usually pay for the land tour costs and ask that your school pay for the international airfare and any travel visas to/from the country. Please contact us to arrange a recce to any country we operate in.

Can I ask for a reference from another school?

Yes, we can provide you with a comprehensive list of referees from Australian and overseas schools who’ve previously travelled with us. Contact us, and we’ll provide a list of schools who are excited to share their stories.

How do you prepare students for the trip?

Before the trip, we’ll brief your students on the main elements of their itinerary. We explain in detail expectations around luggage, money and gifts; accommodation arrangements; safety and risk management processes; culturally appropriate behaviour; and any in-country activities they’ll take part in.

nce your students arrive in-country, they’ll join our orientation session. The orientation session introduces them to their new environment and explains cultural etiquette, local customs and dos and don’ts. It also sets expectations for their behaviour as part of a tour group – such as being on time, and mobile phone etiquette (e.g. times of use, device safety, culturally appropriate content).

Each morning or evening throughout the tour, your students will be briefed on what’s happening next and how best to prepare.

Do you provide a packing list?

Yes, we provide a comprehensive packing list for student trips. Our packing list includes clothing, footwear, toiletries, power points, money, luggage – and more!

How fit do students need to be?

In general, students should be reasonably fit and in good health to get the most out of travelling. However, we can make exceptions for students with disabilities or lower fitness levels – for example, providing a support vehicle for non-cyclists.

Our tours follow a fitness grading based on the range of physical activities and comfort levels you choose to include:

‍Easy grade tours: These tours include few or no physical activities, though students must be able to carry their own luggage for short distances.

‍Moderate grade tours: These tours include outdoor activities like trekking, cycling or white-water rafting, as well as physical work during community service projects.

‍Challenging grade tours: These tours often include camping and outdoor activities where students are exposed to the elements for several hours or days in a row. Tours with physically and mentally challenging community projects, such as helping to construct buildings and staying in very basic accommodation and bathroom facilities, also fall into this category.

Will students have contact with parents while they’re travelling?

This is up to your school to decide. Some schools prefer to have a ‘no wi-fi/electronic media’ policy throughout their tour and prefer all communication to go via the school administration. Other schools share a list of relevant hotel contact details with parents ahead of time, with a note to consider the time-zone difference between countries.

Either way, your tour leader is contactable 24/7 throughout your tour. They can also help set up local SIM cards for you and other school staff on tour.

How are emergencies handled overseas?

Travelling overseas with your students foIf medical treatment is required, the first preference is an international hospital. If unavailable, the best local hospital or clinic will be used. Passport and insurance details are taken to the hospital. For privacy reasons, only the accompanying teachers and the student’s parent/guardian may communicate directly with the travel insurance company. A case file number is usually issued and should be quoted in all correspondence.r the first time can feel a little daunting. But you needn’t worry – we take care of more than you might think!

How are parents contacted in an emergency?

Teachers on tour carry emergency contact details for all students and will contact parents/guardians directly using their own phone or the phone of the tour leader or local guide.

What support is available for students with medical conditions?

Edventure Travel staff and accompanying teachers are informed of all declared medical conditions prior to departure. Medication plans are followed, and teachers assist by reminding students to take required medication. Support is provided for physical and emotional medical needs, and parents/guardians may be contacted before departure to establish an appropriate action plan if required.

How are group meals organised?

Meals are organised in advance by the tour leader, who contacts restaurants prior to arrival to ensure the kitchen can cater for the full group with minimal waiting time and adhere to all dietary requirements. Groups may be seated together or split across tables depending on restaurant space.

How are food allergies or dietary requirements managed?

Tour leaders are informed of all dietary requirements before departure and communicate these to restaurant staff at each venue.

How much spending money should students bring?

What expenses are/aren’t included in the tour price?

Please refer to the Tour Inclusions/Exclusions section attached to the daily itinerary.

What happens during student free time?

Free time is structured and supervised, subject to school approval. Students are assigned a designated area, fixed time period, and meeting point, and must move in small groups (never alone). Students carry hotel address details and tour leader contact information at all times. Mobile phone use and group messaging are determined by individual school policies.

How should students look after valuables in hotel rooms?

Most hotels provide in-room safes. If a safe is not available, valuables should be locked inside luggage or stored in the hotel reception safe. Passport management (whether held by students or teachers) is determined by school policy.

What standard of accommodation is used?

Accommodation is typically 3-star standard hotels, with students staying in twin rooms with two single beds. If student numbers are uneven, a triple room may be used. All hotels meet fire safety compliance standards and usually include air-conditioning, room safes (or reception safes), and buffet breakfasts with Asian and international options. Where local 3-star accommodation is not suitable, 4-star hotels may be selected.

If staying in a homestay, students are accommodated in gender-separated dorm rooms, with staff housed nearby. Teaching staff are allocated to each homestay, and students are not placed in multiple homestays without staff supervision.

How are students allocated to rooms?

Room allocations are managed by the accompanying teachers. Room arrangements may change when moving between hotels, but not during a stay, to avoid confusion with minibar charges or laundry services at checkout.

How is laundry managed during the trip?

Many hotels offer laundry services, and nearby laundromats are commonly available. As a backup, students may wash small items in hotel bathrooms using detergent they bring or purchase locally. In some destinations, affordable clothing is also available at local markets.

What luggage should students bring?

Most students bring a medium-sized wheeled suitcase and a day pack (backpack) for daily activities.

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