Worldwide Expeditions
Head into the most thrilling and immersive classroom you’ve ever known
A NOLS expedition can take you from the Himalayas to Kilimanjaro, from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the waterways of the Adirondacks.Â
Our campuses are your home base. Every expedition starts at one of our worldwide locations, where you will meet your instructors, pack up, and head into the wilderness. Each location has its own story to tell—and for you to discover.Â
NOLS Locations in the United States
NOLS Alaska
Come join us for an adventure in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Whether you’re paddling a sea kayak in Prince William Sound alongside massive glaciers, hiking across the vast tundra above the Arctic Circle, or mountaineering in the Chugach Range, you’ll marvel at the enormity of the Alaskan wilderness.
NOLS River Base
Come to the River Base to learn, live, and play on the water. This campus lies in Utah’s dinosaur bone country and geologic features burst with fossils. Whether you’re paddling a canoe, kayak, or raft, life on the water is about focusing on simple necessities and enjoying the journey downriver.
NOLS Rocky Mountain
These courses explore some of the most dramatic landscapes of the Intermountain West and are a hub for exploring this area’s mountains, canyons, and rivers. Backpack along high mountain ridges, navigate whitewater rapids, break trails in snow-covered mountains, or navigate some of the most remote glaciers in the lower 48.
NOLS Teton Valley
Nestled on the Idaho side of the Tetons, and near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, our campus is your gateway to some of the best skiing, backpacking, and paddling in the lower 48. Depending on your course, you might hike along the Continental Divide, paddle whitewater rapids, or backcountry ski in the snow-covered Rockies.
NOLS Three Peaks Ranch
Challenge yourself to learn new skills and effective communication—with both human and horse companions—in Wyoming’s rugged mountains and sweeping deserts. Not only will you master the basics of backcountry horse travel, you’ll also find that working with horses is a great way to develop leadership skills.
International NOLS Locations
NOLS East Africa
Trek through renowned wilderness areas ranging from Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro Crater to the Great Rift Valley and Oldoinyo Lengai, an active volcano. Set off across lowland savannah or bushwhack through the rainforest to Kilimanjaro’s summit—an experience as grand as its name.
NOLS India
NOLS India courses combine the physical challenges offered by mountain terrain with a window into the culture of Himalayan Kumaon communities. Develop mountaineering skills on high-altitude glaciers or navigate whitewater rapids while rafting on the Kali River. Backpack through alpine villages and practice your conversational Hindi with local community members.
NOLS Mexico
Nestled in the protected Coyote Bay, NOLS Mexico is your gateway to the coastal desert and turquoise waters of Baja California. These wilderness classrooms range from open ocean to coastal desert—and you’ll be exposed both to the many ways you can explore this area on foot and by sailboat or kayak while soaking in its culture and lifeways.
NOLS New Zealand
Join us in exploring the South Island’s rainforests, mountains, alpine grasslands and coastal bays. You’ll learn to embrace uncertainty as you adjust to the unpredictability of this beautiful and remote landscape. And you’ll carry the easygoing and welcoming atmosphere of our campus into the mountains, valleys, and coasts of New Zealand—and beyond.
NOLS Patagonia
Go backpacking, climbing, sea kayaking, or mountaineering in Patagonia’s wildly varying terrain—from steppes and temperate rainforests to alpine ecosystems and ocean fjords. Most courses travel through more than one of these distinct landscapes while learning how local ranchers, pobladores, have adapted to live in each environment.
Committed to Protecting Wild Places
Wilderness is core to our values, as is working to protect it. We strive to embody the wilderness values and ethics taught in our curriculum through our environmental sustainability and stewardship work around the world. Initiatives include supporting the efforts of local land managers, being leading providers of Leave No Trace education, advocating for the preservation of and equitable access to wild lands, and practicing sustainability at our worldwide locations.
