Leadership Development Expeditions

Develop your leadership skills through faculty-led adventure expeditions

Through Leadership Development Expedition (LDE) courses, students develop their capacity for leadership and build a deep understanding of their own strengths and contributions as a leader in a high-performing team. LDE courses draw on outdoor experiential education theory and challenge participants to serve as leaders during an adventure expedition. These courses build leadership skills through a combination of rigorous academic inquiry into the nature of leadership, honest self-assessment and reflection, and hands-on experiences in challenging environments.

Who can take Leadership Development Expedition courses?

LDE courses are offered during the Summer term (in July) for all Flex MBA and Full-time MBA students at the Carey Business School.

CIL also offers LDE courses for practicing leaders and executives in partnership with the Carey Business School’s Office of Executive Education. Learn more below about opportunities to participate in an Executive LDE or about custom executive treks for organizations wishing to develop high potential managers and build a pipeline of strong leaders.

: To learn more about various accommodation options available, including modified expedition course structures, non-travel and/or non-physical Leadership Development Immersion course options, or alternative sources of support and resources for participating in an expedition course, send an email to Mike Doyle to begin the conversation and find the leadership development opportunity that is best for you.

a group of hikers trekking across mountain tundra in Norway

“The program provides a framework for leadership and teamwork through a shared language that allowed a group of strangers–of various ages and physical ability–to get from point A to point B on a timeline, feeling not only emotionally and physically cared for but also with a sense of pride in the individual and team growth.”

Chelsea Heneghan, DNP/MBA candidate ’25
Pediatric Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at Boston Children's Hospital

LDE Norway

The Norway Leadership Development Expedition course takes place in the mountains of Norway starting from the town of Bergen. Spanning nine days, students will trek through Norway’s famous mountains, traverse glacial fields, and ultimately reach some of the highest points in Scandinavia.

The group will work together as an expedition team to navigate along trails and terrain, moving each day between various Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) cabins and huts. Each individual will be responsible for leading the group through various challenges and working together, at times, literally connected to one another while trekking across the glacier. Throughout the trip, students will focus on enhancing individual and team performance, learn and apply appropriate leadership models, and provide and receive structured feedback. Food and lodging will be in rustic DNT cabins.

Program Costs

2-credit Tuition Fee
Course Program Fee (covers all in-country transportation, lodging, meals and activity fees during course dates). Program fees will be listed in SIS for each course.
Students are responsible for their own international airfare, pre- and post-course expenses, travel insurance and travel documentation (including a passport and visa)

Physical Demands

This is a physically challenging course which requires approximately 10 miles of hiking each day at a moderate pace. Participants should be in good physical health and able to walk/hike for more than five hours per day with regular rest breaks. However, students do not need any prior mountaineering experience. For students with physical disabilities or needs that might require accommodations, or if you have any questions about the level of physical activity, please contact Mike Doyle to discuss options.

Register for the Next Expedition

Participation in the LDE course is by application, due to the limited number of spaces available in the course. Applications for the Summer 2024 session of the LDE Norway closed December 15, 2023. Applications for Summer 2025 will be available in Fall 2024.

“Oftentimes, I found myself putting a label on my leadership style and focusing on operating in that one capacity. However, on the trip, I had to be adaptable. This trip gave me the opportunity to step into nearly every kind of leadership role and to practice balancing empathy, agility, and competence to best serve my team in that moment.”

Sydney Sanchez, MBA candidate ’24
People Team Manager at PwC

LDE in the Media

The Economist columnist Andrew Palmer joined Carey Flex MBA students for the first days of the 2023 LDE Norway course, giving an inside look at the team's early challenges and learning, particularly about the value of simple structures and rules for making progress when leading, in The Economist's Boss Class podcast about leadership and management at work.

Listen to the Podcast

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, CIL Directors Mike Doyle and Chris Myers describe the philosophy of the LDE course – and how the expedition helps participants develop abilities to tackle challenges, make decisions, and collaborate – highlighting four key characteristics of the course that can be adapted and applied to enhance many other forms of leadership development and training in organizations.

Read the Article

Light Blue

Executive Leadership Development Expedition

January 4-11, 2025

Nature Inspired, Human Powered Learning

Sunset photo on beach with kayaks and silhouette of person walking

This uniquely designed executive leadership program invites a small group of individuals to participate in a week-long kayaking-camping expedition along the coast of the Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico. While paddling these majestic waters and camping on remote sand beaches, participants will engage in focused discussions on salient leadership topics, give and receive feedback on daily team performance, and receive ongoing executive coaching from instructors. Active participation in the expedition will allow individuals to reflect on and evaluate personal leadership capacity, strengths, and growth areas as leaders.

Disconnect to Reconnect

Participants will experience the unique opportunity to deeply immerse themselves in the quiet, wildness, and therapeutic beauty of nature for a week while completely disconnecting from work, technology, and the stress of daily routine back home. Although this disconnect can be disorienting and uncomfortable at first, participants will quickly grow to appreciate the opportunity to slow down, be more present, and reset their intentions for self-improvement in areas of mind, body, and spirit.

Present Moment Leadership

The course’s foundation is CIL’s Present Moment Leadership framework, which emphasizes that leaders must deploy the right amount of empathy, competence, and agility to influence positive change and innovate solutions. Participants will navigate the technical and environmental challenges of adventure-based learning in a remote setting by getting out of their comfort zones, adapting to a steadily evolving set of scenarios, committing to group over self, and learning by collaborating with others.

What to Expect

Individual executive coaching sessions with goal setting before, during, and after the program
Daily routine of kayaking, camping, and cooking meals
- Daily paddling duration: 3-4 hours (may include swimming and snorkeling)
- Double kayaks and tents for all participants
- The support boat will allow for fresh ingredients and cold drinks for meals
- Participants will work in teams to manage navigation, cooking, and camp setup (with guide support)
Opportunities to lead group for a day
- Share your talents and gifts as a leader
- Experiment with new and different leadership approaches as appropriate
- Receive direct and specific feedback from peers and instructors
Evening team debrief and discussion
- Assess individual and team performance and make necessary adjustments for the next day
- Connect leadership lessons learned on expedition to work and life at home
- Share personal leadership story and hear other’s stories

Program Details

Program Dates: January 4-11, 2025
Program Fee: $7500, $500 deposit required at time of registration
- Includes single occupancy lodging, local transportation, all meals and all group activities
- Excludes international airfare

** This is a physically demanding program. After day 2, we will be camping in tents on sandy beaches with no access to showers, cell phones, or Wi-Fi. Students should be in moderate to strong physical condition and comfortable swimming or floating in open water. However, no technical outdoor skill or prior camping/kayaking experience is required.

For questions and inquiries, contact Mike Doyle mdoyle@jhu.edu.

: Daily Itinerary
Day 0: Arrive in Loreto! Your adventure begins with a pre-trip orientation with your guides the afternoon before launch day. We will communicate and coordinate in advance with all guests the time and location for a comfortable outside meeting at a convenient location in town. At this orientation session, our guides will explain the trip logistics in more detail and answer any questions you may have. Afterward, you are free to explore Loreto’s 300+ year-old history and enjoy the charming shops and rich selection of restaurants.
Day 1: The day begins with breakfast at our favorite local café. You’ll then take a van to the launch at Puerto Escondido, 16 miles south of Loreto, where you will receive a basic kayaking lesson. Afterward, we pack our kayaks with our personal gear, leaving the rest for the Panga, and make the three-mile crossing to Isla Danzante. We set up our first camp on the island.
Day 2: The sun rising over the Sea of Cortez and casting its light on the jagged promontories of Isla Danzante is a sight to behold. Your guides will point out Los Candeleros Islands, small rocks jutting above the water that serves as a home to cormorants, boobies, and ospreys. After paddling along the coast of Isla Danzante, we make a second crossing, this time to Isla del Carmen, located northeast of Danzante. Keep an eye out for pods of dolphins during the crossing or even a blue whale! After setting up camp on Isla del Carmen, the afternoon is yours to spend as you wish. Snorkeling, exploring the shoreline, or relaxing and sharing stories with family or friends under the shade tarp.
Day 3: After a hearty Mexican breakfast, it’s time for a day trip! We explore the coves around Isla del Carmen and eventually make an afternoon stop at a secluded beach, which you are free to explore via hiking or snorkeling. Upon returning to camp for the night, your guides prepare a feast of yellowtail, herbed rice, mixed green salad, and tortillas.
Day 4: After spending two nights on Isla del Carmen, we will cross back to Isla Danzante in the morning to set up camp at a new location, this one surrounded by massive rock formations. There will be more opportunities for exploration and meditation among these rocks, and we will enjoy another delicious meal as the sun sinks beneath the turquoise-colored waves.
Day 5: Today is our final crossing back to the Baja Peninsula and our final campsite. Much of this trip takes place near an area known to scientists as “The Blue Whale Triangle” due to the large numbers of blue whales sighted in the area, so keep an eye out throughout the week! Once we make it across the channel to the peninsula, you’ll have one last afternoon to explore the campsite’s rocky shoreline, dotted with enormous boulders. The snorkeling is excellent, and at night, you will have the opportunity to paddle out and view bioluminescent sea creatures beneath the waves.
Day 6: The sun rises over the Sea of Cortez one last time, briefly revealing fiery colors on the turquoise-hued water. Bid goodbye to this magnificent piece of the planet. We’ll have breakfast, pack up, and paddle back to Puerto Escondido for the take-out, where a van will be waiting to take us back to Loreto. After a warm goodbye with your guides and boatman, it’s back to your hotel, your head filled with the past week’s experiences, your heart looking forward to your next adventure.
Day 7: Onward travel or more adventure in Baja on your own.

people sitting on camp chairs in front of a prepared meal

People kayaking on blue water with rocks in background

Custom LDE

How do you build the leadership skills needed to navigate your team through uncertainty and difficult situations? Put yourself in a controlled, high-stakes situation with Johns Hopkins leadership experts by your side. Whether as part of an open-enrollment Executive LDE course to Mt. Cotopaxi in Ecuador or as part of a custom program carefully crafted for the developmental needs of your organization, CIL's outdoor leadership experiences will help you develop the skills to succeed as a leader.

: Custom LDE courses for organizations are available in Belize, Norway, or Ecuador, and are a powerful way to grow your organization’s leadership pipeline and team effectiveness outside of the typical nine-to-five environment.
During the highly immersive week-long excursion, you'll learn to establish goal-setting techniques through exercises in feedback and reflection while empowering the team around you and advancing your professional goals. To discuss creating a custom LDE for your team or organization, please reach out to the Executive Education team at the Carey Business School using the link below.
Request Information on Custom LDE

Center for Innovative Leadership