New Zealand

Canyoning, Rock Climbing, Rafting, Backpacking, Environmental Conservation Internship, Māori Culture

Overview

New Zealand is a bucket list location and the film set of Lord of the Rings for a reason – it is world famous for its landscapes from glorious mountain ranges to rolling hills to the clearest lakes and rivers you’ve ever seen. Come experience true wonder from a country that puts the environment first!

Rooted Life Adventures New Zealand Features

Hike the Tiki Trail • Walter Peak Farm Tour • Māori & Kiwi Immersion

Shotover River Jet Boat • Bike Tour • Waitomo Caves • Milford Sound Boat Cruise

Stargazing in Tekapo • Rotorua White Water Rafting • and more!

Spring 2024:

February 8 – April 17, 2024

Students:

All Genders 18-24 years old

Fall 2024:

Coming Soon

Program Length:

70 Days

Queenstown, Wanaka, Rotorua

Group Size:

7-12

Want more information? Download our Information Booklet!

Program Components

Students fly together with their instructor to gorgeous Queenstown, New Zealand and arrive at their new home for the next 10-weeks. Here the students will live together with two Program Instructors and Wellness Director in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Our home is nested in the hillside and boasts this stunning view. Only minutes from our home are three stunning lakes, endless trails and the Remarkables Mountain Range. Queenstown is known as the “Adventure Capital of the World” for a reason, there is no end to hiking trails, lakes, mountain ranges, biking trails, zip lining, canyoning, rafting, luging, bunjee jumping, parasailing, jet boating, rock climbing, and skydiving only minutes away in any direction. This location offers endless outdoor adventure like you have never seen before.

A key component of our program is learning the confidence and skills to live independently away from home. Together these students take on learning how to share a home, be good roommates, good housemates, and share responsibility in household chores. Students not only get cleaning lessons, but also are split into cooking groups where they take on the challenge of meal planning for the week, breaking down the meals into a grocery list, grocery shopping, making and keeping a grocery budget, and passing off to the next group. Each night the students cook dinner together with music on, learn the joy of creating their own meals, and sit down to a big “family” dinner.

Community is a key element in our programs. Living together in a house naturally engages the students in conflict resolution, problem solving, empathy, and communication skills. This also creates close peer to peer learning and the sense of belonging that comes from building and contributing to a supportive community. Our programs are mostly technology free which offers a well deserved break from a screen and leaves nothing but space for face to face encounters. Throughout the week the group heads out as a team taking on adventures and every evening at dinner students share affirmations celebrating each other for overcoming the day’s challenges. After dinner the students take to evening games, dancing, karaoke nights, and hilarious retelling of stories from earlier that day.

The program also utilises “captain of the day” to engage in individual leadership skills as well as small groups to foster peer to peer discussion and accountability. Our program instructors facilitate endless group games like capture the flag in the backyard or after a long day of activities the group has the chance to lay by the pool. By the end of the program the students have created deep meaningful friendships that often continue long after the program is over.

We partner with local organizations to create meaningful service opportunities where students learn about environmental sustainability and give back to the local community, connect with nature, and create a sense of belonging in the world. Conservation is a core value in New Zealand and you will be working aside local experts in 2 different volunteer projects.

Environmental Conservation Internship

New Zealand takes on Environmental Conservation like no other country. Students learn from leading experts how to care for New Zealand’s unique environment. Not only do students get to learn about the indigenous flora and fauna and their care in New Zealand but also the many professional roles required to care for their lands. Students get a behind the scenes look at the operations, organisation model, government standard requirements, and staff roles and try their hands at a multitude of real life responsibilities.

Wilding Pines on Ben Lomand

A large priority in environmental conversation in New Zealand involves taming the wilding Pines. Kiwis are working tirelessly to take back their hillsides and protect native bush and Beach Trees from invasive species. Join local conservation experts in some of the most beautiful hikes imaginable learning about native flora and fauna and how to project New Zealand native plants.

Our programs offer a range of thrilling adventures to stretch out of the comfort zone, build new capabilities and confidence, and make for some really good stories!

Canyoning & Waterfall Rapeling
Jet Boating Through a Canyon
White Water Rafting through a Miner’s Tunnel
Overnight Backpacking Excursions
Milford Sound Boat Cruise
Lord of the Rings Tour
Rock Climbing in Wanaka
Go Luging down a Mountain
Horseback Riding and swimming at Moke Lake
Hike Roys Peak, Queenstown Hill, and the Moonlight Trek
Star Gaze at a Dark Sky Project & Hike Mt. John Summit Circuit to see the Observatory

We work with local organizations to curate intentional cultural immersion activities where students can learn about diverse values, worldviews, skills, and life habits. Through this, students expand their worldview and enjoy a global perspective and new lens to view their lives at home. In New Zealand you will experience both a modern Kiwi culture involving the outdoors and sheep dogs, as well as the indigenous Maori culture. We take a week long excursion to Rotorura to respectfully learn the history of the Maori people, language, culture, customs, and of course the Haka.

Fly to the North Island to see Rotorura

The students head to the North Island to the incredibly culturally rich city of Rotorua. here the students will experience a city that lives with daily volcanic activity with steam coming out of vents in the ground, geysers, and hot pools all around. In addition to its remarkable geographical features, Rotorua is home to some of the most incredible cultural experiences the world has to offer.

Tamaki Maori Village

Tamaki Maori Village is one of the most rich and authentic cultural experiences in New Zealand. Students experience a powerful traditional Powhiri and explore a traditional village set in forest where student go to multiple stations to learn about a variety of cultural traditions such as weaving, carving, tattooing, arts of warrior training, and the haka. Afterwards everyone gathers to eat a traditional feast called a Hangi.

Our Wellness Liaison conducts weekly workshops tackling the 7 dimensions of wellness: Emotional, Academic and Intellectual, Financial, Spiritual, Environmental, Physical, and Social.

These workshops focus on peer-to-peer learning, allowing for group discussion and games around the meaning and purpose of each area of wellness and possible tools to be used to attend to each area of wellness. Students will discuss how each area of wellness affects them and bring optional new skills to incorporate into daily life. The workshop will end with a hands-on activity applying the new skills learned.

Rooted Life Adventures offers an exclusive psychoeducational core curriculum which comprises weekly lessons focused on inter/intra-personal relationship skills. The students will build a foundation of personal values and tangible coping skills that will create long lasting connections to themselves, their communities, and their goals.

Effective Communication Skills
Self Awareness & Tuning Into Feelings
Conflict Resolution & Relationship Building
Coping Skills
Core Beliefs and Values
Personal Responsibility & Leadership
Resilience & Reintegration

Wrap-around support is achieved by bringing all student supports into the experience.

On site Wellness Director- On our programs a licensed therapist serves as our Wellness Director and lives on site 24/7 with the student’s for the entirety of the program. The Wellness Director supports the group’s collective program journey by integrating intentional wellness practices into the daily routine as well as facilitates weekly group core sessions and wellness workshops. Our Wellness Director does not provide any clinical or medical services, however, they will coordinate weekly with each family’s home therapist to facilitate each student’s individual growth.
At home Family Talk Therapist- We believe in partnering with a family’s current at home therapist. Families have already spent careful time and attention to selecting the right clinical therapist for them, someone they have been diligently working with, and knows the student well. We believe this is the best person to support the student through the program as well as sustain their learning while integrating back home. Prior to the program, the student’s therapist will be contacted by our team and be intimately involved through the intake and goal setting process. During the program one full day per week is reserved for student wellness practices, during which each student will have a weekly appointment with their at-home therapist virtually to discuss their program experience, learning, challenges, and goals. Our program’s Wellness Director will be in contact with each student’s home therapist for holistic care and to fully support each individual student’s inner journey.
Parent involvement-It is pivotal that parents and guardians are involved in the growth process. Parents are engaged from the start in the intake process, assisting with preparation and goals setting. During the program, our Wellness Director will communicate with parents weekly regarding the group and individual student journey. In addition parents can participate in an optional weekly parent course that mirrors the student curriculum so that everyone is on the same page when the students return home. After the program, parents and at-home therapists will be essential in reintegrating the student back home and supporting the sustainability of the student’s growth at home and help apply that growth to future chapters of their lives.
Program Instructors- On program there are 2 program instructors who are experts in experiential education and travel who live with the group for the entire program. These instructors participate in every activity with the students and help them work towards the program goals providing consistent individual and group support.
Peer Group support- Peer to peer learning and support is key for personal development. Students utilise small groups throughout the program for self learning, discussion, and accountability.