Adventure
Guide Programs

Travel | Explore | Adventure

What Is An Adventure Guide Program?

Our Adventure Guide Programs in New Zealand, Nepal and Patagonia offer an immersive travel experience like no other. Explore stunning landscapes, from snow-capped peaks to native forests, while engaging in a variety of activities such as rock climbing, hiking, packrafting, and mountaineering.

The program focuses on progressive experiences, allowing you to build skills and confidence while creating unforgettable memories. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities for personal growth, guided by passionate instructors who have lived the adventure themselves.

Live The Journey

12 Weeks

More Than Mainstream Travel

Community Living

Group hiking next to Harris Lake on the Routeburn Track

Program Components

Live The Journey

Journey beyond your limits as you build confidence, gain transferrable skills and experience the outdoors all under the guidance of passionate instructors and mentors who have lived the adventure themselves. Live the journey and transform your life through immersive, hands-on travel experiences.

More Than Mainstream Travel

Embrace the extraordinary with off-the-beaten-path expeditions. In small groups, experience unique activities like camping, climbing, hiking, packrafting, mountaineering, bushcraft and bungy jumping. This isn't mainstream travel, it's about truly living in each destination and making every moment unforgettable.

Slow Travel

Experience slow, immersive travel over 12 weeks. Our extended programs let you fully embrace each moment, progressing from beginner to leader. Discover cultural norms, language, food, festivals and local legends, truly living each destination not just visiting it.

Community Living

Experience the warmth of community living. Foster a sense of home and belonging, build strong connections and work collaboratively. Our inclusive, social environment encourages responsibility and self-sufficiency while providing a safe, supportive space for everyone.

Intentionally Responsible

Engage in intentionally responsible travel. Every expedition has a purpose, linked to personal goals and feelings, seeking continuous growth and development. Our outcome-oriented approach helps you learn transferable skills and leadership qualities, ensuring meaningful progress on your journey.

Transformative Experiences

From learning the fundamentals in week one to leading multi-day expeditions by the final week, you'll achieve epic milestones and gain the confidence to become a true outdoor adventurer. Who you are when you start, is not who you'll be by the end of the journey.

Locations

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.

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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.

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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.

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Who is it for?

Our Adventure Guide Programs are perfect for those looking for their first overseas gap year, those looking to explore new places and get into the outdoors or those looking for a career break and want to join a meaningful travel experience.

You'll meet people from all over the world, you'll gain new personal and professional skills, and you'll journey on the trip of a life time.

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.

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Program Overview

Our Adventure Guide Programs are offered in New Zealand, Nepal and Patagonia and focus on an immersive travel experience like no other. While you enjoy small group tours you will explore stunning landscapes, from snow-capped mountains to lush native forests, while engaging in a variety of exciting activities such as rock climbing, hiking, packrafting, cultural experiences, residential living, mountaineering and more.

This is not your mainstream travel tour; it's a slow travel adventure where you truly live in each location, embracing the culture and environment. The program focuses on progressive experiences, allowing you to gain a sense of achievement as you build skills and confidence while creating unforgettable memories with people from all over the world. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities for you to overcome obstacles and gain personal growth, guided by passionate outdoor instructors who have lived the experiences before.

Who we work with, NZOIA logo | Pure Exploration
Who we work with, Department of Conservation logo | Pure Exploration

Program Testimonials

★★★★★

The Adventure Guide Program is an amazing program! Learnt so much and had so much fun! Already been offered employment in adventure guiding!

Gabriel F.
Canada
★★★★★

The adventure guide program not only equipped me with the technical skills for rock climbing and hiking, it also greatly helped me in my personal development and growth, my confidence in these activities, as well as working with others and as a team with my course-mates and instructors.

Rachel T.
Singapore
★★★★★

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 New Zealand!

Grayson R.
USA
★★★★★

Staying in New Zealand for these 3 months has been the best choice of my life. I've had a complete career change. Spending all of this time in the outdoors has made me very appreciative of the nature around us especially in these trying times of the world.

Chace C.
USA
★★★★★

The experience was everything I could've hoped for. Learned a ton, had a blast, did awesome things in incredible places and made lifelong friends.

Max S.
USA

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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Now that you have completed your outdoor first id course, you've completed a few different types of rock climbing and hiking techniques, it's time to get out there on a multiday 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 multiday 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • You'll gain your qualifications and be assessed on your new skills as you complete your detailed logbook and experience.
  • If you are in New Zealand you will complete your NZOIA Bush Leader and NZOIA Rock Leader qualifiations.
  • Reflect on the past 12 weeks of outdoor adventures and prepare for departure.
  • Finish up the program with a farewell dinner and friendly good byes.

Program Gallery