TRIPS
Kenya
Nepal
Iceland
Skiing
New York
Rome
Trips of 2026
What a jam-packed year it’s been for trips with students jetting off to destinations such as New York, Rome and Reykjavík, as well as memorable service trips to Nepal and Kenya.
Kenya
The annual Lower Sixth Service trip to Kenya took place over the summer further cementing our long-standing partnership with the Langalanga Trust’s Woodard Schools, which were founded by Old Ardinian Colonel Henry Vialou Clark MBE in the 1970s to build schools and fund scholarships for young Kenyans living in economically challenging conditions.
Our students’ journey began in Malewa, where they quickly settled into camp before putting the finishing touches to lessons plans before we visited three primary schools in the local area as well as the Woodard Secondary School in Langalanga, delivering lessons in a wide selection of subjects including English, Maths, Biology, First Aid and Music, as well as supporting agricultural projects such as planting crops and strengthening garden fences.
Serving food to the children was a particularly humbling experience, with many Ardingly students deeply moved by the inequalities they witnessed. Most importantly our students got to know the local children through play and sports, with volleyball and football being particular favourites for the older children.
Beyond the classroom, the group visited an orphanage and a Restart Centre, offering donations, sharing time, and engaging in memorable cultural exchanges through music, dance, and sport – including fiercely contested volleyball matches.
After all their hard work, the students got to see the plains while on safari in the Maasai Mara, where we spotted lions, cheetahs, zebras and elephants.Evenings brought time to reflect around the campfire, strengthening friendships and resilience within the group.
As Scarlett and Emmy said: “This has been a very memorable experience that we will hold and value for the future. We are so lucky to have had the opportunity to come here and will recommend to peers as this has been an unforgettable experience.”
Nepal
This year 23 of our students travelled to Nepal for a truly life-changing experience.
In the capital, Kathmandu, pupils received an introduction to Buddhist philosophy by visiting temples and also had the opportunity to try their hands at cooking local cuisine before heading into the beautiful rural hinterland to Jwalamukhi Basic School.
Here, our objective was to paint the school buildings and dig a trench for the installation of a rainwater tank; however, most importantly and successfully, Ardingly students thrived in their role as bridge-builders between two cultures, excelling at interacting with the pupils who attend the school.
Following their rewarding but hard work, pupils were treated to a safari in the sweltering heat of Chitwan National Park, where highlights included getting very close to the highly endangered one-horned Asian rhinoceros and seeing crocodiles from the relative safety of a dug-out canoe. This trip was a truly unforgettable experience for all involved.
Iceland
An intrepid group of GCSE Geographers embarked on a memorable trip to Iceland where they made the most of exploring both the art and science of Iceland’s unique geology.
The trip got off to an amazing start as they were treated to a wonderful display of the Northern Lights on the very first night!
Other highlights from this action-packed trip included: swimming in the Secret Lagoon, exploring the spouting hot springs of Geysir, marvelling at stunning waterfalls, undertaking a glacier walk, exploring a lava tunnel which was thousands of years old, as well as visiting volcanic beaches featuring magnificent basalt cliffs and caves.
The students also enjoyed a fascinating visit to the world’s sixth largest Geothermal power plant and interactive displays at Iceland’s Volcano and Earthquake Centre, before rounding off the trip with a sight-seeing trip to the capital city of Reykjavik.
Skiing
Of course, no year would be complete without some time on the slopes and during the Easter break 2026 we were delighted enjoy not one but THREE ski trips from Years 7-10 as part of our co-curricular programme.
While Shell and the Lower School sampled the slopes in Northern Italy’s Claviere and Sestriere, Remove wasted no time having snow-much fun in France’s Isola 2000.
As well as being blessed with excellent conditions, it was fantastic to see everyone from beginners to advanced make incredible progress, whether that was building up confidence to take on a tricky red or refining their technique.
But it wasn’t ALL about the skiing – there were lots of laughs and memories made off the slopes too with many card games, movie nights and the odd snowball battle (or two!)
New York
On the other side of the Atlantic, 18 of our amazing Dance students (from Shell to Lower Sixth) went on the trip of a lifetime to the Big Apple!
From iconic sights such as the Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge, to watching TWO incredible Broadway shows (Moulin Rouge and Six The Musical) - the experience was unforgettable.
Students also trained for two inspiring days at Steps on Broadway, taking classes in a range of styles with their incredible faculty, cheered on the Brooklyn Nets to a home win (and even made it onto the big screen!) and visited the legendary Ellen’s Stardust Diner for dinner with singing wait staff.
They certainly left with stars in their eyes.
Rome
Speaking of stars…25 of our Lower School Latinists got to step into Russell Crowe’s infamous Maximus Decimus Meridius sandals when they enjoyed a day at Gladiator School as part of a four-day Classics trip to the Italian capital.
As well as being able to flex their muscles (and wooden swords) they were also excited to bring their study of the Romans to life.
In addition to exploring Ostia, the remains of Rome’s ancient port city, and the nearby Isola Sacra necropolis, our students also visited the Colosseum, had an unforgettable gelato making lesson and toured through central Rome - taking in the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and the Piazza Navona.
It was a brilliant trip, full of discoveries and, of course, lots of delicious Italian food too to keep them going.