Program Reviews

As a second-year student training to be a guide at Warriors Academy, I can confidently say that this program goes beyond any typical gap year experience. It’s a journey of personal growth, adventure, and challenge, where each day pushes you to your limits, both physically and mentally.

What sets Warriors Academy apart is its holistic approach to development. It’s not just about the physical adventures like hiking, rock climbing, and survival skills, but also about building leadership, resilience, and teamwork. The training to become a guide is particularly intense, but it's incredibly rewarding. We had the opportunity to take charge of groups, plan expeditions, and make real-time decisions in high-pressure situations, all while having the support of experienced mentors.

The sense of community at Warriors is another highlight. You bond deeply with fellow adventurers, sharing in triumphs and setbacks, which creates lifelong friendships. There's a powerful sense of camaraderie, which is essential when you’re facing extreme challenges together.

If you’re looking for a program that will challenge you, shape your character, and equip you with real-world skills, I highly recommend Warriors Academy. Whether you're a first-timer or a second-year like me, every step of the journey is transformative.

Participating in the Warriors Gap Year Programme was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. From start to finish, the program provided a perfect blend of adventure, personal growth, and cultural immersion. Here’s a breakdown of my experience:

1. Structure & Planning

The programme was well-organized, with clear itineraries that balanced structured activities and personal downtime. I appreciated the support from the coordinators, who were always available to help with logistics and made sure we felt safe throughout.

2. Cultural Exposure & Volunteering

I had the opportunity to immerse myself in different cultures through homestays and community work. Volunteering with local organizations was incredibly fulfilling, and it gave me a sense of purpose while allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the communities I visited.

3. Skill Development

The program emphasized skill-building, including leadership workshops, language classes, and survival skills training. I left the programme feeling more confident, independent, and with new skills I never thought I’d acquire, such as basic conversational Spanish and project management.

4. Adventure & Fun

The adventure component was incredible—whether it was trekking through rainforests, snorkeling in coral reefs, or exploring ancient temples. The activities were challenging but rewarding, and I always felt well-supported by the guides and coordinators.

5. Friendships & Networking

One of the most valuable parts of the programme was the connections I made. I met people from all over the world, and the friendships I built with fellow participants became some of the strongest I’ve ever had. We still keep in touch today, sharing memories and planning future reunions.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for a gap year programme that offers a mix of adventure, personal growth, and cultural immersion, XYZ is an excellent choice. The experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me discover new passions, all while giving back to communities and learning about the world from a new perspective.

I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful and enriching way to spend their gap year!

Coming to Warriors has taught me many lessons, I learned discipline and pushing through whenever it gets tough, Creating a mind that is tough and resilient is an important part of life and here at Warriors it is taught over and over again until it’s cemented in you. the people, staff, and activities all play a part in becoming the best version of yourself, this means boosting confidence, learning new and unique cultures, and learning to think before you do. Warriors is the perfect place to pave the way to your future

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.