Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa

Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa

Location
  • South Africa
    • Limpopo
Length
4 - 52 weeks
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility

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 Ziplining
Timeframe
Fall Spring Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Cabin Hostel Rondavel Tent
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
17
Age Max
24

Pricing

$6,400
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 Included (Extra)

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

What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
Jun 04, 2025
May 22, 2026
79 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Ready to push your limits, explore South Africa, and discover who you really are?
At Warriors Academy, our Gap Year Program is more than just travel and adventure, it’s a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences.

With an internationally accredited gap year program structure and a strong focus on personal development, our program combines epic outdoor challenges with soft skills training and one-on-one mentoring.

Over the course of four 7-week Quests, you’ll hike, climb, dive, and lead, while learning powerful life tools and building friendships that cross borders.

Whether you join us for one Quest or all four, you’ll walk away with more confidence, clarity, and a whole lot of stories to tell.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

This program offers a challenging mix of physical adventure and personal growth, helping participants build confidence, self-awareness, and lifelong friendships.

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

Video and Photos

Popular Programs

Warriors Academy Summer Quest

Warriors Academy’s Summer Quest is an action-packed 7-week adventure designed to challenge and inspire. From abseiling and cliff diving to mountain biking and a triathlon race, you’ll explore the wild side of South Africa. Engage in conservation work, cultural experiences, and hands-on skills training. With a focus on self-mastery, emotional intelligence, and personal growth, Summer Quest is where unforgettable memories and lifelong breakthroughs begin.

Diving in Sodwana Bay

Dive into adventure with scuba diving in Sodwana Bay, mountain biking, horse riding, and caving. This Quest blends outdoor thrill with deep self-work through coaching with Rudi, leadership development, and strategic thinking workshops. Add in cooking, massage, and quantum energy sessions, and you’ve got a powerful combination of personal growth, skill-building, and life-changing experiences.

Drakensburg Hike

From ocean sailing and ziplining to hiking Tugela Falls and exploring the Drakensberg, Winter Quest is packed with South African adventures. Alongside cultural experiences and wildlife encounters, you’ll grow through leadership training, sexuality education, and personal branding. With added skills like motor mechanics, photography, and sustainable living, this Quest is a holistic journey of discovery.

River Rafting on the Orange River

Spring Quest takes you from the Wild Coast to the Orange River with adventure racing, bungee jumping, rock climbing, and skydiving. Each challenge is balanced by meaningful soft skills development, like camp facilitation, fundraising, and presentation training. It’s about testing limits, giving back, and building real-world confidence while soaking in South Africa’s most epic landscapes.

Program Reviews

4.84 Rating
based on 347 reviews
  • 5 rating 84.15%
  • 4 rating 15.85%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Housing 4.55
  • Support 4.85
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.85
  • Safety 4.8
  • Program Selection 4.7
  • Pre-departure Help 5
  • In-program Support 5
  • Impact on Student 5
  • Value 5
Showing 105 - 112 of 347 reviews
Cameron
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excuisite

In my opinion warriors is one of the best experiences of my life, loads of fun and conversing , just all the people that I’ve met through warriors will always be a great friend to me and I will never forget all the memories created by each one of them.I don’t think there will ever be a time during warriors that’s bad attitude and problems will continue for more than a day without being solved as a group. I would highly recommend warriors to newbies that are looking for adrenaline runs and self improvement

Pros
  • Always positivity
  • Building as a person
  • The adventure
Cons
  • Wet shoes
  • Crazy hill
  • Early mornings
102 people found this review helpful.
Jac
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best gap year

Best decision I ever made, woulde not trade the experience fort anything. Great way to meet people, get out of your comfort zone and learn about yourself.
Cabins are amazing, really good cook and verry active.
If I had the opportunity to come earlier than I did I most definitely would have.
Amazing people who do the course with you and incredible facilitator's who absolutely make it their jom to look after an make sure you are satisfied and comfortable with everything.
Awesome adventures all around,

95 people found this review helpful.
Dylan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Warriors academy

This is not a time to say "no comment"! Our son, whom finished school in 2020, joined the Warriors for the first time during the Autumn quest. Where can one begin to try and encapsulate what this program means for its participants? For us as parents it was a difficult decision to make, not being the predictable route we took with our other children and also bearing in mind that our son was not the outdoorsy, adventurous type who liked to be out of his comfort zone (take note: at the time!). We now believe that if all young people could have the privilege to partake in such a program, the world would be an infinitely better place! In the short time he has been there, he has had a bucket load of bucket list experiences which are combined with life skill sessions of note. We are astounded at the personal growth he has experienced! He has learnt to embrace the joy of being alive and is more confident in his abilities to go beyond what seems to be the impossible, whilst at the same time learning to take responsibility for his own wellbeing and functioning as part of a diverse group. If you want to provide your child with an experience of a life time whilst simultaneously investing in his or her future - send them to Warriors! We cannot recommend this program enough. It is worth every penny and more.

101 people found this review helpful.
Jonathan
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life Changing

Warriors taught me many things but I would say my highlight is it taught me my limits are far beyond what I had assumed them to be. My experience at warriors taught me who I was it helped me gain an idea of where my life was headed. Warriors taught me I am capable of great things. I do believe for many many years to come I will use these amazing life skills I learned at warriors in work in my relationships in my family. Warriors built me to be the person I am today and the person I will be for the rest of my life.

Pros
  • Self development
  • Educational
  • Life long memories
88 people found this review helpful.
Tomás
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best time of my life

Heard about this program and thought it would be a good choice to get away from all the stress of life and have a good time full of adventures and learning opportunities and it was the best decision I ever made I met great people had great times I got lots of memories that I will take with me for life warriors is definately the best South Africa is such a beautiful country full of nice views and nice people and the experiences you go through are unmatched it's great no joke this really changed my view on life :)

Pros
  • All the nature
  • The amazing staff
  • The Fenomenal vibes
Cons
  • No cons
  • Just come
  • You won't regret it
101 people found this review helpful.
Luka
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Boom

There are no words to explain how this opportunity has not only changed my son's outlook on life, but mine as well. Life gets fast and furious and if not careful you completely miss it. The Warriors Adventure Academy has had me in tears and so emotional to say the least. The insane ability's you did not know existed within your child makes me SO VERY PROUD!!

The Academy has no end to what you child benefits from being there. From daily Routine to Teamwork and Life skills, all done with so much enthusiasm, strict rules and most of all Love.

Never could I imagine it would ever be so life changing. My son cant wait to get back after every Quest, as they make new friends and form companionship. I have two younger children and they will definitely be attending when the time comes!!!!

87 people found this review helpful.
Lonique
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Autumn quest 2023

What an amazing experience!
This quest pushes you to get out of your comfort zone and grow as a person. I did things I never thought I would ever do and it was an amazing feeling. I made new friends that feels like family and they supported me through all the tough times and motivated me to get out of my comfort zone. At times I felt so alive and part of nature its hard to explain! My highlight of the quest was definitely when we went swimming at a waterfall in Kaapsehoop and painted ourselves with paint we made from rocks. Would recommend this gap year program 100%.

Pros
  • Meeting new people
  • Growing as a person
  • Having the best time
Cons
  • The hills
  • Phones being taken
  • Reactions
96 people found this review helpful.
Henning
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Warriors Academy experience was amazing, I made a lot of close friends and learned so many new thing, I also got to go on many exciting and beautiful adventures

It was amazing
I learned many new things , made new friends and got to go on exciting adventures. I highly recommend this for anyone that wants to get out there comfort zone
You push your self to your limits and really no how far you can actually push yourself.
On this quest you really get to know yourself as a person through your suffering like when you do fitness and mental activities and how far you are able to push yourself or like on the cycle safari where we clucked 500km which sounds tough and is tough when you get started but if you push yourself you see that you are more than competent enough to do it

Pros
  • Exciting
  • Push is you to the limit
  • Gets you out you’re comfort zone
Cons
  • No phones
  • Nothing
  • Nothing
116 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

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

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

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