Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa

Name: Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa
Brand: Warriors Academy
SKU: 146549
Rating: 4.87 (290 reviews)

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4.87 Rating

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Location

South Africa

Length

4 - 52 weeks

Program Tags

Adventure Travel Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Post-High School Wilderness

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Program Details

Activities

Animal Viewing Boating Bungee Jumping Camping Canoeing Canyoning City Exploring Cliff Jumping Cycling Dancing Hiking Horseback Riding Kayaking Mountain Biking Mountain Climbing Rafting Remote Exploring Rock Climbing Safari Sailing Scuba Diving Sightseeing Sky Diving Snorkeling Swimming Trekking Wine Tasting Yoga

Timeframe

Fall Spring Summer Winter Year Round

Housing

Cabin Hostel Rondavel Tent

Primary Language

English

Age Min.

Age Max

Pricing

Starting Price

6200

Price Details

Cost includes:
Accommodation
Food
Activities
Courses
Professional coaching services
Travelling
Training materials
Registrations and equipment as per activities

Excludes:
Laundry services
Personal pocket money
Personal gear such as bicycle, camping gear, hiking gear and tents (Can be rented from Rene)
Activities outside of prospectus
Medical emergencies
Transport to and from Warriors Academy at the start and finish of each Quest (Transport can be arranged on request)
Emergency transportation to doctors or other related services
Medical and Travel Insurance (US students it is pre-requisite to get travel and medical insurance from iNext, to be added to your account)

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Some Activities Some Equipment Meals Park Fees Some Park Fees Tour Guide Transportation Wifi

What's Not Included

Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: May 04, 2023

Last Reviewed: Apr 03, 2024

Wish List

60 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Are you looking for an adventure Gap Year in South Africa? Then look no further than the Warriors Academy. Our internationally accredited gap year program is the perfect combination of travel, fun, adventure and self-development.
You can expect to have new and exhilarating experiences while meeting people from around the world. During this year, you will be mentally and physically pushed out of your comfort zones. You will be supported, guided and tick off an array of bucket list items while learning more about yourself and your potential.
Our Gap Year program is structured to include four 7-week Quests. Each Quest has its own set of adventure activities, soft skill workshops and personal mentoring sessions.
You are able to do any number of quests or all four as part of our full Gap Year program!

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Program Highlights

Warriors Academy is accredited by the International Gap Year Association
Warriors Academy provides a comprehensive variety of training, activities, experiences and travel
Our program is highly structured with a focus on personal growth and development
We have highly qualified, trained and experienced facilitators
Warriors Academy is international and multicultural

Program Reviews

4.87 Rating

based on 290 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Gap Year Parent

5 rating 87.24%
4 rating 12.76%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Housing 4.6
Support 4.9
Fun 4.9
Value 4.9
Safety 4.8

Program Selection 4.7
Pre-departure Help 5
In-program Support 5
Impact on Student 5
Value 5

Good for Adventure travelers, Students

Showing 89 - 96 of 290 reviews

Warriors academy is the best gap year experience - I’ve learned so many skills from it and my outlook on life has been lifted.
I see myself as a stronger person physically and mentally. The facilitators and MAI’s that are your support team during warriors are incredible and have vast Knowledge in everything they do.
I have bonded and met some many people from different backgrounds which has opened up my mind to more cultures and languages. My outdoor knowledge and outdoor pursuits have been opened

Pros

Great at building social skills
You get a better understanding of the outdoors
You learn how to better yourself and you learn grit

Cons

If you’re an introvert you may find it difficult to be in such a big group
The freedom you get is limited

Very wonderful and great experience! Would recommend anybody looking for an amazing year full of fun, adventure and friends. If you want to work on emotional and physical growth this is the place for you. Being able to understand yourself and others is a great tool you will achieve here.
Here you will make new friends. See new places and test your limits
You will definitely enjoy every moment you create here. Take the opportunity to do warriors gap year for the best place to be you and focus on yourself. Nobody else matters except your needs.

Pros

Learn about yourself
Make new connections
Go on “once in a lifetime” experiences

Cons

None
None
None

Its the most amazing place with the most inspiring people that you work with and you get to experiance how beautiful the world really is. You get to experiance things you didn't or wouldn't even have thought on doing or even trying to do, these people push you beyond your own potential, which gives you a great view point of how strong and amazing you are, you get a chance to join a new family one you made your own with the help of trust and love from each and every warrior you work with, 100% recomended for anyone who wants try do more than they believe

Pros

We conquered a 500km cycle
You got to see the most beautiful of views
You create a new family, that love and suport you

Cons

Didn't get to finish the 1 mile swim

You and your fellow Warriors become a family who love and care for one another, who support each other through everything. You meet amazing new people and you get to enjoy a variety of fun activities with them for the next 7 weeks. You do so many things throughout the 7 weeks that you’ll always remember and cherish with your fellow warriors. I have made some life long friends and i love all of them to death. I have overcome some of my fears and have learned so much about myself. I would recommend this to anyone who is unsure about what they want to do, or if they want to have an amazing gap year.

Pros

Amazing people
Beautiful views
Fun activities

Cons

Don’t have time to recover
You might not like some people
Might not be satisfied with the amount of food

Many questions have been answered about myself. Very happy with that.
Came as a adolescent, left as a man.
I recommend this gap year to everybody.
Can’t be there for a second quest unfortunately. Very sad because it looks so amazing and I made good friends there. They will be friends for my whole life and hope to stay in contact with them.

Pros

Hikes
Mental activities
Triathlon

Cons

Réaction (physical punition)
Wake up early
Food

The views are fantastic! We make magnificent memories! Also do unexpected or uncomfortable things you wouldn’t usually be willing to give a go e.g. Fed Jessica the friendly hippo, crawled through small mine-like tunnels, slept tent
-less in the Kruger National Park and many more! Personal doubts or uncertainties/weaknesses are also positively challenged and motivated to improve upon and grow. Had a concert night where my fear of dancing came to light, yet the performance itself was really fun. All in all very inspirational! Would highly recommend.

Pros

Diversity
Supportiveness
Motivational

Cons

Close quarters (occasional snoring)
Not many casual shopping or town days
Restricted alcohol consumption

This was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Yes it was tough and it was challenging, but the amount of growth that I've experienced and all the adventures that I've gone on makes everything worth it. The adventures that you get to experience here are truly special and the family that forms around you is so unique. It isn't always fun and games and you will have your down days where you may be cycling for 80km or hiking up a literal mountain, but you are encouraged to cry and to show that you are human with so much support and love around you. Warriors helps you to develop your character and it does help you to find the person that you want to be. It is totally WORTH IT!!!

Pros

The Adventures you go on
The family that you build
The growth that you experience

Cons

Having to clean dishes
A lot of hills
Sometimes bugs in the room

Yeah warriors is an amazing place with such wonderful people and the activities we do and life skills that we learn are so good for thing that we will be needing to do in our future life's and everything you learn it sticks with you for the rest of your life it's not like school where u sitting in class and u forget what the teacher has been talking about for the past 40 mins here what they teach you, you do it the next day perfectly and if not they'll keep on pushing you and teaching you how to do it perfectly

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Expect the unexpected they don't tell you anything you are doing till the day which is exciting actually I prefer it that way if they did the program any different I don't think you would get the same experience of excitement

Questions & Answers

Is this program open for 2022?

Yes, it is. Application for all the various programs is open for 2022

By Rudi Viljoen on February 18, 2022

What is the average age of participants?

average age between 17 and 23. We've had the exceptions

By Rudi Viljoen on September 20, 2021

How fit do you have to be?

No need to be super fit. We start of with basic exercise and build each participants fitness

By Rudi Viljoen on September 20, 2021

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

Both my older brother and cousin have done this programme prior to me. Hearing what an amazing experience this was for them and seeing the change in them, made coming to this programme a very easy choice for me to make.

I've always liked to challenge myself, but never actually got out of my comfort zone in doing so.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Because my older brother already did the programme prior to me, there were a few things he could pass on to me - which was great.

Other than that, the Warriors Academy helped me out with stuff I couldn't get/bring myself since I live overseas and it ended up being a lot easier just getting it on site. These were mainly things for outside activities, such as biking gear, hiking gear, and a tent.

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Just go in and participate in every way possible. Don't think about it, be open to experience everything. There will most definitely be things you won't like, but you'll be surprised finding out there are actually quite a few things you really do like, just never had the opportunity to pursue it.

Also, as long as you put your mind to it, you're capable of doing everything and anything.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Okay, so it's quite valuable to know that literally every single day is different, let alone the weeks.
But generally, you start your day off with some lovely morning exercise after which you return to your rooms to shower and get ready for the day. After breakfast (if you're lucky, there are oats), you go and do whatever activity is planned for that day!

Somewhere around noon, you'll have lunch and somewhere beginning of the evening, dinner. That's pretty much all I can say about an average day. Food is great there.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I don't think there was a specific fear? I was lucky enough to have met most of the people who are in the organisation of this programme prior to me actually joining it. So I guess that already made me feel a lot more comfortable going to the other side of the world by myself.

Other than that, I would recommend being open-minded and not being afraid to talk to people whenever you're struggling with something.

If you could do this trip again, what would you change?

Looking back at my experience, I wouldn't change a thing. There were a few times I was very much set on not doing something, but I'm extremely happy I did end up doing these things/trying it out.

The thing is, during this incredible programme, there are a lot of opportunities that are thrown at you and most of these you won't get a chance of experiencing ever again. You don't want to look back regretting things you didn't do.

Be grateful, cause it's a chance in a lifetime!

James Baring

Vittorio Contaldi

Lindy Odendaal

2016 Alum

Somane Julian Neil Andersson

2016 Alum

Tabi Morison

Aidan John Pitt

2016 Alum

Matthew Wilkinson

2019 Alum

Brad Askew

2019 Alum

Kim Maritz

2016 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Traveling to Mozambique on a scuba diving trip! Just exploring another part of Africa made it so special to share with our international students!

Every day presented a new opportunity where a new diving skill was taught to the students. The importance of respecting nature. This was a trip with lots of stories and memories!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working at Warriors has allowed me to learn to give back without expecting anything in return. It’s allowed me to see students grow into amazing young adults.

I’ve learned to do everything with passion and always give it my all. It’s been truly rewarding having to be able to work with youngsters from around the world!

View Entire Interview

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of the students had a really tough time in school and just not fitting in on a social level! Warriors has taught him to embrace who he is and express himself the way he chooses to.

He learned to accept himself and has picked up the courage to face people on a social level! Allowing others to appreciate his uniqueness.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

The Toltec workshop! It’s a week where our students are given the opportunity to learn about themselves emotionally and learn to accept who they are!

This is a week where we also offer an opportunity to detox and learn a little bit more about a healthy lifestyle. We teach the importance of health is wealth!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

What makes us unique is the fact that we are a melting pot of different cultures, races, and nationalities!

The best proud moment will always be at the end of a program where you see a transformation and the excitement within the students! This is the start of their journey into the big world and we’ve just equipped them with tools to take it on!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

The biggest factor in being a successful company consists of multiple attributes.

Passion
Energy
Hard work
Focus
Dedication
Integrity
And most importantly, teamwork! It takes a team to put together a successful project! Yet we should all share a common vision in order for it to work!

#Fortheadventuresofbeingalive

Ruan

Adventure Facilitator

Rudi Viljoen

CEO

Renske Hagg

Adventure Facilitator

Carla De Araujo

Communications Manager

René Viljoen

MAI Instructor Training

Courtney Venter

Senior Facilitator

Francois Van Schalkwyk

Chef

Rowena Viljoen

Senior facilitator

Charles Thompson

Location

Location:

South Africa

Currency:

South African Rand

Weather:

Jan-Mar

81 F / 57 F

Apr-Jun

68 F / 46 F

Jul-Sep

66 F / 45 F

Oct-Dec

77 F / 52 F

Airports:

O. R. Tambo International Airport

( JNB )

Cape Town International Airport

( CPT )

King Shaka International Airport

( DUR )

South Africa is often thought of as resoundingly unstable and poor; however, this is far from the case. The duality in South Africa encompasses big cities with a well-developed infrastructure, as well as rural areas that are underdeveloped and impoverished. South Africa is well known for having 11 recognized languages, beautiful landscapes, world-class universities, and an abundance of animals.

About Warriors Academy

Warriors Academy is an internationally accredited Gap Year program that has been running in South Africa for the past 17 years. The Warriors Gap Year program is made up of four seasonal Quests. Each Quest is structured and has unique features and activities. These are focused on equipping young adults with emotional intelligence skills, time...