Our Blog

Leader Orientation means summer is here! Every year at the end of May, we welcome all of our program leaders to Putney, Vermont, for Leader Orientation....

Two of Putney’s program directors—Juliana and Gregorio, who developed our program in Cuba— recently returned from a visit to this vibrant and diverse island...

Annabel (second from right) with friends in Vietnam Annabel is an alum of our Service Vietnam program (2022). Since her program, she and her family have...

Dylan Rodgers is an alumni student who participated in our Service Nepal program in 2018. Dylan is currently stationed in Nepal as a Fulbright scholar...

The New York Times recently published their 52 Places to Go in 2024 article. Many of these destinations align with our program itineraries! Dive in to...

Over the past year, Putney’s program leaders and alumni have been busy achieving remarkable milestones in the writing world. We’re thrilled...

These “Lessons from Alaska” blog posts are written by Putney leader Braelei Hardt, who recounts several pivotal moments during their time leading...

These “Lessons from Alaska” blog posts are written by Putney leader Braelei Hardt, who recounts several pivotal moments during their time leading...

Avery Stern is one of the Hiring Directors at Putney. Prior to joining the leader hiring team, she spent school years in the classroom teaching high school...

This is the second entry of “Lessons from Alaska,” a series of posts written by Putney leader Braelei Hardt, who recounts several pivotal moments...

Mackenzie Grapes is a Putney Program Director who organizes our programs in Spain. She recently spent several weeks there researching, reconnecting with...

The following “Lessons from Alaska” blog posts are written by Putney leader Braelei Hardt, who recounts several pivotal moments during their...

Join Program Director Portia Watson on a visit to the town of Santikhiri in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Santikhiri is one of many ethnically diverse mountain...

Winner We are excited to announce Miriam G. as the winner of this year’s Alumni Video Contest! Miriam’s video beautifully captures the daily...

Recently our program director, Ed Thanhouser, spent nearly two weeks heading up and down Japan’s main island of Honshu meeting with contacts, exploring...

At Putney, we’re not your typical student travel organization. Our headquarters are located in a beautifully renovated cow barn in rural southern...

Since our founding in 1951, Putney has been a family-owned organization, now proudly in our third generation of leadership. Meet the dynamic third generation,...

Putney’s Exploration Croatia & Slovenia program is new for summer 2024! Find out more about these diverse countries and a few unique things students...

Go behind the scenes with one of our Program Directors, Julian Hartmann-Russell, and get an in depth look at how we design our programs. Read on for more...

In honor of the Peruvian restaurant, Central, located in the capital city Lima, being named World’s Best Restaurant by The World’s 50 Best, here...

We love our pups at Putney Student Travel and we wanted to celebrate International Dog Day by sharing our dogs with you! Join us as we fetch some fun by...

In their final days in Mae Ai, Putney’s Service Thailand leaders reflect on the students’ impactful volunteer work, adventures, and meaningful...

Experience a glimpse into the diverse and captivating experiences of our Service Ecuador & the Galápagos program, with snapshots of their immersion...

This post from our Career Belize program captures a heartfelt journey of discovery, adventure, personal growth, and newfound connections. … just listen...

Putney’s Middle School Service Costa Rica students engage in immersive cultural experiences, adventure activities, and community service while exploring...

Catch a glimpse into the culture of Granada, Spain, as our Language Spain program enjoys the city’s historical charm, and savors the local traditions...

Our Exploration Australia, New Zealand, & Fiji group leaders provide insights into the lifestyle of communities in Fiji, highlighting their warmth,...

Our Exploration Switzerland, Italy, France, & Holland students embark on an adventurous day in the mountains, enjoying breathtaking views, embracing...

Experience the beauty of the underwater world of Belize through the eyes of our student explorers, Charlotte and Crow, who wrote the post below. Hey everyone! Today...

In this summer highlight, one of our Service Ecuador & the Galápagos groups reports on their adventures. Enjoy! Good morning from Ecuador! This morning...

Jack is an alum of our Middle School Exploration France & Holland, Language Spain, and Service Morocco programs. This fall he’ll be attending the University...

Gabrielle is an alum of the Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit on Climate, Equity, & Health. This fall she’ll be attending Cornell University...

Sophia is an alum of our Exploration Skiing in Patagonia program and wrote about her experience of discovery in her college essay. This fall she’ll be...

Connor is an alum of our Yellowstone Photography program and wrote about the experience for his college essay, exploring the impact of photography and...

Sarah is an alum of our Service Costa Rica program and wrote about the experience for her college essay, where she helped the local community and discovered...

Charlie participated in Putney’s Service program in Ecuador & the Galápagos and wrote his college essay about how the experience strengthened...

Robbie is an alum of our Service Peru program and wrote about the experience for his college essay, focusing on five specific words and how they elucidate...

Sadie has participated in multiple Putney programs over the years, beginning with our middle school program in Ecuador & the Galápagos. She has also...

This blog post features writing by Rhea W., a 2022 alum of the Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit on Climate, Equity, & Health. While at the summit,...

We’re excited to announce that two groups of Putney adventurers will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2023!  Putney has a long history in Tanzania, first traveling...

We’re excited to share that this summer’s Exploration Bhutan group will have the opportunity to attend the Haa Summer Festival! This lively event, held...

It’s hard to choose our favorite things after spending a month in Morocco with our group last summer. It was such a unique experience, full of once-in-a-lifetime...

Known as the Land of a Million Elephants, Laos has remained relatively untouched by mainstream tourism, making it an ideal destination to learn from and...

We’re excited to announce Hannah M. as the winner of this year’s Alumni Video Contest! Hannah and her peers explored six different regions...

Our Service Tanzania students are hard at work in Maji Moto, their host village. We’re happy to share their blog and the video they put together...

Based for several days at N/a’an ku sé Wildlife Sanctuary, students on our Career Namibia program headed out onto the savannah to learn to use telemetry...

In this summer highlight, one of our Exploration Italy & Greece groups reports on their adventures to the island of Capri, Pompeii, and more. Enjoy! Well,...

Chloe traveled with Putney on our Service Ecuador & the Galápagos program last summer, and wrote her college essay about the experience. This fall...

Amelia traveled with Putney to Ecuador & the Galápagos and wrote her college admissions essay about the experience and impact of witnessing the imperiled...

Podcasts, documentaries, stage plays, books…we’re tempted to call our leaders “multimedia masters.” Putney’s program leaders and Pre-College instructors...

Gillian is an alum of our Spanish Language program in Ecuador & the Galápagos. For her college essay she reflected on her relationship with the idea...

Leah is an alum of our Career Namibia program, which focuses on wildlife photography and big cat conservation. She wrote about her experience there for...

Georgia is an alum of our high school Service program in Morocco. She wrote about her experience, and the concept of sonder as it applies to daily life,...

Imagine an island archipelago that immediately takes you back in time to a simpler, more nature-based way of living and being, where tradition, culture,...

Putney has a long history in Tanzania, traveling to the East African nation for our first Kilimanjaro climb in 1972. Exploration Kilimanjaro is a Putney...

After participating in Putney’s 2021 Service program in Ecuador & the Galápagos, Lucas O. decided to use his capstone course project as an opportunity...

We’re excited to announce Aisling K. as the winner of this year’s Alumni Video Contest. Aisling traveled on our Exploration Kilimanjaro program...

Alex is an alum of our high school Service program in Tanzania. He wrote about his experience—about finding connection across language barriers through...

Jessica is an alum of our high school Language program in Ecuador & the Galápagos (a program that also includes service work). She included her experience...

 Alexa is an alum of our high school Service program in Nepal. She wrote about her Nepal experience in both her personal statement and supplement for Wellesley...

Lexie is an alum of our high school Service program in Peru. For her college essay she reflected on her experience and how it reset her perspective and...

The typewritten itinerary for that one week in the summer of 1977 read simply: “We live in private homes, taking part in family life.” The homestay was...