Summer Camp FAQs

Look at your child’s age during the camp, not today:

• 8 to 13: the Junior camp in Les Diablerets, with a morning programme of your choice (Adrenaline Multisports, Football Academy, MTB and Cycling, Rock Climbing or Survival Academy).
• Teenagers up to 17: the Senior Adventure Camp (14 to 17), or one of our travel camps: Bike Travel Camp (from 12), Tour of Mont Blanc (from 13) and Mallorca Water Sports (from 12).
• Under 8: our children’s camps start at 8, but our family camps welcome younger children with their parents.

If your child is 13 or 14, or close to an age limit, talk to us: we’ll help you choose. Every camp’s ages are on dates and prices.

The Junior camp is one camp in Chalet Budokan with five morning programmes. You choose one when booking, and every morning is dedicated to it:

• Adrenaline Multisports: a bit of everything (climbing, football, MTB, paddleboarding, camping, survival workshops, boat building). The best choice for a first camp.
• Football Academy: training, matches and tactical workshops with qualified coaches, all levels.
• MTB and Cycling: technical skills and alpine trails, from beginners to experts. Bike and equipment included.
• Rock Climbing: climbing and bouldering on local crags, roping, belaying and safety skills. Harness and equipment included.
• Survival Academy: shelters, fire-making, navigation, water purification, knots and team survival missions. Survival campers sleep in tents but can use the chalet.

Afternoons, evenings, meals and rooms are shared by all Juniors, so children from every programme mix and make friends.

Our camp for teenagers aged 14 to 17, in Chalet Jolimont, right in the centre of Les Diablerets. The group spends the week on mountain adventures - via ferrata, mountain biking, caving, glacier hikes, lake days and camping nights - and plans some of them itself.

Evenings bring time in the village, Senior Challenges and bonfires. It is active but not extreme, and teens have a say in what they do.

Instead of staying in one chalet, the group moves from place to place:

• Bike Travel Camp (12 to 17): a bike trip through the Swiss Alps and Pre-Alps, a new place most days, sleeping mostly in tents, with a vehicle carrying the luggage.
• Tour of Mont Blanc Camp (13 to 17): a backpacking trek around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland, sleeping in tents and mountain huts.
• Mallorca Water Sports Camp (12 to 17): water sports and adventure by the sea in Spain.

The travel camps ask for more fitness than the residential camps. See each camp’s page for the programme: all our camps.

No. The Bike Travel Camp covers long distances with a lot of climbing on roads, gravel and trails, so a good cycling level and fitness are essential. Please assess this honestly before booking, and tell us early if you have a doubt.

For a young beginner, the MTB and Cycling programme of the Junior camp (8 to 13) is ideal: it teaches the skills from the start.

It is a real expedition: hiking every day with a backpack, nights in tents and huts, and cold nights at altitude. Hiking experience and broken-in boots are strongly recommended, and good fitness is needed. The pace is set for the group. If you are unsure, talk to us before booking.

Definitely. Most of our participants are first-timers. The activities are adapted to every level, the groups are small, and our team is used to supporting children on their first week away from home. Many children come on their own and make friends within the first day.

Yes, and many do. Children come from Switzerland and more than 30 countries, and our groups are mixed on purpose across languages and nationalities. We put a lot of care into group dynamics: teams, games and shared tasks from the first evening help everyone find their place.

Our children’s camps start at 8, because the activities and a week away from home are designed for that age. Our family camps welcome younger children with their parents. If you like, leave us your details and we’ll let you know when your child is old enough.

Our children’s programmes stop at 17, so adults cannot join them as participants. From 18, young adults who love the outdoors can apply to join our team.

The children and teenagers who come to Young Explorers Club are friendly, curious and eager to learn. They come from all over Switzerland and from more than 30 countries. We put a lot of care into group dynamics and into creating a supportive social environment, and our participants reflect this: groups mix quickly, look after each other and leave with new friends.

Unlike standard international school camps, we offer a truly adventurous, personalised and bilingual experience. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Real choices every day: children shape their own week, and nobody is pushed into what they are not ready for
• More freedom for teens: a camp of their own in the centre of Les Diablerets, with free time in the village in small groups
• Local immersion: experience Swiss mountain life, not just a school abroad
• International and local campers: friendships across cultures
• Outdoor focus: not classroom-based, but growth through challenge
• Small groups: about one leader for every five children, so every child is known by name

Our goal is personal growth, independence and fun, not a school-style programme in a new location.

The Young Explorers Club was founded in 2018 in Lausanne, and it is intentionally small: we see ourselves more like a family than a business. Our leaders are educators, outdoor guides, youth leaders, sports coaches and language teachers, and some were YEC campers themselves.

Our hiring process is rigorous and selective: interviews, background and reference checks, training and certifications. All staff are over 18, paid leaders hold Jeunesse+Sport (J+S) qualifications, and every staff member provides a police record extract. Leaders are chosen for how they are with children as much as for what they can climb. Meet them on our team page.

Holistic development: our camps focus on the physical, social and personal growth of each camper.

Experienced leaders and educators: a team of passionate coaches, guides and educators dedicated to a positive and lasting experience.

Safety first: the safety of our campers is our top priority, and we keep high safety standards in every activity, so parents can relax.

Fun and friendship: our camps build real camaraderie, and lasting friendships are made.

Our participants gain a variety of skills and knowledge, including:

• Teamwork & Responsibility
• Outdoor Survival & Camping Skills
• First Aid and Emergency Preparedness
• Environmental Awareness and Conservation
• Personal Values and Ethical Decision-Making
• Cultural understanding and respect for diversity
• Fitness & Healthy Habits
• Citizenship and Community Service
• The ultimate goal is to help our participants become responsible and well-rounded individuals, ready to make a positive impact in the world.

It is how we run every activity: children are encouraged to try and to push a little further, but if they really don’t want to continue an activity, they don’t have to. The pace is set for the group: we walk as fast as our slowest hiker. Children are active participants, not passengers: they help plan routes, navigate, fix punctures and cook outdoors. Read more about our philosophy.

About 500 children a year, from Switzerland and more than 30 countries. Groups are deliberately mixed so children make international friends. The most common ages are 13 and 14, and there are slightly more boys than girls. Most of them are first-timers, just like your child.

No. We are an outdoor adventure club: our camps are sporty, outdoor and bilingual (English and French). Language classes are an optional extra in the afternoons, and we don’t run language-only or science courses.

During each activity, all preventive safety measures are in place and strictly followed.

To see all our safety measures and protocols, please visit our dedicated page: SECURITY & TEAM.

Summer 2027 runs in 8 weekly sessions, from Sunday 4 July to Saturday 28 August 2027. Each session runs Sunday to Saturday. The Tour of Mont Blanc runs on some weeks only. All the dates, with the places left, are on dates and prices.

The camps run in weekly sessions, Sunday to Saturday, in July and August. The minimum is one week, and you can book 1, 2, 3 or more consecutive weeks. Most children stay two weeks, and some stay all summer.

Yes, they can stay several weeks, and no, the weeks are not the same: the activities change every week, so children who stay longer do not repeat everything. The weekly price is the same in every week of the summer.

The minimum is one week, Sunday to Saturday. Arriving a day late or leaving a day early can sometimes be arranged, but the price stays the same. Tell us before booking and we’ll check with you.

Online, in a few minutes:

• Create your family account and choose the camp and the weeks.
• Add any extras and the transport you need.
• Pay the full amount (or the first instalment, if a payment plan is offered).
• Then sign the contract and fill in the trip preparation form, both in your account.

Everything stays in your account: what is left to do, your payments, the packing list and the practical information before the camp.

When the payment is received. You then get a confirmation by e-mail and WhatsApp. If a week can still be selected in the booking form, there are places left; places go to whoever completes the booking and payment first.

Yes: each child has their own booking, contract and preparation form, all from the same family account. One invoice can cover several children of the same family.

By card online (a secure payment link) or by bank transfer (the bank details are on the invoice). We are paid in Swiss francs (CHF) only: for a transfer from abroad, ask your bank to send the exact amount in CHF; your bank applies its own exchange fees.

Bank transfers take a few days to appear, and a reminder can cross your payment. Check your family account: if the payment shows there, you can ignore the reminder. If it doesn’t after a few days, write to us and we’ll check.

Usually yes, as long as there are places in the week you want. Contact us and we’ll do it for you. Adding a week is easiest early: once a week is full, it is often impossible.

Extras are chosen when you book, or later from your family account, before the camp. If your child wants to add an activity during the camp, the team contacts you first. Most families choose two or three extras at most, and many choose none: the standard programme is already full.

Each camp has a weekly price, for a family living in Switzerland and for a family living abroad. Every price, week by week, is on dates and prices and on each camp’s page. The price is the same in every week of the summer: there is no high-season surcharge.

Thanks to the help of our local sponsors, we are able to provide a discounted price to all Swiss residents.

The mentioned price includes all costs of the participant during the camp period, i.e. all public or private transport during the camp, food, accommodation costs, and any common group equipment (tents and any other equipment related to the activities, harness and climbing equipment).

It depends on where your family lives, not on your nationality. The Swiss resident price is for families living in Switzerland; the international price is for families living abroad. Camps abroad (Mallorca) have one price for everyone. If you are unsure, ask us.

The price includes all costs of the camp week:

• Accommodation and all meals
• All the activities of the standard programme, with the supervision of our team and 24/7 first aid
• All transport during the camp (public or private)
• Group and technical equipment: tents, climbing harness and helmet, ropes, activity equipment, and bikes on the bike programmes
• A camp T-shirt
• For international participants: the transfers from and to Geneva Airport, and the sleeping bag and mat
• For Swiss residents: the group transfer from the meeting point at Lausanne station

For specific camps, each camp’s page says what its price includes.

• Travel to the meeting point (flights or trains)
• Optional extras: special activities, language classes, rentals, insurance, extra nights and transfers outside the usual ones
• Personal equipment from the packing list (families living in Switzerland bring their own sleeping bag and mat, or rent them)
• Pocket money, which is optional

No hidden costs, and no VAT on top: educational activities in Switzerland are tax-free, so the price you see is the price you pay. Extras are always optional and shown before you choose them.

No: families and friends registering pay the same price. The Swiss resident price is the only standard difference. Older pages and brochures that mention a discount for two or more participants are out of date.

It is optional. About CHF 50 a week is plenty for snacks at the village shop. Please don’t send valuables.

In Les Diablerets, a mountain village in the Vaud Alps, about 1 hour from Lausanne and 1.5 to 2 hours from Geneva Airport. Juniors stay at Chalet Budokan and Seniors at Chalet Jolimont. The travel camps move from place to place. Read more about where they stay.

For international participants: yes! We organise transfers from Geneva Airport on the arrival and departure days, included in the price at no extra cost. Our team meets the children in the arrivals hall and brings them safely to camp. You can also bring your child directly to our chalet in Les Diablerets.

For Swiss residents: the meeting point is Lausanne train station, then the group travels together by train to Les Diablerets. You can also bring your child directly to the chalet.

The exact times and places for your session are in your family account and in the e-mail sent after booking.

Arrival is typically between 14:00 and 15:00 on the first day of camp. Departure is between 11:00 and 14:00 on the last day. If you are using our Geneva Airport transfer service, we will coordinate your pickup/drop-off times accordingly. Have a look at the registration email for specific details.

Yes: you can bring your child directly to the chalet in Les Diablerets. Drop-off is between 2 PM and 3 PM on Sunday, and pick-up between 11 AM and 2 PM on Saturday. Note your approximate time in the trip preparation form in your account, and let the on-site manager know a couple of days before. If you can’t make these times, contact us and we’ll try to find another time. The chalet’s exact location is sent before the camp.

In case you want to drop off your participant at Geneva Airport please be there at 12PM (arrivals waiting area). For Swiss participants you can also drop your participant there (make sure to select that with the camp preparation form for a small fee).

Yes, many children fly alone: our team meets them in the arrivals hall at Geneva Airport. If you use the airline’s unaccompanied minor service, our team can be the receiving contact; tell us when you book the flight so we can arrange the details. The airline’s own rules for minors apply.

Write the flight in the trip preparation form in your account before you buy the ticket if you can, and we’ll confirm. Very early Saturday departures are difficult because the chalet is 1.5 to 2 hours from the airport.

No: our transfers leave from Geneva Airport and Lausanne station only. From Zurich or Bern the train to Lausanne is easy and direct, and you can also drive your child to the chalet.

It can be requested in the trip preparation form in your account, and an extra night has a cost. We confirm each request with you.

The on-site manager, whose name and number we send before the camp: for arrivals, departures, a flight delay, illness or anything urgent. In an emergency the team can be reached 24/7, and we contact you at the first opportunity if anything happens.

Each day includes a balance of adventure, learning, and relaxation. A sample day might look like:

• 08:00 – Breakfast & morning briefing
• 09:00 – Activity block 1 (choice of sports/adventure)
• 12:00 – Lunch & rest time
• 14:00 – Activity block 2 (choice of creative or outdoor)
• 17:00 – Free time / workshops
• 19:00 – Dinner
• 20:00 – Evening games, campfires, or movie night
• 22:00 – Lights out

Schedules vary depending on weather and group dynamics, but they always combine structured freedom and guidance.

Mornings follow the programme chosen at booking. Afternoons and evenings offer a choice of activities that changes every week, for example:

• Swimming, lake days, kayaking and paddleboarding
• Hiking, climbing, via ferrata, caving and mountain refuge outings
• Survival workshops, a camping night and stargazing by an alpine lake
• Gel Blaster missions, capture the flag and adventure games
• Team sports, archery, slacklining and obstacle courses
• Creative workshops: photography, video and storytelling
• Evenings: team challenges, campfires, themed events and movie nights

This freedom of choice is a key part of our philosophy: campers explore their interests and step out of their comfort zones.

It is alright! Most of our new students don’t have experience in most of the outdoor activities we do.

Our instructors work closely together to teach you the skills you’ll need.

By the end of the trip, you’ll be a pro at setting up camp, cooking in the backcountry, and more!

If you have experience, our instructors will be happy to help you improve your existing skills.

Our programs and activities are based on the “challenge by choice” theory.

This means that we will encourage all campers to participate and challenge themselves in the activities, but if they are truly opposed to continuing, they absolutely do not have to.

We assess the intensity of any activity we do on the abilities of campers as a whole, not individually.

An example would be that: We walk as fast as our slowest hiker.

We strive to challenge each of our campers and also create situations that give them a sense of accomplishment, confidence, and achievement.

In shared rooms, usually of 4 to 6 children, with girls and boys in separate rooms. Rooms are arranged by age and mixed by country. There are no single or double rooms. At least one night a week is spent camping in tents (more on the Survival programme), which is why every child needs a sleeping bag and mat.

Yes, they can ask to: write it in each child’s trip preparation form and we’ll do our best. Rooms are separated by gender, and we can’t promise a specific room size.

Healthy, homemade meals cooked every day by our chef: mostly traditional Swiss dishes with some international ones, and fresh fruit always available.

• Vegetarian and vegan versions of every meal
• Halal: we welcome halal participants every week, and halal versions are marked on the menu
• Allergies and intolerances are catered for: note them in the trip preparation form in your account, so our team sees them before the camp

Camps are a chance to disconnect: 0% wifi, 100% fun. Children bring their phone and charger, the team keeps them safe and gives them back at set times to call home. Children socialise more and live the activities more fully without screens, and they have more fun.

Smartwatches, e-readers, video games and other electronic devices are not allowed. Cameras and card games are welcome. There is no Wi-Fi for campers.

There is a regular call day each week, and extra calls can be arranged through the on-site manager. If you need to reach the team, the on-site manager’s number is sent before the camp, and in an emergency we call you straight away. On the travel camps, calls depend on mobile reception.

Yes: the team takes photos and videos all week, and the full albums are sent to every family after the summer. You can follow the season as it happens on our Instagram.

It happens, and our team is used to it: the leaders support homesick children through the day and keep them busy with the group, and an extra call home can be arranged with the on-site manager.

Juniors are supervised at all times. Seniors get some free time to explore the village in small groups, with clear rules, check-in times and staff nearby: it builds their independence safely.

Yes: children help with camp tasks such as cooking and cleaning. It is part of camp life, disciplined but full of fun, and it is how a group becomes a team.

Laundry is done during the week. Children staying more than one week bring a mesh laundry bag. Please write your child’s name on every piece of clothing and equipment.

Safety is at the heart of everything we do. Supervision runs from the moment your child leaves home until they come back to you, with several managers double-checking every activity. Preventive safety measures are in place and strictly followed for each activity, and our policies follow the standards of the Vaud Youth Protection Service (SPJ). There is a fire drill at each location, and a hospital is always reachable by car. See all our measures on safety and team.

About one leader for every five children on the Junior camps, so every child is known by name. Children are supervised during activities, meals, evenings and at night.

Interviews, background and reference checks, training and certifications. All staff are over 18 and provide a police record extract showing no offences against children. Paid leaders hold J+S qualifications, and the team holds certifications such as J+S climbing instructor, mountain guide instructor and Wilderness EMT. Staff arrive about a week before the first session for training.

Someone responsible for first aid and crisis management is always present. The team takes care of your child, sees a doctor when needed, and calls you at the first opportunity.

Yes. Hand the medicine to the staff on arrival with a written note on the dose and timing, and put the details in the trip preparation form in your account. Medicines that must stay cold are kept in the fridge.

We have a no-bullying policy, and the team watches group dynamics and respectful behaviour closely. Because we are a small camp, issues are spotted and handled quickly.

Please talk to us before booking. We look at each situation with you and tell you honestly whether we can support your child well.

Yes, every day during the summer, as part of our routine in the mountains.

Our camps are bilingual, English and French. Activities and instructions are given so that everyone understands, and English is the main common language. Campers help each other and grow in confidence in their second language.

Absolutely! A basic understanding of English is enough. Children of every level come, many precisely to practise, and most improve a lot during the week. Our team is used to welcoming international participants from all over the world, in a multicultural, supportive setting where they learn by doing.

The camps run in English and French. Some of the team and of the children speak German, and optional German classes are available. Italian is not spoken at the camp.

Yes! Optional afternoon classes in French, English or German, 2 hours a day, Monday to Friday, from CHF 260 per week. Qualified teachers use games, dialogues and projects rather than formal grammar lessons, in small groups, with a small project at the end of each week. Bring a notebook and pens. More about language courses

Absolutely. Our flexible schedule allows kids to mix language learning with outdoor exploration, choosing how much they want to focus on each. Some might prefer a full adventure week, while others balance sports and workshops with language growth.

The full list for each camp is on our packing list and in your family account. Please don’t bring much more than the list.

A large backpack, not a suitcase (40 to 60 litres for the residential camps), plus a small day backpack. Space in the chalets and vehicles is limited, and the camping trips use 4×4 vehicles. Leave about 15 to 20% of the backpack empty.

For international participants, yes: the sleeping bag and mat are included. Families living in Switzerland bring their own (a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature of 5 °C) or rent them when booking.

Climbing shoes only for the Rock Climbing programme (rental possible). Bikes are provided on the bike programmes. Football Academy players bring football boots and shin guards. Each programme’s extras are on the packing list.

Synthetic or wool clothes that dry fast, a warm fleece, a good rain jacket and broken-in hiking or sports shoes. Avoid bulky cotton such as jeans and sweatpants. Write your child’s name on everything, and leave valuables at home.

Health Cover for Your Child During Camp

IF YOU ARE FROM EU AND HAVE AN EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD:

We want every child to be fully looked after if they fall ill or have an accident during camp. Part of that is making sure families understand how the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) works in Switzerland — and, just as importantly, where it stops. Please take a few minutes to read this before you travel.

The EHIC gives your child access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in Switzerland, on the same terms as a person insured here. “Medically necessary” means care that can’t wait until you’re back home — for example after a sudden illness or an accident.

Your child is covered through your family’s national health insurance, and the card is issued in your child’s own name. It’s free and you request it from your own health insurer before travelling.

What it does not do — please read carefully:

• The EHIC is a helpful baseline, but it is not the same as travel insurance, and there are real gaps families should plan for: It does not make care free. You pay the same patient share (deductible / co-payment) as a Swiss resident would. Treatment is accessible, not necessarily free.
• Emergency rescue and ambulance transport is only partly covered. In Switzerland the public system reimburses 50% of emergency rescue costs, up to a maximum of CHF 5,000 per year — you pay the rest, and that remainder is not refundable. In the Alps, a helicopter rescue alone can cost several thousand francs, so this gap can be significant.
• Repatriation is not covered at all. The EHIC does not pay for bringing your child home — for example a medical flight or transport back to your country.
• Private clinics and doctors are not covered. Only care within the Swiss public system counts.
• Prescription medicines are only half-covered — 50% of the cost, up to CHF 500 per year.

What we ask every EU family to arrange so that your child is fully protected: Please make sure that before camp you have:

• A valid EHIC in your child’s name, brought to camp (a copy is fine as backup).
• Travel or accident insurance that specifically covers emergency rescue (including mountain/helicopter rescue) and repatriation. This is the part the EHIC does not cover, and it is the most important thing to have in place. Our insurance covers that and you can book it when registering!

IF YOU ARE NOT FROM EU:

So that your child is fully protected, please make sure that before camp you have:

• Travel or accident insurance that specifically covers emergency rescue (including mountain/helicopter rescue) and repatriation. Our insurance covers that and you can book it when registering!

WHAT THE INSURANCE LOOKS LIKE:

Dear Parents,

When you sign up your participant for our travel and health insurance provided by AVI. You will subscrive to the following:

Medical care

• Doctor visits, hospital treatment, surgery, X-rays and lab tests, and prescription medication
• Ambulance transport (ground or air) and emergency medical evacuation
• Emergency dental treatment for pain relief, and dental care following an accident

Emergencies and assistance

• 24/7 emergency assistance line
• Search and rescue costs
• Repatriation home if needed after treatment

Other protections

• Personal liability cover (if your child accidentally causes damage or injury to others)
• Baggage cover for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage
• Accidental injury benefits

Amount of cover in euros:

• Medical care (doctor visits, hospital, surgery, X-rays, prescription medicine, ambulance): paid in full, up to €1,000,000 per year.
• Emergency medical evacuation and ambulance (ground or air): paid in full.
• Search and rescue: €2,000 per person.
• Emergency dental (pain relief): up to €800 depending on length of stay; broken tooth from an accident up to €440/tooth.
• Repatriation (return home after treatment, or in case of death): paid in full.
• Personal liability (damage your child accidentally causes to others): up to €500,000.
• Baggage: up to €3,000 for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage.
• Accidental death & dismemberment: lump sum benefits.

Good to know

• For most medical situations, the assistance service must be contacted first (we handle this on site) before treatment or evacuation, so please make sure we have your up-to-date emergency contact details.
• The insurance covers our normal camp activities and leisure sports. Certain extreme or high-risk activities are not included.
• Pre-existing or chronic medical conditions are generally not covered, so please inform us in advance of any condition, allergy, or medication your child has, so we can plan appropriately.
• Claims require original invoices and medical reports, so please keep any receipts if you pay for treatment directly.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

This is a simplified overview; full terms and conditions apply

• Before payment, a booking can be cancelled at any time at no cost.
• After payment, the camp contract sets the terms: have a look at it in your family account.
• Cancellation insurance can be added when booking: it refunds the camp if you must cancel for medical reasons.
• If we cancel a camp, you are refunded in full, and activities that were booked but did not take place are refunded too.

For any other situation, talk to us.

Yes: we send an invitation letter by e-mail for the visa application. You apply for the visa yourselves, usually a Schengen visa. Ask us for the letter.

Not the children’s camps, but yes in our family camps: guided adventure weeks where parents and children take part together, with an active but balanced pace. They fill up very fast, so register your interest early.

Yes, all year round: custom outdoor education programmes for international and bilingual schools, boarding schools, sports academies and youth organisations, from 2 days to several weeks, ages 9 to 17. See school and group trips.

Our camps for individual children run in the summer. Outside the summer we organise custom trips for schools, groups and families: tell us what you have in mind.

Partner agents create an agency account in our camp portal: the agents’ page explains how.

We look for camp managers, activity leaders, instructors and camp support every summer: see join the team.