Best geography apps in VR to insert in your curriculum

It is no coincidence that VR is bringing geography lessons closer to life than ever. Virtual tours transport students through an Amazon rainforest or into the rim of a volcano, experiences that would be impossible in a school classroom.

It is no longer the question of why make use of VR in geography, but rather, with the latter, how best to do it, as well as what's worth considering in terms of apps. Listed below, we present the best VR apps for geography lessons, including the ones in VR Expert Education Kits, with advantages, drawbacks, costs, and some hints for incorporating each into your lessons.

Why use VR in geography education?

VR makes abstract geography concepts feel real. With this technology, it becomes possible for students, in a safe environment, to witness a virtual eruption of a volcano or step on a glacier in order to witness ice-cold landscapes or searing hot deserts, all in the classroom. The experience gives deeper knowledge, such as experiencing flowing lava or retreating glaciers in VR makes tectonics or climate change real.

Top VR geography apps

1. Blueplanet VR Explore

Blueplanet VR is an engaging geography app for virtual field trips in geology, geography, and environmental science. The app offers a curated collection of over 40 volumetric 3D scenes of powerful scenic and cultural heritage locations worldwide. Students can be instantly transported to a desert canyon, inside a cave, atop a volcano, or even a coral reef, freely exploring the terrain as if they were there. 

Among the pros, we have to highlight the visuals, as they are incredibly lifelike, which can spark awe and curiosity in students. The app also covers a wide range of locations, making it versatile for various geography topics. The main drawback for teachers is that Blueplanet VR is more of an open, exploratory tool than a structured lesson.

Blueplanet VR is a paid application, where schools will find an enterprise license available. VR Expert offers a 1-year education license for about €35 per headset. 

2. Corinth Individual Education

Not all geography learning in VR has to involve traveling to a specific place. Corinth is a unique app that provides a library of interactive 3D models and simulations covering many subjects, including a range of different geography and science concepts. In many ways it functions more like a virtual 3D encyclopedia, with extensive information for a more technical and deeper understanding.

Corinth's breadth of content means you get access to many topics in one platform. For geography teachers, this is like having a vault of 3D visuals to pull into your lessons. The models are high-quality and scientifically accurate, making the explanation of how tornados form or how the layers of the atmosphere function much more concrete for students. On the other hand, Corinth is not a game or an experience as such, so it may be less immediately thrilling to students compared to other titles on our list.

Corinth is typically offered as a licensed educational software rather than a cheap app store download. Many schools get it as part of a bundle. If you're using VR Expert's solutions, you likely have Corinth included for the first year in the Standard and Pro Bundles.

3. Wander (Virtual Field Trips)

If you've ever used Google Street View, Wander will feel instantly familiar, and incredibly powerful for education. Wander is a VR app that leverages Google Maps Street View data to let students teleport to anywhere on the globe in 360° panoramas. It's one of the simplest yet most exciting ways to bring real-world locations into the classroom. 

The main advantage of Wander is the unparalleled breadth, as virtually any place with Street View imagery is accessible. This means it's great for student-driven exploration, as well as teacher-led demonstrations. It's also very easy to use with minimal setup. As for cons, Wander relies on 360° photos, meaning that the experience is not full 3D and lacks interactive elements. So unlike dedicated educational apps, Wander doesn't by itself quiz or teach, it's a tool and the pedagogy comes from how the teacher uses it.

Wander is quite affordable, roughly $9.99 for a one-time purchase on the Meta Quest store, and similarly on Pico. There is no recurring subscription, making it an easy addition to your toolkit. 

4. National Geographic Explore VR

For a more narrative-driven adventure, National Geographic Explore VR is a fantastic choice. This app lets students step into the shoes of a National Geographic explorer on mission-based expeditions. Currently it features two major locations, Antarctica and Machu Picchu, with guides helping students learn and asking them to help out with certain tasks along the way for an engaging experience.

When it comes to engagement and cinematic experiences, National Geographic Explore VR is among our top picks. It feels like a field trip and a game in one. Students aren't just passively sightseeing, as they have objectives that keep them focused. The main limitation is content length and scope. With only two locations, you are quite limited in terms of content.

As for pricing, the one-time fee of $9.99 USD per device is quite affordable, and given the polish and brand, we feel it's reasonably priced even with just 2 locations for now.  

5. BRINK Traveler

BRINK Traveler is like a sampler platter of the world's natural wonders, functioning as a virtual travel app that lets students visit some of the most breathtaking places on Earth in full 3D. BRINK uses volumetric photogrammetry captures to recreate real locations, deserts, canyons, mountains, waterfalls, with stunning realism. At each location, BRINK provides a brief voice narration and informational text.

The main draw of BRINK Traveler must be the photorealistic immersion, as students often are impressed as they gaze around at the 360° landscape they are exploring. The sense of scale and presence is also excellent, making it fantastic for teaching physical geography and Earth Science. However, while BRINK is visually rich, it is limited to static scenes without humans or animals, and each location is a large download of hundreds of MB.

BRINK Traveler is available as a paid app on most platforms. Currently it's about $14.99 on Meta Quest.

Tips for teachers on integrating VR geography apps

The best approach for schools is to start small and pilot these tools. You don't need a class set of 30 headsets on day one. You might begin with one VR headset for your geography curriculum, or another small group kit. Many companies, including VR Expert, have trial or starter bundles that allow you to test the waters.

When you implement VR in your geography lessons, remember to combine the education with the technology. Use the same planning and debriefing approach that you would for a real field trip; always prepare students beforehand about what to observe in the field, and talk about their observations afterwards.

It's worth mentioning that VR is also most effective when integrated with other more traditional methodologies. Use maps, textbooks and other resources as part of the VR learning experience for as good of results as possible. Not every student will be completely comfortable in VR from the start, so work up to it over time. Start with only 5-minute experiences and then add time. And, it's always good to have a safe physical space when VR learning is taking place. 

All things considered, Blueplanet VR is the best choice for its wealth of immersive field trips and beautiful realism in service of geography education, while also offering a unique and enjoyable experience for students. At the same time, each app has its strengths and the app best suited for your classroom depends on your curriculum and needs. An honorable mention is Corinth, which has a special focus that goes more in-depth and explains a whole range of concepts.