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Camp Adventure
Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

What are FAQ?

FAQ are the initials for “Frequently Asked Questions”.

The FAQ have been compiled by us over a long period of time and are intended to help give a general overview of our camps and clarify questions that arise before booking a camp.

General booking process

Once the booking has been confirmed by us, you will receive an e-mail requesting a deposit. As soon as we have received this, you will receive an e-mail with a payment confirmation.
Please have a look at the welcome package, which will reach you by e-mail with the Last Travel Information. This contains information that applies to the camp you have booked.

Step 1: Registration (online)
Step 2: Receipt of registration confirmation, total invoice and deposit request (e-mail)
Step 3: Deposit of € 50 (due within 7 days after booking)
Step 4: Receiving an email with the latest important travel information, a packing list, addresses and important emergency phone numbers plus remaining payment request about 3-4 weeks before the camp starts.

Terms & Conditions

Our Terms & Conditions can be found here.

Camps

Where do kids and camp counselors come from?

Camp Adventure attatches great importance to internationality. The participants and supervisors in our camps come from many different countries. Last year, for example, we had participants from over 60 different countries and counselors from 25 different nations. Of course, we don't know where they will come from this year. So we are at least as excited as you are. Through our office in Hamburg and our branch office in Canada, we reach motivated and committed counselors from all over the world. Canadian and Australian teamers can therefore be found as well as German or Spanish teamers. Due to the different experiences and cultural backgrounds an indescribably fantastic, international atmosphere is created.

Which languages are spoken in camp?

The main language in all our camps is English. In addition, there is the language of the country in which the camp takes place. As we have our headquarters in Germany, German teamers are always present in all camps in Germany. All announcements and explanations are here therefore always in German and English. Of course, all our teamers with their different nationalities are also available for individual translations.

Are there problems if children have low language skills?

No, because there are usually more participants and team members who speak the same language. We know from experience that children are excellent at communicating nonverbally. They often need a few days to warm up to it, but are then very open to other children as well.

Are girls and boys separated?

Girls and boys are accommodated separately in the dormitories/tents. The program is completely mixed.

How big are the camps? How high is the caregiver ratio?

Capacities range from around 30 participants in smaller language camps to a maximum of about 400 children in our camp Lueneburger Heide. However, the maximum capacity is not reached every week. However, a minimum number of participants must be guaranteed in order to run the camp.
It is important to us that all children are always grouped in small groups of 5-8, with a counselor as a contact person. This way homesickness doesn't stand a chance and despite the size of the camp in their group family, they experience a strong bond on which they can count on!

Should 12-year-olds go to Junior Camp or Senior Camp?

This question is not easy to answer and depends on the individual stage of development of your child. Therefore, as parents, we leave you the opportunity to decide for yourself. In the Junior Camp they belong to the older ones and can explore a lot in a playful way. In the Senior Camp they are the younger ones, who have role models through the older ones, whom they can emulate.

Camp Routine

How is the choice of activities/courses in the camps made?

If your child would like to participate in a paid additional course (e.g. horse riding, language course, Survival etc.), this must be booked in advance when registering. In principle, no extra additional courses have to be booked. A program with a variety of activities is of course available to the participants in all camps. The various activities can be chosen by the participants on site in the respective camps. We present the offers to the participants, so that everyone gets an insight into the different courses. The children can then register in the lists of the respective courses.

What is a hike?

The hike is a 1-3 day walking tour, in which all participants of the Adventure Camp who stay 2 weeks in the camp take part. On this hike the participants will not spend the night in a tent, but either in the open air or under a self-made shelter e.g. from tarpaulins. They will of course be accompanied by their teamers. The hike is a very special experience and a highlight for all participants. For this hike the participants need sturdy shoes and a big backpack.

Can I wash my clothes during the camp?

In principle, participants should bring sufficient clothing and change of clothes for the entire camp period.
Only in the camps in Lüneburger Heide and Bayerischer Wald a laundry service will be offered for kids staying three weeks or more, which means that a laundry bag (approx. 3 kg) will be washed in the laundry centre of the next village at a price of € 45. This service can be booked upon registration for three-week camps. Please note that the laundry will be done either after one week or after two weeks.

Anti Homesick Adviser

Dear parents

now it's almost time: In summer your child travels for the first time with Camp Adventure. Maybe it will be the first time that he travels alone without parents or relatives. As we are getting more and more questions, we have decided to put together a small package for you parents with little tips from experts to make everything as easy as possible for you and your child. Follow our tips and your child will have a fantastic holiday, have many new experiences and make friends from all over the world! All these tips have been developed together with the International Camping Fellowship. And the more you think your child will be a "homesick candidate" - or your child even claims to be one - the more you consider the following tips.

Co-decide: We have different camps and also from other organizers there are still many great travel possibilities. Please ask your child if he or she can imagine a camp with us and if he or she would like to travel with us. Take a look at our offer together with your child and decide together which camp suits him best. Simply registering your child without asking is a bad start!

Inform and enjoy: Have a look at the photos of the last years together. Encourage your child that a lot of great new things are waiting for him or her and that he or she should try everything. If you show interest in the camp, your child will quickly feel like finding out more - and anticipation will be awakened!

Train the "Without Mom and Dad" time: If your child has never been separated from you before, try it first in small steps. Whether to your grandparents or to your friends over the weekend - start small. So your child gets used to it and experiences that it is not bad to go away, because you always come back again. Important: During this time please do NOT call the child, but consider the separation as a training for you.

Go shopping by yourself: Go shopping with your child for the trip and let them decide which toothpaste or shampoo they want to take with them. Even these little things strengthen the child's self-esteem enormously and they learn to take responsibility for themselves.

Try sleeping bag: We sleep in sleeping bags in our camps. Please let your child try out how he or she sleeps in the sleeping bag to get used to it. Then it falls asleep much more calmly on the first evening. You should also like to go camping with your child. The sounds of nature are fantastic, but perhaps a little disturbing for someone who doesn't know it. The more often your child has tried camping in a familiar environment (e.g. in the garden), the easier it is to get used at camp.

Pack yourself: We all know this from our first trips: Mama packs best. That may be right, but to give your child the comforting feeling that really everything is there, only packing helps. Our recommendation: Pack the different types of clothes in different coloured bags. So the child knows immediately where to find the fresh T-shirt or socks and doesn't have to empty the whole suitcase or backpack. In addition, the clothes can then be stored better in the tent.

When saying goodbye: There are absolute taboo phrases that make it impossible for carers to work with the child if there are any signs of homesickness. Even if you have these feelings at the moment of your farewell - the following exemplary statements (Don´ts) are no help to the children:
"Don't be afraid! If you are in a bad way, I will pick you up quickly". - "Just call me when you get homesick - I'll take care of everything."
Better: "If you get homesick, let your teamer know. He will take good care of you. Think of all the great things you'll do."
"I will miss you so much! I don't know how I can stand it without you."
Better: "I'll miss you, but we'll see each other again soon - after the camp. So have a lot of fun!"
So please make it clear when saying goodbye that your child should simply have a lot of fun. Understandably, saying goodbye is not easy for you either. But if you show your child your fears too much, it worries about YOU - not about yourself. And this is the no. 1 reason for homesickness: the concern for the parents that they are sad!!!

At camp: If it comes to homesickness attacks, so usually only on the 2nd - 3rd day. And homesickness is not a disease, but quite normal. Everyone knows the feeling of missing something from home. Therefore: Please give us the chance to teach the children how best to deal with this problem. Solving problems is one of the most important so-called "soft skills", i.e. skills in dealing with people, situations and decisions. In order to learn these skills, which are important for life, it is important that you give your child the freedom he or she needs. If you want your child to contact you to tell you how he or she is doing, you are depriving him or her of the chance to develop further with the help of the carers alone. So PLEASE DO NOT CALL YOUR CHILD IN CAMP! Instead, get postcards or letters written (see the "Writing Letters" section of the info package). If there are heavy messages to deliver, such as the loss of a pet or similar, do not call or write directly to the child. Instead, either call the office and ask if you should tell the child or tell them personally when the child is home. And in the case of serious family incidents, please inform the camp management in advance so that they can keep a special eye on the child and better interpret any abnormal behaviour.

Too much homesickness: If the homesickness becomes too strong or lasts for several days, we will call you and give you the chance to talk to your child directly. After the interview, we will discuss with the camp management whether it makes sense to pick up the child. But also here due to bad experiences we would like to point out again: Please NEVER arrange the pick-up directly with the child by phone call. Give the child and us the chance to try again. For insurance reasons, the collection of the child are only possible after prior agreement with the camp management or the office!! Visits are not allowed also!!

Visits to the camp: Please do not simply visit your child at camp. As already mentioned above, visits to the camp are not possible due to insurance reasons! In addition, visits promote homesickness rather than it helps, not only for your child, but also for the other camp participants: "Why does xy get visitors and I don't? Envy and homesickness are often the result of visits.

Maybe it's comforting to know that every year only very, very few children have to go home because of homesickness. If you follow our tips, your child will certainly have a great time, make many friends and return to you strengthened from the camp experience. We have summarized our homesickness tips in a Youtube playlist for you.

Camp Counselors - Our Teamers

Who are the camp counselors?

Every year our team is made up of an international mix. The non-profit association Camp Europe e.V. with headquarters in Hamburg and a branch office in Canada takes care of the acquisition of national and international applicants. Since we have about 50% German-speaking children, there are also German carers in every location. But many also come from other countries, such as England, Spain, Canada and Australia, to name just a few.

How are the teamers trained?

All counselors go through an extensive application process. For a successful application, not only an interesting curriculum vitae and a minimum age of 19 years are sufficient! We conduct a personal interview with each individual in which our employees get a first impression of the applicant.
Before the camp season, everyone, both the first supervisors (teamers) as well as many recomers, complete a one-week training in which they are prepared for their assignment by trained coaches. They must have a first aid certificate, which may not be older than two years, as well as an internationally flawless police clearance certificate. We know how important the teamers are for a great camp and therefore select them very conscientiously.

Camp Rules

Drugs, Alcohol & Camp?

From our point of view an absolutely unacceptable and indiscutable combination! Due to our cooperation with the association "Keine Macht den Drogen" (No power to drugs) and our common opinion that all kinds of drugs do not belong in the hands of children & teenagers, any possession or consumption of drugs is forbidden for teenagers and children in the camp and also outside the camp.
Violations can lead to exclusion or even to criminal charges. The term "drugs" also includes cigarettes and alcohol! Through our varied activities, we offer a much better alternative! We would like to make it clear from the outset that we are also against any form of discrimination or "putting down". This is - just like violence - immediately prevented by us, in order to offer each young person a relaxed and joyful time in the camp.

Should I call my kid or write an old-fashioned letter?

We ask all parents to write to their child at least once. This is especially useful at the beginning, as it is a particularly upsetting experience for every child and every teenager when most of the participants receive a letter, but they do not.
Please note that there is NO public "camp phone" available for incoming or outgoing calls. If your child doesn't bring her/his own phone, she/he won't be able to call you. In case of any problems, we will of course contact you immediately.

If your child brings a mobile phone, we will collect it on arrival and store it with the valuables. Your child's Teamer may hand it over during the phone time after lunch. Please keep in mind: no news is good news (the location manager will contact you if it is necessary due to homesickness or illness). We kindly ask you not to call the office in Hamburg to ask about your kid’s health and wellbeing, nor if you would like to know why your child hasn't called you yet. Please use our camp email service for such enquiries.

Our recommendation is the following:
We recommend not to call your child (even if he or she has a mobile phone with him or her) and not to tell him or her to call you. Telephoning can in our experience promote homesickness very strongly and your child will be cured thereby if completely immersed in camp life! At noon after lunch, if absolutely necessary, your child can pick up his or her mobile phone from the counselors until the start of next program and make phone calls. Instead, you are welcome to bring a pre-stamped and addressed envelope with you. We will then make sure that your child has enough time to write letters. Since letters and postcards often arrive late at the camps, we also offer the e-mail service. You can send your child max. ONE email per day directly to the camp, which we then print out and give to your child. There is no way for them to reply, but your child will be happy to receive a small message from home. You can find the postal and email address in the info package of the booked camp.

Are there any prohibited items?
Yes, there are. Not allowed are pocket knives with lockable blades, all weapons, lighters and matches (danger of fire in the forest!). Drugs of any kind, including alcohol and cigarettes, are also included.

Safety

Electronic equipment and valuables
We recommend that you do not take an MP3 player, e-book, tablet, etc. or any valuables with you. On the one hand we do not assume any liability and on the other hand there are no possibilities to charge the devices. We are of the opinion that the camp time is a special experience for the participants if they do not have the headphones in their ears all the time or are busy with their mobile phones. Instead they have the chance to deal with other topics and they find time to dedicate themselves to the new people in the camp.
How do you provide safety for the kids?
Before our camp counselors start working with us, we check their police clearance certificates. You must be at least 19 years old to work for us as a teamer. They must also have a "First Aid Certificate", which must not be older than two years. In the camps we try to make sure that only adults from our camp or familiar faces are on the campground and that all our carers look after strangers.
We have many different camp sites. Some of them are fenced in, others are not. There are no armed guards or the like in our camps, as we believe that these conditions create a very insecure feeling. We do not have a high security zone in Germany, Northern Ireland or England, but we keep our eyes open and do everything we can to ensure that all participants have a great time.
Insurance in case of illness?

If your child should fall ill during the camp and medical help is required, he or she will of course be taken to the doctor by our carers and cared for there as well. It is therefore necessary for each participant to take their insurance card with them to the camp. We offer all participants the possibility of taking out liability, casualty & health insurance for travel abroad with us. This covers all costs in case of illness and prevents international children in particular from having to "advance" their own cash. You can find more detailed information on insurance here.

Accomodation & Catering

How's the food at the camps?

Full board for the entire duration of the camp is of course already included in the camp price. In addition, water and fruit are available for the participants around the clock. For us it is a matter of course to provide one variant for vegetarians and one pork-free with each meal. In case of special allergies or intolerances of your children let us know in advance and we will try to find a solution.

How is my child accommodated in the camp?

In our Adventure Camp Bayerischer Wald and our Camp Lueneburger Heide, the Juniors (7-12) and the Seniors (12-16) can choose between tents and huts.
The tents are equipped with a floor and a wooden platform, up to 7 children can share one tent. The participants can make themselves comfortable with sleeping bag and sleeping mat. The wooden huts are equipped with bunk beds and can accommodate 4-8 children. At the other locations, participants will be accommodated in shared rooms in youth hostels, sports centres or boarding schools of private schools. You will find detailed information about the accommodation on the individual camp pages.

Transfers & Shuttles

Which transfers are offered?
The respective transfer possibilities depend on the period and venue of the camp. Check directly on the respective camp page under "Arrival & Departure Services".
Where can I find the exact arrival and departure times?
Information about the different arrival and departure times can be found on the respective camp page under "Arrival & Departure Services".
How do the transfer costs come about?

When booking a train or air trip, the indicated price includes the arrival and departure as well as the accompaniment by a supervisor.

Where can I find the address/driving directions from the camp?

You will receive the exact address and directions of the camp with the Last Travel Information about 3-4 weeks before the camp starts.

Financial Questions

When do I have to pay the price for the booked camp?

The deposit must be paid within 7 days of receipt of the booking confirmation. The remaining payment for the booked camp is due about 3-4 weeks before the start of the camp at the latest when receiving the Last Travel Information. Further information can be found in our Terms & Conditions.

What do I need for a foreign bank transfer?

In general, it is very easy to make a credit card payment from abroad. For a transfer from abroad you need the IBAN number and the BIC/Swift code in addition to the usual information. You can find the bank details on the invoice.

Other Questions

Where can I find the welcome package?

The welcome package will be sent to you by email about three-four weeks prior to camp begin with the last travel information. It is in PDF format, so that you can print it out if necessary.

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