Program Reviews

There is simply no better way to learn about yourself and the world around you then by travelling. What Dragon's gives you, and what this program gives you is exactly that opportunity. I flew to Nepal full of nerves and expectations. I spent the next three months with a group of unique and inspiring individuals as we explored a country full of beautiful moments and even greater people. When I finally came home, those nerves were long gone and instead were replaced by a greater confidence in who I was as a person and what I wanted from my life. While I cannot say that each person's experience will be the same, I can feel certain when I say that no matter what it will be a highlight of one's life.

As I often think back to my time in Nepal, I think about the experiences I had. Whether becoming part of two Nepalese families, hiking through the Himalayas, apprenticing as a blacksmith, learning from Buddhist monks, or exploring Kathmandu I always look back with a smile. I think what is a true testament to Nepal and Dragon's is just how happy I am to have taken a gap year. I could spend the rest of the year doing nothing but my three months in Nepal and it would still be one of best decisions I have made.

Whenever I think about sharing “My Madagascar” with people, I was always struck by the urge to present them with the best of the best. So I show them images of lemurs, canyons, rock forest or baobab trees. However, I have come to the realization that the beauty of this program is not that. Of course, you will get to see the breathtaking canyons, pretty lemurs, and etc, but this program really lets you experience and understand the average Malagasy (people of Madagascar) life. You can see the breathtaking view on any other trips, but only this trip offers you the experience of a true Malagasy.

This is the trip that let you blend in with Malagasy families. It lets you live with them side by side. Learn what it's like to grow up in a house the same size of your living room, sharing a bed with 4 other siblings, and going to the bathroom in the "wild."

This is the trip of slow Taxi-brousses(local buses), cramp seats, loud Gasy music, and glancing out the window.

This is the trip of the people under the Baobab trees, the families that are so busy trying to make a living that they never had a moment to admire the mighty Baobab.

This is the trip to dance with strangers, laugh uncontrollably, and talk without knowing the language.

This is the trip of the living, of the 25 million Malagasy, their stories, struggles, and success.
This is the trip to a nation poor in material, but rich in kindness.
This is the trip where your peers and instructors will push you out of your comfort zone. And let you fall into their arms when needed.

This is the trip that reminds you how real and imperfect this world is.

It's the journey of discovery and self-reflection. It lets you ask yourself how much is enough and reflect on what happiness means.

It's the one of a lifetime chances to get lost in the canyons and again find yourself beneath the stars; to scream for life when leeches crawled into your sleeves and praise the earth when the sun rises through the “root” of the Baobab trees; To run toward the Indian ocean and walk into your local market; To be woken up by your host siblings' laughs, and fall asleep listening to the loud motorcycle outside; To smell the diesel smoke, and taste the fried banana wrapped in newspaper.
To learn what is Madagascar is to talk with the stranger sitting next you, share your laugh with the children that's dragging your arm, and open your heart to the host families that took you in as their own children.

"A curtain divides one home from another, but laughs are shared nonetheless." My friend Avery wrote.

If this trip still sounds interesting to you, Please join us!
I am sure a Tsara be experience awaits you.

Best,
Steven Gu

I knew I wanted to travel during the summer, but wasn't sure quite how to channel that into a trip. Many stayed at fancy hotels, and others were more touristy than real traveling. That is, until I found Dragons.

My trip to Indonesia was unlike anything before. I learned more about myself than I have in the traditional classroom setting, and learned how to live in the world, not just walk through it.

Our trip started with a trek into the Sumatran jungle, with a one week orientation nestled against the canopy and the river. We continued into our first homestay in Jogja, a popping urban city with vibrant life around every corner. We then travelled to Langa, a farming community tucked into the mountains on the island of Flores, where we experienced the unique culture and life of Indonesian coffee growing. Our X-Phase, or student lead portion of the trip, traversed the many islands near Labuan Bajo, where we set sail on a boat for two days and one night, falling asleep under the consuming stars and waking up to a painted sky. Our last stop was Sampela, a nomadic community buillt upon stilt and coral houses creating a labrynth of houses right on top of the ocean.

The homestays were more than safe, extremely friendly, and the best part of the trip!

Six weeks of travel, but also six weeks of knowledge, of absorbing a culture so different yet so similar to my own, of making everlasting bonds with the people around me, and eating, smelling, and breathing the excitement that is Indonesia.

What is unique about Dragons is it's mission- it's dedication to not sightseeing and picture taking, but to living in the moment and gaining experiential knowledge. It was the most amazing experience of my life!

This trip opened my eyes not only to parts of the world I couldn't have dreamed of, but also to myself. I learned a lot about my personality through interacting with new people for extended periods of time. I had to be a lot more self conscious about what I was saying due to the fact that I was with people I didn't know. Beyond experiencing a unique part of the world, this was the single greatest skill that I learned on this trip.

Due to the nature of Xinjiang, a traveller on this course must learn to appreciate spontaneity and changing plans. They must also be comfortable dealing with many unknowns. We were unexpectedly stuck in our hostel for an extra day due to an unexpected government meeting in the area, for instance. There were many times on the trip where plans couldn't be confirmed due to the unpredictable political situation in the area. We were going to visit a livestock market, but the road to the market happened to be shut down on that day. For me, THIS WAS NOT A BAD THING. I enjoyed not knowing what was around the corner and it created a heightened sense of adventure and travel.

Be prepared to physically exert yourself on multi-day treks, hot weather, and long bus rides. Learn to deal with fatigue - you learn the most when you are the most challenged. Use this state as a learning tool for self-growth. As Luke, one of the instructors told me, "your character is most revealed when you are challenged." Learn to be a good person to others when you are not feeling your best, and your peers will greatly appreciate you.

Overall, I would recommend this trip if you are up for personal and physical challenges, and if you want to see parts of the world you'd never think existed.

I went on the China Comprehensive summer program after my sister did a Where There Be Dragons program and my school advertised it. I was not sure about traveling with Dragons or going to China prior to my trip, but it was one of the best experiences of my life.
We traveled throughout China for a month with 3 great instructors and 11 other teens, and we all got along great. I was impressed with the expertise of the instructors yet their willingness to let the kids take the wheel and design a program that was personally interesting to them. We focused on cultural immersion while in China— living like a local— and it was such an amazing experience. Afterwards I learned a lot about China and myself and made some friends that I have continued to keep contact with months afterwards (and hopefully much longer).
Where there be Dragons is different from every other teen travel agency, and I really think their mission is to create the most authentic travel experience possible— so I thank them for allowing me to experience China!

This was my second Where There Be Dragons summer course in the Himalaya--and I was far from disappointed. Having previously spent a summer in Nepal, I thought the two trips may be too similar, and feared being bored on the trip. This was not the case, as both courses were uniquely led and approached from vastly different angles.

Similar to every Dragons instructor I've met, my three instructors were a dynamic force to be reckoned with, and offered unconditional support, prompted intellectual/physical challenges, and had an astute ability to gauge safety of the group throughout our month in North India.

If you are a student looking to immerse yourself in a new culture, spend time exploring the most breathtaking landscape, familiarize yourself with Tibetan Buddhism, gain outdoor skills (camping/mountaineering/trekking), experience living with a family in a country thousands of miles from home, or simply embark on an amazing adventure, I couldn't recommend this course more.

Full disclosure: This course is trekking-intensive, which should not be overlooked by prospective students. Though this was a major draw to me, some found it challenging--but all got through with smiles! :)

What an incredible experience! I can't begin to count the valuable lessons I leaned and the memories I made. The program was the perfect blend of bonding within our Dragons family and spreading out as individuals to witness the beauty and complexity of Guatemala. Our instructors were knowledgeable and supportive, and they molded the trip to fit the personality of our group. The small group environment provided opportunities to explore how we get along with other people, and our instructors facilitated sessions to allow ideas to be shared and feedback to be given. Throughout the trip, I always knew I was supported and cared for.

Each aspect of the trip brought new challenges and triumphs, and through those I formed unbreakable bonds with the other members of the group. We traveled together to many different towns and areas, experiencing both the serenity of Lake Atitlan and the majesty of the mountains of the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes. Before going on the trip, I was worried that I my participation would be limited because I did not speak Spanish, but that was a non-issue. My confidence with Spanish increased exponentially, and I even developed a love for the language. This program has had such lasting impacts on my life and I am grateful for it every day.

When I was looking for summer programs in China, I was primarily focused on how much Mandarin I would be learning throughout the course of the trip. I chose Where There Be Dragons mainly because it offered serious language study--3-3.5 hours of Mandarin lessons almost every day. When I got there, I realized that I learned even more Mandarin outside the classroom, just from walking around different towns/villages, talking to my instructors, and ordering food.

What I didn't realize was how much I would enjoy the parts of the program that went beyond learning Mandarin, like the rugged travel/hiking portions of the trip. I am by no means any type of hiker in the U.S., but with beautiful scenery and great friends to hike with, I made some amazing memories. Homestay was also a big component of the trip. My two homestay families were excellent care-providers and taught me so much about Chinese language and culture. They even helped me review what I had learned in Mandarin class some days, and showed me around their hometown. It was such a valuable experience to take a break from learning Mandarin out of a textbook and instead learn more terms and phrases used in daily exchanges. This allowed me to conduct smooth transactions with locals throughout my trip, as well as preparing me to take on AP Mandarin this year.

Take a moment and ask yourself how many people do you know that have been to Madagascar, let alone can even find it on a map? Your answer is probably close to zero and that’s what makes this course so special. Unlike many of the countries other courses visit, Madagascar is unique because not many people go there. This uniqueness is what made me decide to do this course and it’s a choice I will never regret. On my trip I learned so much about myself through the interactions I had with the Malagasy people. Whether it was trekking through rain forests or rock forests (no joke on my course we actually went through a forest completely made up of rocks), sleeping in a bug bet in the middle of a canyon packed National Park or sleeping in a small bed in a mud brick house with a homestay family, I learned who I really was by interacting with each person I met. On this course there is no shortage of personality forming experiences which is why you shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity and consider Madagascar as a place to call home for a few weeks this year!

I attended Where There Be Dragon's Nepal summer trip in 2017. Before that, I had traveled more than 15 countries. However, this trip was by far the best I've ever had. It really taught me how to be more of a traveler instead of a tourist. There's a great portion of education on a trip like this while kids got to have fun. The trip was involved in a lot of finding your true self and a spiritual cleansing from the poisonous Western society. We got to enjoys incredible things on the trip with Dragons that we would never get a chance to experience if we took the trip by ourselves. For example, my trip got to spend a week and live with a family in the rural Himalayas village, and then we spent a week in the urban homestay in Patan, Nepal. We entirely emerged in their culture for 4 weeks (the length of my trip).