2026 Mullen Sweden Explorers Program
| Travel Dates: |
June 1, 2026 -
June 9, 2026
Dates are tentative
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| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$5,090 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Estimated Airfare: | $1,000 |
Important Reminders
Passport check
Insurance Reminder
Fundraiser
Review all materials
What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teaches that we must be flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | USA - Stockholm | The adventure begins! Depart the USA on an overnight flight for Stockholm, Sweden | Airplane |
| June 2 | Stockholm - Uppsala | After a long journey, we arrive in Stockholm and will be greeted by your Walking Tree Program Leader. We'll transfer via private shuttle to Uppsala and take an introductory walk of Uppsala town, a vibrant university town home to the oldest university in the Nordics. Due to it’s historic royal importance, the current King of Sweden as well as the Crown Princess studied at the university of Uppsala, which they both visit annually each spring. We'll have some time to explore our neighborhood on foot, then enjoy a welcome dinner all together to start our Scandinavian adventure the right way. | Uppsala Hotel |
| June 3 | Uppsala | We’ll start the day at Gamla Uppsala, one of the most sacred Viking sites in Scandinavia, known for its royal burial mounds and its role as a religious and political center during the Viking Age. Believed to be the home of the gods in Norse mythology, we’ll visit the mounds, explore the museum, and learn about Viking burial customs. We’ll also visit the nearby Gamla Uppsala Church, built on the site of a pagan temple, and see one of the Viking runestones near the mounds. After lunch, we’ll head into Uppsala’s center to visit the cathedral, the final resting place of Swedish kings like Eric IX and Gustav Vasa. We’ll enjoy dinner in Uppsala before returning to our accommodations. | Uppsala Hotel |
| June 4 | Uppsala | Today we make an excursion to Anundshög, Sweden's largest burial mound, dating back to the Viking era and beyond. Here we will see the famous Anundshög runestone. At the foot of the mound are 2 large stone ships placed end to end. After our visit, we head out on a lake for a canoe tour to experience some nature. We return to Uppsala in tome for your dinner at night. | Uppsala Hotel |
| June 5 | Uppsala - Stockholm | Today we visit Vaxholm, a beautiful small town located in the archipelago of Stockholm. We cross over by boat to Vaxholm Fortress for a visit. Onwards we travel to Stockholm to check in at hotel in the afternoon. Dinner in Stockholm tonight. | Stockholm Hotel |
| June 6 | Stockholm | We’ll start the day with a guided walk of Old Town near the Royal Castle where we will learn about the "bloodbath of Stockholm" and it's affect on Swedish history. After lunch, we’ll continue with a visit to the Swedish History Museum, which houses one of the largest Viking exhibitions in the world. Here, we’ll explore thousands of Viking artifacts and visit the Gold Room (Guldrummet) to see treasures, rune stones, and ceremonial items. Dinner will be in Stockholm to end another enriching day. | Stockholm Hotel |
| June 7 | Stockholm | We’ll spend the day on a full-day excursion by boat, sailing through the beautiful Stockholm archipelago to Birka, one of Sweden’s most important Viking sites and often referred to as Sweden's first city. Founded around 750 AD, Birka was a thriving trading hub during the Viking Age. We’ll visit the museum, enjoy a guided tour of the island’s Viking settlement ruins, graves, and reconstructed buildings, and learn about Viking life and trade routes. After returning by boat to Stockholm, we’ll enjoy dinner in the city. | Stockholm Hotel |
| June 8 | Stockholm | On our last full day in Sweden, we'll visit the Stockholm Viking Museum to honor the central theme of this trip. The afternoon will be free for exploration, with the option (not included) to visit the Vasa Museum to learn about the well-preserved royal warship that sank in Stockholm Harbor in 1628. We’ll gather for a special farewell dinner to celebrate the end of our adventure. | Stockholm Hotel |
| June 9 | Stockholm - USA | All good things must come to an end. After breakfast, we will transfer to the airport and begin our journey back to the USA. | Your own bed! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
Group Flight
Once your flight schedule has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.
Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.
Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.
We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.
FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION
Air travel can be unpredictable. Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc. Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route. Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night. Our primary role will be to keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a quick and effective resolution.
Host Community and Project Details
Packing List
What follows is a sample packing list but you know yourself better than we do so please adjust accordingly. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on daily outings, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. The list below should cover everything you would need, but know yourself and what you are comfortable traveling with. We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.
Finally, we recommend consulting a weather forecast for your destination.
CLOTHES
- Underwear
- Socks (a mixture of good hiking socks and casual socks)
- T-shirts (some quick dry)
- Long sleeve sun shirts
- Light rain jacket
- Comfortable/light-weight pants
- Comfortable/light-weight shorts
- Durable athletic/walking shoes
- Sandals, both casual and sport/water sandals
- Hat/s with good sun protection
- Swimsuit/s
TOILETRIES
- Your basics
- High SPF sunscreen
- Basic 1st aid
- Hand Sanitizer
- Medications in original packaging. Prescription meds should show patients name
MISCELLANEOUS
- Passport and one photocopy
- Student ID
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pen
- Book/s
- Camera
- Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $100-$200, depending on amount of desired souvenirs, extra items etc.)
- Durable water bottle (Walking Tree provides all drinking water)
- Quick-dry towel
- Soap for washing your own clothes (optional)
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Deck of cards or other portable games
- Sense of adventure
Support Team
At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find the the team members involved in the preparation, planning and execution of your program.
University of Kansas – B.A. Latin American Studies; Global and International Studies, Minor in Brazilian Studies
Jordan hails from Kansas City where he spent his entire childhood. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, his first international experience would set the course for the rest of his life. After high school, he traveled to Guatemala where he began learning Spanish and cultivated a deep interest in everything Latin America. In college, Jordan spent almost half of his university career studying abroad in both Costa Rica and Brazil. In 2010, Jordan moved to Costa Rica for six years where he began his professional career teaching Portuguese to Costa Ricans and working with Walking Tree Travel. From Costa Rica he moved to Denver, Colorado and spent seven years traveling the USA and experiencing life as an adult in America for the first time. Jordan is trilingual and has traveled to more than 30 countries around the world. He currently lives in Lisbon, Portugal and enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, biking, spending time at the beach and cooking Middle Eastern food.
Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History
Luke’s path to student travel began in Mexico, during a year abroad in Mexico and Central America. This formative time led him to join an international volunteer program which, after graduating from college, sent him to the small village of San Gerardo de Rivas in south-central Costa Rica. Welcomed by the loveliest of host families, his experience in this tiny town is directly connected to the beginnings of Walking Tree five years later. His love for travel still burns bright, and today he’s lucky to have a wife and daughter who are equally passionate about exploring the world. Settled in Denver, he adores his family and colleagues, skies whenever possible, and is a devoted fan of all Colorado sports teams.
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
Blog and Communication
During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families back home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.
Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Walking Tree has developed a curriculum of activities meant to help travelers get the most out of their trip before departure, during travel and after they return home. These simple and engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame experiences, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively both on this trip and on future adventures.For more information about student learning objectives and the format of the curriculum, click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
To view and complete the Pre-Program Activities, visit our online portal at the button below.
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational. As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.
IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Sweden website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before traveling.
Our in-country staff meticulously prepare for all programs. Walking Tree receives regular updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to proactively stay ahead of any potential security concerns. Our in-country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families through in-depth interviews and visits, and stay informed about important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in comprehensive leadership training. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff, and U.S.-based staff.
We collect medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we can meet every student’s needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues not listed during your initial registration process. Leaders and in-country staff are prepared to respond promptly to any mental, physical, or emotional health concerns and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel can be unpredictable. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provision. Detailed explanations of plan options can be found via the link below.
To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage that includes CFAR, you must purchase the plan within 14-21 days of your first payment to Walking Tree. Be careful when you read the tenets of the policy to ensure you understand the required timeframe for purchase. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight. Please reach out to us with questions.