Global Routes
Global Routes is a Portland-based experiential education company founded in 1967 that runs tech-limited summer immersion programs for high school students ages 15-18 across 6 continents, plus custom school programs and gap year offerings through sister organization Carpe Diem Education.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Global Routes does
Global Routes, operating as a dba for Carpe Diem International Education, Inc., is a Portland, Oregon-based experiential education company founded in 1967 that delivers tech-limited, community-oriented summer immersion programs for high school students ages 15-18 across destinations in North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. Core offerings include 12-day to 4-week open-enrollment summer programs in locations such as Pacific Northwest, Cambodia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, India, Hawai'i, and Thailand, with tuition ranging from $6,495 to $8,995 per participant, plus customized group programs for schools and camps starting at $1,995+. The technology stack is intentionally minimal — programs restrict participant access to personal devices and Wi-Fi — with back-office operations relying on standard SaaS tools (Calendly for interview scheduling, HubSpot for the Student Portal, WordPress for the website). The business operates a direct-to-consumer enrollment funnel ($20 application fee, 15-30 minute interview, $600 deposit, rolling admissions) complemented by inside-sales outreach for custom school and camp programs, with a sister organization (Carpe Diem Education) extending the offering into gap year programs for ages 17-22. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, the company is privately held with no institutional funding rounds identified, it has 12 employees, and it holds B Corp certification.
Global Routes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Routes
- Legal name
- Carpe Diem International Education, Inc.
- Website
- https://globalroutes.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Global Routes is a Portland-based experiential education company founded in 1967 that runs tech-limited summer immersion programs for high school students ages 15-18 across 6 continents, plus custom school programs and gap year offerings through sister organization Carpe Diem Education.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Routes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Education Programs
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Services (61), Language Schools (611630), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips (EDAIAHAD), Short-Term & Summer/Winter Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAF), Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), School Group & Curriculum-Led Trips (THAKAGAB), Gap Year + Study Abroad Hybrid Programs (EDAIAAAG)
Keywords
Where Global Routes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Global Routes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Summer Program Tuition: One-time tuition payments for immersive summer programs ranging from 2-4 weeks. Tuition varies by program destination and duration, from $6,495 to $8,995 for open enrollment programs. Custom programs range from $1,995+ to $4,600+ depending on length and destination.
- Application and Enrollment Fees: $20 non-refundable application fee charged at submission. $600 deposit required to secure spot. Additional $250 contingency deposit for international programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Pacific Northwest 12-Day Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Cambodia 12-Day Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | India 4-Week Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Tech-Free Costa Rica LIA 4-Week |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Guatemala 14-Day Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | New Orleans Custom Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | UK Custom Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Ecuador Custom Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Global Routes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Routes designs and operates immersive, tech-limited summer travel programs for high school students ages 15-18, featuring community-driven service projects, cross-cultural homestays, wilderness exploration, and leadership development across destinations in Costa Rica, Cambodia, Guatemala, India, Hawai'i, Thailand, Nepal, and the Pacific Northwest. The company also delivers customized international experiential education programs for schools, camps, and youth groups, and provides structured gap year experiences through its sister organization Carpe Diem Education. Program durations range from 12 days to 4 weeks, with tuition priced between $6,495 and $8,995 for open enrollment and from $1,995+ for custom programs.
Product overview
Global Routes offers a portfolio of experiential education programs centered on immersive, tech-limited international travel for students. The core offering consists of High School Summer Programs (2-4 weeks) across destinations including Pacific Northwest, Cambodia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, India, Hawai'i, Thailand, and Nepal, featuring community-driven service, cross-cultural homestays, and leadership development. These programs are complemented by Custom School and Camp Programs for institutional partners, and Gap Year Programs through sister organization Carpe Diem Education. Supporting services include an online Student Application Portal, Student Portal for enrolled participants, Scholarship Programs, and College Credit/529 offerings. Founded in 1967, the company has served over 10,000 students and operates as a B Corp certified benefit corporation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High School Summer Programs Immersive, community-oriented international travel experiences for high school students ages 15-18, featuring community-driven service projects, cross-cultural homestays, and personal growth opportunities across multiple destinations worldwide.
- Custom School and Camp Programs Customized programs for schools and groups aligned with specific curriculum goals, offering tailored international experiential education experiences designed by Global Routes travel experts and destination partners.
- Carpe Diem Gap Year Programs Structured international gap year experiences for students ages 17-22 offered through sister organization Carpe Diem Education, focusing on small-group meaningful cultural immersion aligned with Global Routes values.
- Pacific Northwest Program 12-day adventure program exploring Pacific Northwest forests, first nations communities, and environmental conservation, with activities including wilderness training and outdoor skills development.
- Cambodia Program 12-day journey focusing on cultural humility, emotional grit, and leadership through immersion in Cambodian culture, ancient history, and community engagement.
- Guatemala Program 14-day to 4-week Spanish language immersion program featuring community homestays, natural building projects, and permaculture experiences centered around Lake Atitlan.
- Costa Rica Leadership Intensive (LIA) Program 4-week leadership development program in Costa Rica offered through Windsor Mountain camp partnership, featuring community service, cultural exchange, and tech-free immersive experiences.
- India Program 4-week program exploring Indian culture, religions, architecture, and ecology through hands-on experience in traditional arts, crafts, and sustainability strategies.
- Hawai'i Program Multi-island exploration program traveling between Maui and the Big Island, focusing on indigenous Hawaiian culture, environmental sustainability, and outdoor adventure.
- Thailand Program
- New Orleans Custom Program 5+ day custom experiential education program in New Orleans, with tuition varying based on group size and itinerary.
- UK Custom Program 10+ day custom experiential education program in the United Kingdom, available year-round.
- Ecuador Custom Program 7+ day custom experiential education program in Ecuador, with tuition varying by group size and itinerary.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000+ students served since 1967
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Routes
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Global Routes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature1 record
Global Routes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Carpe Diem EducationcoreSister organization providing structured international gap year experiences for students aged 17-22. Gap year programs align with Global Routes values and focus on small-group meaningful cultural immersion. Shared leadership, brand alignment, and integrated enrollment process for students transitioning from summer programs to gap year experiences.
- iNext (Insurance Provider)minorArranged mandatory insurance product for international programs through iNext that establishes evacuation process in line with risk management best practices. Discounted rates passed on to participants.
- Ebner CampscorePartnership with Ebner camps to offer shorter 3-week Leadership in Action program to Costa Rica. Collaborative program development for camp partner offerings.
- Windsor MountaincoreCo-branded Tech Free Costa Rica Windsor Mountain: Leadership Intensive (LIA) program. Windsor Mountain refers students and provides programming collaboration.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Global Routes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EF Education First / EF Tours: EF Tours is the largest student travel operator globally, serving middle and high school groups with curriculum-linked trips. Broader incumbent with much larger scale; competes primarily in the custom school group segment where Global Routes also operates.
Direct peers
- Putney Student Travel: Putney runs pre-college summer travel programs emphasizing experiential learning, service, and cultural immersion for teens. Comparable product (2-4 week international summer programs), comparable target customer (high school students and parents), and comparable pricing band.
- Experiment in International Living (World Learning): Experiment is one of the oldest U.S. teen study abroad programs (founded 1932), offering homestay-based short-term summer programs across many countries. Directly comparable to Global Routes on audience, homestay immersion model, and historical positioning.
- Rustic Pathways: Rustic Pathways runs short-term international summer service and immersion programs for high school students across dozens of countries. Direct competitor in teen experiential education with similar destinations (Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, Tanzania, Cambodia) and comparable pricing.
- Broadreach: Broadreach offers teen summer adventure, service, and academic programs abroad, including multi-country itineraries and gap-year-style experiences. Direct competitor with overlapping destinations (Costa Rica, Galapagos, Tanzania) and similar duration/pricing.
- Where There Be Dragons: Dragons designs small-group cultural immersion and service-learning summer programs for high schoolers with a strong community-based homestay model. Overlaps with Global Routes on philosophy, niche audience, and multi-country program structure.
- National Geographic Student Expeditions: Nat Geo Student Expeditions runs high school summer travel programs emphasizing exploration, photography, and cultural engagement. Comparable audience and premium positioning with broader brand-driven marketing muscle.
Others
- GoOverseas: GoOverseas is a third-party listing and review platform for study abroad and experiential programs where Global Routes is a verified organization. Acts as a marketing channel and lead source rather than a competitor.
- Carpe Diem Education: Sister organization of Global Routes offering structured international gap year programs for ages 17-22. Not a competitor but the company's downstream product extension; relevant for understanding the parent entity's full portfolio and growth pathway.
Emerging players
- Loop Abroad: Loop Abroad runs teen service-oriented summer programs focused on veterinary and animal welfare abroad. Niche overlap in teen experiential travel but narrower use case; representative of adjacent direct-to-consumer teen programs that increasingly compete for the same family budget.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Global Routes social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Routes compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Global Routes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Routes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Global Routes subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Global Routes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Routes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Routes
What does Global Routes do?
Global Routes designs and operates immersive, tech-limited summer travel programs for high school students ages 15-18, featuring community-driven service projects, cross-cultural homestays, wilderness exploration, and leadership development across destinations in Costa Rica, Cambodia, Guatemala, India, Hawai'i, Thailand, Nepal, and the Pacific Northwest. The company also delivers customized international experiential education programs for schools, camps, and youth groups, and provides structured gap year experiences through its sister organization Carpe Diem Education. Program durations range from 12 days to 4 weeks, with tuition priced between $6,495 and $8,995 for open enrollment and from $1,995+ for custom programs.
Is Global Routes a public or private company?
Global Routes is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Global Routes founded?
Global Routes was founded in 1967. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Global Routes based?
Global Routes is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Global Routes make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Summer Program Tuition is the primary driver. The others are application and Enrollment Fees.
Who are Global Routes's main competitors?
EF Education First / EF Tours is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Putney Student Travel, Experiment in International Living (World Learning), Rustic Pathways, Broadreach, Where There Be Dragons and National Geographic Student Expeditions. Others are GoOverseas and Carpe Diem Education. Loop Abroad is listed as an emerging player.
Does Global Routes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Routes.
What industry is Global Routes in?
Global Routes's product category is Experiential Education Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAHAC, Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary), with a secondary code of EDAIAHAD, Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.