Our Custom Programs
Working with schools, families, professional organizations, and inspired groups of friends or colleagues, Dragons creates especially inventive and intimate learning adventures that carefully address the unique goals and interests of the participants. Custom itineraries can range from a few days to a few months, can be volunteer, home-stay, trekking focused, and are always assembled with great care and led by Dragons’ experienced guides.

For an in-depth, colorful overview of the possibilities, see our online catalog.

Working with Your Special Interests:
The process of building an exceptional custom study abroad program begins with a phone call from a prospective sponsor – a teacher, a representative of a professional organization, or someone interested in traveling with friends or family. Together, we work out a study abroad program area, establish goals, and sketch out rough itineraries. Working with your feedback, Dragons’ Program Directors will liaise with guides and in-country contacts to create a final itinerary outline that best meets the group vision of experiential education and learning adventure.

Program Care and Directions:
Once we’ve developed a solid itinerary, Dragons contracts a leadership team to take stewardship of the custom study abroad program. Together, Dragons staff members work with the custom sponsor and program participants to prepare for the journey, and to fill the days with unique experiences. As prospective members consider participation, Dragons representatives may visit the group’s community to share slides and answer questions. Once all participants are on board, we put together reading materials, and send out useful books and packets of information. We take care of all logistical concerns, including international air travel if air assistance is desired. Finally, Dragons works closely with the sponsor to address all questions that arise before course departure, ensuring that the group is particularly comfortable with all health, safety and emergency considerations.

What We Offer:

• Highly-qualified and well-trained professional guides who work with the program sponsor to lead the group for the duration of the custom study abroad program.
• Extensive pre-trip preparation: availability of course instructors to answer questions; specially-developed reading materials; extensive information on health and safety; reading lists and useful web links; etc.
• All relevant logistics including: international air; in-country air and land travel; meals; hotel reservations; meetings and discussions with community leaders, academics and working professionals; travel and trekking permits; guided tours; museum and park entrance fees; trekking supplies; coordination of volunteer opportunities; language study; food and in-country support; emergency response; etc.
• Twenty years of in-country experience, including a web of contacts and a deep understanding of risk issues and emergency plans.

What We Require:

• An enthusiastic sponsor.
• A dialogue aimed at developing an itinerary several months in advance that will suit the group’s needs – balancing learning and experiential goals with comfort; and working with us to establish goals, such as the importance of integrating cultural studies, volunteer opportunities, language study and language immersion, home-stays, internships, wilderness exploration or other forms of experiential education.
• An open mind, a love of learning, and a sense of adventure!

Flip through our colorful online Custom Programming Catalog.

Please call for further details, samples of past program itineraries, and references.
The teachers, families, schools and groups with whom we have worked will attest to the quality of Dragons’ performance. To learn more about working with Dragons to develop a custom study abroad program, or to look at program write-ups and itineraries that we have prepared for past custom groups, please send us an e-mail, or give us a call.