custom programs

OG PROGRAMS TAILORED TO YOU.

Are you a student looking to organize a trip for your campus club? An educator developing a field component for your curriculum? An administrator looking to increase international mobility at your school? A professional planning a team retreat? A bubble of friends or family looking to travel together? 

Whatever your purpose, OG can make an accessible, responsible, and immersive adventure to fit your needs. We have over 10 years of experience developing custom programs for groups that want to explore a new place in a unique and impactful way.

Take a program private

Travel where you want, when you want and with whom you want. With a group as small as 4 or as big as 14, you can make your program private and enjoy an intimate experience with the confidence and peace of mind that comes from backpacking with your bubble. And just like every OG program, you’ll have the full support of OGHQ and be guided by knowledgeable Program Leaders every step of the way. 

Plus, you’ll save big! Just pick your favourite OG program, set the dates, and save $250 per person for a short program or $500 per person on a long program. That’s up to $5000 in savings for a team of ten. 

Ready to get started, click here and let us know where you want to go.

BUILD A CUSTOM itinerary

Our dedicated program development team will work with you and design a custom itinerary that is intimate, immersive and meets the goals, interests, and needs of your group. Itineraries can range from a few days to a few months, they can explore a special place or particular theme, and they can include everything from meaningful service projects and immersive homestays to off-the-beaten-path adventure and so much more.

The first step to creating your own custom itinerary is submitting a preliminary inquiry form (see below!). Once we have an idea of what you’re looking for, we’ll send you a custom program builders package and invite you to a program discovery chat. With your input, our team will then work with our in-country personnel and partners to design a custom program that combines your vision and OG’s unique approach to responsible travel.

What's included?

Our organization was founded on the principle of accessibility. We develop affordable programs that are jam-packed with off-the-beaten path adventure, cross-cultural immersion, and meaningful service.

When you book an OG program, you can rest easy that our all-in program pricing covers every minute of your group’s travel with us from beginning to end. Here’s what you get with an OG custom program…

Experienced Program Leaders
We pride ourselves on training teams of knowledgeable Program Leaders, responsible caregivers, masterful facilitators, compelling storytellers, and all-around lovely human beings.

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Pre-Program Preparation
We’ll make sure that your group is prepared for their adventure. We’ll give you program packages and travel primers, as well as offer video training sessions for your group on travel health and safety.

Support from OGHQ
Our professional staff have more than 30 years of collective experience building programs and are here to help you with yours every step of the way!

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All In-Country Logistics
We’ll carefully arrange all of your travel, meals, and accommodations as well as group activities, projects, and emergency support. We’ll even cover the technical gear and language study, if that’s what you need.

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Community Contributions
Every program includes both a Community and Environmental contribution. These go to support local grassroots organizations that you’ll meet on the ground and help us to responsibly manage our environmental footprint and make your travel carbon neutral.

OUR custom PROGRAM SPONSORS

We’ve had the opportunity to design a wide variety of custom itineraries and deliver life-changing programs for some amazing groups. From independent studies and internships to alternative break trips, team building retreats, and field courses, together, we’ve covered a lot of ground.

what our sponsors had to say...

As the person responsible for planning and preparing the Alternative Break trips for students, working with OG has been a special experience from start to finish. They were great collaborators in building a program that fit our needs and honoured our values, and worked with us to make it accessible to all students. That collaboration only continued on the ground through their Program Leaders who became part of the team and seamlessly navigated every aspect of the trip. I can't wait to work with them again!
Emily Marchese
Assistant Director, Nazareth College, Global Experiential Learning
I came to Guatemala hoping to learn about how the country’s coffee industry works, how it fits into the larger global coffee industry, also have a chance to experience Guatemala’s culture and communities in a more authentic way than I could my own. OG created an itinerary that accomplished all this and allowed me to truly connect with the people and the culture. OG’s leadership did an amazing job of affording us the opportunity to experience a new country in a way that connected us to the people behind the purely intellectual questions most of us had going into the trip.
Susan
Stanford University, Graduate School of Business
Operation Groundswell has been instrumental in helping us ensure the safety of our students participating in their programs. Over the past three years we have relied on their safety policies, experience, and preparedness to effectively respond to any emergencies or challenges that may come up on the ground while our groups are abroad. From the care that goes into the planning of their participant safety prior to the program, to the training of their staff, to the safety and contingency planning of their daily activities, we have selected them with the confidence of knowing we can rely on them to support and care for our students. … all while providing a seamless on the ground experience where the safety and contingency planning goes unnoticed by participants.
Veronica Vasquez
Director, University of Toronto, Centre for International Experience
One of the most immersive, genuine experiences I've ever felt. The OG Program Leaders were knowledgeable and exceptional at guiding and leading us as we learned about the cultural differences, healthcare systems and language.
BillyJo Santoro
Faculty, Niagara College
Our program was thoughtfully designed and expertly executed by skilled and knowledgeable Program Leaders. The experiences and learning will be a part of me forever! OG has created an amazing set of learning and growth opportunities.
Simon Galton
Ecuador, 2020

Get In Touch ABout a Custom Program

Want to learn more about OG’s custom programs and how we can help your group travel with purpose? Just fill out our preliminary inquiry form and we’ll be in touch in 1-3 business days.

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the world is waiting. are you ready to meet it?

THE WORLD IS big and full of opportunities for learning and adventure.
create a OG custom program and let's explore it together.