RITES OF PASSAGE
Created to help teens step into adulthood with self-awareness, resilience, and inner strength.
What is a Rites of Passage
A rites of passage marks a powerful threshold — the transition from adolescence into early adulthood. This journey is not a quick fix, but a sacred pause: time away from the familiar to reflect, let go, and step into who you are becoming. Through nature, solitude, and shared challenge, young people return with deeper self-awareness, confidence, and inner direction. For parents, it is a meaningful way to honour this growth and welcome a new stage of relationship and maturity.
Wild Life Foundation has years of experience guiding youth through wilderness-based rites of passage — walking alongside them as they meet life’s thresholds with courage and authenticity.
This is a profound moment of becoming and one that - if you are ready - you honour and witness, inviting him or her into a new space in your family circle.
For Teens
Your Rites of Passage: Your Path to Adulthood
Your Rites of Passage takes place over 12 days in 3 different environments. We begin at the Ocean, then we make our way to the wild part of your journey - iMfolozi Wilderness and finally we rise up into the Ukhahlambe Drakensberg Mountains.
Can you hear the call from somewhere within, a stirring of something that wants to be seen and heard? Listen…..
The Journey
Day 1
The Indian Ocean - Salt & Spirit
You stand barefoot on the shore.
The scent of salt on the breeze,
The rhythm of your heart matching that of the waves
Here, at the Indian Ocean, your journey begins.
You ground yourself in the sand
Breathing, listening, shedding what no longer serves.
The ocean doesn’t just wash away; it awakens.
This is where you say goodbye to who you were.
Days 2 - 6
iMfolozi Wilderness - Earth and Fire
Now, wilderness calls. Can you hear her?
You make your way into iMfolozi,
Walking on Rhino paths,
You move deeper into Wilderness,
Closer to yourself.
In the stillness of this wild space, truth emerges.
Around the fire, fears rise—then burn.
You begin to remember who you are.
And in the quietness, Wilderness asks: “Who are you, when the noise is gone”?
Days 7 - 12
The Drakensberg Mountains - Sky and Stone
The air thins. The land soars.
Each step into the Drakensberg takes you deeper inward.
You rise, not just in altitude, but in self.
On sacred ground, held by stone and sky,
you meet the one you've been seeking—you.
Here, Spirit listens and silence speaks.
Your Return
You return with dirt on your skin and fire in your eyes.
Not a child. Not quite grown. But becoming.
You’ve walked the path. You’ve crossed the threshold.
This is your Rites of Passage. It’s time, It’s here, It’s now….
What to Expect
Rites of Passage: An Unbroken Tradition of Connection and Transformation = 12 days
At the core of many indigenous cultures around the world is the concept of rites of passage – sacred and transformative experiences that mark significant transitions in life. These rites offer an individual the chance to grow, learn, and connect with themselves, their community, and the natural world in profound and meaningful ways. They used to form part of our cultures too but we have forgotten. It is time to return, to remember, to step up.
At Wildlife Foundation, we recognise the transformative power of nature and the deep wisdom embedded in these rites. Our carefully crafted journey into the wilderness of South Africa offers an immersive and life-altering experience, connecting participants to ancient practices and wild spaces, and allowing them to reflect, learn, and transform.
Are you ready? Is it your time?
Itinerary
The specific details of your Rites of Passage are a closely guarded secret and are unique to each group. Your curiosity and courage will guide you through this powerful and important transformative passage.
Why This Matters
The world you’re growing up in moves fast. Expectations are high, choices are endless, and it’s easy to lose touch with who you really are. A rite of passage gives you something rare — time and space to pause, to reflect, and to reconnect with your own truth.
This isn’t about escaping the world; it’s about finding your place within it. In the wilderness, away from distractions, you’ll begin to see more clearly what matters — your strengths, your values, and the path that feels right for you. You’ll face challenges that build resilience and confidence, and you’ll discover a sense of belonging that comes from being part of something real and ancient.
These experiences remind us that growth doesn’t just happen — it’s chosen, shaped, and earned. A rite of passage helps you return to the world more grounded, more self-aware, and ready to live with purpose, courage, and connection.
For Parents
A Sacred Invitation: A Rite of Passage for Your Child
Is your child ready to take their first true step into adulthood?
What if you could offer them more than a celebration — what if you could offer them a transformational journey? It begins at the ocean, on the golden shores of Mntunzini. They arrive barefoot in the sand, the salty breeze on their face, grounding themselves before stepping into something new.
They move into iMfolozi wilderness, walking ancient paths created by rhino. Around the fire, beneath the stars, they face the fears and questions that live at the threshold of growing up. They meet their own edge and realise more of who they are. Then they rise into the mountains, climbing into the stillness and power of the Drakensberg. There, they experience the heart of the journey a place where they meet themselves, only the sky, the wind, and their own unfolding identity.
They return — no longer just your child, but a young adult ready to take up a new role within the family and the world, maybe you will notice shifts, maybe they will feel differently or perhaps the impact permeates into their being over time…. It’s certainly an experience that has far reaching impacts and they will share this experience with their children and grandchildren….
Are you ready? Can you open the door to this powerful ritual - designed to mark a moment in the life of your child where you acknowledge him or her for who they are becoming?
This is more than a journey. It’s a sacred rite. It’s a gift. It’s a way to say: I see you. I acknowledge you and I invite you in…