Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa

This program has been voted the Best Gap Year program for years, and believe me, it is!
All three of my kids have attended various quests at some time or another.
My eldest, post graduation, found himself lacking a bit of direction and needing a break. He attended the Toltec course and came home a changed man. He then went back for the Autumn Quest, before heading to New Zealand for the remainder of the year. What a difference Warriors made to his life.
My other two are still currently at Warriors. As we all know, 2020 wasn't a good year for anyone, especially the young adults who were forced to put their lives and future plans on hold. Plans had to change, lost opportunities to travel etc, it was depressing. Both chose to go to Warriors & are thriving, active & happy. Life long friendships have been made. The future looks bright. Well done the Warriors team and thank you.

My daughter thoroughly enjoyed this programme and learnt more than we could have hoped!! She came back with a whole lot of confidence and hope for her future. The friendships she made throughout the quests are friendships that will last a lifetime. Warriors is a wonderful place, full of wonderful people, and great learning oppurtunities. It is a safe environment where young adults get to expand their knowledge both about the outside world and about themselves, and how to negotiate life's challenges.

Most amazing program! All three of my children have done at least one of the Quests, one of them intent on doing all four.
Personal growth has been astounding for all three. They learn so much about themselves and the world, especially how to connect again on a non-electronic level. Their sense of self worth has grown in leap and bounds.
Make no mistake it is tough on many levels, but the Warrior staff approach and support makes them pull through. I truly believe it makes them find their true vocation and purpose in life.
Initially the fees seemed a bit daunting for South Africans, but it is more than a worthwhile investment in any young adults future.
Safety is of paramount importance to the supervisors and at no stage was I concerned about them. Rowena as director is always a whattapp away and has gone out of her way to accommodate any requests.
My children have made what I believe are lifelong friendships and view the Warriors team as a second family.
Have no hesitation in recommending this program to all young adults.

The Warriors experience is a unique one, especially for young people from urbanised places like Northern Europe. The physical settings of the program are amazing, and the program's trips are challenging in profound and good ways. Our son highlighted his top 3 'wins' from the Warriors program as: 1. development of endurance, resilience and mastery of self; 2. experiencing this development in new and invigorating settings like the hike through Kruger Park, the 500 km bike tour, the amazing scuba diving program at Sodwana Bay, the hikes in the Limpopo hills etc.; and 3. the ability to get out of the technology driven world (social media) and focus on your physical group members as people, on building human relations and challenging yourself within the group. And doing all this without knowing what was coming the next day, put a premium on flexible thinking, collaboration & adaption, and team building.
As parents and family we followed some of this at a distance through the Warriors YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels, which was a very nice experience and helped us to be part of the development.
A big thank you to the whole Warriors Team, and the participants for a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience!

My daughter did the summer and autumn quest a whole 8 weeks away, they learnt a lot of life skills mentally and physically, it put her in a good space about herself and how to handle people in general. They worked hard and had fun and learnt how to overcome the difficulties they each faced in their own way. She has come back better and stronger than before. Facing your fears in the safety of a group, of wonderful warrior team mates pushing on and pushing through watever stands in your way. Enjoy life and what it has to offer.

The Warriors academy has changed the course of my daughters life. She has grown into an incredibly confident and capable young woman. She knows her own worth, her own mind, and has pushed the boundaries of her strength and courage. There is simply nothing else that can compare to this gap year program. Their motto is “for the adventure of being alive” which says it all. The unique experiences, the deeply invested staff and instructors, and the unstoppable energy of the Warriors is just amazing. Highly highly recommended, especially to more American students. It’s a long way away, but so worth it.

My daughter, Isabel went to the Summer and Autumn Warriors program. We could not imagine the enrichment that Warriors brought to her and also to us as family. For we were astounded by how the program developed skills and experiences and friendships. Walking in the KrugerPark, learning to scuba dive, doing magnificent hikes and cycling an impressive distance. And also the skills of first aid, public speaking, nutrition and team work, while also performing goodwill work for a local charity. Throughout this time the Warriors had the opportunity to reflect, learn and develop life long friendships.

Warriors academy was a great experience were i was able to grow a lot and learn a lot more about myself and the world around me. I was able to do things that were normally just a fantasy. We hiked, cycled (I only cycled twice though), cooked, danced, went horse riding amd best of all was the scuba diving. We were given great instructors for all these activities which made it so much easier even for a city person like myself. The opportunity that the Warriors academy gave me is something that you can’t get anywhere else.