Program Reviews

The experience I had with Pacific Discovery was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have done a lot of overseas travel but my trip to Australia was very unique. Pacific Discovery blends two different ways to travel into one. It gives you the feel of a guided trip but gives you the freedom to explore based on your personal interests. Since you are on trip with a tour guide you have someone who knows the area and how to get the most out of the environment that you are in. A huge part of the Pacific Discovery experience is learning to interact and live with the other individuals in your group. I did not know anyone going into this trip. So I knew I would have to learn how to interact and make connections with people who I had never met. Traveling in a van and sleeping six people to a room forces you to bond with others very quickly. Although getting along with my trip-mates was not easy at times, it made me a better person overall. I became more than friends with the people I shared the experience with, we became a family.

This was such an incredible experience! Going to a different country is tough to do when you're 18 - or any age, but Pacific Discovery made it seem less daunting. I remember feeling a little hesitant that the other people wouldn't like me or that I would do something embarrassing or they would make fun of me. That feeling lasted for less than an hour. The very first day we played some ice breakers and the leader checked in with each of us making sure we had all the help we needed meeting the goals we had for ourselves for the program. Whether it was social goals, personal or travel related that built the best foundation possible to have a fun and safe trip. I made friends I'll never forget and saw things I may never see again in that context. I am so privileged to have gone on that trip and met those people and I will never forget them.

For being so shy, I was very nervous about doing something so big with people I had never met before, BUT it ended up being the greatest thing I could have done for myself. The people I met were fantastic, my group got along so well, and we're all still in contact with each other. All of the amazing things you get to do on this trip, like snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, hiking in the Blue Mountains, learning how to surf, and hanging out with the wildlife, is something that I will remember forever! I'm so very glad that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, because I met some of the most amazing people and did some of the most amazing things that I will ever do in my life.

I came on this trip to get a mental break from life and school and it was truly the best month of my life. I learned so much about life and about myself. The program was rich with adventure and opportunities that I never imagined myself doing: from bungee jumping and sky diving to getting my scuba diving license in Fiji and diving with bull sharks. I never expected the trip that I got. It was amazing meeting up with 13 strangers and by the end of the program I gained a family. Saying goodbye to everyone was one of the hardest things I've had to do. This program didn't only push me out of my comfort zone, it gave me a new outlook on life and made me realize and embrace taking advantage of every second of the day. If you are looking for a trip that will give you a break from school, stress, and anything else this is the trip to go on. I wish words could describe how thankful I am that I decided to go on this trip.

Last summer was my opportunity - after I've just finished my undergraduate degree - to visit Australia, a country I've been wanting to explore for a long time ! It was an amazing experience on so many different levels. First, we got to meet people from all over the world which was very enriching... it's incredible how many things you can learn just from talking to new people! Our leader (Beth) was an open-minded, cool, easy going person; I believe the experience would not have been the same without her. I think the best thing was that the group became a family after only 3-4 days, which quite unbelievable... we merged to become one and there was no big issues between people, which made the journey so much more appreciable. I would have to say that I got to cross-off quite a few things from my bucket list, and it made me feel alive, which is probably the best feeling ever !! Thanks to PD and to our amazing group and group leader for this trip that I will cherish in my memories forever !

This past summer has been such an amazing experience for me. I was able to explore Australia in ways that I never thought was possible. All the activities that we did were one in a life time experiences and I am so blessed to have been able to partake in them. The leaders (Chicko & Lou) were amazing. They were supportive and were there whenever we needed them. They wanted us to have the best time and I know that they put a lot of hard work into the program. My favorite part would probably have been surf camp. It was sweet to be able to have instructors that really cared about helping you learn the skill of surfing as well as caring for you in general. As cliche as it sounds, the group became a family. It was my home for a month, and we grew closer together as well as grew into better people. I could not have asked for a better trip with such amazing leaders and participants. Will forever be thankful to Pacific Discovery.

As being part Peruvian, I was looking to explore this country in a way I could see the multiple aspects that it offered. I have no regrets of picking Pacific Discovery! We explored multiple areas throughout Peru; such as Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Apurimac River, Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Huacachina, Ballestas Islands, and many more. Additionally, we mountain biked, hiked, white water rafted, witnessed many sceneries, sand boarded, rode in a dune buggy, sail boated, and the list could keep going. Peru is definitely a beautiful country and there is no other way of exploring the country than through Pacific Discovery!

My month in Peru with Pacific Discovery was the best month of my life and the most life changing for me. We started with a week of living in home stays, studying Spanish and volunteering at orphanages. This experience not only helped my Spanish but also opened my eyes to the living conditions and lives of people in Peru. The next week we started adventuring. We mountain biked down a mountain, did a multiple day hike to Machu Picchu and in the Colca Canyon, explored Cusco, Arequipa, and islands of Lake Titicaca and went sand boarding in the desert. Along the way, we experienced living conditions throughout Peru. During our Colca Canyon hike, I stayed in a mud hut with a metal roof and shared the room with two people and a goat! (He was the families pet and he would come and go as he pleased). Peru taught me so many things and changed my life so much. After my month in Peru, I changed my major from business to non-profit management. After being in Peru and experiencing life there, I realized that I want to help them and other countries in South America. Also, I became a vegetarian and a strong believer in recycling. I spent so much time near animals in Peru and many of the people I was traveling with were vegetarians too, so I decided to try it and I've never felt better. Our guide in Peru, Susan Staley was very conscious about our impact in Peru. We were advised to use the least amount of plastic possible and if we did use it, to collect it as we go. In Peru, many places didn't have recycling systems so they would just burn the plastic on the side of the road. Overall, Peru has changed me in so many ways and I could talk about it forever. I loved the trip, the people, the country, everything! I wish I could do it again!

I was in Peru with Pacific discovery during the summer 2014 trip and could not have had a more meaningful and inspiring trip there.I saw some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen in my life --whether it was a lightning storm followed by a sunrise over lake titicaca with two other daring friends I made on the trip, or going for a roller-coaster-like ride in a dune buggy and sandboarding on the massive dunes of Huacachina. I became so much more confident in myself and my ability to navigate the unknown in my life. This confidence has spilled over into other areas, and made me unique in that I came into college ready for the change while others were terrified! If I could be there again with the wonderful friends I made on the trip, it would be a dream come true. Though some of our accommodations left something to be desired, Pacific Discovery is the type of organization that really cares about its participants and their experiences on their trips, and they are always changing and improving their itineraries. Hope to go again on a different PD trip when I graduate! Do yourself a favor, grow, learn, and get your mind blown by a priceless trip to Peru!

Pacific Discovery did a fantastic job at creating an overall well fleshed out experience of Peru. Our group partook in activities ranging from a week long home stay in Cuzco city with daily Spanish language lessons and orphanage volunteer project work to days-long white water rapid rafting and jungle trail trekking excursions. All places visited while in Peru were truly incredible, as we all got a glimpse of not only the modern society of Peru, but also the ancient history and influences that has granted the country with such a deep and interesting culture today. My personal favorite aspects of the trip included staying in Cuzco, as it was our hub-city of sorts (where we stayed for a week early on in the trip, as mentioned above, before heading out on our excursions and where we returned to between and after excursions), and the Inca Jungle Trail trek to Machu Picchu. It's been nearly a year since the trip and my mind still goes back to it on almost a daily basis... with that said, traveling to and experiencing Peru through Pacific Discovery was honestly life changing. I left the country with much more than pictures and memories, but with a group of incredible friends, a future wife (not kidding, you really meet some amazing people on these trips), and an adventure that I can't hope to match again in my life. If you haven't signed up already, go do it now!