Home > Youth Leadership Programs > Sept–June Duke of Ed Adventurous Journeys
Sept–June Duke of Ed Adventurous Journeys
Outdoor adventures aren’t just for the holidays anymore
Do you need an Adventurous Journey to complete your Duke of Edinburgh's Award but your holidays are already booked? You’re in luck! Designed for Duke of Edinburgh's Award participants at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels, our 3-5 day Adventurous Journeys happen monthly and are tailor-made to fulfill the Award's outdoor requirements. We run these Adventurous Journeys from September 2024–June 2025. Register your interest to reserve a space.
To help keep the challenge in the adventure, we offer convenient start and end points in Vancouver with easy access to a variety of incredible destinations across British Columbia. Locations range from the rugged beaches of Tofino and Bamfield to the alpine majesty of Whistler, as well as serene locations like Manning Park, Victoria, Howe Sound, and Sechelt Inlet.
Be challenged, grow, and transform in the great outdoors
Warning: this isn’t just a way to tick boxes for your Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
This is a full-value youth leadership experience focused on life lessons, land-based self-care practices, and thoughtful mentors who honour the incredible moments of being a teenager. Be prepared for your life and future potential to transform!
Registrations are currently open for our 2025 SRING BREAK Yukon Explorer 7-day Duke of Ed trip.
AGES
10–17 (co-ed)
WHEN
Monthly, September 2024–June, 2025
WHERE
Drop-off and pick-up: Vancouver
Trip locations: Whistler, Manning Park, Tofino, Bamfield, Victoria, Howe Sound, Sechelt Inlet
PROGRAM FEE
5-day trip: $999 + GST
3-day trip: $599 + GST
Includes: Pre-course check-in, online registration and payment plans, 24-7 supervision, high-quality instruction, transportation throughout the course, tent accommodation, all meals, group gear, tents, (optional) Duke of Edinburgh’s Award support.
For more information, contact us at: office@firesideadventures.ca
Upcoming Adventurous Journeys
Register your interest for any of these Adventurous Journeys for September 2024–June 2025.
Registrations are also currently open for our 2025 SRING BREAK Yukon Explorer 7-day Duke of Ed trip.
Bamfield | Coastal Curiosity Week (5 days)
Desolation Sound | Immersive Paddle Expedition (3 days)
Howe Sound | Waterscape Discovery Quest (3 days)
Welcome to Bamfield, an outdoor icon of Vancouver Island and 5000-year home of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation. Together, we’ll discover this rugged coastline’s hidden treasures: pristine beaches, old-growth rainforests, and the untamed Broken Islands. Venture out on coastal hikes, discover marine life in tidal pools, and explore hidden inlets. This immersive experience will foster leadership, develop life-long wilderness skills, and build a deep connection with nature and your peers.
Ready your sea legs and paddling arms for a canoe adventure through BC’s largest marine park. As we get comfortable on the inviting waters of the Sunshine Coast, we’ll visit scenic destinations like Prideaux Haven, Tenedo’s Bay, and the Skookumchuk Narrows – where we can actually watch the tides reverse! If you want to make lifelong friends and memories out on the ocean’s waters, this is the perfect Adventurous Journey for you.
Discover the tranquility of Howe Sound's scenic islands and inlets on an aquatic adventure using canoes and paddleboards. Become immersed in the wonders of a thriving marine ecosystem and learn wilderness skills that will make that will open the door to endless outdoor adventures. The Howe Sound Waterscape Discovery Quest is a captivating journey, perfect for both novices and nature enthusiasts alike.
Fireside Adventures experiential features:
Safety
Regardless of a participant’s level of comfort and outdoor skills, it is safer to travel in a group and it is much safer to have an experienced instructor supporting them. Our team always prioritizes planning, preparing, and most importantly, teaching participants how to be safe in the wilderness.Food
A well-nourished body makes a significant impact on a person’s experience in times of physical and/or mental exertion. Participants will learn how to pack and prepare healthy and holistic meals in our camp kitchens, suited for all diets.Fitness Capacities
If you are concerned about yours or your child’s physical readiness to attend one of our Fireside camps/expeditions, please contact us directly. We modify our experiences based on participants' abilities and capacities. Relax and let us work together to make an informed and shared decision.
Climate Change
We do our best to understand the present and future impacts of climate change. We provide thoughtful discussions and rationale of why we all must do our best to minimize our carbon use including ways to reduce food waste, non-recyclable materials and more. We take public transit or walk as much as possible, and respect nature by reducing our ecological footprints.
Indigenous People
We acknowledge that we are visitors of the traditional lands of Indigenous People. We ask permission to visit and explore their lands while also inviting local First Nations to participate in our camps, share their knowledge and provide a space to collaborate. Fireside Adventures recognizes the unceded traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.Small Group Focused & Mobile
We purposely place restrictions on group size (minimum 8 and maximum 15) of participants as believe less means more for an enriched and meaningful experience for each participant. We are not defined by one permanent location as we are rooted in the belief that adventure and learning come from exploring the lands and water around us.
Place and Inquiry Based
All of our selected locations for our camps and expeditions are purposely chosen to provide a platform for inquiry and experiential learning, to learn through the natural world and its significance in relation to culture, geography, history, people and environment.
Social and Emotional Learning
We create a safe place so participants can develop and enhance their resiliency, independence and self-efficacy. We weave learning opportunities throughout our programs for participants to improve the skills necessary to manage and understand their emotions and their relationships.Inclusivity
We are inclusive of all genders, races, cultures, languages, shapes, sizes, colours, abilities and capacities. Those who arrive on the first day of the camp/expedition are important characters of the shared experienced that is to begin. It is a privilege to be the characters in each others stories and experiences, not our right.
