Kroka Expeditions 767 New Hampshire 123, Marlow, NH 03456

"I spent 3/5 nights here on a class trip. On the plus side, they’re relatively accommodating about issues you might have, the staff are pretty nice, and my friends there (who like camping) had a good time. I can’t speak to what the summer or semester programs are like here, as I only spent 3 days here on a class trip. When I needed to leave, they were understanding and didn’t put up a fight. Now, some downsides: they are almost obsessive about items that aren’t on the packing list. When a school trip first arrives, there’s a big group “list check” where they make sure you have everything and force you to explain everything that you have that’s not on the packing list or they lock it in a storage cupboard until the end of the week. Another thing they’re also obsessive about is phones. For mental health reasons, I needed to have my phone, which after the staff member who was doing the “list check” asked some pretty uncomfortable questions, I was allowed to keep. However, I was not allowed to let other kids know I had it (I totally understand the reason), so I was relegated to using it in the compost bathroom in the middle of the night. A kid, however, heard me making a phone call that night, and they wanted to confiscate my phone after that time. I understand their desire to make sure that phones are kept secret/not allowed, but I think that they should have recognized that some people have genuine reasons for having “contraband”. Overall, if you don’t need much of a support net and are able to effectively live in the woods for a period of time (and like camping), I think this place is a pretty good place to go, and you should have fun. However, if you do need a support net, it’s not the best idea to go, especially if that support net uses modern items. The place has almost a rehab sort of atmosphere to it. P.S: there is no place to shower unless you are in a semester program and if you are, showers are weekly. P.P.S: All food (for the school programs) is eaten with a spoon."

"This was such an incredible group of leaders - really a powerhouse team of folks who know their stuff (Roberto, Rachel and Ellie). They made a good amount of time for all of the non-climbing things that make Kroka so very special - singing, crafting, cooking and playing. Our daughter returned to us, confident in newly developed competencies in climbing, open to others and herself and full of song - such a lovely aspect of the KROKA culture. Thank you."

"Finding our way to Kroka was such a fantastic discovery! The program my son participated in was meaningful and challenging, with great care and planning going into the whole experience for both the students and their families. Set against a beautiful landscape, Kroka revealed so many gems in the whole experience. Staff is genuinely kind, present and professional. I really appreciate their interest in building up strong community and young people, and hope the opportunity exists for a long time to come!"

"Kroka has been a life changing experience for my oldest daughter and my youngest gets to go next week for the very first time! This is the second year L attends and wants to go back next year. The staff is amazing: kind, fun and professional, and the way everything is set up and organized is impressive. Highly recommend this experience to all families."

"I have worked at Kroka off and on since 2001. It is a unique organization. My kids have gone to camp here. I traveled 5000 miles from home in Hawaii with two of my kids to be here this summer for three weeks. It’s well worth it. Graduates of our semester program, apprentices, and staff here are so excellent I’d give any of them the keys to my house and car without even meeting them and I’d come back a month or a year later and everything would be better than I left it. They are generous, committed, attentive and just good, good people. Like any place, we’ve had our challenges in various ways, but always focused on how to solve them. Always asking each other and the community for feedback and always looking for ways to improve. We are in a transitional moment with the founders having just left while the leadership team that worked with them stay on and run the organization for a seamless transition. Kroka experiences can change people’s lives. Of course it’s not for everybody, so we try to screen our campers carefully so we are set up for success. Come visit! What my 10 year old likes to do most so far is in the photos below."