Fitness & Wellness Excursions: 2025- 2026

FitWell Trip Facts

• What is the cost of the trips?

  The Switzerland trip will cost $2,450*. This price includes:

  • Round trip airfare from Boston to Switzerland
  • 7 nights lodging at the Hotel Savoy in Bern
  • All airline taxes and fees
  • Breakfast every day
  • Chocolate factory tour

  What's Not Included for Switzerland

  • Dinner
  • Swiss Travel Pass ($325). Covers all train, bus, boat travel. Free admission to all museums. Discounts on lifts

  The Costa Rica trip will cost $2,400*. This price includes:

  • Round trip airfare from Boston to San Jose, Costa Rica
  • 8 nights hotel
  • All taxes and fees
  • Visit to Mi Cafecito Coffee Plantation
  • Transfers from location to location
  • A professional tour guide from G Adventures, the tour operator

  What's Not Included for Costa Rica:

  • Meals
  • Additional excursions of your choosing (whitewater rafting, canyoning, ziplining, hanging bridges, etc.)
  • Tour guide tip ($5/day usually)

  The walking trip to England will cost $2,425*. This price includes:

  • Round trip airfare from Boston to Newcastle, UK
  • 8 nights lodging (BnB) on the walk with double occupancy
  • 1 night lodging in Edinburgh
  • Baggage transfer from BnB to BnB for each night of the walk
  • Transfers from Carlisle to Edinburgh, and Edinburgh to Newcastle
  • Breakfast each day and snacks for the hike
  • Travel Insurance

  What's NOT Included for England:

  • Dinner each evening
  • Any excursions you choose to participate in
  • Equipment needed for the hike (hiking boots, hiking pack etc.)

  *Price subject to change until all deposits are made

• Deposit Deadlines

  Switzerland trip: October 10, 2025

  Costa Rica: November 15, 2025

  England: (Requires application submission). Application is found below.

  To make a deposit for Switzerland or Costa Rica: https://commerce.cashnet.com/FITRECEvents

• What is this walking trip to England all about?

  The goal of the walking trip is to provide students an opportunity to travel internationally and explore one of the most rugged parts of Ireland. Connemara is "Ireland as it was",  the coast line is stunningly beautiful and the landscape varies from rugged mountains to green valleys as far as the eye can see.

  Throughout each day of the walk, you will get to experience this beauty in the best way possible, by watching it surround you with each step that you take.

  At the end of a long day's walk, you will be able to take off your hiking boots, relax, and explore some of the small villages and towns that make Ireland so special. While the quaint countryside of Ireland is unparalleled, the friendliness of its people and the warmness of the culture will be some of your fondest memories.  Nothing better than a night in a pub listening to the local craic!

• What is the England (Hadrian's Wall) walk all about?

  • Walk in the 'original direction' of the Hadrian's Wall Path, as you leave behind the big city of Newcastle and head into the open countryside, before finishing in the quiet village of Bowness-on-Solway at the Solway estuary.
  • Move into the past with every step you take on this 135km long National Trail that follows the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall, the best preserved Roman frontier in the world.
  • Trace 2,000 years of history across the beautiful border country between Scotland and England while exploring Roman turrets, castles & forts.
  • Follow the Wall from the modern, busy cityscape of Newcastle Upon Tyne through the barren, blustery heights of Highshields Crags to the green pastoral scenes of the Eden valley.
  • Connect with the life of the men who built and guarded this symbol of Roman Britain almost 2,000 years ago.

• Are we walking all 85 miles?

  Yes. You can do hard things...I promise.  While the mileage isn't always fully accurate, it's pretty close!

• Why are we walking instead of driving in England?

  Travel is all about how you want to experience it. Since our goal is fitness and wellness, we have chosen to explore England on foot. Sure, you can absolutely see most things on a bus, but do you truly experience it?

  When we are out on our hike for the day, you will truly immerse yourself in the best (and maybe the worst) that England has to offer. From the breathtaking views to the numerous encounters with gentle-natured sheep to the rain showers that pop up out of nowhere, which lead to some of the most brilliant rainbows you will ever see.

   

• Do I have to carry all of my luggage each day in England?

  No. Your luggage will be transported each morning to the next lodging location on our hike. The only things you'll need to take with you each day are a small backpack, some snacks, water, rain gear, and a sense of adventure.

• Where are we staying on our England walk?

  England is dotted with many fantastic BnB's, many of which are family-run, so we will not be camping overnight.  You will have a warm bed, a private shower/bathroom, and a good meal to start you right the next morning. 

  Our last night in the UK on the trip will be in a hotel in Edinburgh that is centrally located so you can take time to explore the city. We haven't decided on excursions in Edinburgh yet, but will work on that as a group.

• I've never done a long-distance walk before...should I be worried?

  To put it simply, no. While there is no doubt that doing a long-distance walk can be physically and mentally challenging, you will be well-prepared for your walk. Once the deposits have been made for the trip, we will meet as a group to talk about what it is that you are going to undertake.

  As part of this trip, you will receive a training plan, put together by Sarah Perciaccante, Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness, to prepare you physically for the walk. The longest day of the walk is about 19 miles miles, while the shortest day is about 10 miles. As long as you put in the work to prepare for the walk, you will be absolutely fine. You may be tired and a sore, but it's all worth it!

• What type of equipment do I need for the England trip?

  As part of our meetings, we will connect with a representative from an outdoor outfitters store who will talk to all of us about the equipment that might be needed to complete this journey. 

  Essentially though, you will need:

  • Good quality, waterproof, well-fitting hiking boots
  • Trail runners
  • Water bottle
  • Rain gear (jacket, pants)
  • Hiking socks
  • A backpack of some sort for your daily needs

  The most important items are the hiking boots and the rain gear. Having hiking boots that don't fit well and aren't waterproof can lead to a very long and challenging trip. Nothing ruins the enjoyment of the day more than a blister on your foot. Getting the right footwear and breaking them in prior to the trip is essential.

  Staying dry is important for your overall health and safety. Here is your warning...it rains in Ireland. Good quality rain gear will help keep you as dry as possible should those pesky rain showers pop up along the walk.

• Is the England trip a guided walk?

  The trip will be led by two chaperones from Wentworth. They will have all of the essential maps and contact information for our lodging along the walk. Additionally, they will have the contact information for the tour operator should anything go awry.

  Safety is always our top priority, and the chaperones will be carrying first aid gear as well as satellite phones should they become necessary for medical evacuation.

• How do I join the England trip?

  To join us on the England trip, please complete the application that you will find linked below.

  The application deadline is November 1, 2025 at 12:00 PM

  There are only 10 spaces on the trip.  If you are hoping to go with a friend, that might not happen.  However, the trip to Ireland last year saw the entire group become fast friends.  Going through an experience together enhances that greatly.

  Completing the application does NOT mean that you are on the trip. Once your application has been approved and you have paid your deposit, then your space on the trip will be confirmed. 

  https://wentworth.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cO4pdI9o0vA0g3I

   

   

   

   

• What is the Switzerland trip all about?

  Now in it's 15th year, the Switzerland trip is the trip that started it all for Fitness and Wellness.  Held during Winter break, this trip provides the opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  From the breathtaking Swiss Alps to the sheer cliffs of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, there are views that are unimaginable.  Beyond the beautiful vistas, Switzerland is famous for it's delicious chocolate and cheese, fun alpine activities (like skiing, snowboarding, and sledging).

  We will be based in Bern, Switzerland, and using your Swiss Travel Pass, you will be able to traverse the country in comfort and able to reach cities and towns that one wouldn't think are accessible by public transportation.

  This trip includes a chocolate factory tour, and if the group is so inclined, a chocolate making class as well!

• What is the Costa Rica trip all about?

  The 8 day Spring Break trip to Costa Rica is all about the warm sun, the tropical air, and every species of wildlife that you can imagine.

  Starting in the capital of San Jose, we will quickly make our way via van up into the mountains to the town of La Fortuna, home of two active volcanoes. In La Fortuna, you'll have the chance to partake in some exciting adventures, like canyoning, white water rafting, hanging bridges, or if slow is your speed, a relaxing river float where the monkeys are sure to put on a show for you!

  From La Fortuna, we will take a boat ride to a distant road, and make our way higher into the mountains to the cloud forest and the town of Monteverde. In Monteverde, we will do a nighttime cloud forest walk where if you are quiet, you might see some animals in their native habitat, and perhaps some that you wish you hadn't (hello scorpions!). The next day you'll have the chance to go ziplining over the cloud forest while other members of our group explore the trails on the many hanging bridges in the area.  In the afternoon you can relax or go on a horseback ride!

  From the mountains, we descend down to the Pacific beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There, you can take a walk through the reserve with a guide showing you all the animals near and far that you can't see with your naked eye, and sloths.  Lots and lots of sloths hiding up in the trees relaxing. Then you can spend the rest of the day at the beach taking a surfing lesson, swimming in the ocean, or perhaps even just laying on your towel and soaking up the sun!