Adventure Guide Program | Queenstown, New Zealand

I found Pure Exploration while researching ways to tour New Zealand outside of the typical tour busses and adventure programs. Being in my 30's and operating on a very strict budget, I was intent on finding something that would not only show me the beauty of New Zealand but also teach me skills that I could use back home in my volunteer work with teens. New Zealand has been my dream place to visit since High School, but I had always thought it was outside of my reach. Pure Exploration made that dream possible. I liked what I read, but honestly had no idea just how awesome this trip was going to be! Due to life circumstances, I was only able to stay for the first month, but that month has impacted me in ways beyond what I was expecting. I am so much more confident in my abilities as a climber, hiker and camper. It was great to get back home and be able to go climbing with a local group and give advice to some of the beginners because of what I learned from the Pure Exploration instructors. I highly recommend Pure Exploration for anyone doing a gap year or who is just in that stage of life where you're looking for something different. Even if you don't end up becoming an adventure guide, I can guarantee that you will come away from this program with new life skills that are invaluable, and you will learn a lot about yourself and what you are truly capable of. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone many times and am better now because of it! And, as if I needed to say it, this is New Zealand we're talking about! It is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful country that I think everyone should visit at least once in their life!

As I applied for this program I had no idea what I want to do in my life, but I wanted to get more into Rock Climbing and Outdoor Sports in general. Also, New Zealand was on my bucket list for years, so I couldn’t help myself and cancelled the job I had lined up at a husky farm in Norway and booked my place at Pure Ex. And man, I can tell it was a good decision.

I would recommend this program to anybody who is interested in rock climbing, hiking, or generally the outdoors. No matter if it is to enhance your personal skills or learn, how to deal with clients, groups and instruct other people.

The two main aspects this program focusses on are Rock Climbing and Hiking/Tramping.

My experience in Rock Climbing was basic before I came here. I had climbed top rope once outside, had a few lead climbs inside and went indoor bouldering every now and then. But I was just too afraid to go climb outside, because I had no Idea what to do.
Now after this program I’m going out at least once a week and do intermediate (multi pitch) lead climbs and take my friends and can explain them how things should be done.
Also I feel way more confident since we learned almost everything about sport climbing, if it is setting up an anchor at the top, where there are bolts or using a tree – I can do it. I can safely abseil a route to retrieve gear or set up top topes. And I can ensure my personal and the groups safety is guaranteed.

In terms of hiking/tramping I had a bit more experience. I did a 5-day hike and multiple one or two day hikes before I came here. But once covering the topics in the program I realized that what I was doing before wasn’t wrong but I was missing so much knowledge.
The two most important skills I took away from the tramping module was the navigation with map and compass, and making my own weather forecasts. Besides that, we covered plenty of other skills like good, cheap & light food on the trail, group management and leader ship, shelter building, fire lighting, emergency procedures, safe river crossing, how to pack a bag.

Besides all the above we did a swift water rescue course and hand down the best pre-hospital emergency care course!

For me the learning was the perfect mixture between hands on, practical learning, and a bit of theoretical information. And all that was mixed up or during nice trips around the South Island.

With the 3 moth of work experience I would recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about getting a foot in the outdoor industry or is not sure if this is the right path for you. I’m quite sure that after this program you will know it!
And even if you just want to spent a good time in New Zealand and learn a plenty of cool skills, you should join. Be prepared for last minute changes of plans and schedules, because that’s just how it works in this industry.

If you think all this sounds good and you want to join don’t overthink it – chances of meeting a great group of awesome, likeminded people is super high… you might even end up as a climbing/outdoor nerd and invest in your own gear!

After studying Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism at uni and doing an internship learning about the business side of a guiding and tour operating company, I wanted to check out the other side of the industry to see if I could hack it as a guide. The AGP provided the perfect opportunity for this, to start from the basics and train up to a leader position under the world-recognized NZOIA qualifications. I gained so many technical skills in rock climbing, abseiling, and trekking, as well as personal and group skills living, working, and training with the other interns over three full-on months. We got to experience some of the most amazing parts of New Zealand in ways many don’t get the chance to, namely by being fully in and amongst it in the outdoors. There’s nowhere quite like New Zealand, from its landscapes to its people to its never-ending possibilities for exploration. I am so happy with this program and everything it gave me, and am so looking forward to continuing in the outdoor industry thanks to the confidence and competence Pure Exploration’s AGP has provided me.

I chose this program as something to help me gain entry into the outdoor education and guiding industry, and I could not have been more thrilled about how things worked out here. I learned so many new skills that are going to help me secure jobs in an industry that I never dreamed I would be able to get into, and now I'm prepared for anything the wilderness recreation jobs can throw at me. I worked directly with experts in the field that taught me how to keep myself and others safe, but also gave me incredibly useful advice through real work experience. I can honestly say I now feel super confident in my ability to apply all this new knowledge to navigate a tough job market and come out exactly where I want to be. Not to mention, New Zealand is beyond beautiful and every day spent working outside here has been so much fun. Through this program I got to see so much of the South Island, and really immerse myself in the natural beauty of the areas I visited.