Reassuring Parents

You can have confidence with us!

Each year here at A to Z Expeditions we help over 1,500 young people safely and successfully complete their Duke of Edinburgh expedition section. We put safety at the heart of everything we do, always going the extra mile to ensure nothing is left to chance.

After safety, our emphasis is on enjoyable and educational programmes. Our expeditions are clearly structured to enable young people to get the most from them. When they are with us, young people can develop key transferrable skills like leadership, problem solving and decision making as well as practical skills like navigation and campcraft.

“Our DofE expedition programmes are about much more than a tick in the box – Alongside a structure for development, we provide the freedom for young people to explore and the opportunity to have a truly rewarding and memorable experience.”

You can trust us

Our credentials

We have been granted a license to run adventurous activities from the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority (AALA), a branch of the government health and safety executive. We hold a DofE Approved Activity Provider license and undergo regular audits and inspections by both AALA and DofE’s UK headquarters. All our staff have high level, national governing body qualifications as well as first aid certifications and we run enhanced DBS checks on everyone who works for us.

This means our expeditions meet the most stringent safety standards as well as strict DofE requirements.

Find out why safety comes first

Operating policies & procedures

All outdoor activity comes with inherent risks and DofE expeditions are no exception. But the key to keeping these risks to a minimum is sticking to clear, solid procedures.

A to Z Expeditions is recognised as a leading DofE expedition provider. We played a big role in setting standards across the industry and many of the procedures and policies we put in place when we started out are now accepted as best practice.

Everyone in our organisation is given thorough training on our policies and procedures.

We also keep them under constant review, regularly seeking advice from industry experts and technical advisors and challenging accepted best practice. This process enables us to be confident we are leaving nothing to chance.

Why choose A to Z?

Experience & expertise

We are very proud of our credentials, but the fact is that qualifications cannot stand alone. They have to be validated by the kind of knowledge and expertise that only comes with experience.

A to Z Expeditions was one of the first six companies to be accepted as a DofE Approved Activity Provider. Since that time we have focussed all our efforts on delivering DofE expeditions – we don’t do corporate courses, school trips or adventure treks abroad. DofE is all we do and we take a pride in doing it really well.

Find out about A to Z?

Our people & remote supervision

We employ top outdoor instructors who are proficient at giving participants the skills they need for DofE and expert at supervising groups when on expedition. Being on hand when needed without impinging on the groups‘ independence is a delicate balancing act that we take pride in doing really well.

It is vital that all members of the party, including the parents at home, are happy and relaxed during an A to Z expedition.

Meet our great team

FAQs for parents

Take a closer look through some of the specific safety FAQ’s we get asked regularly here at A to Z expeditions.

We will try to accommodate your needs wherever possible; however expeditions are very strenuous and often take part in remote areas so we need to consider whether it will be safe for you to take part if you are not fully fit.

It may be possible to apply for an exemption from the DofE 20 conditions so that we can assist you in some way, or we may recommend that you need to undertake further training or wait until you are fully fit before taking part.

Our instructors will be on hand to give you support and first aid. If necessary you will be seen by a medical professional. If you are unable to continue with the expedition then we will contact your DofE leader and/or your parent/guardian to arrange for them to collect you.

Ticks are common in some of the expedition areas. You can prevent tick bites by covering up and using insect repellent. We include Tick removers in our first aid kits, and our instructors will show you how to use these. If you get bitten by a tick during your expedition please let your instructor know. If you find a tick when you get home then you can find advice on safe removal and information on the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease in this leaflet: Just a Tick…

Yes – but it should only be used in case of an emergency. Please ensure that it is fully charged, has plenty of credit and is well protected from the elements in a tough plastic bag – a zip lock bag would be ideal.

DofE FAQ’s