Holiday Programs

Our holiday programs offer a range of exciting outdoor adventure opportunities for children ages 8+, blending education, confidence-building, and environmental connection. The programs take a deep dive into specific activities such as surfing, hiking, bushcraft and river navigation.

Winter Hiking & Bushcraft Holiday Program

Adventure. Discovery. Practical Skills.

This winter, KOA invites tamariki on a journey through some of the most special native bush environments in Hawke’s Bay. From one of the last remaining coastal forests on the East Coast, to inland lakes, and ancient podocarp forests, each day offers a new enviroment to explore. Our Winter Hiking & Bushcraft Holiday Programme is all about connecting with nature, building confidence, and learning essential bushcraft and survival skills – all while having an unforgettable outdoor adventure.

Dates:
June 30th (Full), July 1st (Full), 2nd (Full) & 3rd (2 spots left) - Bonus Days: July 9 (3 spots left) & July 10 (4 spots left)

Join for individual days or come for a multi-day adventure!

Locations:
Each day we’ll explore a different location. These locations are:

Mohi Bush Scenic Reserve
Kaweka Twin Lakes Track (Lake Rototuna & Lake Rotorua)
Boundary Stream Reserve
White Pine Scenic Reserve

In case of bad weather, we’ll head to sheltered backup locations like:

Waipatiki Beach bush tracks
Elsthorpe Scenic Reserve
Te Mata Peak

Daily Schedule:

Drop-off: 8:30 am at Havelock North Pavilion (33 Te Mata Road)
Pick-up: 4:30 pm at the same location

What to Expect Each Day:

Up to 3 hours of relaxed hiking through stunning landscapes
Hands-on bushcraft sessions including: Shelter building, navigation & map reading, rope skills, cooking with gas burners & first aid for emergency readiness.
Nature discovery – learn about native plants and animals
Plus, games, team challenges, and heaps of fun!

Cost: $85 per participant, per day

Spots are limited (only 10 per day) – contact us now to secure your child’s place in this unique winter holiday programme!

Previous Programmes: April Surfing Holiday Program

KOA is excited to join Waves 4 Wellness to offer our Surfing Holiday Program! Open to all levels of skill and experience, each day will be packed full of fun, learning and of course, plenty of time in the water!

Dates:

This program will run on the 14th (FULL), 15th (FULL), 16th (FULL) and 17th of April (FULL). Sign up for one day or the full program! However, we only have 10 spots available each day so be sure to get in quickly!

Daily Timetable:

Pickup: 8:00 am - 8:30 am, from the Havelock North Pavillion
Travel: 8:30 am - 9:15 am, travel out to Waimarama Beach in the KOA van
Water Safety Session (1 Hour): A classroom session on water safety, delivered by Andrew Callinicos, head coach of OBK Surf Lifesaving Club and Waves 4 Wellness lead
Morning Tea: 10:15 am - 10:45 am, tamariki enjoy morning tea (byo)
Surfing Session One (1.5 Hours): Surf coaching from experienced surfers who are both qualified surf lifeguards (1 coach to 5 participants)
Lunch: 12:15 am - 1:00 pm, tamariki enjoy lunch (byo) and an organised game
Surfing Session Two (1.5 Hours): Children build on skills from the first session
Pack Up: 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm, pack up and leave Waimarama Beach
Dropoff: 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm, caregivers can pick up their children from the Havelock North Village Green - organised games and sports will be run during this time

What's included?

Wetsuits and surfboards will be provided for all participants.

Cost: $95 per participant, per day.