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
80 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.

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 57 - 64 of 347 reviews
Waldo
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Autumn Quest 2024

The program has lots of adventure and also challenges each person individually. Self-growth is a guarantee.

What would you improve about this program?
I would not allow the same amount of swearing.
129 people found this review helpful.
x.Bren.x
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Warriors Review

I’ve had many new experiences and have made some good friends I’ve learnt how to respect myself and to respect others - coming to warriors was the best choice I’ve ever made. The staff here have really helped me out and have changed the way that I think and do things. All the activities are over the top fun and exciting, I always had something to do here at warriors - you are always active and always having to give it your all. It’s a great place and I'd recommend this to anyone that loves being in the outdoors.

137 people found this review helpful.
Ulani
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

warriors 10/10

Warriors Academy was absolutely incredible! I met amazing people, made lifelong friends, and did cool things like hiking, swimming, and cycling. Exploring new places and being surrounded by nature was so refreshing. The best part? The personal growth I experienced. I discovered my strength, mentally and physically. Being in a good mental space made everything even more enjoyable. It was a well-rounded experience, with adventure, personal development, and connections with like-minded individuals. I learned so much about myself and pushed my limits. If you get the chance, check it out! It's an unforgettable experience of memories, friendships, and personal growth. I'm grateful for the person it helped me become.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
stick to the rules and don’t take advantage when you’re given an opportunity
Pros
  • travelling and exploring
  • building strong friendships
  • getting to know yourself, building a relationship with yourself
Cons
  • no phones
  • exhausting and overwhelming at times
  • feeling time pressured and not enough off days
147 people found this review helpful.
Bryan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer quest 2024!

Warriors has been an adventure of a lifetime! Being able to challenge myself in so many ways as well as traveling has made this experience so worth it. The soft skills that we learned was so beneficial towards my growth as a person and I learnt so much on these courses. Coming back for the second quest! Warriors allowed me the opportunity to meet so many new people as well as have experiences that were totally out of my comfort zone. The many characteristics and different nationalities were interesting to indulge in. The co stand physical activity also kept me in shape

What was your funniest moment?
When Cameron has diarrhea on the Wolkberg hike!
Pros
  • Travelling
  • Physical growth
  • Mental growth
Cons
  • Heat exhaustion
148 people found this review helpful.
Samuel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Warriors Summer quest

I loved my experience at warriors it really pushed me to my limits and I absolutely loved it. It was supper fun and I absolutely loved making new friends and getting to know new people and being able to make similar connections with people from different backgrounds the facilitators are absolutely amazing and very supportive definitely a opportunity of a lifetime. I loved trying the traditional food of the limpopo area it was exotic but I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend this program for anyone.

Pros
  • The fun and commradship
Cons
  • The distance from town
151 people found this review helpful.
Trent
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Review of Warriors Summer Quest

I have really enjoyed my time at Warriors. Over the seven weeks I have been here I have seen and done so many amazing things I never thought I would do. I have grown a lot through all my experiences at Warriors and I feel I am a much stronger, confident and independant person than when I first arrived here. Not to exclude mentioning how much physically fitter I've become as well.

The Self-mastery workshop we did during the first week was amazing as it helped me to learn more about myself and work through my problems. It helped me to let go of a lot of things I was holding on to and to prove to myself how strong and capable I really am.

The facilitators and everyone who runs this amazing program are very supportive and helpful. They make sure you are doing well and are having a great time. I feel I have made friends with many of them.

I have met people from all over the world and made great friends with pretty much all of my fellow Warriors. There is a great comraderie between everyone.

I really would recommend Warriors Academy to anyone my age who has finished school and doesn't know what the next step in life is. I promise you that you will learn so much about yourself, make great friends and have an amazing time

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
A mopane worm
Pros
  • Mental and physical growth
  • Making great friends from all over the world.
  • Incredible adventures
146 people found this review helpful.
Kieran
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Transformative experience

Warriors is the place to transform yourself and your life trajectory through learning and struggling, both physically and mentally, to develop the right habits for a meaningful life. And, it’s the place to go on the wildest adventures with people that you will never forget. So much fun!!! 10/10 would recommend. We wake up at 5:30 am so it gets your sleep schedule correct, and we exersise every day so you get extremely physically fit. In the 7 weeks we competed a mile swim, a 60km hike, a triathlon, a 3 day hike through the African Savannah, and a 500km cycle.

What was your funniest moment?
When one of my friends broke his bike so horrifically bad even the best of bike mechanics didn’t know what to do with it
Pros
  • Fitness
  • Friendship
  • Growth
Cons
  • Not for lazy people
146 people found this review helpful.
Giorgos
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I found myself

This program made me grow already in 7 weeks. I met incredible people from all over the world, each with their own problems, all with a specific goal. I made real friends who grew with me during this program. You shouldn't expect anything easy when signing for the warriors... The activities we do are physically or mentally exhausting (often both). It's amazing how much mental improvement improves during a quest (of course only if you're committed). The staff around us listen and help us throughout this adventure... Thank you warriors!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
That was the time we had to carry tree logs in groups of 2 or 3, over a distance of 6km in the night. This experience really made me suffer mentally and physically but made me grow
Pros
  • Exiting activities
  • Meeting interesting people
  • Comitment of everyone
Cons
  • rented equipment sometimes of poor quality
  • sometimes bad atmosphere between the warriors due to fatigue
  • sometimes lack of food during hikes and cycle safari
145 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