Travel to Camp
Transportation is coordinated from LA and Northern California airports, occasionally also from San Diego. Families are welcome to bring their children to camp - please let us know if this is your plan by emailing the office and updating the travel form in your online Gilboa account.
Southern California
There will be buses departing from Los Angeles and San Diego. All buses have counselors escorting and we will provide snacks and water during the trip. Departure times will be sent to families in the weeks prior to the start of camp - please look at the travel form in your CampMinder account for the most up-to-date information.
An email will be sent to parents to notify of the safe arrival of the buses to camp.
Drop off at the end of camp is at the same location as departure around 1-2pm. Parents will be given the phone number of the staff person meeting the bus and can request an ETA later in the morning. Again, please refer to the travel form in your CampMinder account for specific details.
Northern California
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Parents are responsible for booking their children's flights - group flights can be found here. Group flights all include a counselor or parent escort.
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If your camper is under 12, we will provide the information for the flight escort or an older camper to tie your child’s itinerary to - please do not book them as an unaccompanied minor! Email registrar@campgilboa.org to get this info before booking.
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You will be able to book the flight for campers 12 and older - they are considered “Young Travellers” by Southwest Airlines. When you click purchase you will be asked if the Young Traveller will be with someone 18 or older. Click NO and then enter parent contact info. The system will then let you book without linking your child to another itinerary.
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Please book flights separately as one-way itineraries. It won’t change the cost of the flight and makes it easier in the event that there are any changes to be made in the future.
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Once you book your flight:
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1. Forward the confirmation to registrar@campgilboa.org
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2. Log into your camp account and enter the confirmation number in the travel form.
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Once you've booked a flight, or decided on another travel option, please update your choices on the Travel Form in your online Gilboa account and forward the confirmation email to us.
Before the flight:
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If your camper is new to camp, and you would like us to pair them up with a buddy prior to camp, please let us know.
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Southwest does not require an ID for minors, but it's recommended to have a photocopy of an ID (student ID will suffice). Place one copy in the backpack and a second one in the luggage (for the way back).
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Parents will all be added to a Whatsapp group with camp staff to be updated as the group travels to camp.
Procedures at the departure airport:
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Please arrive at the airport to allow ample time to check in luggage and get to the gate 40 minutes prior to departure time.
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A parent flight coordinator or counselor will be at the gate 40 minutes before departure time and will make sure children board the flight safely.
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Parent coordinator and/or counselor names and contact info will be sent about a week prior to the flight.
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The parent coordinator or counselor will receive a list with all travelers and your contact information.
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One adult per minor traveler can receive an escort pass to accompany a child to the gate.
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Make sure to have an ID. You will be required to present it at the ticketing desk to receive the pass.
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Note that non-traveling siblings will not be allowed to accompany you to the gate.
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If your child is younger than 12, you may be required to escort him/her to the gate.
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If your children are experienced travelers and you feel comfortable sending them to the gate on their own, please ask them to check in with the travel coordinator and stay with him/her at the gate until it's time to board the flight.
Procedures at the arrival airport:
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The flight coordinator will notify the camp once the flight departs.
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Counselors wait at the arrival gate to meet the campers.
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A bus will pick up campers and counselors from the airport.
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The camp staff accompanying the group will update the parent WhatsApp chat once everyone is on the bus and again when the bus arrives to camp.
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You will also be notified via email once the buses arrive at camp.
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A $100 travel discount will be applied to each camper's balance if you are traveling from outside of Southern California. This should already be applied to your camp invoice - if it is not, please email registrar@campgilboa.org.
If you have any questions or need any help, reach out to Kit (registrar@campgilboa.org) or Sydney (sydney@campgilboa.org)
Campers Living Far From the Meeting Points
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Please contact the office so we can help coordinate campers getting to one of the meeting points where they can join the bus.