We Put More Life In Your Life

WanderRock leads all-inclusive, international small group adventures for neuro-diverse young adults with High Functioning Autism, ADHD, Anxiety etc.

Our programs are built so that they induce growth and provide challenge... but aren't completely overwhelming or overstimulating.

Have questions for past travelers? They hang out on our discord.

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"The trip I took to Japan with WanderRock was one of the best experiences of my life, I was able to make so many new friends that have similar struggles to me which was so exciting. The guides were great enabling us to experience a new culture which might otherwise be overwhelming, and in a way that made us feel comfortable."

Michael Forbes
DuPont, WA

About WanderRock

Our Core Beliefs

Get Them Out Into The World... By Getting Them Out Into The World

Stress + Rest = Growth

The combination of good stress (from visiting new places, trying new things and the physical act of travel) plus deep restorative rest (from things like meditation, nature, hot tubs, and hanging out with friends) equals growth.

Contrast Breeds Wisdom & Maturity

Those who have had more experiences in their life have more contrast, and thus are able to have more perspective about the decisions they make in the world. It's a lot easier to navigate home life once you've had to navigate the challenges of life on the road.

Book Knowledge ≠ Experiential Knowledge

There's only so much that can be done through reading and learning. To get the real knowledge, you need to get out there into the experience of it, experiencing the world with all 5 senses, exploring a foreign town, or meeting new people. There is no replacement for direct, lived experience.

Environments Cause Tendencies

The environments we spend the most time in tend to cause us to act in certain ways. A nice, quiet bedroom with a computer on a desk will promote time spent on that computer. A giant cliff with a waterfall and hiking trails will cause tendencies of hiking.

About The WanderRock Team

  • Danny Raede

    Danny Raede

    Co-Founder / Head of Trip Development

    Danny Raede, diagnosed with Asperger's & ADHD at age 12, is the CEO of Asperger Experts, the world's largest training & coaching organization for families on the Autism Spectrum, and the Co-Founder of WanderRock.

    Growing up in Santa Barbara, CA, he has always had a passion for exploring the world. He has been to 19 countries on 5 continents, and enjoys the challenge of finding good mexican food wherever he goes.

  • Ted Kempf

    Ted Kempf, MA T

    Co-Founder / Head of Curriculum Development & Admissions

    Ted has been involved in designing and building programs for neuro-diverse teens and young adults since 2008. He has a Masters in Secondary & Post-Secondary Education and has spent time living in South America, traveling Europe and studying Polynesian Anthropology & Ethnobotany in the South Pacific.

    In his free time he enjoys surfing, playing soccer and spending time with his family.

  • Eileen Orquiza

    Eileen Orquiza

    Lead WanderRock Guide

    Eileen has extensive experience living in Japan and working as a tour guide. She speaks fluent Japanese and, in addition to Japan, has had the pleasure of traveling to other 10 countries including Taiwan, Italy, The Philippines and Mexico.

    The thing she loves most about traveling is seeing a world different from where she came from and immersing herself into their culture.

  • Shane Guerin

    Shane Guerin

    Lead WanderRock Guide

    Shane says "As a child, I was raised under the philosophy that the best way to learn about the world is to genuinely experience it for yourself. As such, I've had the fortune of being able to travel frequently and create those incredible defining moments in dozens of countries across four continents.

    From racing down the Autobahn in Germany and swimming with sharks in Polynesia, to hiking with elephants in the jungles of Thailand and teaching ESL in Japan, I can't say I've seen it all, but I've certainly seen a lot. I also speak conversational Japanese and basic German, which has helped aid in both my travels and connections."

  • Judah MacNeely

    Judah MacNeely

    WanderRock Guide

    Judah says, "I grew up moving a lot and I’ve been up and down the West Coast too many times to count. From southern Baja Mexico, to the islands in the strait of Juan de Fuca.

    I love exploring new cultures and alternate ways of thinking, and am thrilled to be sharing my love of exploring the unknown with others."

Dinner in Kinosaki, Japan

The WanderRock Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to follow our main ethos: Putting more life in our travelers lives. We believe that travel is one of the best ways to gain real world skills that will last a lifetime.

Those skills include...

Executive Functioning Skills

Travelers will learn & gain confidence in the practical application of logistical skills that they can take into every day life. These skills aren't something that can be taught in a classroom or by reading, so we emphasize practical experience whenever possible.

For example, travelers might have to research dinner options, negotiate with peers, check to see if the restaurant fits within their budget for the week, and plan how to get there on public transportation.

Sequencing and Processing

Gathering information, prioritizing that information and then acting on it.

Time & Money

Budgeting, time management and practicing value judgements.

Problem Solving

Thinking through the steps required to achieve a goal, readjusting expectations, and being persistent.

Perspective & Wisdom Building

One of the great things about travel is that by experiencing different cultures, it gives our travelers a new sense of perspective & a greater wisdom as they go about their daily life. Our program uses deep cultural immersion & the physical environment to give our travelers a greater understanding of themselves, their worldview and the people around them.

Building Empathy & Creating Tolerance

Seeing people as individuals with their own struggles, successes and preferences.

Re-Aligning Personal Stories

Creating new self identities, building confidence & self esteem and shifting the personal stories we tell about our efficacy in the world.

Becoming More Flexible

Moving from black and white thinking to grey areas by experiencing different cultural norms & practicing tolerance.
Family in Zimbabwe

Self Care & Emotional Regulation

Being out on the road teaches our travelers a lot about their basic needs, and our program highlights those needs and helps our travelers make good decisions about eating, relaxation, sleep, hydration & more, based on their own felt sense of checking in with themselves.

Emotional Capacity & Vagal Tone

Increasing resilience to stressors and building the capacity to tolerate difference.

Deep Relaxation

Practicing meditation, mindfulness, stillness and other aspects of unwinding.

Bodily Needs

Checking in with your body to know when to eat, sleep, rest, drink, etc.

Social & Community Engagement

Our travelers will have many, many opportunities to connect with their peers and the people of the various communities we visit, which will allow them to practice social skills & community engagement in a safe, welcoming way.

Sharing & Advocating

Travelers will practice advocating for their wants & needs in the group, and sharing ideas, concerns & preferences with others.

Interpersonal Skills

Building leadership, team & communication skills in a wide variety of settings & experiences.

Building Motivation

Understanding desires, and learning to rally a group around a common goal.
Florence, Italy

"This trip to Japan was a masterpiece of an itinerary which provided something that blew me away every single day. Thanks to all of you for caring about me as a person, putting your best foot forward to insure my happiness and giving me experiences unlike anything else that I had ever seen or done."

Will Slocum
Pasadena, CA
On A Farm In Tuscany

What's Included With My Program Fee?

Your program fee covers most of the expenses on the trip like hotels, meals, activities and transit.

Here's the details of everything that is included...

Travel, Activities & Food

Your fee covers all travel activities during the itinerary. Unlike 99% of the group tour operators out there, we don't upsell you or try to sell extra experiences.

Nightly accommodations

Our accommodations tend to focus on local culture and unique styles, so we generally don't stay in chain hotels like a Marriott. If you are a solo traveler, you'll be paired with a roommate the same gender as yourself. Couples are welcome to share a room.

All Planned Activities & Attraction Tickets

Whether that is visiting an epic museum in Florence, taking Samurai classes in Kyoto or riding a zip line in the Swiss Alps.

Meals

This covers breakfast, lunch and dinner when eating with the group. While we welcome responsible drinking of alcohol, it is not covered by your trip fee.

All Transportation In Country

Depending on our itinerary, that may involve trains, planes, buses, taxis, etc. We do offer a separate add-on "Meet & Greet" package that includes meeting up with the guides in the US, 1 hotel nights stay, meals, airport pickup and round trip international flights.

Multiple Experienced Guides

Our guides have a deep love for taking people on trips to new places. They're experienced travelers, speak multiple languages, have been trained in first-aid and CPR and understand the unique challenges that come with taking neuro-diverse individuals abroad.

No One Gets Lost

Our guides always know where to go and have deep knowledge of the local area. They'll make sure no one gets lost.

Empathetic & Caring

We're used to working with first-time travelers, folks who have a bit of anxiety and a different way of looking at the world.

Neuro-Diverse Themselves

Most of our guides are diagnosed with some combination of Asperger's/Autism/ADHD themselves, have overcome most of their issues and would be happy to share their wisdom & experiences.
Danny Raede

Life Coaching & Facilitated Friendship-Making

Our curriculum involves much more than just travel. With group discussions to process the day and ice-breaking events to help everyone get to know each other, our program is designed to be impactful, empowering and one of the best experiences you'll have in a very long time.

New Skills & Practical Applications

Our travelers learn new skills like emotional regulation, financial planning, flexibility & problem solving, as taught by our staff before, during & after the trip. Then they get daily practice using those skills in real-world situations.

New Friends

We help all of our travelers get to know each other, find who they click with and deepen their relationships effortlessly.

Pre Trip Orientation & Chat

Starting about a month before each trip begins we connect all of our travelers togetheron a zoom call and in our discord chat to get to know each other, teach travel skills and help allay perfectly normal pre-travel jitters and anxieties.

Advice, Wisdom & Coaching

Our guides have been through a lot, and are more than happy to share their thoughts & perspectives with our travelers in order to help them grow, get unstuck and lead more fulfilling lives.
Camping in the Sahara Desert

Is A WanderRock Trip Right For Me?

If you've always dreamed of seeing the world, but never had the opportunity until now, you've come to the right place! WanderRock is designed to get you out of your room and into the big, wide world.

On a WanderRock trip, you'll do things you never thought you could, make deep, lasting relationships and experience the cultural wealth of the world in a deeply immersive way that will put a lot more life in your life.

So if you are the type of person who wants to see new sights, visit new places, try new things and experience new cultures but might need a bit of help & support along the way, then you are a perfect fit for a WanderRock trip.

Our trips aren't designed to put you in luxury hotels and have you gaze upon large buildings and monuments from an air conditioned bus. Whenever possible, we experience the local culture as the locals do.

With a deep focus on new experiences, and an equally deep focus on deep restorative self care, you'll not only have the opportunity to do things you never thought you'd have the chance to do, but you'll gain the skills to not be overwhelmed while doing it.

To join us on a WanderRock trip you must be:

  • Willing & excited to travel.
  • Able to fully self-manage any medications you need to take.
  • Able to follow navigation directions when given (such as "Meet downstairs at 5 PM" not "Walk across this town you've never been to").
  • Flexible & able to adjust to last minute itinerary changes (travel can be unpredictable at times).
  • In the "Young Adult" age bracket. (20's and early 30's. As our trips fill we make sure that all travelers have at least 1 person within a few years of them. Spring and summer tend to skew younger. Fall & winter tend to skew older.)
  • Not in need of ongoing therapeutic mental health services (We aren't therapists or doctors).
  • Able to walk continuously for 40 minutes without stopping to rest or sitting down.
  • Willing to try new foods (There will be a wide variety of food options available in most locations, but occasionally there might be a very limited menu offered. Check your trip itinerary for details.)

For as long as humans have been alive, travel has been a way to clear your head, reset your thoughts and shift into a new version of who you are. There's a different way of seeing the world that only develops through... well, seeing the world.

Once you've had to deal with living & sleeping in a foreign place for multiple weeks, it makes it a lot easier to deal with daily life back home.

Danny Raede Danny Raede Co-Founder & Head of Trip Development
A train in Switzerland

What Can I Expect On A WanderRock Trip?

On a WanderRock trip, you'll experience deep & lasting friendships, try new foods, experience new cultures and make lasting lifelong memories that will enable you to gain a greater perspective of yourself & the world around you.

Here's what awaits you when you embark on your WanderRock trip...

A Built In Social Group

No need to work to make friends here! We have a built in social group of other people that you'll have no trouble getting to know and making friends with.
We'll all be here to support each other through the good times & the challenges, and you'll come away with friendships that will last a lifetime.

Increased Confidence

A side effect of travel is increased confidence. Once you've successfully navigated a foreign country, experienced their culture and eaten their food, regular life seems a lot easier.
At the end of your trip, you'll feel more confident to take on the challenges that life brings you, and more capable to problem solve & navigate through the world.

New Independence Skills

Learn all the skills you need to maintain a fully independent life in real-world situations. That could be cooking classes in Italy, navigating the public transit system of Tokyo, or simply just doing laundry and packing your bag.
You'll come home with a new sense of independence & the skills and knowledge to back it up.

Time To Deeply Relax

Traveling with a group of people 24/7 can get old very quickly if you don't have time to relax, decompress and do your own thing. So we've built in plenty of unstructured time to relax, unwind and screw around. Read a book, watch a movie, take a nap or go to a park.
This time is yours to do with as you see fit. And don't worry! Self care is a big part of our trips, so if you don't know how to relax and recover, we'll gladly teach you along the way.

Sightseeing & More

We'll hit the highlights along our journey to show you the best of the local area, let you get those pictures to send back home (or post on the 'gram) and help you see the most exciting parts of the places we visit.
Then we'll go beyond seeing the places and participate in the local culture with activities and experiences designed to immerse you and provide an authentic experience.

Memorable Experiences

You'll experience a lot of "firsts" on our trips. Places will touch you in deep ways, people will have an impact on you, and 20 years after the end of this trip you'll think back and go "Remember that time I was training with Samurai in Japan?"
There's no shortage of memorable experiences here. After all, our mission is to put more life in your life, and the days packed full of life are the days you remember most.

Adventures Galore

From hiking & boating to zip-lining and cooking new foods, our trips are full of fun, safe & exciting adventures, with plenty of off time as well. Expect to make new friends, visit new places, do new things, try new foods and experience different cultures in a deep and immersive fashion.
Boarding The Bullet Train

What Are Some Things To Keep In Mind On Your Trips?

Our trips are intentionally different than most other travel adventures out there.

At the end of the day, it's important to recognize that travel comes with some inherent unknowns & uncomfortable moments, so we want to make sure you'll not only have a great time on our trips, but that you'll be able to eat the food thats offered, participate in the activities that the group does, and overall have a positive experience.

Here's what that entails...

Long Flights & Train Rides

Our trips can involve lengthy travel. That means that you might experience a 7+ hour plane journey, or an all day train or bus ride. In other words, you'll need to be ok with long journeys. But don't worry! There will be plenty to do on board, and you'll be well taken care of. Our expert guides will make sure you are well equipped to handle the rigors of long journeys.

Less Privacy Than You May Be Used To

On our trips you will most likely be sharing a room with someone else. In some of our accommodations, there are shared bathrooms and most of these bathrooms have individual shower stalls for your privacy. However, we stay in local accommodations whenever possible, and depending on the country and its customs, their bathing practices and facilities may differ substantially from what you are used to. See your trip itinerary for details.

A room in a Ryokan

New Foods

When traveling you can't always eat exactly what you'd like to. Sure in any modern big city (Munich, Tokyo, etc) you can basically find any type of food you'd like, but in some of the smaller cities that we may be staying in there may not be the exact type of food you'd like to eat, and you may need to try something new.

We'll do our best to accommodate any dietary restrictions or preferences you have, but can't guarantee anything. That being said, we've found some delicious tacos in weird places like Fes, Morocco, so you'd be surprised what you can find when you are really hungry for it!

Your trip itinerary can provide more details.

Lots Of Walking & Exercise

Our trips involve lots of walking. There are days where we will be walking 5, sometimes 10 miles throughout the day. You should be in good enough health to handle waking consistently for 40 minutes without stopping or sitting down. Note that occasionally you may be carrying your backpack (weighing up to 20 pounds) while walking. Depending on the itinerary, we'll also have some optional experiences that allow you to exercise in a more rigorous fashion (such as rock climbing or hiking).

If you aren't an active person already that's ok! All you need is a willingness to try and a recognition that the more you participate, the easier it is. That being said, people who are extremely out of shape or overweight may have a harder time on our trips.

Shibuya Crossing

Different Sleeping Arrangements

Depending on our itinerary and the local customs of the area, the mattresses you sleep on may be very hard or very soft, so you should be free from major back problems that may be aggravated by different mattress firmnesses. It's also important to note that you may be in bunk beds, so you should be able to climb up and down ladders easily.

Light Packing Requirement

We don't allow checked bags on our trips, so you'll need to pack light and for carry-on only. That means a backpack! We'll provide full guidance and advice on how to do this properly, but if you are someone who needs to bring a lot with them on a trip, this may not be the trip for you. You'll be surprised how much you can do without!

Boarding The Bullet Train

"Unbelievable. I use that word a lot because that describes most of the trip to Europe. It was just unbelievable.

My family goes on vacation about once or twice a year, and I've been suggesting Europe up for as long as I can remember, and we've never gone. I never really was confident that I'd be Self-sufficient enough to make it over on my own. And now having gone, it's it was just as amazing as I'd always imagined."

Wyatt Dunkerly
Novato, CA

Contact Us

We're happy to chat and answer any questions you have about our program.

Call, text, email, fill out our contact form, or use the live chat in the bottom right to get in touch.

Postal address

2443 Fillmore St. #380-2362

San Francisco, CA 94115

Phone number
+1 (628) 529-1318 (Call, Text or Whatsapp)

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