Polaris Outdoor

What Polaris Outdoor does

Polaris Outdoor is a UK-based outdoor education and expedition company founded in 2020 by Director Matthew (Mat) Barnsley, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Operating from West Sussex, the company delivers survival training, bushcraft courses, and guided international expeditions through a small team of senior instructors. Its portfolio centres on a progressive three-level survival training programme paired with destination-specific expeditions spanning Arctic Finland, the Alps, the Amazon, the Australian outback, African savannah, Himalayan peaks, and Caribbean coasts, alongside a domestic base of day and weekend bushcraft courses, knife craft, foraging, fire craft, and deer butchery courses at Goodwood Estate, plus bespoke school camps and corporate team-building events.

The company's underlying technology is its curriculum and instructional methodology rather than software; its proprietary feature is the three-level survival training progression that takes participants from beginner through advanced skills. Polaris Outdoor holds a stack of sector accreditations including the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, Expedition Providers Association full membership, UIMLA, British Mountaineering Council, British Canoe, and BAIML memberships, and operates with up to £5,000,000 of public liability cover. It maintains a Duke of Edinburgh Awards partnership and in-country operational partnerships (NatureMind-ed for Thailand, Footmark Safaris for Tanzania) that enable destination expansion without owning international infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through one-time per-person fees ranging from £45 for school transition days to £6,000+ for international expeditions such as the 14-21 day Peru trip, with bespoke corporate and school contracts quoted on enquiry. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer booking via the website and Eventzilla, enterprise field sales to schools (including for DofE programmes) and corporates, and event-driven marketing through scheduled public courses at Goodwood Estate. The company serves three primary segments — schools (primary and secondary), corporate clients, and individual adventurers — with secondary segments in families and young leaders. Polaris Outdoor Ltd is privately held, founder-owned, and bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding or acquisitions.

Name

Polaris Outdoor

Legal name

Polaris Outdoor Ltd

Website

https://polarisoutdoor.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Polaris Outdoor is a UK-based outdoor education company founded in 2020 that delivers survival training, bushcraft courses, and guided international expeditions to schools, corporate clients, and individual adventurers from its West Sussex base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Education & Adventure Expeditions

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Survival Skills Lessons (Bushcraft, Navigation, Foraging) (THAJAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Polar & Remote-Destination Expedition Tour Operators (THAKADAM), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Programs (Trips, Climbing, Rentals) (EDALAIAG)

Keywords

• Outdoor education
• Wilderness survival training
• Bushcraft courses
• Adventure expeditions
• Corporate team building

Headquarters

HQ city

West Sussex

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Expedition and Experience Fees: Fees charged for participation in expeditions, survival courses, bushcraft events and outdoor experiences. Includes both scheduled public events and bespoke custom expeditions for groups.
2. Training Courses: Revenue from structured training programmes including survival weekends, bushcraft courses, knife craft, foraging, deer butchery, fire craft classes at Goodwood Estate
3. School and Corporate Services: Bespoke services for schools including Year 7 team building days, school camps, and corporate team building events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Polaris Outdoor delivers outdoor education, survival training, bushcraft courses and guided international expeditions to schools, corporate clients and individual adventurers. Core offerings include a progressive three-level survival training programme, day and weekend bushcraft courses primarily at Goodwood Estate, and destination-specific expeditions to locations such as Finland, the Alps, Peru, Borneo, Thailand and Australia, complemented by bespoke school camps and corporate team-building events.

Product overview

Polaris Outdoor is an outdoor education and expedition company offering a unified portfolio of survival training, bushcraft courses, and worldwide expeditions. The core offering consists of progressive survival training programmes (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced levels) paired with destination-specific expeditions spanning Arctic Finland, the Alps, Amazon jungle, Australian outback, African savannah, Asian mountains, and Caribbean coasts. Local UK offerings include day and weekend bushcraft courses, knife craft, foraging, fire craft, and deer butchery courses primarily at Goodwood Estate, plus school camps and team building events. The company also provides structured personal development programmes, Duke of Edinburgh Award partnerships, and travel safety training. All offerings share a common foundation in wilderness survival skills and are delivered by a team of expedition leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bushcraft Day & Weekend Courses Immersive woodland skill-building experiences covering fire craft, shelter building, carving, foraging, animal tracking, first aid and navigation, available as scheduled sessions or bespoke group experiences across South East England.
• Survival Training Weekend Outdoor learning programme teaching skills needed to survive outdoors in all seasons across three progressive levels of bushcraft and survival, serving as foundation training for expeditions and leadership activities.
• Finland Arctic Winter Survival Course Seven-day expedition 400km inside the Finnish Arctic Circle featuring winter survival skills, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, husky dog sledding, snow shelter building and northern lights viewing; priced at £2,550 per person including flights, accommodation and meals.
• Arctic Winter Expedition (UK) Week-long Arctic expedition in the UK featuring igloo and snow cave building, husky dog sledding, cross-country skiing, tracking, and search and rescue training with avalanche beacons; priced at £2,045 + VAT per person.
• Tour de Mont Blanc Expedition Nine to ten-day trekking expedition traversing three countries through the Alps, covering 170km with over 10,000m of ascent on one of the world's iconic walking routes; £2,200 per person including guide, maps, accommodation and food.
• Cornwall Sea Kayak Expedition Five to seven-day sea kayak and camping expedition along Cornwall's coastline with professional sea kayaking instruction, foraging, wild camping, and optional Open Water Sea Kayaking Qualification; £850 + VAT per person including accommodation and meals.
• Peru Expedition 14-21 day expedition covering Amazon jungle, Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, humanitarian aid projects and high desert fossil exploration in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Lima; £6,000 + VAT per person.
• Borneo Expedition Humanitarian aid expedition in Borneo featuring jungle survival training, sustainable service projects, with optional PADI certification, mountain climbing and orangutan sanctuary visits; £5,000 + VAT per person.
• Thailand Expedition Multi-faceted expedition in Thailand featuring coral reef diving, mangrove planting, limestone climbing, kayaking, tropical survival skills and wild camping in rainforests, delivered in partnership with NatureMind-ed.
• Australia Expedition Diverse Australian adventure covering coastal exploration, Aboriginal cultural experiences, outback survival, surf school, and camping under the stars.
• USA Grand Canyon Western Mosey Off-road and survival-style expedition through the Grand Canyon featuring horse riding, camping cowboy style, 4x4 driving, shooting, and knife work skills.
• India & Himalayan Escapade Expedition combining India's Golden Triangle with Himalayan adventure, including Taj Mahal visits and climbing a 6000m+ Himalayan peak.
• Pirates of the Caribbean X-Atlantic Epic Atlantic ocean sailing expedition featuring tropical rainforest skills, coastal adventures, service projects and transatlantic sailing with pirate-themed activities.
• Stand Up Paddle Board Adventure Five-day coastal adventure in Australia featuring paddle boarding, coasteering, reef swimming, foraging, wild camping and fire skills; £550 per person including accommodation and meals.
• School Camps Bespoke school camps and activity days designed to fit school ethos and curriculum, covering bushcraft, wilderness skills, personal wellbeing and team building for primary and secondary students; priced bespoke with typical 3-5 day duration.
• Year 7 Getting to Know You Day Transition event for new secondary school students featuring team-building activities including spear throwing, fire lessons, foraging, shelter building and first aid to foster friendships and ease school transition; £45 per person.
• Travel Safety Training Comprehensive travel safety education developed with Krav Maga UK, covering preparation, map skills, emergency escape routes, self-defence training, wilderness skills and first aid for travellers worldwide; available from one day to one week duration.
• Mountain Leaders Training Days Professional development programme for Mountain Leader qualification candidates, offering practical navigation, risk management, gear selection, rope work and emergency response training.
• Knife Craft Spoons/Spatula Course at Goodwood Estate Three-hour woodland course at Goodwood Estate teaching knife safety, five basic cuts and spoon/spatula carving for participants with basic knife skills; £85 per person.
• In-Depth Foraging Course at Goodwood Estate Forest walk course at Goodwood Estate revealing seasonal foods, medicines, poison identification, plant biology and folklore for participants aged 12 and over; £75 per person.
• Basic Survival Skills Course at Goodwood Estate Half-day woodland course at Goodwood Estate covering survival priorities, shelter building, fire ignition and basic knife craft skills.
• Fire Craft Class at Goodwood Estate Master class at Goodwood Estate in fire making using various tools and techniques, including natural material foraging for fire lighting, bow drill demonstrations and competitions.
• Deer Butchery Course at Goodwood Estate Full-day course at Goodwood Estate covering stalking, tracking, skinning and butchering venison and wild game, foraging, fire making and evening dinner around the fire; £150 per person, 6.5 hours.
• Spoon Carving Courses & Woodcraft Half-day to multi-day courses teaching wood carving skills for creating spoons and useful objects, promoting mental health, self-confidence and personal satisfaction; priced on enquiry.
• Duke of Edinburgh Awards Partnership Programmes Official partnership providing expedition, volunteering, skills and residential components for Duke of Edinburgh Award participants across Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.
• Corporate Team Building Events Bespoke corporate events including clay pigeon shooting, fire craft, foraging, wood carving and survival skills delivered at client locations; priced on enquiry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Life-changing personal development experiences with participants reporting increased confidence and resilience
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Duke of Edinburgh AwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Partner of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme. Supports youth development through expedition skills training and qualification completion for DofE awards at various levels (Gold, Silver, Bronze).
• Royal Geographical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMat Barnsley holds Fellowship at RGS. Strategic alignment in expedition planning, geographical education and exploration support.
• Walton FilmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVideo production partnership for documenting expeditions and creating marketing content. Ben Walton shoots and edits expedition footage.
• BattlefaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel insurance partner providing insurance services for participants on expeditions worldwide.
• NatureMind-edcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Thailand expeditions. NatureMind-ed team provides environmental education, coral reef diving, mangrove planting and local expertise for expeditions.
• Footmark SafariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Tanzania Kilimanjaro expeditions. Combined safari and mountain climbing experience.
• Active Women and GirlsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting women and girls in outdoor activities and adventures.
• OFFSEASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for outdoor and expedition experiences.
• Vertical Blue AdventuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdventure partner for sea kayaking and water-based expeditions.
• Sea Kayaking CornwallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner for Cornwall sea kayak expeditions and coastal adventures.
• Elessar EventsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partnership for adventure experiences and activities.
• CyclaireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for cycling and outdoor equipment needs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Halsbury Travel: UK school trip and expedition provider offering curriculum-linked and DofE expedition programmes. Competes with Polaris for secondary school outdoor education budgets.
• PGL Travel: UK's largest provider of school residentials, outdoor education, and adventure trips for primary and secondary schools. Directly competes with Polaris for UK school expedition and DofE-related bookings, with broader scale and multi-site infrastructure.
• The Bushcraft Company: UK provider of bushcraft and outdoor survival courses for children, families, and adults. Directly comparable course content and target audience to Polaris's Goodwood Estate bushcraft and survival programmes.
• Outlook Expeditions: UK-based school expedition provider focused on DofE, curriculum-linked, and international adventure trips for secondary school students. Closely comparable school customer base and expedition format.
• World Challenge: UK school expeditions operator running multi-country programmes for secondary schools and DofE Award cohorts. Closely comparable offering to Polaris's international school expeditions portfolio.
• True Adventure: UK provider of school expeditions, team building, and outdoor adventure programmes for secondary schools. Direct overlap with Polaris's school and corporate event channels.
• British Exploring Society: Charitable UK organisation running wilderness expeditions for young people, including DofE-style personal development journeys. Comparable youth-expedition mission and skill-development focus to Polaris.
• Rayburn Vacations: UK school trip operator delivering residential and adventure experiences to primary and secondary schools. Overlaps with Polaris on school channel and outdoor activity delivery.

Emerging players

• Woodland Classroom: UK-based bushcraft, foraging and nature connection course provider. Smaller and more regionally focused, but overlaps directly with Polaris's beginner and intermediate bushcraft course offering.
• Footprint Adventures (Footprint Expeditions): UK provider of youth adventure and expedition experiences including DofE and international trips. Comparable younger-skewing expedition format but smaller scale than Polaris.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xyoutube.com/@polarisoutdoor4600
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@polarisoutdoor4600
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polarisoutdoor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Polaris Outdoor