erlebnistage | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Erlebnispädagogik e.V.

What erlebnistage | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Erlebnispädagogik e.V. does

erlebnistage Harz gGmbH is a German non-profit (gemeinnützige GmbH) experiential education provider operating from a single site in Braunlage/Hohegeiß in the Harz National Park, Niedersachsen. Founded in 1986 by Prof. Dr. Michael Jagenlauf and Hartmut Winter as a cooperation partner of Outward Bound Deutschland, it delivers outdoor adventure-education programs rooted in Kurt Hahn's reform pedagogy to schools, youth welfare organizations, youth groups, and individual children aged 8-16. Its core offering consists of three tiered, all-inclusive packages — Harzentdecker (from €248), Abenteuerreise (from €298), and Team-Expedition (from €348) — each covering accommodation, full board, supervised programming by certified experiential educators, and a selectable catalog of 16+ activities such as climbing, GPS tours, archery, escape room, and 2-day hiking tours. Revenue is generated through these class-trip packages, add-on thematic days (e.g., Democracy Day at €40 p.P.), vacation camps, FÖJ/BFD volunteer placements hosted in partnership with AFS and the Alfred Töpfer Akademie, and continuing-education certification for educators.

The company operates 106 beds across three purpose-built group houses (Haus Gipfelstürmer, Haus Waldläufer, Haus Lietzenhöh) with full-board, own-kitchen facilities, and a 1:12 staff-to-participant supervision ratio during camps. Go-to-market is direct-to-institution via website inquiry forms, phone (05583 922 622), and email, with a distinctive no-reservation-deposit / post-stay-invoicing policy. Distribution is supported by digital channels (Google Ads, Meta Pixel, FluentCRM newsletter, Brevo live chat) and a Busfinder.com bus-booking integration. Following the 2025 divestiture of its Schweriner See and Bayerischer Wald locations, the company has consolidated to the Harz site, is investing €100,000 in 2026 to renovate Haus Lietzenhöh, and is launching a Sommeruniversität 2026 summer-university program. It holds beQ, Reisenetz, ERCA, and Nationalpark Harz certifications, and is led by a dual-management structure of Dirk Markert (pedagogy, Diplom-Pädagoge, ERCA-certified) and Anna Lena Utermöller (operations and sales).

Name

erlebnistage | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Erlebnispädagogik e.V.

Legal name

erlebnistage Harz gGmbH

Website

https://erlebnistage.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

erlebnistage Harz gGmbH is a German non-profit experiential education provider offering all-inclusive adventure-based school class trips, vacation camps, and educator certification programs in the Harz National Park, serving schools, youth welfare organizations, and individual youth ages 8-16.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Education and Outdoor Youth Travel Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG), Educational & Student Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAJ), Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG)

Keywords

• Experiential education programs
• School trip packages
• Outdoor adventure activities
• Youth group accommodation
• Ropes course training

Headquarters

HQ city

Braunlage / Hohegeiß

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Package-based Group Travel: Three tiered packages (Harzentdecker from 248€, Abenteuerreise from 298€, Team-Expedition from 348€) with inclusive accommodation, full board, and structured experiential education programming. Revenue varies by group size and selected activities.
2. Thematic Day Add-ons: Optional thematic days (Democracy Day 40€ p.P., Sustainability Day 25€ p.P., History/DDR Border 25€ p.P., Outdoor Day 25€ p.P., Excursion 25€ p.P.) provide incremental revenue beyond base packages.
3. Vacation Camps: Holiday camps for individual children/youth aged 8-16 during school vacations, providing accommodation, full board, supervised activities, and 24/7 care. Includes sibling discount of 5%.
4. Voluntary Service Programs: Federal Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) and Federal Volunteer Service (BFD) placements. Participants aged 18-25 receive pocket money, accommodation, and meals in exchange for service. Cost recovery through government funding and pocket money from Träger organizations.
5. Professional Development Training: Experiential education certification and continuing education programs for educators and outdoor instructors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

erlebnistage runs supervised experiential-education class trips and youth-group programs from three self-operated group houses in Braunlage/Hohegeiß inside Harz National Park, delivering three tiered all-inclusive packages (Harzentdecker, Abenteuerreise, Team-Expedition) that bundle accommodation, full board, choice activities (climbing, GPS tour, archery, escape room, mine tour, cooking action, etc.), and 1–3 days of supervised programming led by certified Erlebnispädagog*innen, based on Kurt Hahn's reform pedagogy. Beyond school trips, the organization also operates vacation camps for children aged 8–16, hosts federal voluntary-service participants (FÖJ/BFD), and delivers certified ERCA ropes-course training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Harzentdecker Entry-level adventure-education package for school trips offering a compact 4-night/5-day experience with one day of supervised program by Erlebnispädagog*innen, two selectable choice activities, campfire and BBQ evening, and house rally, starting from €248 per person. Designed for primary and secondary school classes seeking a structured introductory outdoor-education experience.
• Abenteuerreise Mid-tier adventure package offering 1.5 days plus one evening of supervised program with Erlebnispädagog*innen, three selectable choice activities, an overnight action included, and a dedicated contact person during the stay, starting from €298 per person. Targets school classes and youth groups seeking a more immersive experiential-education program.
• Team-Expedition Premium adventure-education package with three days of supervised programming by Erlebnispädagog*innen, six selectable choice activities, sunrise tour, themed day included, dedicated contact person, campfire, grill evening, and night action, starting from €348 per person. Includes exclusive access to 2-day tours to Hexenhütte or Hanskühnenburg.
• Demokratie-Tag (Thementag) Optional thematic day add-on for school-trip packages focused on democratic participation, including team and planning games supplemented by reflection tasks. From €40 per person.
• Sustainability Day / DDR Border / Outdoor Day / Excursion thematic add-ons Optional thematic-day add-ons covering Sustainability, History/DDR Border, Outdoor, and Excursion themes, each priced from €25 per person, bookable alongside the Harzentdecker, Abenteuerreise, or Team-Expedition packages.
• Vacation Camps (Ferienfreizeiten) Holiday camps for individual children and teenagers aged 8–16 during school vacations, providing accommodation, full board, supervised adventure activities, and 24/7 care with a 1:12 staff-to-participant supervision ratio. Includes a 5% sibling discount.
• Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) Federal Voluntary Ecological Year placement for young adults aged 18–25, hosted through the NNA as Träger organization, providing hands-on experience in environmental education and experiential pedagogy with pocket money, accommodation, and meals.
• Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) Federal Volunteer Service placement for young adults aged 18–25, hosted in partnership with AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen as Träger, accommodating up to 6 international volunteers annually with pocket money, accommodation, and meals.
• Erlebnispädagogik Weiterbildung (Professional Development Training) Experiential-education certification and continuing-education programs for educators and outdoor instructors, including ERCA-standard ropes-course training delivered via the organization's certified training facility.
• Sommeruniversität 2026 Announced summer university program offering for 2026, presented on the erlebnistage website as a forthcoming experiential-education offering for the 2026 season.
• Haus Gipfelstürmer (Group Accommodation) Self-operated group house with 35 beds across 2 single, 2 double, and 6 multi-bed rooms (4–5 persons each), featuring panoramic view and terrace, used to accommodate groups booking the Harzentdecker, Abenteuerreise, and Team-Expedition packages.
• Haus Waldläufer (Group Accommodation) Self-operated group house with 37 beds across 2 single, 1 double, and 7 multi-bed rooms (4–5 persons each), featuring grill area and terrace, accommodating package guests.
• Haus Lietzenhöh (Group Accommodation) Self-operated group house with 34 beds across 4 single and 5 multi-bed rooms (4–8 persons each), featuring terrace, grill area, and fireplace; scheduled for €100,000 renovation in 2026 with direct access to hiking trails and cross-country ski paths.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sustainable program effects that continue after return to school routine
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered foundational, core and minor.

• Outward Bound DeutschlandfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1986Original cooperation partner when Prof. Dr. Michael Jagenlauf and Hartmut Winter founded the Society for the Promotion of Experiential Education in Lüneburg in 1986. First courses for school classes were conducted in the Harz as Outward Bound programs, forming the basis for today's independent erlebnistage Harz gGmbH.
• Bundesverband für Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V. (be)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association membership providing beQ quality certification. Association sets standards for experiential pedagogy and represents member interests at national level.
• Reisenetz e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association for children's and youth travel. Membership provides quality seal and represents tested professionalism in youth travel sector.
• European Ropes Course Association (ERCA)coreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean rope course safety association. erlebnistage is a certified training provider (Zertifizierte Ausbildungsstelle) and operator meeting ERCA standards for rope courses, climbing activities, and adventure programs.
• Nationalpark HarzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Nationalpark-Partner demonstrating special commitment to nature protection and environmental education. Provides access to unique natural setting within Germany's oldest mountain national park.
• AFS Interkulturelle BegegnungenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer service organization. erlebnistage cooperates with AFS as Träger (sponsor organization) for Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) placements, hosting up to 6 international volunteers annually.
• Alfred Töpfer Akademie für Naturschutz (NNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature conservation academy serving as Träger for Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) in Lower Saxony. erlebnistage receives and supports FÖJ volunteers through this partnership.
• EBA Busfinder GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBus booking platform integration on erlebnistage website. Provides instant bus quotes for groups including exclusive school discounts and bonus points. Operates as separate service with own GDPR compliance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Schullandheimverband: Association of school country homes in Germany offering supervised educational stays for school classes; overlapping accommodation-and-programme concept and identical target customer (German schools).
• Internationaler Bund (IB): Large non-profit provider of youth welfare, education, and training services in Germany; operates youth mobility programmes and group experiences with comparable pedagogical methodology and institutional customers.
• CVJM Deutschland (YMCA Germany): Large Christian youth organisation offering comparable youth education, adventure programmes, and group accommodations across Germany; broader mission and scale but overlapping customer base in schools and youth welfare.
• Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk (DJH): National youth hostel association with extensive network of group accommodations and educational programmes for school classes; competes for the same institutional school-trip budget and customer segment.

Direct peers

• Alpenvereinsjugend: Youth division of the German Alpine Club providing outdoor adventure and experiential education programmes for young people; similar pedagogical approach but focused on alpine rather than low-mountain environments.
• Outward Bound Deutschland: Original cooperation partner from erlebnistage's 1986 founding; offers similar experiential education programmes and outdoor adventure courses for schools and youth groups across multiple German locations.
• KiEze - Kinder Erlebnisreisen: German specialist operator of educational and adventure trips for school classes; competes directly for the same school-trip customer segment with similar full-service package offerings.

Others

• Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik (be): Industry trade association that issues the beQ quality seal held by erlebnistage; useful reference for benchmarking but serves member institutions rather than competing directly for end customers.

Emerging players

• Naturerlebnis Akademie (NEA): Smaller regional provider of nature-based experiential education programmes in Germany; overlaps in outdoor education methodology and youth-group customer segment but at smaller scale.

Regional players

• Wildnisschule Teutoburger Wald: Regional wilderness and nature education provider in a different German geography; comparable experiential education methodology and youth-programme focus but does not compete in the Harz market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erlebnistage-gesellschaft-zur-f%C3%B6rderung-der-erlebnisp%C3%A4dagogik-e-v

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about erlebnistage | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Erlebnispädagogik e.V.