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Global Works

4.92 Rating
138 reviews
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Why choose Global Works?

For more than 35 years, Global Works has been an industry leader in community service-based adventure travel programs for high school students and school group trips. Much more than a vacation, Global Works international trips are the bridge for meaningful cultural exchange with people around the world. In all of our locations, we partner with communities and organizations to select and implement grassroots service projects that make an impact. Your unforgettable journey of community service, language immersion, cultural exchange, and adventure starts HERE!

Website
www.globalworkstravel.com
Founded
1989
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Community Photos

Summer 2025
Playa blanca, Puerto Jiménez
rooster
before hiking 3 miles
ziplining!
us with our favorite staff member
group photo
Mud fight
Picking up trash on the beach
Group photo
Pura vida!
.5 of our amazing group including our amazing leader Talia
watching a Fiji sunset!
finishing our community service
Wearing traditional sulus
Us with the kids from our community

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Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award

Reviews

Brian Hotchkiss Profile Picture
Brian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Global Works School Group Travel

An Exceptionally Well-Curated Experience

Apr 19, 2026

Trustworthy. Reliable. Knowledgable. Sincere. Righteous.

I can't speak highly enough of the folks at Global Works.

Traveling with them at 19 high schoolers to Paris and the south of France was a truly awesome experience.

Their programming immerses kids in authentic language practice and genuinely connects them with real people and their intersecting cultures.

Their leaders/guides -- while keeping safety and security as the paramount concern -- were actively engaged, always, in making sure our young learners had a great, enriching time.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Get to you know your guides: They are deeply-interested and richly-interesting human beings.
Pros
  • Trip Leaders
  • Proactive, Thoughtful Curation
  • Dependable, Seamless Coordination
Dana
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Global Works School Group Travel

Fabulous trip to Spain with Global Works!

Feb 16, 2026

I recently helped chaperone a school trip to Spain, and I highly recommend Global Works! From pick up to drop off, students (and chaperones) were so well cared for! The trip organization was excellent, we ate wonderful meals, had a great itinerary with knowledgeable guides who worked well with the students, and all activities were very well-balanced between service, visiting cultural/historical sites, and free time. Most of all, the guides were spectacular -- they were so kind, flexible, and patient, and truly made sure everyone was happy, healthy, and safe. I would travel again with them in a heartbeat! Thank you, Global Works, for a fun and productive trip!

What was your funniest moment?
Dancing flamenco!
Maripili
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Puerto Rico Service Adventures

Amazing time in Puerto Rico

Oct 14, 2025

My teenage daughter went to Puerto Rico last Summer with Global Works and absolutely loved every moment. We were both impressed by the professionalism, excellent communication, and the strong emphasis on safety throughout the trip. It was the perfect blend of meaningful service work and fun, engaging activities. She liked every aspect of the trip, from the community service projects to the cultural experiences and outdoor adventures. She came home inspired and is already excited for her next Global Works adventure!

Julie
54
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Puerto Rico Service Adventures

Phenomenal Experience!

Oct 13, 2025

This was such a great experience for my 17-year-old son. He is a hard worker so going to a place where he could see, first hand, his work making a difference in people's lives was amazing. He loved the community they worked with, the culture, and the different experiences. The week without phones brought the kids together and they created good bonds. The worst part of the trip was when they got their phones back to arrange to go home. He will be talking about this experience for the rest of his life.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
My son would like to do 2 weeks instead of one!
Pros
  • No cell phones or electronics
  • Group experiences
  • Skill building
Summer 2025
Gabby
Female
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Peru Language Immersion and Service Adventure

Perú epic service adventure

Sep 30, 2025

I would definitely recommend Global Works to anyone that loves to travel and learn about new cultures. My time in Perú was great my group was quite small so that made it even better. For this program you get to experience a bunch of different sides of Perú, from the rainforest to Cusco and other places. I would 100% do Global Works again and recommend to other people. Overall I had a great time on my program, and it was good. Also programs like these are a great way for you to meet people that you would not have met, and you could make close friends.

What would you improve about this program?
The only thing that I would improve about my trip is that I wished that we spoke more Spanish. Going into it I thought that we were going to speak Spanish every moment of the day. In reality we only really spoke Spanish at our home stays.
Pros
  • Fun experiences
  • Being in the rainforest
  • Meeting new people
Cons
  • The altitude was something that you just needed to adjust to, but it was not that bad.
  • There was a really long car ride, but we got to see scenic views.
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Programs

Displaying 10 - 10 of 10

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Annika Thiim

Program
Panama Summer Service Adventures
Annika Thiim

Why did you choose this program?

I chose the Global Works program based on the high ratings I had seen on the Internet. Many of these teen travel review sites included the experiences written by alumni my age, which was amazing and reassuring. The website is also very professional-looking and easy to navigate because it included all the important details and had updated information.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program assisted with all the details regarding the itinerary and where we would be staying during the trip. However, for the flights, I had the option to either book my own direct flight to Panama or take the group flight from Houston to Panama, which was led by Global Works. I ended up taking a direct round-trip flight from my home to Panama instead of the group flight, and everything worked out perfectly.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Make sure to keep an open mind. You will constantly be pushed out of your comfort zone, which is why it is so important to be open to new experiences. The most rewarding part about this trip for me was coming out of it with a new outlook on the world, and the feeling of awareness that came with this.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The average day consists of breakfast, work, lunch, work, leisure time, and then dinner. However, every day was scheduled differently. Our work was never too demanding as we took frequent breaks to eat and play games. Some of the work we did included: the painting of a church, tending to a garden, cleaning a library, and helping in a non-profit restaurant kitchen.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear going into this experience was being alone in a foreign country, away from my family. This turned out to not be a problem once I was there because I felt so comforted by my group members and trip leaders. It was exhilarating to experience a completely different environment with people from all of the US. At the end of the trip, I was left with a feeling that the world was more interesting than ever and I am looking forward to many more adventures in the future.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Fritz Moriarty

Program
Costa Rica Service Adventures
Job Title
Director
In 2004, Fritz became co-owner and director of Global Works. Fritz is committed to running high-quality, meaningful international programs with Global Works. Come wintertime, you’ll find Fritz ripping it up on his tele-skis in the Colorado back country. Fritz knows how to find the perfect balance of valuable work and fun in his life, just like a GW program!
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What is your favorite travel memory?

It's hard to pick just one. My first experience living with a host family was in Costa Rica as a volunteer for WorldTeach. I was extremely nervous about my ability to communicate in Spanish and with the concept of living with people I'd never met for the next 11 months. My thoughts were racing as I followed directions and took a bus far up to the mountains in rural Costa Rica. After a 1/2 mile walk a located the house and knocked on the front tour. A little girl opened the door and gave me a big hug. Within minutes I was enjoying a plate of arroz con pollo (rice and chicken) followed by a dance party in the living room with all the kids in the family. I learned a lot about hospitality that day.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

In my experience the most important factor in success for a company is in the quality of the services they offer. It's easy to tell when something has been rushed or when there is little care or intention. If you put passion and care behind what you do then others will notice and even feel the same way you do about your business.

We are fortunate at Global Works to be surrounded by passionate people committed to global education and student travel.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

A few more gray hairs for one! On a more serious note, the most important thing I've learned is how to listen first and to better avoid judging a situation or people. There isn't necessarily one way to get something done, and it's more fulfilling to accomplish something as a team than to make your point or always be right.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

I don't know enough about other companies and their culture, but I can say for sure that was have the most wonderful community of staff who love what they do and consistently put the needs of others before there own. I think we have a strong ethical foundation and are always looking to make decisions that benefit as many people and things as possible.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

We constantly here from students and parents about how this experience has positively impacted them and their communities back home. One of the most amazing stories involved a student from the US who had been adopted form Panama. Coincidentally our trip in Panama had a project planned at the same orphanage this student had come from. She joined our program and was able to return there during the trip and provide a truly breathtaking perspective to her group.

Even more amazing was that following the trip she had inquired with our Panamanian guide about the possibility of tracking down her birth family. Somehow he was able to track them down in a village located in the Darien Gap, one of the most remote areas in Central America. She was later able to connect with her birth parents directly.

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