Program Reviews

I had a great time on course did 2 amazing hikes, and went climbing so meany times. Great fun with great views. The only thing I would change would be the work I would put that at the end of the course instead of the middle so that you can focus on what you need to learn more and not on work. This way you can make the work optional too for people who want to stay longer. But overall great experience just be prepared to study and teach yourself a bit about plants and climbing and knots. The end :)

I had a lot of hesitancies when signing up for this program. Is the cost really worth it? Am I fit enough to do three months of climbing and hiking? Is this something that I really want to do?
Thankfully for me (and most likely for you as well), the answer to all of these questions is yes!!
From personal experience I know, the cost of the program can seem daunting at first, but there is SO much that is covered for you in that program fee. Accommodation for the entire duration of the course, a weekly stipend for food (I often found myself having money leftover from the stipend), all of the costs that go into earning your NZOIA certifications, a pre-hospital emergency care course, an activity budget (which for us meant a day doing via ferrata, a morning on a stand up paddle board made for twenty people, and even a week long road trip to two different cities on the south island!), and so much more is all covered within that program fee!
Additionally, I know a lot of people may wonder if they are fit enough for this program. I will tell you that I am not strongest climber by any means of the definition. I came into the program having never done outdoor top rope before in my life. This was the case for most of my program mates. Our instructors taught us absolutely everything from the very basics of top rope and continued to expand our knowledge throughout the course and by the end, we all had more than enough capability to not only earn our Rock leader certifications, but to also have fun, successful client days. Going alongside that, I'm also not the fastest hiker. What can I say, I like to enjoy the view whilst heavy breathing! Nonetheless, I managed to have so much fun on all of our bush days and find my place in the group. Over the course of the twelve weeks, I gained so much strength and confidence in my own abilities, which leads me into my third point.
Is this something you really want to do? Of course, you know yourself better than I do, but I think you should do it. The most important thing you gain from this course isn't the certifications, it isn't the bragging rights you get after spending three months in New Zealand, it isn't even the fun excursions and beautiful hikes and climbs you get to complete on program. The most important thing that you gain from this program is growth. You grow as a person, as an instructor, as a leader, as a lover of the outdoors, throughout the 12 weeks you spend on this program, you will grow more than you ever thought was possible. Your instructors will be right alongside you as you evolve and change and the relationships that you will build with both your instructors and your program mates will be unmatched. Even if there are days where you are tired or homesick or can't remember why you came to New Zealand in the first place, the people you are surrounded by most will be the ones to pick you right up and remind you how far you've come from the start of the program and how amazing the work that you've put into it is.
The Pure Exploration Adventure Guide Program is like no other.
After reading this, I hope you are only asking yourself one final question: "Am I ready to have the best three months of my life?"

For any young travellers looking to meet some rad and interesting mates this program is for you!!

I just made the cut (age wise) and was a little nervous to be spending three months away from my friends and family; not knowing anyone in kiwi land. Little did I know I would meet the coolest and friendliest people out here (actually I was told I would, besides the point) and live amongst them for three months! They’re now my family away from home that I will remember forever. Till next time AGP.

Being a part of the AGP was an incredible experience and I would recommend it to anyone wanting insight into the outdoor industry. The program is a good mix of technical skill building like rock climbing and bush safety combined with personal development. This is a program where you have to work within a group all the time, meal planning, food shopping, gear organization etc. All in all the nature of the program teaches you more skills than what is required for the NZIOA award and leaves you more prepared to take your friends into the bush for a hiking or rock climbing adventure.

I had the most incredible experience traveling with the team on the Expedition Leader Program earlier this year. Coming into the program with high expectations, I can genuinely say that every single one of them was surpassed. Pure Exploration absolutely blew it out of the park. Not only was the team made up of fantastic individuals, our instructors Keri and Jessica were incredible mentors from whom I was able to learn so much in what felt like so little time, and the office team back in NZ provided support beyond anything we could've asked for. I recommend the ELP to anyone looking for growth, adventure, challenges and connections that will last a lifetime. This program lit a fire in me that will forever push me to chase my dreams. I cannot wait to see where this experience will take me in the future!

This is a great program that provided an awesome experience in New Zealand. The program is full-on, with great adventures and a lot of teaching - if you're thinking about this and planning to pursue the qualifications, be prepared for a lot of self-managed learning. We were able to see some of the most famous parts of the South Island (Milford, Aoraki/Mt. Cook, etc.), and develop a lot of technical skills. If you're planning to pursue work in outdoor education or outdoor tourism, this is a great first step, as it provides excellent training as well as great industry connections in New Zealand. The instructors are highly qualified and have more knowledge than you could possibly absorb in 3 months, and they have great industry connections. Everyone on the Pure Ex team works really hard to make sure the students are getting as much as possible out of the program both personally and professionally, and the qualifications and skills gained are marketable in a lot of industries.

If you are looking for a way to pick up life experience and are interested in a career outdoors Pure Ex is an excellent choice.
Taking the adventure guide program is an exceptional way to not only learn about the outdoor industry but to discover New Zealand and intergrate yourself into the kiwi culture. Sure there are some hurdles and challenges to get throw but most of that is on you and your coursemates to figure out how you overcome those hurdles and deal with those challenges. The course itself is pretty simple but requires a lot of self discipline and responsibility. Long days hiking amazing treks, climbing solid rock, learning to cook mediocre to great meals with coursemates as you figure out what it means to be self sufficient and exploring some of the worlds most wild places. You’ll be faced with opportunities to step up or step out of your comfort zone. It’s up to you what you decide to make of it, but everyone is there to support you and encourages you to evolve yourself. Go explore!

I went to pure exploration without any real experience in outdoor adventure but they provided a fully immersive 3 months training which provided me with a lot of new skills and knowledge, bringing me to a place where I now feel ready to be a leader. It also brought me the opportunity to make such great new friends while getting to live in Queenstown. The staff there are amazing and always willing to help, I know when I go back to New Zealand they will be there to still help me after the course.

What a great experience! Chance to learn from world class guides and climbers. So much spended time in a clean and healthy enviroment of New Zeland.
After 3 months with Pure Ex, I got whole new perspective about outdoor world, bunch of new skills, and for sure improvement as a person!
For sure I woud reccomend this training program to all those who are interested in traveling, outdoors,learning and personal development.

I found Pure Exploration while researching ways to tour New Zealand outside of the typical tour busses and adventure programs. Being in my 30's and operating on a very strict budget, I was intent on finding something that would not only show me the beauty of New Zealand but also teach me skills that I could use back home in my volunteer work with teens. New Zealand has been my dream place to visit since High School, but I had always thought it was outside of my reach. Pure Exploration made that dream possible. I liked what I read, but honestly had no idea just how awesome this trip was going to be! Due to life circumstances, I was only able to stay for the first month, but that month has impacted me in ways beyond what I was expecting. I am so much more confident in my abilities as a climber, hiker and camper. It was great to get back home and be able to go climbing with a local group and give advice to some of the beginners because of what I learned from the Pure Exploration instructors. I highly recommend Pure Exploration for anyone doing a gap year or who is just in that stage of life where you're looking for something different. Even if you don't end up becoming an adventure guide, I can guarantee that you will come away from this program with new life skills that are invaluable, and you will learn a lot about yourself and what you are truly capable of. I was stretched beyond my comfort zone many times and am better now because of it! And, as if I needed to say it, this is New Zealand we're talking about! It is an absolutely breathtakingly beautiful country that I think everyone should visit at least once in their life!