Our Customized Reality Tours program offers an alternative and increasingly popular form of educational travel, exclusively tailored to the particular interests of your group. We create insightful, socially responsible service learning and philanthropic tours for a wide range of groups including universities, schools, organizations, companies, professional associations, or any group of friends and family.

How it works

1. Pick a destination      

With nearly 30 years of experience as an international human rights organization and travel provider, we have contacts all over the world.

2. Design your own itinerary

Your group will have the unique opportunity to travel to various cities, towns and small communities to dialogue with those involved in issues important to you: from health, education, sustainable development, culture and religion, gender issues, to armed conflict and the quest for peace, human rights and the impacts of globalization. You will work directly with a dedicated Reality Tour coordinator to design your custom program. We listen to your interests and accommodate your group’s needs to ensure that everyone gets the most out of your customized Reality Tour.

3. Travel with students, colleagues, friends or family                                                             

 With just 3  travelers or more, your group can embark on one of the most educational, eye-opening tours of a lifetime. Some of our past customized group participants have included members of established foundations, various city, state and private universities, high schools, and chapters of nationwide organizations including World Affairs Councils, United Nations Associations, choirs and dance troupes, families, and other organizations like Food First, Fair Trade USA, The Fullbright Association and many more. Whether yours is a university or high school class, a membership organization, church group, a group of professionals or a group of like-minded people, Global Exchange can organize your tour.

Click here to view a list of our recent custom programs.

Because our schedule fills up quickly, and in order to ensure that we have sufficient time to plan and prepare an exceptional program specifically tailored for your group, we ask that you give us as much advance notice as is possible. Some countries have a visa process that can take a few months to complete. It is best to begin planning a year in advance, but we have been able to put together programs within 3 months. Contact us to hear about the process for the particular destination you have in mind.

Learn more about traveling with students.

4. Submit an application

After your group has an idea of its trip destination, dates, length of trip and objectives, fill out the Customized Tour Application and return it.

Upon receipt of your application, your group will be contacted by one of our San Francisco-based Reality Tour Coordinators, who will be working with your group. Only after we agree on all the details will we ask you to submit a deposit.

Questions?

If you have any questions please email realitytours@globalexchange.org or give us a call at (415) 255-7296.

You can also read our Custom Tours FAQ here.