Days 1-3

As soon as our leaders meet us and the rest of our group at the airport in San Francisco, we'll be off on our thrilling exploration of California. First stop is the fabled Marin Headlands and the historic and beautiful Muir Woods – part of the Marin Open Space network of land that affords magnificent, unspoiled views of the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown San Francisco and the beautiful Pacific blue. On these first few days of this amazing adventure, we'll get to know each other better, learn fun camping skills from our supportive leaders and make countless memories with our new found friends around crackling campfires and toasted-hot marshmallows.

Days 4-6

Adventuring from the rolling hills of the Marin Headlands to the Redwood Empire of Northern California, we'll explore deep into the last remaining stretches of old growth Redwoods in the world. These trees are truly magnificent. Some are thousands of years old and the circumference of small houses. This is truly a magical environment and we are among the lucky few privileged-enough to be able to visit this iconographic and must-not-miss destination. The northern California forest is also our venue for a our day of rafting thrilling whitewater on the Trinity River. Our first of two whitewater rafting experiences on our introductory adventure, we'll enjoy this fun and beginner-friendly introduction to California whitewater. Not finished with the ocean, however, (this is California!), we'll spend many of our evenings on secluded, beachside campsites, enjoying the gentle crashing of the waves as we fall to sleep each night under a blanket of coastal stars.

Days 7-11

No exploration (introductory or otherwise) of California would be complete without a chance to experience the Golden State's most iconographic preserve of natural beauty and wonder – Yosemite National Park. Housing such famous mountain peaks as El Capitan, Sentinel Dome and Half Dome, which rise thousands of feet above the valley floor, Yosemite is a national treasure and our visit here will be entirely special. We'll immerse ourselves in a world of Giant Sequoias and unparalleled natural beauty, truly lucky to count ourselves among the visitors fortunate enough to venture off the main paths into the seldom explored heart of the Yosemite Valley.

Days 12-13

Leaving Yosemite we'll plunge into the famous waters of the American River, paddling and growing together as a team under the careful direction of expert whitewater rafting professionals. We'll instantly grow to love this thrilling sport that will bring fun and fond memories we'll be recounting around that evening's campfire and for the rest of our lives.

Day 14

Not to be missed are the important scientific lessons of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Also not to be missed are the calm, blue waters of Monterey Bay itself, which we'll ply after learning about the bay's under-the-sea wildlife during a fun day of exploratory sea kayaking.

Days 15-18

Our ocean sports appetites thoroughly wet, we'll be extremely excited for the culminating activity of our introductory adventure: catching a California wave! Working with skilled surfing instructors, we'll spend two days quickly learn the basics of this fun sport and be hanging ten on the famous California surf within a couple of hours. The day before we depart, we'll spend a memorable day exploring this cultural capital before celebrating our adventure with a California banquet – sharing freshly built memories around this special evening meal before curling into bed in preparation for flights home and tearful goodbyes the next morning.