What Is An Adventure Guide Program?
The Adventure Guide Program transforms ordinary travel into extraordinary experiences. It's a gateway to unforgettable moments, cultural immersion and personal transformation.
Journey on the adventure of a lifetime with our accelerated outdoor program, where you'll unlock your potential, master new skills and fully immerse yourself in breathtaking natural environments. Whether you are navigating rugged terrains, exploring hidden local gems or engaging in cultural traditions. This is far more than just a trip; it's a transformative journey designed to ignite your passion for adventure.
Embrace the challenges you face, push your boundaries and return home with incredible stories, a fresh perspective on life and a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.
Download the Program Catalogue
This is a guide to what you can expect to do on our programs, the experiences you will have and the activities you will participate in. The order in which the activities occur might vary.
Who is it for?
Our Adventure Guide Programs are ideal for those taking off on their first overseas gap year, eager to explore new places and dive into the outdoors, or those looking for a meaningful career break.
This program offers a unique opportunity to meet and engage with people from around the world, gain invaluable personal and professional skills and embrace transformative travel experiences.
You'll explore breathtaking landscapes, tackle new challenges, gain outdoor qualifications and create lifelong memories that will enhance your employability and set you apart in any career.
Live Like A Local
Embrace the lifestyle, cultural traditions, local cuisine and language of your chosen destination. Accompanied by passionate instructors you'll follow in the footsteps of the locals while immersing yourself in their vibrant way of life.
The 12 week period allows you to truly live in the location rather than simply travelling through it. You'll adopt their daily routines, experience slow travel and explore the environment that surrounds you. Don't worry, you'll still visit the famous locations; but you'll also visit the local hidden gems that aren't on regular travel itineraries.
Whether understanding the native flora, fauna and Māori legends in New Zealand; sipping maté and riding horses with the locals in Patagonia; or participating the Holi Festival amongst the worlds tallest mountains in Nepal - we guarantee you will leave this program with a sense of achievement and self discovery.
Choose Your Location
Patagonia
Journey on an unforgettable adventure in El Chaltén, Patagonia located within the inspiring landscapes of Los Glaciares National Park. Surrounded by endless glaciers and the iconic peaks of Fitz Roy you'll sip mate, enjoy the local Argentine cuisine and embrace the remote wilderness.
Nepal
Hike through the heart of the Himalayas and conquer high altitude mountain passes all while immersing yourself in the vibrant culture, food and environments of Nepal. This program takes you to iconic places like the Annapurna Conservation Area, Langtang National Park regions, Pokhara and more, offering breathtaking views of some of the world’s highest mountains.
New Zealand
Start your journey in the stunning landscapes of New Zealand, where you'll hike through lush beech forests, understand Māori stories & legends and immerse yourself in the local culture. Queenstown is famous for its vibrant atmosphere and outdoor lifestyle, it will become your home base.
Our Alumni
"This program is fantastic for so many reasons. Whether you are trying to get a foothold in the adventure tourism industry, or just need a reset/break in your life, come out and explore!"
Grayson R. United States.
Program Testimonials
Program Itinerary
- Pick up at a central location by your program instructors.
- Meet your fellow adventure buddies and head to base for orientation.
- Local welcoming.
- Safety briefing, community orientation, program guidelines and overview.
- Kick things off early on with your advanced outdoor first aid course - setting you up nicely for the next few months of adventuring.
- Complete your first outdoor adventure (introduction to top rope climbing and building anchors in Nepal, multiday hiking in remote landscapes in New Zealand and Patagonia)
- Travel to a new location and begin learning the fundamentals of rock climbing and hiking. Including top rope climbing, equipment safety, anchor building, bushcraft set up and navigation skills.
- The goal is to learn the fundamentals and gain a good understanding of rock climbing and hiking before progressing onto more technical skills, routes and expeditions.
- You'll begin to understand how the skills and experiences you gain out in the field are usable for future expeditions, trips and travel.
- It's time to put your new skills to the test. You'll spend your time in the backcountry hiking, map reading, navigating, learning leadership skills and guiding the group as well as backcountry cooking recipes and skills.
- Spending time out among the worlds highest mountains, native forest and local wildlife will see you become one with nature and the environment around you.
- Visit a range of locations and rock types as you learn how to lead climb. You'll gain a better understanding of the methods, terrain and techniques required to complete more difficult climbing routes.
- Spend a day volunteering with the local climbing club and understanding the community culture.
- Now that you have completed your outdoor first aid course, you've completed a few different types of rock climbing and hiking techniques, it's time to get out there on a multi-day adventure!
- In New Zealand you'll visit iconic sites along the West Coast of the South Island as you hike and rock climb, in Nepal you'll complete a multi-day hike in Langtang National park and your White Water Rescue course and in Patagonia you'll climb the Vescho Wall and hike along the ice cap.
- Spending days in the outdoors with your new friends from all over the world you'll be amazed at how far you've come halfway through the program.
- Time to learn the technical skills of traditional climbing, multipitch climbing and instructing. You will come out of these weeks feeling like you know the intricacies of all things rock climbing and become a confident outdoor leader in rock.
- Not only will you become a confident rock climber and guide, you will also understand the natural environment that surrounds you whether it's the native flora & fauna in New Zealand, the culture in Nepal or the extreme weather patterns in Patagonia.
- You'll practise your client guiding skills as you guide your group on a section of trail that you have planned and prepared for.
- These weeks will see you gain a sense of self confidence and achievement as you become a confident outdoor explorer, guide and leader.
- Time to put it all together. Plan, prepare and guide the group outdoors on a multiday expedition.
- In Nepal you will complete the famous Annapurna Circuit trail, reaching high altitudes, snow capped peaks and embracing the local culture.
- In New Zealand You'll be out on the road exploring different sites across the South Island as you rock climb above the Pacific Ocean in Dunedin, hike in the world famous Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park area and experience the beauty of Milford Sound.
- In Patagonia you'll spend your time on the Marconi Glacier learning how to mountaineer, ice climb and navigate the glaciers.
- Embracing all the challenges, learnings and experiences you've had so far as you reflect on everything you have achieved so far.
- It's time to practise the skills you have learned on real life clients. You'll be in charge of the group as you guide and instruct them in the outdoors; mentoring them, and comforting them as they tackle the outdoors.
- You'll gain your qualifications and be assessed on your new skills as well as complete your detailed logbook.
- If you are in New Zealand you will complete your NZOIA Bush Leader and NZOIA Rock Leader qualifications.
- With the client days done, assessments passed and activities completed it's time to reflect on the past 12 weeks of outdoor adventures, experiences and memories you have created.
- Finish up the program with a farewell dinner and friendly good byes.
Download Our Program Catalogue
Program Gallery
Program Inclusions
- Highly experienced program instructors who are with you from start to finish
- Small group sizes: maximum 12 adventurers
- Access to local hidden secrets that are only discoverable with our program instructors
- All accommodation and transport for the duration of your program
- All activities and experiences outlined in the itinerary including all necessary technical equipment
- All national park and other entry fees
- Pure Exploration Certificate of Guiding
- Advanced Outdoor First Aid Course
- Swift Water Rescue 3 Qualification (New Zealand & Nepal only)
- NZOIA Bush Leader & Rock Leader Training & Qualifications (New Zealand only)
- One week introduction to mountaineering on Marconi Glacier (Patagonia only)
- Access to your own "Traveller Area" where you can find relevant and important documents for your arrival
- 24/7 Emergency Phone number during program
- Customer service team for all pre-departure support
- Knowledge of native flora and fauna
- Guide and instructor training; seeing you become a confident leader
- Access to an in-house travel agent who can assist with all of your travel arrangements
