Gap Year Programs in Africa

In the last 7 months ive been here its been a very great experience especially in the last weeks or so, the level of football is good and some games are quite intense which is good for football development, joining the 7Elite gap year program has been a major step up in getting closer to playing professional football in south Africa😁👍.

Great opportunity, great coaching stuff, good facilities because there is almost everything a footballer needs, for me this place is a solid 7 out of 10. I've personally had a great time here and a lovely experience from football to life its self, very very good.

I went into Seamester feeling excited, nervous and worried that my expectations were unrealistically high! I can not stress enough that I was so wrong, Seamester blew my mind, it was more incredible than I could ever have began to imagine. I can not recommend this program enough, you will experience once in a lifetime things and see incredible places. More than that you will learn, learn about the world the ocean and most importantly yourself. You will be challenged in the best way possible and truthfully flourish. I owe this program so much and would do it again in a heartbeat. Go in with a smile and an open mind and it will not disappoint.

This was the teip of a lifetime.The other people in my group were from all over the world, yet we bonded almost imeadiately. Even though the activities, treks and itinerary were all fantastic, the 7 weeks was made unforgetable by the people. Collin, the group leader, was also extremely kind, funny and energetic the whole trip. He gave the group support whilst giving us the freedom to tailor the trip to our preferences, spend time alone or do other activities which we all really apreciated. This trip not only keeps you very engaged with the nature and culture of South America but also physically active aswell. You will be challenged mentally and physically at some point of the trip in the best way possible. I would highly recomend for any gap year students looking to get out of their comfort zones and meet new people. I am truly bonded for life with my group and will never forget the time we shared together.

SAS as a recent high school graduate was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to sail on the Fall 25 voyage as an international gap year student. The experience as a whole was so unique and I truly do not believe that you can find such a program anywhere else. The accommodation was so surreal because I got to wake up and see the waves as we sailed across the world. The community SAS builds is welcoming and kind because whenever I had a problem on the ship or in port, I never once felt alone or stranded. There will always be someone in your corner, which I appreciated. A massive thank you especially to the crew members on the ship who always make an effort to get to know your name, check in and give you a smile or laugh whenever you're stressed by travel planning, relationships and/or academics. The food does get quite repetitive if I'm being honest but it's truly a blessing to have such skilled crew members who can create delicious and nutritious meals in the middle of nowhere on the ocean. Pro tip: always get your cake first cause everyone loves the cake and it's always the first to go. In terms of academics. there are a variety of courses and I loved how everything always tied back to our in-port experiences, which allowed us to reflect on our SAS journey deeply, which I think was a crucial aid in how I developed and matured as a person. This was a great bridge between high school and university because I feel that I came out more mature, socially aware and ready for adult life. I also never felt that I couldn't make new friends because everyone is so open and you get to interact with a lot of diversity due to the various represented cultures, backgrounds, religions, nationalities etc. Til now, I am so grateful for the friends I made on SAS and we keep in touch almost daily as we plan our reunion trips. If I had one piece of advice for whoever's reading this, is that you will never truly see and understand the world around you until you're interacting with various people on the ship and in port. So do it!!! You will never regret SAS, I can promise you that :p

Was the best time and experience of my life it is so fun to be apart of the experience you never feel left out you will always feel like you are apart of the group with helping everyone and everyone will always be there for you

This program taught me a lot about myself and giving up. The river rafting was a bit much but it was a fantastic experience for me to learn from. It gave me a big realisation that life really isn’t easy but we all made it all of the Warriors i loved it so much!

At warriors Academy I grew mentally, physically, and socially. The facilitators were supportive, the adventurers pushed my limits, and I made lifelong friends. Truly and awesome experience I’d do again.

This only being my first Quest of this Warriors Academy experience has already been amazing every single little thing. The people, activities and the environment all just awesome and breathtaking nothing that would make you feel negative just positive and that overall is amazing!!

Before we went rafting down the olifants River we went on a 3 day hike and after that we got to my fav part the rafting where we went down the river we crossed rapids and saw such beautiful views. I felt amazing while doing the whole activity

U will never find an experience like warriors Its filled with talented individuals who provide u with comfort, help u grow, find peace and care about u. There is no other words to describe warriors than the word fenominal

While on my Dragons program, I learned not only about the world around me and new places and people, but I also gained confidence in myself. My program had a focus on cultural immersion and understanding how Morocco and Spain are connected. This was very interesting to learn about, and we did this via language lessons, homestays, and meeting local people. Overall, I realized that the world is much more interconnected than I thought, and I have been inspired to continue traveling and to immerse myself in different cultures intentionally. Luckily, I have also found a global community that is like-minded through Where There Be Dragons, and I feel that after my program, I have a whole new world of opportunities available to me.

My Seamester trip changed my life. I was shocked to discover how much I love to sail, explore new places, and live on the ocean! I was really struggling to find something I’m passionate about, but since leaving Argo, I am actively chasing opportunities to work on a boat and continue living on the ocean. I met some of the best friends I’ll ever have, and I cannot imagine a world in which I never met them. The staff were so helpful, supportive, and incredibly caring. I immediately felt like we were all one large family. I cannot recommend this enough. There are hard parts, that’s for sure. I definitely had moments where I was just so exhausted, homesick, nervous, and stressed out. But the lessons I learned in those situations shaped me into a more confident and adventurous person, and I am so grateful for that. If you’re considering going on a Seamester trip, GO!! I highly recommend the Mediterranean to Caribbean trip, the places we went were remarkable and I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again. Seriously, it is worth every penny. I will always remember my trip and if someone else has even half the experience I had, I know they will absolutely love it.

Quest was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, and yet the most fulfilling, grounding and amazing one. The activities and practical skills and experiences were vast and interesting and exciting and very useful for the future. But Quest was so much more than just a whirlwind of good times. It taught me strength and courage and how sometimes life can be so much harder than expected, but I am always capable of getting through it. Quest showed me grit and determination and success. And that success doesn’t mean a place I get to but a way of living. Living everyday in discipline and steps, in focus and contentment. The development I saw in myself and the Questors around me, I know we will forever have that as our core base to stand on. I still daily thing about what Quest taught me and how I could be making my next moves. I absolutely loved it, the awesome parts and the tough ones, each teaching me a different lesson. I absolutely would recommend Quest in a heartbeat, to anyone who is ready to step into the world and find and form the best version of themselves. It was so incredibly fun and fulfilling! Very grateful and blessed to partake in Quest for my gap year. If you’re still weighing it up, DO IT!! You’ll thank yourself later for making that first step out of your comfort zone. Thank you Quest Africa ❤️‍🔥

Had an absolute blast! Partaking in Quests Gap year program absolutely changed my life and allowed me opportunities I would never have experienced otherwise! I am forever thankful to the staff and fellow questors for an unforgettable experience

When it comes to Quest Africa, I still struggle to find words big enough for what it is. It’s a place that feels almost unreal - tucked deep in the African bush, miles away from noise, and comfort. From the moment you arrive, they pull you into an adventure like no other. I’ve personally been scuba diving through caves, hunting in thick bush, building and painting, and sweating for this place in ways I didn’t even know I could. It’s the kind of environment that demands your full presence. You don’t just visit Quest - you earn your time there, and it changes you. When I think back on my time at Quest, one lesson stands above everything else: growth doesn’t happen in comfort. It happens when you put yourself in situations that are hard, unfamiliar, and sometimes miserable in the moment. Like orientation week, when you’ve just finished building a shelter and the rain starts pouring, and all you can do is huddle together for warmth. Or when you’ve been hiking for three days straight and suddenly you’re told to run a 21km. Those experiences are pure “type 2 enjoyment” - in the moment it feels like hell, but later you look back with gratitude, because it made you tougher, taught you what you’re capable of, and showed you how much more you have in the tank than you think. But what makes it truly special is that you don’t go through any of it alone. Quest forges real relationships because everyone around you is carrying the same weight, facing the same stress, and pushing through the same doubt. There’s something powerful about suffering and succeeding side by side. It builds trust quickly, strips away the fake stuff, and leaves you with friendships that are real -the kind that last a lifetime. Quest Africa is magic not because it’s easy or pretty (even though it can be both), but because it forces you to grow, and it gives you people to grow with.

You can choose to either sit back and let the experience pass you by or take a chance, dive head first and watch yourself be transformed, sometimes in ways you don’t expect. Expect the unexpected I suppose! I arrived on day one with little self confidence and very much in my own shell. By the end, the program had stretched, challenged and drawn me out of myself. I had achieved so much in the short time I was there with the biggest transformation being my self confidence - I suddenly had some… Wholeheartedly recommend Quest to anyone willing to discover their potential!

There aren’t many experiences like Quest that I think about every single week. Not just the irreplaceable skills and learning but the unforgettable memories as well. What I gained from my experience set me up for success in university and now the life that I am living after too.

Everything at Quest taught us to be ready for the unexpected. You don't receive any warnings, timelines for preparation. The first term of the program was the most gruelling but yet the best part of my experience. We learned how to be independent, to work together as a team. We learned to push instead of pull. My personal lesson from this amazing experience: Never give up on yoursel, for the battle is yours to win . Quest made me think on my feet, and make my plans on the move. At the end of each challenge, we reaped the reward of our hard work.

Quest Africa was my dream gap year. I did it as a break from uni and it was a real boost of confidence and sent me back to normal life at the end feeling strong, confident and ready to tackle life. My favourite aspects were the physical acumen which really challenged you and pushed you to the limit, the personal reflection of journaling, reading and improving oneself and the final project at the end of high you get to choose and is a culmination of your skills. That’s just a couple things. I’ve made lifelong friends from around the world, seen a lot of Zimbabwe and even Mozambique and yeah just had the best time. If I could do it again I would 100% recommend if you are willing to challenge yourself and be pushed to your limits to come out as a better version of yourself.