Find answers to frequently asked questions about rise!

Frequently Asked Questions

All youth aged 15-19 can come on RISE expeditions! Invite your friends, coworkers, neighbors, cousins… anyone!

Find the trip you want to attend, and select the “Register Now” button. Here you can reserve your spot by paying the $500 non-refundable deposit. Once you’ve signed your waiver, your spot is saved and we will contact you with more information!

After filling out the application form and submitting your $500 deposit, your spot is confirmed! You will receive a welcome email from us with further instructions pertinent to your specific trip within 24 hours.

In order to be placed on the waitlist for a certain expedition, you must pay the $500 deposit. If you do not get on the expedition that you are hoping for, you can put your deposit toward another RISE expedition or receive a full refund. If you choose the refund, your refund will be returned on 07-01-26. This ONLY applies to applicants on a waitlist, NOT applicants who are signed up for a RISE expedition.

We often bring hand-selected adults (21+) on our RISE expeditions to help with day-to-day responsibilities, mentor, lead spiritual devotionals, and more. Each expedition has different needs, as our group sizes vary and we maintain a minimum 10:1 youth-to-adult ratio. If you are interested in attending an expedition, please fill out the Expedition Leader application. If you would like a RISE experience for yourself or for your family, we would love to have you join us on a ROAM Humanitarian Expedition.

Although Justin and Lindsay are not on every RISE expedition, all leaders and chaperones are hand-selected by the RISE team.

We often bring hand-selected adults (21+) on our RISE expeditions to help with day-to-day responsibilities, mentor, lead spiritual devotionals, and more. Each expedition has different needs, as our group sizes vary and we maintain a minimum 10:1 youth-to-adult ratio. If you are interested in attending an expedition, please fill out the Expedition Leader application. If you would like a RISE experience for yourself or for your family, we would love to have you join us on a ROAM Humanitarian Expedition.

Yes. You will need a valid passport to travel out of the United States. Most countries require that a passport is valid for 6 months AFTER travel has ended. A visual passport check is always recommended to ensure validity. This is a serious part of signing up for an expedition and is your responsibility to apply for and follow through with! If you do not have a passport or it expires, it is very important that you apply for/renew your passport as soon as you commit to international travel, as processing times can vary.

In general, and where applicable, RISE will either purchase Visas, or give clear instructions on how to do so on your own.

$500 Non-refundable Deposit: Due upon sign up 
February 1, 2026: Half of the expedition fees due
April 1, 2026: Remaining balance of expedition fees due

There is no exact payment schedule. Half expedition fees are due by February 1, and the remaining balance is due April 1. You may pay any amount or increments that work for you so long as these deadlines are met.

Before February 1, all expedition fees less the $500 deposit are refundable. Between February 1 and April 1, any amount paid over half the balance is refundable. After April 1, the entire expedition fees paid are non-refundable. This schedule only applies to participants who cancel for their own reasons.

We often have participants with dietary or other medical needs successfully attend RISE Youth Expeditions. It is important that you look at the itinerary and decide if your desired trip is right for you and your health. We are happy to accommodate your special needs, but the participant needs to be well prepared to care for their own needs as much as possible. You are the expert and advocate for your own health, but we will always do our best to make each trip safe for everyone and your varying needs.

Yes! We’d love to have you. You will need to read through For Strength of Youth: A Guide to Making Choices and agree to follow all of the rules set forth by RISE Youth Expeditions. We have successfully had members of other faiths travel with us and have appreciated the diversity and what their life experience adds to our travels. It is important to understand that we adhere firmly and strictly to our rules and require participants to agree to abide by them before travel.

Every trip is different, and many are limited by seatbelts and spaces on boats. For this reason, we cannot add anyone after a trip is full. We value the culture set forth by RISE Youth Expeditions and part of that culture is creating an intimate setting and cultivating lifelong friendships. We intentionally keep our groups relatively small to ensure an environment of inclusivity and a family-like culture.

One of the best parts of traveling with RISE is that we have hardly any downtime. We hit the ground running from the minute the trip begins. For this reason, we cannot commit to meeting with participant’s friends and family while traveling. There are so many moving parts in traveling with a group, it is not feasible to add stops or stray from our itinerary. Occasionally, if a family member can work out with the participant (not Justin or Lindsay directly) of a location that we will be we can make an exception so long as the group is not affected. In general, meeting up with loved ones is not recommended while traveling with RISE.

For safety and convenience, we offer an optional group flight that departs from and returns to Salt Lake City.
The group flight is round-trip and cannot be changed, canceled, or rerouted. If you live outside of Utah and choose to join the group flight, you’ll need to arrange your own travel to and from Salt Lake City.
The estimated cost for the group flight is $1,500, which will be added to your invoice and is due by March 1, 2026. “If the final cost is higher, we’ll notify you and the change will be reflected in WeTravel.
We work hard to secure the best group rate possible to keep costs affordable.
If you choose to book your own international flights, please make sure the participant arrives at the destination airport at the same time or earlier than the group and departs at the same time or later. Personal travel plans must not impact the group itinerary, so we ask that you wait to book any flights until we provide detailed arrival and departure information.

We do offer a group travel option, however, if you and your parents are comfortable with you flying on your own, you may book your own travel. You MUST be in the desired city by a certain date and time to meet up with the group. It is not possible for RISE to meet participants who arrive later than the group or at other airports, as oftentimes we board another plane or have other transportation lined up for the group. The group itinerary must not be affected by your travel itinerary.

As of right now, we are not, but we partner with our 501c3 non-profit organization ROAM Humanitarian for our RISE expeditions. A large portion of the trip fees and international flights will be tax deductible through ROAM Humanitarian. If you are interested in family humanitarian experiences, we’d love to have you on a ROAM expedition!

As long as we have your travel itinerary, have approval from your parent/guardian, and you are in the desired city to meet the group by a certain time and date, yes you can extend your trip or arrive earlier. Your personal travel must not affect the group itinerary.

We encourage you to be present! Why pay to travel if you’re going to stay glued to a screen?
For RISE expeditions, personal electronics are not allowed. This gives participants the opportunity to fully focus on service, immerse themselves in a new culture, and build real connections with others on the trip—without digital distractions.At drop off for an expedition, both RISERS and their parents will sign a contract at drop off certifying that no electyronics have been packed. If participants don't abide by policy, they will lose their device(s) for the remainder of the expedition. Issues may result in removal from the program.

Yes. Participants who break substantial rules will be sent home with no refund of expedition fees and at their own expense. It is not fair to other participants on the expedition to spend their sacred travel time feeling uncomfortable or to find themselves in situations that do not align with our values. Most of the time we can privately work out situations that arise, however the rules are in place so that there is clear communication of our expectations from each individual. If you cannot or do not want to comply, then this expedition is not for you.

We do not have a specific modesty policy, rather follow the suggestions from www.churchofjesuschrist.org. “Modesty is an attitude of propriety and decency in dress, grooming, language, and behavior. If we are modest, we do not draw undue attention to ourselves. Instead, we seek to “glorify God in [our] body, and in [our] spirit.”

Although we hate to see you miss this opportunity, we understand that life happens and circumstances change at times. As most of our trips have a waitlist, please let us know as soon as possible if you intend to cancel. If you must cancel due to an emergency, deposits may be moved to another expedition IF the expedition date is no less than 8 weeks out. The deposit must be used on an expedition within 6 months of original expedition date and new expedition must be selected and registered for by the date of the missed expedition. If you must cancel, follow the cancellation deadline below. If you cancel 8 weeks prior to expedition date: None of your expedition fees are refundable or transferable to another expedition. All expedition fees will be considered a taxable donation.

We will provide a sign up for donations that are specific to the projects we will do for each expedition.  If you wish to bring something not on that list, please communicate with ROAM Humanitarian directly on what you would like to bring for the communities that we will serve. At times we are limited in space with ground transportation and connecting flights. You must communicate with us if you plan to bring anything other than your allowed carry on bag and personal items. We want you to be able to maximize this experience, but communication is key.

Each trip is different, but in general most of the places we will visit are rugged and developing. We recommend bags that are carry-on size and have a backpack and roller option. Many places will not be conducive to wheels on a suitcase, although at times, like in an airport it is convenient to have that option. RISE will not pay or be responsible for checked or oversized bags. Any in country flights booked by RISE will include a carry on and personal sized luggage.

If RISE cancels your trip due to Covid-19 restrictions or other unforeseen circumstances you will be able to choose another trip to attend that has space available and/or have the option to push your travel one year out. All of your fees paid up to the cancellation point will go toward the new trip that you choose. If your trip is canceled and you no longer want to attend a RISE expedition, you will be eligible for a full refund, except for your $500 non-refundable deposit. This refund policy only applies to trips that are canceled due to Covid-19 or other travel restrictions. If you cancel for your own reasons, see “I want to cancel my trip.” response above.

Each country we visit is different. RISE will communicate required vaccinations. An updated list of recommended vaccinations for each country we visit can be found at your local health department or at the CDC’s website.

Our EIN number is #86-2151304

submit

Got a question or need some help choosing which expedition is right for you!  Drop us a line and we'll get back to you soon!

We will be in touch soon. 

Thank You!

Ask Us Anything!

vs.

HXP
Humanitarian
Experience

Are you looking for a way to send your teenager on a life-changing journey that combines impactful service with exciting adventures? RISE youth expeditions offers an experience unlike any other, providing both the opportunity to serve communities in need and to enjoy exhilarating excursions abroad. If you’ve heard of Humanitarian Experience (HXP), you may be wondering how RISE youth expeditions are different.

Two Ways We Stand Out From HXP

1) Multi-layered Service
First, we provide many different service experiences.  We complete several projects during each expedition, serving multiple communities (such as the elderly, teens at a school, and children in an orphanage). 

Immersion in the local culture is so important to us. We spend time with the people we serve, getting to know them and love them.  

Our phone free approach means that real connections are made -- with the land, the people, the culture, and each other.  

Daily spiritual devotionals, journal time, attendance at LDS temples/church when logistically possible, and stellar expedition leaders help youth gain perspective, build leadership skills, and form lifelong friendships.

We've thought of everything!  Clean sheets, warm showers, and safe food are part of every RISE experience.  Since they won't have their phones for pictures, we even provide an exciting way for trip participants to capture memories! 

2) Service with a Side of Adventure
While the core of our trips is centered around meaningful humanitarian work, we believe that the best experiences also include fun and excitement. That’s why we’ve designed our trips to balance service with thrilling excursions, giving your teen the chance to explore breathtaking landscapes, try new activities, and enjoy the culture of each destination. Our trips offer a dynamic mix of:

  • Ziplining across mountain ravines in Peru, sleeping in jungle lodges in Bali, an African safari in Tanzania, and so much more!
  • Engaging cultural experiences, such as cooking classes or traditional music performances
  • Plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun, from beach days to mountain adventures


What Parents Love About Our Trips
Parents trust us because we provide a safe, supportive environment where teens can thrive. Our experienced leaders and guides ensure that each trip is well-organized and secure, while also allowing teens the freedom to explore, learn, and have fun. 

Here’s what parents have said about sending their teens on our trips: 

“Best money I’ve ever spent on my teenager. You will not believe what gets packed in to a few week’s time while encouraging growth in your child. You won’t regret this decision.”

“I am so incredibly grateful my daughter did this! It was exactly what she needed at this time in her life! Anyone could see church history sites and tour the world, but your gift to connect and teach and reach these kids on so many levels-spiritually, socially, and intellectually is truly a gift. She will never forget this experience and the many positive things she has learned and dear friends she has made! You guys are the best!”

If you’re looking for a way to give your teenager an experience that combines meaningful service with unforgettable fun, our youth humanitarian expeditions are the perfect choice. Explore our upcoming options and see why we stand out from the competition.

Explore RISE's upcoming expeditions and give your teen the opportunity of a lifetime!