Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa

Name: Warriors Academy Gap Year Program in South Africa
Brand: Warriors Academy
SKU: 146549
Rating: 4.85 (317 reviews)

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4.85 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: Mar 29, 2025

Wish List

65 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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Video and Photos

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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

4.85 Rating

based on 317 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Gap Year Parent

5 rating 84.86%
4 rating 15.14%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Housing 4.55
Support 4.9
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

Good for Adventure travelers, Students

Showing 209 - 216 of 317 reviews

Incredible experience especially first quest where you challenge yourself emotionally during Toltec. From just that one week I created unexpected bonds with people and it set the tone for the rest of the 6 weeks. So sad to be leaving warriors but I feel ready and prepared to go to university and grow even further. I have learned life long skills that I wish every kid coming out of high school could have the chance to experience and the staff are phenomenal at supporting and molding some very broken people into functioning young adults.

What would you improve about this program?

I wish that gap year programs were a more common option for students coming out of school. Not just targeted to people who don’t know there next step In life.

Warriors academy honestly changed my life. If it wasnt for warriors I wouldn't have figured out what I wanted to do with my life! Not to mention the best adventure I have ever been on! From the mountains to the lowlands. Aswell as working with different ideas and developing my own personal skills. They are also non religious! Whatever u believe in when u arrive is what will strengthen when u leave! Every part of this course is built to make you stronger and more powerful than ever! I would suggest this to any one straight out of school!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Trust the process. Just explore and harness you're true adventurer. Get every feeling from everything you do. Do it all and regret nothing

So
It’s easy to say that this place one of a kind in every aspect possible.
Once you arrive on basecamp property your view on a lot of things will change, and new friendships will be formed definitely.
The day to day activities make time feel no existent, every day brings also a new challenge.
A daily routine of higher class is brought among you within a few weeks.
The wide range of people from different countries teach you a new way at approaching a culture with new eyes even.
Other wise warriors is a good investment.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

We got to spend a evening with rhinos within touching distance, pretty dope.

Hi there, I'm Michael.

I have participated in the Warriors Academy for 4 months now. It is the perfect place for people who want to grow and turn in to the person they have the potential to be. There are no judgements at Warriors. You can be free to be who you want to be without judgement. The activities are really fun, especially the ones that involve adventure. The base camp itself is large with nice comfortable cabins and the food is also great. I really enjoyed the exercise everyday because it's a great way to keep fit. In layman's terms, a place to grow yourself mentally and physically. Highly recommend for students who don't know what they want to do yet, like myself. Fantastic

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

Climbing over Devils Knuckles. It was intense but worth it.

Hello! My name is Marnix and im a 19 year old from the netherlands. I was in the warriors program from februari to end of june and it has been a crazy experience. Warriors is so much more than just adventure, you learn all kinds of life-skills. Dicipline and selfgrowth are also at the centre of the warriors experience. Even during these crazy lockdown times with the covid-19 virus the warriors staff still found a way for the warriors to do this quest! Even tho they were very limited in activities they still made it a really crazy and special experience with many ups and downs many moments to learn and grow. If you are looking for a place to really grow your character, warriors is the place for you!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Dont be scared or uncomfortable. Trust the process

I personally did not grow as much as I would have liked to but I guess that was my own fault from not gaining as much as I should’ve ... I have been struggling a lot but there are people here who are like a family away from your family. They care for your health and well-being. They help everyone and treat everyone equally here. There are no favorites and no discrimination towards any of the warriors. I love warriors academy. It has made me a stronger person and I am willing to fight for what I want now. I am no longer the cowardly teenager I was before I arrived here!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

The most nerve-racking experience is probably leaving your whole family behind and getting to know a whole bunch of different people from all over the world. It is an exiting yet scary and new experience for anyone to go through ! It builds you for your own future because the only constant is change!

I come from the UK and so the journey to get to Warriors was quite the mission. Ide heard about Warriors through my old school, but was apprehensive to come on my own. After a 6month trip which was meant to be only 2 months, Im already missing this place. The people, the location and the fun easily take 1st place in my books. To anyone second guessing Warriors, DONT!, iis the most important and rewarding decision Ive made. I hope that the people to come in the future will enjoy their time here and gain all the experience Warriors has to offer.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

Abseiling down an 80ft waterfall in the cold having just done a 60ft cliff abseil.

I would highly recommend this as a must do for any individual after school or even for someone who just wants a year of growth. I learnt so much with my year (2009) at warriors and still draw strength till this day from my experiences when life gets tough, never mind the amazing camp fire stories that I now have to tell. I could never thank Warriors enough for the amazing gap year! And would do it again in a heartbeat if I had the chance. The best advise I could give to anyone joining the program would be to keep an open mind, be willing to learn and ofcourse to have fun well you at it!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

Static line Skydive!
If you ain't living on the edge you taking up to much space ;-)

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...