OVERNIGHT CAMPS
Like you, we believe students thrive in an outdoor setting, where experiential learning approaches are considered fundamental to a student’s all-encompassing learning journey. Vancouver Outdoor School, with our dynamic team, is committed to providing exceptional outdoor educational services and activities for schools from September to June.
Choose from our customizable unique overnight school camps and Grad Retreats.
If you don’t have an established outdoor experiential education program/course at your school, we are here to help! We can connect your core competencies with a guided outdoor experience while offering a fun and unique overnight school camp for your students. Keep in mind that the information below is a starting point – we also tailor and design personalized experiences for your individual needs, interests and schedule.
Vancouver Outdoor School strives to bring valuable and meaningful leadership and outdoor-skill training to all our students. Our consistent approach, facilitated by our skilled instructors, encourages thoughtful discussion and positive self-reflection.
Overnight School Camps Outside of Vancouver
Whistler Mountain Gourmet COEE
(Community & Outdoor Experiential Education)
Join us for a three-day Whistler-style overnight camp at a beautiful ski lodge campus! Whistler Mountain Gourmet has a primary focus on students participating in gourmet cooking and outdoor education, with a unique outdoor experience.
Activities include professional cooking & paddling lessons, outdoor skills activities, hiking, village photo scavenger hunt, evening activities and visiting Lil'Wat Cultural Centre.
More Info
Dates (2 nights/3 days)
April/May/June/September/October 2020.
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - $299 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes Beautiful ski lodge accommodation, transportation from Vancouver, camper 24/7 instruction, meals and supervision, a camp t-shirt, gourmet cooking, outdoor activities and more!
Location: Fireside Lodge (Whistler Campus), Whistler BC
Forest Camps
An overnight camp for teachers wanting an immersive and rustic forest experience for their students. Students will sleep in tents and truly a have a direct learning experience in nature.
Our school-based overnight camps are located in Whistler, Galiano Island, Porpoise Bay and Halkett Provincial Parks.
Activities include hiking, canoeing, forest foraging, 'Leave No Trace' skills, climate change action planning, forest medicine walks, and wilderness skills.
More Info
Dates: (2 Nights/3 Days)
May/June/September/October 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - 279 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes: Tent accommodation, 24/7 instruction and supervision, a camp t-shirt, food and tons of outdoor activities (such as outdoor skills and climate change education!)
Location: Galiano Island, Golden Ears, Porpoise Bay or Halkett Provincial Parks.
Whistler Grad Retreats
Grade 7 and middle school graduation is a special time for young people as they end another chapter in their school life and start a new one! Our ski lodge campus in Whistler is centrally located, comfortable and comes with all the amenities needed to offer a safe, practical and fun retreat experience.
Activities include participating in a gourmet cooking workshop, Grad Bonkers Relay Race, tons of outdoor activities & team building games, karaoke challenge, Whistler photo scavenger hunt, Grad Final Campfire & Camp Party, Oh la-la Spa, paddling time and much more!
More Info
Dates (2 nights/3 days)
April/May/June 2020.
Ages: Grade 7
Rate: $349.00 CAD (+GST) per student.
Location: Whistler, BC
Galiano Island Discovery
A three-day up to a week long (you can choose!) environmental and wilderness camp for students to explore, discover and play in the ocean and forests of beautiful Galiano Island. Students will sleep in tents, learn about campfire cooking, and partake in specific environmental and climate change education workshops - all while enjoying the serenity of Galiano Island.
Activities include hiking, paddle boarding, bike touring and wilderness STEM & forest medicine.
More Info
Dates: (2 Nights/3 Days or weeklong)
May/June/September/October 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - $279 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes: Ferry fee, tent accommodation, 24/7 instruction and supervision, a camp t-shirt, food, outdoor activities and skill-building.
Location: Galiano Island, BC
Ocean to Mountains Sechelt Inlet
A three-day up to a week long (you can choose) provincial park based camp for students to immerse themselves in our amazing oceans and mountains! Students will have the option to deepen their learning in two of the following streams: Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, indoor rock climbing, hiking, learning about edible plants and/or paddling the Sechelt inlet.
Other activities include outdoor games and play, wilderness skills and learning to cook and prepare yummy food!
More Info
Dates (2 nights/3 days or weeklong)
May/June/September 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - 279 CAD (+GST) per student.
Location: Sechelt Inlet, BC (Sunshine Coast).
Attention Teachers:
When students go to outdoor school, they develop a sense of independence, new skills
allow the students to grow in an integral way.
Outdoor activities are not only a fundamental element for the enjoyment of childhood, but also, they teach children skills crucial to life such as
Vancouver Outdoor School operates a local and nature-based outdoor school for students in grades 3 to 12. Our overnight camps and day program are designed to provide the perfect mix of fostering children’s social-emotional learning, skill-based training, gourmet cooking lessons and immersion in the local beautiful wilderness. Imagine your students swimming, preparing a fabulous dinner, hiking, exploring, dancing, building, creating, dreaming, laughing and just enjoying the precious moments of being a kid at their
“Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye - it is very beautiful.”
- Kailash Satyarthi
Why Choose Us?
- We are all about building longstanding and meaningful relationships with your students, staff and school community.
- We adjust our environmental and nature-based field studies to best suit your students' learning, in collaboration with their teachers.
- Our staff are certified teachers, skilled outdoor educators, or aspiring teachers. We hire the
best, and bring our best. - We have the equipment, staffing and experience to serve up to 100 students at a time.
- We are flexible, fun, and 100% experiential.
- We can go anywhere! You
pick: your school, local urban park, or a nearby lake or forested area. - We work within multiple lens or frameworks. This means that we are NOT a one-dimensional type of education service. We take into account the students' age, level of interest and comfort, cultural background, and the core competencies that are in place at your institution.