AAVE–All About Visiting Earth

The Worldwide Leader in Teen Adventures Since 1976
Golden, Colorado

For More Information, Contact
AAVE–All About Visiting Earth
2308 Fossil Trace Drive
Golden, Colorado 80401
303-526-0806
800-222-3595 (toll-free)
Fax: 303-526-0885
http://www.aave.com
E-mail: info@aave.com

Type of Program: Adventure, wilderness, community service and culture, travel, and Spanish language immersion
Participants Coeducational and international; grades 6–12, ages 11–18, separated by age
Enrollment: 800 participants per summer in independent groups of 13 to 15 teenagers
Program Dates: Two-, three-, four-, and six-week trips from June through August
Head of Program: Abbott Wallis, Owner

Location

AAVE–All About Visiting Earth has its year-round base in Colorado. Trips include adventure travel in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Africa, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Australia, Thailand, China, South America, Mexico, and Europe, with secondary offices on each continent in which participants travel.

Background and Philosophy

Since 1976, AAVE–All About Visiting Earth has been about feeling alive, competent, and part of a highly motivated team of teenagers having fun. The hallmark of AAVE has been to combine inspirational leaders, innovative adventures, and a high level of individual responsibility and commitment. An interview and two references are required prior to acceptance. All groups include 13 to 15 teenagers and 2 or 3 adults; the small group size results in an honest experience in which each participant’s contribution makes a difference. AAVE–All About Visiting Earth is accredited by the American Camp Association.

Program Offerings

Australia (twenty-one days, Australia) Beach activities down under include scuba certification, diving the Great Barrier Reef, sailing, surfing, hiking, and white-water rafting.
Thailand (twenty-one days, Thailand) Thailand is the ultimate adventure off the beaten tourist path. Participants learn about Asian culture as they go elephant trekking, explore ancient tribes and numerous Buddhist temples, and bask on the beaches of southern Thailand.
Ultimate Hawaii (twenty-one days, Hawaii) Hawaii is a rugged adventure, including tropical backpacking, three days of surfing, mountain biking around Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park, and a seven-day water sport and Pacific sailing experience, including instruction in navigation, outrigger canoeing, and sea kayaking.
BootSaddlePaddle (twenty-four days, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona) BootSaddlePaddle, in the southwestern United States, includes two backpacking trips, including the southern rim of the Grand Canyon; a horseback-riding adventure in Colorado; Native American intercultural experiences and community service projects; and a class III–IV white-water rafting trip.
Bold Europe (twenty-eight days, Spain, France, and Italy) Bold Europe is an exploration of three distinct European regions. Activities include hiking, mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, rock climbing, and visits to the French Riviera, museums, Barcelona, Florence, Siena, and Paris.
Bold West (twenty-six days, Utah, Nevada, and California) Bold West is an active way to explore the western United States. Itineraries include hiking in Zion, Sequoia, and Yosemite National Parks; rafting; rock climbing; surfing; and exploring Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Ultimate Colorado (twenty-one days, Colorado) Ultimate Colorado offers the best of Colorado and includes five days of rock climbing, action-packed white-water rafting, and two backpacking trips in the high country of Colorado.
Colorado Discovery (eighteen days, Colorado) Colorado Discovery is designed exclusively for 12- and 13-year-olds and is a challenging introductory sampler of wilderness sports, including backpacking, white-water rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and adventure camping.
Ultimate Alaska (twenty-two days, Alaska) Alaska requires previous backcountry experience. This rugged Alaskan adventure includes a five-day backpacking trip in the Chugach Mountain Range, a sea-kayaking trip in Resurrection Bay, a five-day technical ice-climbing school on the Matanuska Glacier, a two-day trip on the Matanuska River, and a final backpacking trip in Denali State Park in the shadow of North America’s highest peak, Mt. McKinley.
Ultimate Alps (twenty-one days, France, Italy, and Switzerland) Alps is an exciting adventure in the alpine center of Europe. Glacier skiing and snowboarding, wakeboarding and waterskiing, white-water rafting, rock climbing, canyoning, mountain biking, and backpacking complete this high-powered international mountaineering trip.
Costa Rica Clasica (twenty-one days, Costa Rica) Costa Rica Clasica combines Spanish language, adventure, and community service in a wondrous, friendly, and safe Central American country. Basic knowledge of Spanish (a minimum of one year) is required.
Costa Rica Spanish Intensive (twenty-one days, Costa Rica) Costa Rica Spanish Intensive is a challenging Spanish language immersion program. The program includes three weeks of language classes and living with a host family. A minimum of two years of Spanish study is required.
España Clasica (twenty-one days, Spain) España Clasica is an aggressive Spanish language immersion program combining university study, homestays, and outdoor adventure in Madrid, Barcelona, and Santander. Basic knowledge of Spanish (a minimum of one year) is required.
Wild Coast Discovery (twenty-one days, Washington and Oregon) Wild Coast Discovery is designed for teens 13 and 14 years old and explores Washington and Oregon. It features two days of skiing or snowboarding on Mount Hood, Oregon; sea kayaking on Puget Sound; biking in the San Juan Islands; rock climbing in Washington; and backpacking trips in the Olympic and Cascade Mountains.
England Ireland Wales (twenty-two days, Ireland, Wales, and England) England Ireland Wales takes place in the wilderness and culture of northern Europe. Activities include two days of horseback riding, two days of surfing, two days of mountain biking, and plenty of sightseeing in Dublin and London.
Bike Amsterdam/Paris (fourteen days, Holland, Belgium, and France) Participants bike some of Europe’s best trails and experience some of Europe’s most fascinating cities, including Amsterdam, Ghent, Bruges, and Paris. Whether bicycle novices or fanatics, riders see culture and beauty on this 300-mile ride spread over eleven days.
Italy & Greece (twenty-one days, Italy and Greece) The Mediterranean passion for culture, adventure, sport, food, and life is contagious as participants sail, windsurf, sea kayak, and experience the very best of Greece and Italy, including Athens, the Greek Isles, the Amalfi Coast, and Rome.
Surf Camp (fourteen days, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) Participants in this program ride the waves by day and camp on the beach by night. Surf Camp also includes a survival skills safari and a sea-turtle preservation service project.
Peru and Machu Picchu (twenty-one days, Peru) Students explore the legacy of the Incas as they explore ancient cities, hike the Peruvian Andes, and visit Machu Picchu, the most beautiful and mysterious of the Incan ruins. This trip also includes rafting class III rapids, surfing the Pacific, visiting the largest lake in the world, service work with local villages, and enjoying the wonders of the Amazon.
Ecuador and Galapagos (twenty-one days, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands) This trip gives students the best of mainland Ecuador, a trip to the Galapagos Islands, and a rare glimpse of the cloud forest. A naturalist teaches students about the surrounding ecosystems. Participants explore, snorkel, hike, swim, raft, bike, and work with local schoolchildren.
Africa (twenty-one days, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana) This program is a combination of high-adrenaline activities in some of the world’s largest desert sand dunes, first-rate rapids, and rugged trails, with unique exposure to diverse cultures and breathtaking wildlife.
China (twenty-one days, China) Teens crisscross centuries and cultures in this intriguing country as they experience China’s vast expanses up close and adventurous. Participants hike the Great Wall, visit a panda breeding center, participate in community service projects, and explore the history and mystery of China, from Beijing to Hong Kong. The trip includes two overnight trains and no camping.
Rock & Roll (fourteen days, Colorado) Rock & Roll includes five days of white-water kayak school on the Arkansas River, three days of rock climbing, a two-day service project with the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, and a final summit of one of Colorado’s famous 14,000-foot peaks. The scenery is beautiful and the challenge is intense; this trip is geared toward both first-timers and experienced paddlers and climbers.

Enrollment

Each coed group of 13 to 15 participants and 2 or 3 trip leaders is carefully grouped by age. Participants from forty-eight states and forty countries have joined AAVE. The small group size promotes strong friendships and one-on-one instruction and responsibility. AAVE trips feature service projects and intercultural exchanges with an international staff, group, and locale. No previous experience is needed for most trips.

Staff

AAVE–All About Visiting Earth requires staff members to have Wilderness First Responder, Adult CPR, and Lifeguard Training certifications; extensive experience with teenagers; backcountry travel knowledge; and proven leadership skills. The minimum age of staff members is 21, and the average age is 26. Each trip includes a female leader and a male leader.

AAVE–All About Visiting Earth

Location

Background and Philosophy

Program Offerings

Enrollment

Daily Schedule

Staff

Costs

Financial Aid

Transportation

Application Timetable