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Open Gold Expeditions

An Open Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition with RAW Adventures is a challenging and rewarding journey designed for motivated participants aged 16+. Over four days and four nights, teams either complete a practice expedition, or a qualifier (you'll get the option to choose during the booking process).

You'll plan and complete a self-sufficient expedition in a remote wild-country environment, navigating varied terrain while carrying everything you need.

Participants take full responsibility for route choice, campcraft, teamwork, and decision-making, applying the skills they have developed through training in navigation, expedition planning, risk management, and environmental awareness.

More than just an expedition, this course builds confidence, resilience, and leadership under real conditions. With experienced RAW Adventures staff overseeing safety and assessment, participants are supported through the challenge while meeting the Gold DofE expedition requirements.

The experience fosters independence, strong teamwork, and a deep sense of achievement, leaving participants with practical outdoor skills and memories that last well beyond the expedition itself.

The cost of the expedition includes all instructors, campsites, group equipment and assessor reports. You will need to provide food, personal kit, transport to/from the expedition and you must also be enrolled in the Gold DofE Award already.

At RAW, we run practice and qualifying expeditions in parallel, that means regardless of the stage you’re at, we’ve got the expedition for you! Groups undertaking the practice expedition will recieve a whole load of training from our expert instructors, with the aim that by the end of the expedition they’re equipped with all of the skills they need to undertake their qualifier.

In reality, most groups have all the skills they need part way through the week. From that point on they will take the lead on their own expedition and have a wonderful, second half to the week under their own steam.

Participants on a qualifying expedition will get a quick skills check on the day they arrive, then will be supported to plan an appropriate expedition route. We’ve booked the campsites, but the route between them is entirely up to the group!

We’ve got instructors on hand to support where needed and keep the team safe, but primarily this is their expedition, and we’ll encourage independence and self-led problem solving as far as possible.

We believe this provides the most rewarding and fulfilling expedition experience, ensuring participants go away with memories to last a lifetime.