Hillary Holiday Camp

Multi-day, residential outdoor adventure experiences for youth Years 7 –13, designed to challenge, inspire and empower young people

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Hillary Holiday Camps are a fun, social way to spend the school holiday break. It is an action-packed week of adventure, fun, and personal development in some of Aotearoa’s most stunning natural environments. Whether participants are outdoorsy, sporty or trying something new, everyone is welcome. All that’s needed is a positive mindset and a willingness to give things a go! 

Hillary Holiday Camps are structured into three key development stages: 

These stages ensure that participants are grouped with peers of a similar age and take part in age-appropriate activities. This fosters a supportive and encouraging environment, allowing young people to try new challenges without being pushed too far beyond their comfort zone. 

To get the most out of Hillary Holiday Camps, we encourage participants to return each year, progressing through the stages to continue building their skills and confidence. Joining at the Explorer level is not a requirement; participants can enter at any stage that suits their age and experience.

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ENROLMENT PROCESS

As part of our enrolment process, students interested in joining a Hillary Holiday Camp are asked to nominate a mentor or trusted adult from their community (must be a non-relative) to complete our referee form. This step helps us ensure that each participant is genuinely interested and motivated to be part of the experience. It also allows us to build a positive, respectful group dynamic by confirming that students are ready to engage fully with the programme. The reference acts as a character endorsement, giving families confidence that their teen will be surrounded by like-minded peers in a supportive and constructive environment. 

Referee Form

FOOD

We can cater to vegetarians, vegans, gluten-free, halal, and other dietary requirements. We are not a nut-free site, but we do our best to minimise cross-contamination in our kitchen. If you have a severe allergy and need to bring some or all your own food, we can provide fridge/kitchen space. 

On expeditions away from base, the group prepares meals under their instructor’s supervision. These meals are simple and nutritious and are cooked over a fire or camp stove. Ingredients are prepared ahead of time and are appropriate for the expedition. 

SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Our top priority is the safety of our participants and managing the level of risk in the activities we offer at our Hillary Holiday Camps. 

All activities are facilitated by our team of qualified instructors and are carefully designed and facilitated to offer age-appropriate challenges that encourage personal growth, develop interpersonal skills, forge new friendships and give feelings of accomplishment.

We operate under a sector-leading, three-tier safety management system.  

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INSTRUCTORS

Hillary Outdoors instructors are enthusiastic, skilled, and committed to sharing their expertise, serving as strong role models. They are adept at supporting both individual and group needs. Each group is assigned a dedicated, qualified instructor who leads them throughout the entire journey, offering consistent guidance and care from arrival to departure. 

Hillary Outdoors are the custodians of the amazing legacy created by Sir Graeme Dingle and Sir Edmund Hillary who believed that all youth should have access to enhance their lives through outdoor and adventure education, regardless of their material resources or ability.

Over 50 years later, we continue to provide support to ensure our outdoor education-based, youth development programmes are accessible to all Kiwi kids.

We can provide funding support for rangatahi to have life-changing adventures and flourish through two funding channels:

  • Crowdfunding: Contribution Hub
  • Hillary Step Scholarship programme
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Please take a moment to read through our Terms and Conditions before making a booking.

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FAQs

We welcome international participants to any Hillary Holiday Camp! Register as per usual, and our bookings team can help.

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