Adventure Educator Courses
The Adventure Educator Program is a professional development course for outdoor leaders, guides, and educators who want to sharpen their technical skills, deepen their risk management expertise, and grow as confident, capable instructors. Through hands-on training in caving, participants gain real-world experience in leading groups through dynamic, high-consequence environments. Whether you’re running youth programs, guiding expeditions, or building an outdoor education career, this course is built to level up your leadership in the field.
Options
This program is designed to meet people where they are—whether you're a seasoned guide looking to sharpen specific skills or a new educator stepping into the field for the first time. We work directly with organizations, camps, schools, and outdoor programs to provide customized professional development opportunities tailored to your staff’s goals, terrain, and experience level. More than just a training, this is a mentorship program—focused on building long-term confidence and leadership in the field. Participants receive direct coaching, feedback, and support as they grow not just as instructors, but as decision-makers, team leaders, and mentors themselves. From single-day workshops to multi-day immersive courses, we’ll design something that truly fits your mission.
Cost
Because every program is custom-built, pricing depends on group size, duration, and curriculum—but here’s a general guide to help you plan:
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Single-Day Workshop: $100 per participant
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Two-Day Intensive: $150 per participant
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Multi-Day Courses (3–5 days): Starting at $500 per day, with discounted rates for multi-day bookings
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Individual Mentorship or Small Group Training: Custom pricing available based on goals and time commitment
We believe professional development should be accessible, so we offer discounted rates for nonprofit organizations, camps, and seasonal staff teams. Let us know your budget and goals—we’ll work with you to create something that fits.
A little more info
The Adventure Educator Program is part training, part mentorship, and part wilderness reality check—built for outdoor leaders who want to level up their skills, teach with confidence, and thrive when things get messy, muddy, or downright unpredictable.
Why Us?
Because we don’t just teach outdoor education—we live it, breathe it, and sleep it (usually in a bivy sack). At Karstlands & Wildwater Institute, you're not just getting a course—you’re joining a mentorship-driven experience rooted in real-world backcountry grit. Our trainings are field-tested, story-filled, and tailored to your goals, whether you're wrangling campers, leading expeditions, or launching a career in outdoor leadership. We keep it practical, we keep it personal, and we’re not afraid to get muddy doing it. Come train with us, and you’ll walk away not only more capable—but more connected to the wild, your students, and your own leadership path.
Professional Development
In outdoor education, your most important tools aren’t ropes, maps, or even your trusty first aid kit—they’re your judgment, your adaptability, and your ability to keep your cool when the plan flies off the trail and into the creek. That’s why professional development isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. It helps you level up your technical chops, sharpen your decision-making when things get weird, and become the kind of leader people trust when the weather turns or the group energy tanks. Whether you're wrangling teenagers, mentoring new staff, or guiding adults through wild places, investing in your growth makes every trip safer, smoother, and more meaningful. Because let’s be honest: the wilderness never stops dishing out surprises—and neither do the people we teach.
Making Great Outdoor Educators
Great outdoor educators aren’t just human GPS units—they’re part stand-up comic, part field medic, part wilderness Yoda. In this program, we’ll crank up all those dials: you’ll learn how to demo a figure-eight knot without putting half the group to sleep, turn a leaky canoe into a floating classroom, and keep teens engaged even when the sky is dumping sideways rain. We’ll practice teaching on the move—mid-rappel, mid-rapid, mid-“why is there a cicada in my boot?”—so you get comfy turning every surprise into a lesson that sticks. By the end, you’ll have sharper skills, louder laughs, and the kind of trail charisma that makes people say, “Put that person in charge— they make learning fun even when we’re soaked and hungry.”