Expedition & wild camping training
Expedition Training 2026 I Book Now
Expedition Training Dartmoor
Friday June 5th - Sunday 8th - Includes Greenland module
Trekking Training Snowdonia
(Trekking focus and Altitude Module)
Saturday 13th June (weekend option on request)
Our expedition and wild camping training weekends offer an excellent opportunity to develop your outdoor skills, progressing from a day hiker to an expedition team member. During the training, participants can learn the camp craft, essential techniques for river crossing, how to cook, set up tents, call for help in a remote location and - very importantly - protect the fragile remote environments they are visiting. Our goal is not simply to provide you with a wild camping experience, but to train you to become an environmentally conscious and resilient expedition team member.
Before the weekend in the wilderness, we run a series of live interactive Zoom training sessions. The lectures cover expedition preparation, nutrition and equipment. We also send a professional guide to meet your group on a shopping trip to help you buy the right clothes and equipment.
If you are trying this for the first time, we can provide you with a rucksack and sleeping bag at a small extra cost.
This training experience fosters self-reliance and prepares individuals for adventurous expeditions and wild camping excursions. It is rated GREEN on our traffic light system of rating events. You must be able to hike for four hours carrying 15 kilos on uneven ground. The Dartmoor June weekend also includes a Greenland expedition module covering musk ox behaviour and the equipment you need in an Arctic summer environment. The Snowdonia June training and trekking day includes Mt Kenya. Mt Toubkal and the general trekking module (altitude, physical preparation, what to take). This will be more strenuous than Dartmoor, but with no wild camping.
Itinerary
DAY ONE: ARRIVE
Dartmoor - Arrive 6 pm - 10 pm
Meet and greet at a campsite in Ivybridge in Dartmoor.
Decompress as you prepare your dinner by the campfire
DAY TWO: WORKSHOPS, THEN START THE EXPEDITION
Expedition cooking seminar/practice
Expedition equipment check
Half-day hike
Calling for help in an emergency
How to choose/set up a wild camp
Water purification
Greenland equipment check
Polar bear and Musk ox behaviour seminar
DAY THREE: RIVER CROSSING DAY/ BACK TO IVYBRIDGE
Emergency practice
River crossings /deep water crossings (June only)
Signs of cold-weather illness seminar
Lunch and Q&A - finish at 2 pm
SNOWDONIA TREKKING TRAINING DAY - Arrive 2 pm
(Weekend logistical help available)
Meet 9 am-Hike Watkins Path
1Ascent 1015m: Distance 13km: Hiking Time: 7 hours hiking
Fitness and confidence assessment
Altitude Illness- Signs and How to Reduce Risk
What to Pack for Trekking with Porters
Training Goals
Basic skills
How to pitch a tent
How to choose a wild campsite
How to efficiently pack an expedition backpack
What equipment to take
Camp craft
How to cook in the wilderness
How to be hygienic and environmentally conscious in the wild
Four-hour hike with a backpack
Advanced skills
Calling for help in a wild environment
River crossings
Deep water crossings (weather dependent)
Musk ox behaviour
Polar bear risk in Greenland
Cold weather gear/intro to cold weather illness
Discussion on multi-day expedition events
Trekking Training Snowdonia
Altitude sickness
Hiking on scree
Physical assessment
What to pack for Mt Kenya, Mt Toubkal
How to move on steep ground
Six hours plus steep ground hike
DArtmoor: What Is included
Camp fees
Tents, cooker, fuel
Three Firepot dehydrated expedition meals (Saturday: breakfast and dinner, Sunday: breakfast)
Emergency equipment
Two half-day hikes:
Emergency call for help procedures
Essential first aid kit advice
Wild camping lesson
River crossing lesson
Deep water crossing (June only)
Expedition food preparation lesson
Pre-expedition Zoom seminars covering equipment/nutrition
Polar bear risk lesson.
Musk ox behaviour and safety.
Greenland expedition-specific kit check.
Dartmoor: What Is not included
Parking (small onsite fee for Saturday night or park locally for free)
Backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping bag liner (can be hired for £80)
Alcoholic drinks
Snacks
Saturday and Sunday lunches
Friday dinner (bring it, and you can cook it by our campfire!)
Personal equipment, including waterproofs, boots
SNOWDONIA: What Is included
Guided walk for 7-8 hours
Altitude Illness module - signs, symptoms and risk reduction
What to pack module
Group Safety Equipment
Zoom Training on all expedition modules
SNOWDONIA: What Is not included
Transport to and from the event
Lunch and snacks
-
James is the leader of this expedition. He is a veteran of over a 100 expeditions. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and the British Exploring Society and a member of the Arctic Club. He has experience in both Greenland and Svalbard.
James also holds multiple qualifications and is both a Leading Practitioner/ Recognised Professional with the Institute for Outdoor Learning. He keeps TV and film crews safe, trains expedition participants to prepare for extreme and hostile environments, and leads award winning educational trips for young people.
-
We aim to prepare you to be the best you can be for your expedition. Together we will:
Increase your enjoyment
Increase your connection with the natural environment
Reduce pre-expedition stress and anxiety
Increase the resilience of yourself and the team
Make your expedition safer
Zoom sessions:
30mins to one hour long
Will be live allowing you to ask questions
Have Q&A time included
Be recorded in case your life gets in the way
Start at 7:30pm during a week night
Planned Sessions : A planned zoom seminar schedule will be sent out mid-February covering:
Session 1: Welcome - Your training - the risks
Session 2: Expedition equipment
Session 3: Face to face meet and shop
Session 4: Expedition nutrition
Session 5: Expedition team work
Session 6: Logistics - last chat
-
I am a total beginner. I'd like to know what personal equipment to bring or how to pack my rucksack. Is this course still suitable for me?Yes. The basics are covered step-by-step with a professional guide in an educational and stress-free way. You will have the opportunity to learn about essential equipment choices in a Zoom seminar led by a Turn Wild expedition leader. This pack also contains a clear packing list. You will also have the opportunity to meet a Turn Wildguide in London and get expedition shopping advice. So you can embark on your weekend full of confidence and the right mindset to learn.
Do I need to invest a significant amount of money in equipment?
No. For the weekend, you will only need your personal hiking essentials, plus some additional camping gear. We will supply the major cost items, such as tents and cookers. We offer a few sets of equipment for hire, including a sleeping bag, backpack, dry bag, and liner. (£80 for the weekend - size and stock depending).
I am an experienced wild camper. Would this course be good for me?
Yes. It will allow you to upskill and take on adventures in places like Scotland, Kyrgyzstan, and Greenland. You will cover various river crossing techniques, packing tips, expedition nutrition and have access to experienced guides.
How fit do I need to be?
For the expedition training course in Dartmoor, you need to be able to hike for four hours over undulating ground, sometimes off paths, carrying 15kg.
For the Snowdonia course, you need to be able to hike with a day pack for 7 hours over multiple days and ascend over 1000m on the first day. We will take the Watkins path, which is challenging at times, with a small scree slope, and it will take over 7 hours to complete, with a 1,400 m ascent.
What happens if I am unable to attend one of the Zoom training sessions?
We understand that we all live busy lives. A recording of the Zoom session will be made available to you if you are unable to attend. You can then watch it whenever you get a chance. If you have any questions after this, you will, of course, be able to email/talk to one of our professional guides.
I want to attend the Snowdonia Training Day. What is the logistical support?
If you are arriving the night before, we can hire you a tent/ cooker/ gas if you need. We can suggest campsites to you and put you in a team WhatsApp group to share taxis if coming by train. Please get in touch with us for more information.
-
Expedition Training total cost £299
Trekking Training Day is £99
All bookings start with a one-on-one call with one of our qualified guides. This call is to make sure that all your questions are answered, so that all team members know about the expedition challenges and the commitment required for preparation. You may also ask any further questions you may have about the expedition. After this call, a deposit of 30% will be sent to you to secure your place. The balance is due 50 days before the start of the expedition. For cancellations made within 30-40 days of the trip commencement date, Turn Wild reserves the right to retain 50% of the balance payment. For cancellations within 30 days of the departure date, Turn Wild will retain 100% of the total fee. For any further questions or to secure a place, please get in touch with us via the details below. Thank you, and let your adventure begin!
Contact Ian on 07901 916 169 or Ian@turnwild.com. Find more about Turn Wild’s terms and conditions here.
-
On booking, you will be given detailed joining plans
General Equipment- Expedition Training Only
Small microfibre towel
Power bank
Water bottle
Medications
Sunblock
Insect repellant
Hand sanitiser
Kindle/book
Spoon
Large camping mug (for cooking)
Lighters
Poo kit
Dry bags
Wet wipes
65-75 litre bag
Sleeping:
Sleeping bag - rated to zero minimum. Down will cost more but save you weight
Thermals/liner or both, depending on your sleeping system
Sleeping roll / folding mat
Inflatable mat (optional)
Inflatable pillow or dry bag with clothes inside
Ear plugs
(Expedition and Trekking Training)
Day bag
Feet:
Boots (No hiking shoes)
Socks (thick)
Camp/river crossing shoes
Legs:
Hiking trousers
Gore-Tex waterproof overtrousers: ones you can put on over boots
Light shorts (optional)
Torso:
Base layers x two (one to sleep in)
Midlayer - thin long sleeve
Warm layer (down jacket)