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)

Read 317 reviews

4.85 Rating

Leave a Review

Location

South Africa

Length

4 - 52 weeks

Program Tags

Adventure Travel Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Post-High School Wilderness

View Other Details

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!

Visit Site

Apply Now

Video and Photos

View All Photos

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 73 - 80 of 317 reviews

This was the best thing I could've done for my son! If I had 10, all 10 would've done this program, that's for sure! Brandon had the time of his life, every day. He could not stop talking about everything they did. He changed into a man after the first quest, not to mention what happened after the second, third and fourth! Every time he came home, he just wanted to back, one day later. What does that tell you? I would seriously recommend this program to anyone in doubt! Well done Warriors, and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!

Pros

cool people along the way and cool friends
cold stuff

Cons

no phones

Warriors academy is one of the best things I have ever done. The people were amazing and the experiences I gained will never be forgotten. It could sometimes be very though but very much worth every minute. While I sometimes hated myself for going, I can not be more glad that I did. The most challenging thing we underwent was definitely the cycle safari in my opinion. 500ks is not a short while. But I also had the most fun on this trip and really experienced how far I can push myself and others.

Pros

People are amazing
No phones
Amazing activities

Cons

FOOD
Quality of equipment (Bikes)
Beds

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

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,

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.

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

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

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!!!!

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...