Upper School Global Travel Trips 2025-2026

Join Colorado Academy in the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Italy, Iceland, or Japan!

At CA, we cultivate global citizens through a curriculum that weaves intellectual rigor and character development. Integral to this foundation are transformative experiences extending beyond classroom walls, inviting students to discover the world as their living laboratory.

These carefully crafted international experiences are journeys into extraordinary learning—immersive adventures that require investment beyond standard tuition. From academically rigorous expeditions to meaningful service projects, each program connects directly to our curriculum while promising to forge lasting memories and broaden intellectual horizons.

CA faculty members lead each expedition with expertise and passion, and they are supported by carefully vetted professional travel organizations. Understanding that transformative learning requires peace of mind, we make safety the cornerstone of every journey.

Want to enroll?

The application window for Upper School Global Travel is open until October 19, 2025. Apply now using this initial application. Spaces are limited. Trip roster notifications will go out by November 21.

Questions? Reach out to the trip leader or contact Taja McKinney, CA Director of Global Travel.

Have Questions About Financial Aid?

Families of students who receive need-based tuition assistance at CA may submit a Financial Aid Request Form / Solicitud para Ayuda Financiera para Viajes for school-sponsored travel. This is a separate form from the trip application.  As funds are limited, CA prioritizes financial aid for students who have yet to go on a school-sponsored trip in the division where they are currently enrolled; families may still request financial aid for an additional trip, and will be considered for a financial aid waitlist if their student has already had the opportunity to experience a CA travel program.

Questions about financial aid? Contact financialaid@coloradoacademy.org. Comuníquese con Abel Ramirez al 303-914-2573 si el español es su idioma preferido.

 

---

Eleuthera, Bahamas: Caribbean Marine Science Expedition

• Location: The Island School, Eleuthera, Bahamas
• Dates: May 23-May 30, 2026 (US Interim)
• Trip Leaders: Lisa Boes & Tim Hatlee
• Program Cost ($2531 minus $500 Interim credit): $2031
• Airfare: $839
• Required PADI insurance: $40 (paid by students/families individually)
• Total Cost (program cost plus airfare): $2910
• Eligibility: Upper School students in Grades 9-12
• Capacity: 16 students
• Vendor: The Island School
• Read more: Detailed Itinerary
• Initial Application Due: October 19, 2025

We're excited to bring back this highly sought-after program that offers an extraordinary educational adventure at the renowned Island School located on Eleuthera in the Bahamas. This marine biology-focused experience will push your boundaries through immersive, hands-on learning at this leading Caribbean center for field research and environmental education.

Key experiences await you:

• Hands-on marine field research: Previous participants from CA had the incredible opportunity to work alongside marine biologists and researchers on meaningful projects such as tagging sharks and controlling invasive lionfish populations—contributing to genuine scientific impact while gaining deep insights into marine ecosystems.
• Island exploration and marine discovery: Navigate through elaborate cave systems, glide across pristine waters in kayaks, and discover spectacular marine life through snorkeling in some of the most biodiverse underwater environments, all while studying the intricate relationships within these marine ecosystems.
• Tackling global marine challenges: Dive deep into urgent environmental issues that affect island communities and marine environments worldwide, including renewable energy solutions and ocean acidification, developing a practical understanding of today's most pressing ecological concerns facing our oceans.

The Island School's commitment to developing leadership capabilities through marine science truly distinguishes this program. This life-changing journey extends far beyond conventional academic settings, empowering you to expand your understanding of marine biology while contributing meaningfully to ocean conservation efforts.

 

---

Dominican Republic: Service Learning & Spanish Immersion

• Location: Cotui, Dominican Republic
• Dates: NEW - May 23–31, 2026 (US Interim)
• Trip Leaders: Jane Kelly & Nick Aranda
• Program Cost ($2630 minus $500 Interim credit): $2130
• Airfare Estimate: $1000 (flights not yet finalized. Red-eye on Friday night planned)
• Program Total Estimated Cost: $3130
• Eligibility: Upper School students in Grades 9–12
• Capacity: 14–18 students
• Vendor: Visions
• Read more: Detailed Itinerary
• Initial Application Due: October 19, 2025

This week-long program centers on meaningful service work you'll conduct alongside Dominican community members, creating authentic cross-cultural partnerships that go beyond traditional volunteer tourism. You'll rotate through various local worksites each morning, collaborating directly with Dominican friends on community-focused projects that address real needs while fostering genuine relationships. Your service work runs until early afternoon, allowing ample time for cultural immersion and language practice.

Your afternoons and evenings provide rich opportunities for Spanish conversation through hands-on cultural experiences. You'll learn chocolate-making at a local cacao plantation, master traditional merengue and salsa steps, and engage in friendly competition through soccer, basketball, or baseball games with neighborhood children. Evening activities like dominoes leagues with neighbors and welcoming local friends as dinner guests create intimate settings for practicing Spanish while building connections and gaining insights into Dominican daily life.

Adventure and cultural exploration complement your service focus, with highlights including swimming and boating at one of the Caribbean's largest freshwater lakes and a neighborhood scavenger hunt that encourages you to navigate your temporary community independently. Your program concludes with a memorable overnight excursion to the charming beach town of Juan Dolio.

Throughout your program, you'll find yourself fully immersed in Dominican culture while contributing meaningfully to your host community. This unique combination of service, cultural exchange, and language immersion creates an educational experience that fosters global citizenship and cross-cultural understanding that will influence you long after you return home.

---

Italy: Art, Architecture, & Timeless Wonders

• Location: Rome, Tuscany, Venice, and Florence
• Dates: May 22–30, 2026 (US Interim)
• Trip Leaders: Katy Hills & Stashia Taylor
• Program Cost, which includes airfare ($5030 minus $500 Interim credit): $4530
• Eligibility: Upper School students in Grades 9–12
• Capacity: 14–18 students
• Vendor: Atlas Workshops
• Read more: Detailed Itinerary
• Initial Application Due: October 19, 2025

During this Italian Interim adventure you will trace the evolution of architectural genius across centuries, from Rome's magnificent Colosseum and Forum to the soaring Gothic and Renaissance beauty of Florence's Duomo. You will stand beneath the Pantheon's iconic oculus and marvel at Roman ingenuity that still influences architects today. As you wind through the cobblestone streets of Tuscan hill towns like Siena and San Gimignano, you'll decode the secrets of Italian piazza design—learning how these public spaces became the beating hearts of community life. In Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, you'll immerse yourself in the artistic legacy that changed the world forever, exploring galleries and streets where Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, and countless masters once walked.

Experience Venice's Floating Architectural Wonder

Prepare to be mesmerized by Venice, a city unlike anywhere else on Earth, where Byzantine domes meet Gothic arches over shimmering canals. You'll explore this floating architectural marvel from both water and land, cruising the Grand Canal on traditional vaporettos while analyzing how engineers built an entire city on wooden stilts. Venture to Venice's outer islands to discover hidden architectural gems and dive deep into the world-famous Venice Biennale—learning what it takes to transform this historic city into a cutting-edge contemporary art showcase every two years. You'll witness firsthand how ancient craftsmanship traditions continue to thrive in local workshops.

Create, Learn, and Live Like a Local Artist

This journey isn't just about observing—you'll become an active participant in Italy's living artistic tradition. Roll up your sleeves for hands-on drawing and painting classes in Florence, where you'll learn techniques from local masters while surrounded by the same inspiring landscapes that motivated Renaissance artists. Stay in an authentic Tuscan agrotourismo, dining on farm-fresh Italian cuisine and experiencing the rural lifestyle that has shaped Italian culture for centuries. Throughout your journey, you'll connect with contemporary artists and craftspeople, gaining insider perspectives on how Italy's rich artistic heritage continues to evolve and influence global design today. Experience firsthand what no textbook can teach—the living connection between Italy's artistic past and its creative future.

---

Iceland: Experiential Academic Elective

Students will receive .33 CA Science credits (1 trimester) for the class.

• Location: Iceland (Reykjavik, Vik, Vatnajökull, and the Golden Circle)
• Dates: June 8–19, 2026
  • June 8–10 will be on the CA campus 
  • June 11–18 will be in Iceland 
  • June 19 will be on the CA campus
• Travel Dates:  June 10–18, 2025
• Trip Leaders: Sydney Finkbohner & Amanda Zranchev 
• Program Cost (includes airfare): $4485
• Eligibility: Upper School students in Grades 9–11
• Capacity: 12–16 students
• Vendor: Atlas Workshops
• Read more: Detailed Itinerary
• Initial Application Due: October 19, 2025

Step into one of the world’s most geologically and environmentally dynamic regions to experience science as a living, evolving process. This two-week Experiential Academic Elective takes you across Iceland’s glaciers, volcanoes, geothermal sites, and coastlines, blending field exploration with hands-on data collection and conversations with experts. By completing two research projects and fully engaging with the coursework, you will earn one trimester of science credit.

What makes this program unique is the opportunity for you to ask your own research questions, design your own data collection methods, and interpret your own findings. Whether you are measuring glacier retreat, water or air quality, mapping volcanic features, or analyzing sustainability models, you’ll take an active role in connecting classroom science to real-world challenges.

Highlights of your journey include:

• Walking through the rift valley at Thingvellir National Park, where two of Earth’s tectonic plates diverge
• Exploring volcanoes, geysers, and waterfalls along the Golden Circle
• Hiking with rangers in Vatnajökull National Park and contributing to long-term glacier monitoring projects
• Studying ice dynamics at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach
• Exploring Iceland’s volcanic landscape through a volcanism talk, a visit to the Lava Center, and the chance to experience live volcanic activity at the Lava Show in Vík
• Meeting with scientists, park managers, and activists on carbon capture, renewable energy, and environmental policy
• Connecting with Iceland’s culture through a storytelling walk in Reykjavik and dialog with local leaders

By the end of the program, you will gain a deeper understanding of how science can influence the sustainable practices, policies, and infrastructure of an entire country. You will also develop the skills to think critically, ask meaningful questions, and apply scientific inquiry to pressing global issues.

---

Japan: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Wonders

• Location: Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo
• Dates: June 8–18, 2026
• Trip Leaders: Taja McKinney & Lisa Todd
• Total Program Cost (includes airfare): $6850
• Eligibility: Upper School students in Grades 9–11
• Capacity: 16 students
• Vendor: Real Asia 
• Read more: Detailed Itinerary
• Initial Application Due: October 19, 2025

Step into a country where bullet trains race past thousand-year-

old shrines, where robots serve ramen alongside master sushi chefs perfecting their craft by hand—Japan will take you outside of your comfort zone and challenge everything you thought you knew about tradition and innovation.

Traditional Japan & Cultural Immersion: Begin your journey in ancient Kyoto, exploring the iconic bamboo groves of Arashiyama and experiencing authentic Japanese culture through hands-on wagashi (traditional sweets) making and tea ceremony. Discover Japan's spiritual heritage at historic sites, including the famous Fushimi-Inari Shrine with its thousands of vermilion torii gates, UNESCO World Heritage Nijo Castle, and the stunning Kiyomizudera Temple. Continue to Hiroshima for profound historical learning at the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial, then experience the breathtaking beauty of Miyajima Island with its iconic floating torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine.

Modern Japan & Interactive Experiences: Travel via high-speed Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo, where you'll immerse yourself in contemporary Japanese culture. Explore the vibrant districts of Harajuku and Shibuya, and dive into pop culture at Akihabara's electronics and anime hub. Engage in authentic experiences, including karaoke sessions, hands-on okonomiyaki cooking, and visits to cutting-edge attractions like teamLab's interactive digital art museum, while also discovering traditional elements at Meiji Shrine, Asakusa's historic Sensoji Temple, and the renowned Tsukiji fish market. Prepare to have your perspective completely rewired, as you experience a culture that honors centuries-old traditions while pioneering tomorrow's technology.