Camps International Reviews

Name: Camps International
Address: Unit 10 Kingfisher Park Headlands Business ParkSalisbury Road, Ringwood
Rating: 3.99

4.0 Rating 519 Reviews

76 %

of reviewers recommend Camps International

Company Reviews

Metrics

Info

4.0

Based on 519 reviews


Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Own Driver
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Over A Week
Customer Service	3.1 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process	Difficult

About Camps International:

Camps International are experts in sustainable student travel, offering life-changing school expeditions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Visit Website

Phone:

01425 485390

Email:

info@campsinternational.com

Location:

Unit 10 Kingfisher Park Headlands Business ParkSalisbury Road
Ringwood
BH24 3NX

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Camps International 5 star review on 1st May 2024

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Sort by: Most Recent Most Recent Highest Rated Filter: None None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“This made such a difference to my daughters skills and confidence from the raising of funds to the trip itself- life changing!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

It is so rewarding to hear that your daughter's experience all the way from fundraising to going on expedition made a difference to her skills and confidence. We thank her for travelling with us and helping us make a difference to communities, environment and wildlife. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“Fantastic organisation and incredible experience for the students. Some of the children have said it was life changing and we certainly notice their increased confidence. Would highly recommend.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

We are very glad to hear that your students had such a fantastic experience with us and look forward to welcoming your school back in the future. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“First, I will like to say that I traveled with CAMPS twice in the past (Sri Lanka 2019 and Tanzania 2020). Both were positive experiences. This year was extremely disappointing. First, a group of 57 teenagers should not travel as one group and complete dangerous activities such as the 9K hike we did. There were 3 Thailand groups and we should have traveled as 3 separate groups to ensure each group was manageable and to ensure safety. The group could not be properly managed, and there was a large amount of first aid that needed to be administered due to frequent falls. We had students who severely struggled on the 9k trekking expedition. Even staff members felt unsafe and fell on the loose rocks and loose leaves. There was a particular stretch coming downhill that was the most dangerous and students started to scoot and crawl down rather than continue to fall. We had an incident of a student almost falling off the cliff. Since we were all stretched out across the 9K distance, it was impossible to have eyes on all students and properly ensure safety. There was a moment when a group of students I ran into told me they had waited almost 20 mins for a staff member to arrive because they fell and hurt themselves. I was the first staff member to get to them. Second, proper staff accommodation was not provided. There was a night when male and female staff shared one room/space. We were not informed until we were already in a remote village with no signal or way to make alternative plans. We were offered (at the last minute) a room off to the side that wasn't prepared with a mattress. We were told we could move our mattresses into the room as female staff members. This was given as an option close to 10 pm after we had spent the day on a dangerous 9K hike and after we had to focus on putting kids to bed. It was not treated as a priority. I believe this was due to poor planning by CAMPS because a staff member who arrived earlier was informed by a local that there was another cabin usually available but it was not reserved in advance- therefore it was unavailable for female staff. Additionally, all teachers did not have their own rooms at the hotel lodge although there were enough rooms available if bookings were made in advance. Two staff members had to share a room which made it difficult for staff to relax and rest each day. This was fixed mid-way through the week. However, this proves it was something that could have been fixed before. It is essential for teachers to have proper rest on long 8-day shifts with expeditions. There seemed to be poor communication with numbers, flight meal requests, and the count of teachers from CAMPS to vendors. I understand that miscommunication happens especially with language barriers. However, a pattern of it happening in different sectors (Emirates airline, hotel, village) shows a strong sign that information was not verified or checked before our arrival. For example, the flight meals were not sorted on the way to Thailand. A phone call at the beginning of the week could have sorted to flight meals before returning. Emirates values customer service and has a high reputation for accommodating needs well if given advanced notice. Yet, we were told less than 24 hours before our flight that Emirates meals were once again not assigned and that Emirates could not adjust because it was less than 48 hours. It was delayed communication that if delivered at the beginning of the week, could have left room for solving. Third and probably most concerning: CAMPS leaders should have an activated and working SIM card for emergencies the moment we land. I believe they had SIM cards, but they either weren't checked or weren't working right away. Unfortunately, we had a hospital emergency on our first day, and CAMPS leaders were unable to use their phones to contact the UAE right away. This was eventually solved. After traveling to Sri Lanka and Tanzania in the past, I felt as if the CAMPS leaders and teachers were a team. We interacted with the kids the same, helped discipline, re-direct, and the kids interacted with CAMPS leaders. It is understandable that CAMPS leaders will not know all of the kids (and even harder with a massive group of 57), however many of the teachers travel with students they do not know either. We are also learning over 50 new names and faces. Yet, we know it's essential to build relationships with kids, interact with them, and establish common communication among all staff members. It was quite hard to feel that on this trip.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Our camps leader, Ian, was amazing and took great care of all of us. Thanks”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Thank you for your kind words for Ian, we will be sure to pass on the feedback. We are super pleased you were well looked after and we look forward to welcoming you on another school expedition with Camps International. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“Having travelled with Camps before and being really pleased with the organisation, I was shocked with how everything went this year. Our pre-departure information was not all correct, for example-students were told they would get a mixture of western, and Thai food-this was not the case-the food was all Thai and many students struggled with this. Food preferences were not provided for very well, I had to speak to every restaurant we went to to ensure we had the appropriate food for one child (vegetarian nd no egg). Information such as how many people were in a room could have been given to us beforehand and saved an hour on arrival - after travelling for a whole day, this would have made a massive difference. We were not given enough staff bedrooms, after being promised that we would have our own room, and some ended up sharing. At one point on the trip all 9 members of staff/leaders were sharing one room. The leaders did not have much involvement with our students, on previous trips they have basically run the trip and we have been there as behaviour management and student wellbeing, however we, as staff felt like a lot of it was falling on us, which we were not expecting. Students did not feel any connection with the Camps staff at all. It would have been a lot easier if the group had not been travelling and doing activities as a group of 60 every day-this was hard to manage and created issues which would not have been there had we been in the original groups we had assumed we would be in. The activities we did were really fun and the kids really enjoyed them (especially Cooking School), it was just a shame that we felt we were "winging it" on a daily basis.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Keith was the Camps International man paired with us and he was the best of the best. He was even unwell during the trip and still worked insanely hard and was supportive, funny, and kind.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Kaylan Thank you for your review to let us know that your Expedition Leader was the best of the best - we could not agree more! We will be passing the positive feedback onto Keith. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“When the flight was changed to the direct flight from Dubai to Mombasa and you had ACS arriving on the same day instead of the next day, you should have not only told the school but told the parents so that we can prepare our kids. The camp they arrived for the first night was not was was 'sold' to parents and/or students. I understand you could not move the school that was there because they also pre-booked the camp, but you could have alerted us via email and sent pictures of where they were going to stay. We gained a straight flight but we lost accommodation quality.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Hi there, We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the arrival of ACS school. Next time, we will take this on board and do our best to manage the situation more informatively. We hope you still had a fantastic time with us and look forward to welcoming you back in the future. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“The children greatly enjoyed the activities. There were many complaints about the cleanliness of the bathrooms and the camp in general. The food was too spicy.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“gave us opportunities and experiences that we wouldn't have been able to have if it weren't for camps international such as meeting new people and helping make a difference.”

Camps International 5 star review on 3rd March 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Hi Emilia, We are so glad you had such a fantastic experience with us. You have made a long-lasting impact on the community and we can't thank you enough. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“I loved all of the experiences- everything was genuinely incredible!!!! The long drop eco toilets took time to get used to but honestly it’s all a part of the experience and it was fine once you use it a few times. The main complaint is the travel times. We took 2 flights and a 2-4 hour bus ride. Since the camp is remote it makes sense that the bus ride was long but I think the flights could have been organized much better. We went from Nairobi airport to mumbasa airport and then took the bus ride but the full journey took over 24 hours both times. To be fair I went with my school so things would take a bit longer, however there was a flight that left from mumbasa airport directly back home and that would have shortened the travel day to like 9 hours or so, instead of 24+ hours. Also we did 3 straight days of community work and I feel like it would be nicer to break it up to make things more varied. But otherwise it was perfect. This is an experience like no other and despite the difficult travel, the positives WAAAAY outweigh the negatives.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

We are extremely delighted to hear that had an incredible time in Camp Kenya and embraced the experiences of being in the real African wilderness. We will pass on your feedback with regards to variations in project working days. We hope that even though you had a long bus ride it gave you the chance to take in the sights of Kenya on the way to our remote Camp. Thank you for your feedback regarding the journey time, our team work hard to ensure the journey is as short as possible in line with the options at the time. Thank you for joining us in making a positive impact. All the best The Camps Team

Posted 1 year ago

“Incredibly satisfied with the service that Camps International gave our school. From the very start when they introduced the different locations and parent information evenings all the way until the end of the trip they were a helping hand throughout the expedition. Our trip leader Zofia was incredible throughout with her meticilous organisation throughout the trip. Her clear and understanding communication and also her upbeat personality on a trip of this type. we were very fortunate to receive such a fantastic service. Will 100% be using Camps International as our next residential tourist provider.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear James Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review with regards to the fantastic service that you received all the way from the Parents’ presentation to the run up to the expedition from our Camps team in the UAE. We have passed on your lovely comments to Zofia on her meticulous planning and upbeat attitude throughout your Nepal expedition. We look forward to welcoming you and your students on another trip with Camps International. All the best The Camps Team

Posted 1 year ago

“The trip with JESS Year 9 to Kenya was AMAZING, the trip of a lifetime and one my son absolutely loved and will stay with him forever. He came home raving about this life-changing experience, the fun games you all played at night in the camp, the epic safari, the beach conseration , learning how to make chaptati's and of course playing with the local children which he loved and gaining an enriching understanding of how they live, challenges they face and how fortunate we are. His stories told us they really did aim to 'make a difference' and an aim he wants to carry on. Thank you so much for this. One piece of advice I would like to give is many parents said they would be happy to pay for direct flight to Mombasa despite an expected increase in price. Seeing photos of duct tape on Kenyan Airways wing was not reassuring! If you can please do this trip directly with Emirates. Otherwise EVERYTHING was utterly wonderful. THANK YOU”

Camps International 5 star review on 20th February 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Leah, We are so happy to hear that your son enjoyed your expedition with us to Kenya. We hope that this has made as big of an impact on him as he has on the communities in-country. We wish you the best of luck with whatever the future holds for you, always remember you are a part of the Camps family now and we are always here to help with anything. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“It was a fantastic experience enjoyed by both staff and students who created lifelong bonds with each other and learning. Underpinning the trip are the links to the Sustainable Development Goals and the impact on the community. Exposing our students to a different way of living and showing them richness in diversity is such an important part of their growth. I am so proud of their approach and know they will continue to build on this mindset throughout their adult lives. The importance of enrichment and the unwritten curriculum shouldn’t be underestimated when encouraging a real-world, cross-curricular understanding of the world that we live in; this trip will be an anchor to understanding for them for the rest of their lives.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Charlotte You have summed up the benefits of immersive travel so eloquently. We are proud that we were able to give staff and students an experience of a lifetime along with the chance to learn and grow. Thank you all for joining us on the expedition and helping us make a positive impact - for the community, wildlife and environment. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“My trip to Kenya overtook my expectations and the camps international staff were amazing to spend time with. The camp did it's best to ensure our safety come first while still letting us have loads of fun. Thank you for this life-changing trip!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are glad to hear you had an amazing experience with us in Kenya and pride ourselves on providing the best service and experience possible. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“I just want to thank Camps International for such an amazing trip. It was my daughter Yasmine's first trip without me and I couldn't ask for a smoother, more fun, educational, adventurous and most of all safe one. Knowing that she was safe and in good hands was crucial. We were also concerned about the food as Yasmine is extremely picky but the food was very good and expansive. The staff was all extremely friendly and the activities were amazing. The work that the kids did was beautiful and fun as well. Everyone told me prior to the trip that the kids come back changed and it is true. Such a positive experience all around. A special thanks to Mr. Ian and the entire staff at the camp. Thank you as well for the organized manner of communication before the trip and for always answering my questions so promptly. All much appreciated and highly recommended by yet another super satisfied camper and mom!!”

Camps International 5 star review on 15th February 2023

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Posted 1 year ago

Hi Tawnya, Amazing photo! We are so happy to hear your daughter had such an amazing experience with us. I'm sure the memories she made will last forever, as well as the impact the team made. Kind regards Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“Going to Kenya was the best month of my life and I HIGHLY recommend it!!! I learnt so much and made so many amazing friends”

Camps International 5 star review on 2nd February 2023

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

We are delighted to hear that you had the best time on expedition in Kenya and made so many new friends. Thank you for being part of making a positive impact for the community, environment and wildlife. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“Grateful for this experience.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Thank you for joining us and helping us continue to make an impact on the community and environment. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“It was a tough week, especially because I got sick. I found the hikes difficult when I was sick. The bugs were also a bit challenging, but I really enjoyed the week in Borneo. It was a real eye-opener.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Courtney We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed Borneo and that you took away from insights about the country with you. Sorry to hear that you were not well on your trip but it sounds like that you really pushed yourself and completed your hike - so well done! Thank you for joining us and helping us continue to make an impact for the community and environment. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“It was a very unique, informative and exhilarating experience.”

Camps International 5 star review on 23rd November 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Winita We are so pleased that you found your trip to Camp Kenya both exhilarating and informative. Thank you for sharing your photo - one of the best viewing spots of Camp Tsavo and of course to watch the stars. All the best The Camps Crew

Posted 1 year ago

“Ella went to Borneo and had a nice time however the food was poor and sleeping conditions weren’t very good.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

Dear Ella It is great that you had a good time on your school’s Borneo expedition with Camps International. We try and give our travellers an authentic experience when staying at Camp and we realise that traditional longhouses and hammocks might not be for everyone. We are disappointed to hear that it did not meet your expectations. Thank you for travelling with us and for helping with all the project work to help support the local community in Camp Borneo. All the best The Camps Team

Posted 1 year ago

Camps International is rated 4.0 based on 519 reviews