Founded in 2008 in Pula, Istria, ExtremeSurvive™ is Croatia’s first school of survival, adventure, and outdoor activities.
With decades of educational experience across Istria and Croatia – from the serene Butoniga Lake and the remote islands of the Istrian coast, to untouched mountain ranges with hidden caves, ancient forests, crystal-clear streams, and wild shorelines – we bring the spirit of true adventure to life.
We offer a wide range of adventure programs for individuals, groups, schools, and families: from expeditions, survival and exploration courses, to freediving and many other outdoor experiences. All our adventures are led by highly qualified instructors who combine fun, education, and adventure to teach forgotten and unique skills – leaving participants with unforgettable experiences and lasting memories.
For over thirty years, our team has been dedicated to promoting outdoor education in both Italy and Croatia. We have founded numerous organizations, workshops, adventure clubs, and adventure programs, as well as decades of free workshops, ecological projects, and community initiatives. Many of our instructors are certified rescuers, survival experts, and internationally recognized leaders in outdoor education – some even awarded honorary degrees (honoris causa) for their outstanding contributions to the international outdoor community.
ExtremeSurvive™ Survival school is not just a school – it’s a calling and a way of life. Proven in the field – from saving lives during pandemics and natural disasters to leading demanding expeditions – we go beyond teaching knowledge and survival skills. Choosing ExtremeSurvive™ means choosing a team that lives its values, fostering trust, courage, and a deep connection with nature.
Join us and allow yourself, your team, or your child to experience the essence of adventure, personal growth, and discovery – in a way that leaves a mark for a lifetime.
Honoris Causa (SIWA), Survival Expert (AICS and FISSS), Alpine Unit (EI), Sea Rescue (FISA), Outdoor Safety (HGK-GSS), 4x4 (FIF), Free Diver Expert (PADI), MTB Instructor (ANI), Adventure club guide (copor.org), Outdoor Coach (bosonogi.org), Wilderness Therapist.
✪ Boris Stermotich is director of the ExtremeSurvive™. Guided by a lifelong passion for nature and adventure, he spent 20 years of practicing and studying survival techniques with leading European organizations, including Avventura Team (AICS), Italian Federation of Sporting and Experimental Survival (FISSS) and others.
He is the founder of numerous initiatives like Survival Forum, outdoor community; Čopor, adventure club; Bosonogi, survival school for children; Terapija Divljine, personal-development program; and BokiBank, a bank of adventurous childhood and many others.. He also designed the Survival Kukri (FKMD), used worldwide.
Survival Instructor School (COSS), Winter Survival (COSS), Coast Survival (COSS), Recce (HV), Taekwondo Instructor (ITF)
Environmentalist, Outdoor Coach (bosonogi.org), Outdoor Safety (HGK-GSS), Wilderness Therapist
Environmentalist, Nature preservation and social activist, Bushcraft expert, Adventure club guide (copor.org), Outdoor Coach (bosonogi.org), Outdoor Safety (HGK-GSS), Wilderness Therapist
Environmentalist, Entomologist, Biologist, nature activist, botanical and wildlife expert (COSS), Adventure club guide (copor.org)
Occupational therapist, Adventure club guide (copor.org), Outdoor Safety (HGK-GSS), Wilderness Therapist
Free Diving Instructor (PADI), Sea Kayak Instructor (SKK), Environmentalist, Turno Ski and Sailing expert, Photographer and journalist
✪ Paolo Valenti is a PADI-certified freediving instructor with over 20 years of experience and extensive training from Apnea Academy. He was part of the Vertical Blue team, assisting multiple world champion William Trubridge and training with Davide Carrera, Italian national champion and one of the world’s deepest freedivers.
He is the founder of Apnea et Anima Association, the first research organization in Croatia dedicated to exploring the relationship between mental techniques and physical relaxation in a state of apnea. Paolo combines meditation methods, autogenic training, adapted yoga nidra, watsu, and mindfulness, creating a holistic approach that connects the body, mind, and the ocean.
Chief Instructor (AT), Survival Expert (AICS and FISSS), Para (EI), MTB Instructor, Environment Manager (AL), Kickbox Instructor (FIKB), Free Climbing and Alpinist Instructor - Hiking guide (CAI)
✪ Giuseppe Scafaro is the founder of Avventura Team, an Italian school of survival and extreme sports established in 1995. He is known for extraordinary mountain bike achievements, including the Gran Paradiso, the Aletsch Glacier, and Mount Etna, and holds, together with Sergio Guidobono, the record for a 74 km unassisted mountain trek completed in 13.5 hours.
Under his leadership, Avventura Team became the AICS National School of Survival in 2003, the first Italian survival school to receive this official recognition. Through the Agenzia Sentieri, the team develops and maintains extensive hiking trail networks and has fostered the creation of regional survival schools across Italy, including Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, and Valle d’Aosta.