I hope we can get back to filling our lives and our student’s lives with beautiful meaningful immersive experiences again soon! Yes, culture shock is such a great thing.
Family Stay Experience®
Real-World Practice
Cultural Discovery
Germany Student Travel Experiences Through Language Immersion
Students put their classroom German to use from the moment they arrive in Berlin. This German immersion program combines guided exploration with opportunities to navigate the city, learn about its history and connect with people from different backgrounds.
From cycling past the Brandenburger Tor and Checkpoint Charlie to riding the S-Bahn through Berlin, students experience the city beyond its most familiar sights. A guided walking tour focused on migration and identity gives students another perspective on life in modern Germany, while a visit to Potsdam introduces them to Schloss Sanssouci and its gardens.
The experience continues through the Family Stay Experience®, where students spend several days with a German host family and use their language skills in everyday situations. After returning to Berlin, students visit the Reichstag before celebrating their experience with an Xperitas farewell dinner.
Why Choose This Experience
Practice German language skills in real-life situations throughout the program
Explore Berlin by bike, on foot and using the city’s public transportation
Learn about Berlin’s history, migration and diverse modern identities
Experience everyday German life through the Family Stay Experience®
Discover Potsdam and the historic Schloss Sanssouci palace and gardens
Programs with experienced in-country support
Click the Tabs for More Information!
Program Details
Price
- $2,539 per students PLUS cost of international flights*
- Add a travel coordinator for an additional $150 per student.
- For every six students the cost of one leader is included in the price.
- For every enrolled student on your program, there is a $50 leader stipend to help leaders offset expenses while abroad.
- Students can save $200 with Our Early Bird Discount!
*Travelers do not need to arrange their own air. Air travel is included in the program, but the cost will be added once the group air contract is confirmed. Price is valid for 2027.
Duration
10 days
Included
- Round-trip airfare (plus airline fuel surcharges at time of booking)
- In-country transportation (train, coach bus, and public transportation)
- All overnight accommodations
- Insurance for accidents or illness and trip cancellation coverage due to medical reasons only
- International phone allowance ($10/day for one leader while in country)
- 24/7 Xperitas emergency support during travel
- Xperitas Family Stay with all meals included
- Local Family Stay Coordinator on call during family stay
- Meals as indicated on the itinerary
- Entrance fee allowance of $50 per student
- Public transit allowance of $45 per student
Not Included
- Airline baggage fees
- Airfare variances due to contract changes or group size
- Costs from late or missed flights
- Passport, visa, or documentation fees
- Transportation to/from departure city
- Meals not listed on the itinerary
- Spending money and gifts
- Advanced seat assignment fees
- Small-group supplement (fewer than 10 participants)
- Tips for guides and/or bus drivers
Activities
What’s Part of the Program
- Guided bike tour
- Guided walking tour focused on stories of migration
- Farewell dinner
Suggested activities that can be covered by entrance fee allowance:
- Guided tour of Sanssouci Palace
- Spreefahrt
- Berliner Unterwelten
- Street Art Tour and Graffiti Workshop
- Reichstag Glass Dome visit, if available
Add-on Travel Coordinator
The role of the Travel Coordinator is as follows:
- Supports the group getting to and from activities and sites
- Manages logistics (transportation, schedule, tickets)
- Serves as the primary on‑the‑ground support and problem‑solver
- May provide cultural context but is not a certified academic guide
- Supported by local guides at specific sites
What You’ll See & Do
Day 1 | Departure
The adventure begins! Pack your bags and set off on an exciting journey to Germany.
Meals Included: None
Day 2 | Berlin
After checking into your hotel, visit the Brandenburger Tor and Checkpoint Charlie while pedaling your way around Berlin on a guided Fahrradtour. Enjoy your first day in Germany.
Meals Included: None
Day 3 | Berlin
It’s time for a different type of city tour! On a guided walking tour, you will see much more of Berlin than the typical tourist sights. Hear from people who have a history of migration and learn about the diversity of identities and lifestyles in Berlin today. Afterwards, continue to tour Berlin. Ride the S-Bahn from Bahnhof Zoo to Alexanderplatz. Explore the historic streets of Mitte and modern Potsdamer Platz. Visit Potsdam and explore the Schloss Sanssouci palace and garden.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4 | Family Stay Experience®
Now the real adventure begins! Make your way to the family stay community where students will spend the next five days with their German family!
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Days 5–8 | Family Stay Experience®
Experience everyday life with your host family and put your German language skills to work in real-life situations. This is your opportunity to practice German, make new friends and experience daily life in Germany.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 | Berlin
You won’t want to leave, but it’s time to bid your host family farewell and head back to the capital. Don’t miss the 360-degree view from the glass dome of the Reichstag. Reflect on your experiences with your Mitreisenden at your Xperitas farewell dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 | Return
Say “Auf Wiedersehen” to Germany as you return to the United States.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important Details
Prices are based on a minimum group size of 10 students. If the minimum is not met and your group cannot be combined, a small-group supplement will apply. Final pricing is determined by confirmed dates, air arrangements, family stay communities, program components, group size, and number of leaders at final billing.
Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in fuel prices, exchange rates, and airfare costs beyond the control of Xperitas.
The order of itinerary items may change due to unforeseen circumstances prior to or during the program.
See What Teachers Say About Xperitas
It was really amazing. I got to hang out with my friends and classmates while touring Berlin and then I got to experience German life with my host family. Spending time with my classmates from America in the German school also made it more fun, since I could still hangout with friends and make new ones in a different language. I saw beautiful sights and ate wonderful food and got to see a sliver of German life and a little bit of the world too.
The first day, I immediately went up in a restaurant and ordered my food in full German. That confidence and encouragement from the restaurant staff set me up to feel confident in my skills and I was extremely proud of myself! Be open to new experiences. It’s a whole new culture and way of life, so if you seclude yourself from really cool opportunities, you won’t get as much out of everything!
I think it was a confidence booster and the experience was so awesome for her and I know we will be lifelong friends with her host family. She already misses Germany and wants to look into studying abroad there or somewhere else and I know doing this program helped her make that decision. She is really looking forward to her senior year taking another year of German and possibly learning another language in college.
I was very impressed overall with our experience with Xperitas. Everyone was very helpful and knowledgeable and the website and other resources were excellent!
The first day, I immediately went up in a restaurant and ordered my food in full German. That confidence and encouragement from the restaurant staff set me up to feel confident in my skills and I was extremely proud of myself! Be open to new experiences. It’s a whole new culture and way of life, so if you seclude yourself from really cool opportunities, you won’t get as much out of everything!
