Outdoor Experience
What is Outdoor Experience?
Our experienced, skilled, safety-conscious and qualified team delivers outdoor education and education outside the classroom (EOTC) programmes. We are friendly, fun and flexible and we tailor our programmes for your school, community group and business.
We are 100 per cent mobile — we’re delighted to work with you anywhere in the Auckland region. Auckland's amazing parks and beaches are some of our favourite programme locations.
Our specialities
We specialise in outdoor day programmes. It’s the equivalent of a day at camp with a range of exciting activities.
We can also facilitate overnight experiences like hiking in the bush or camping at one of Auckland's many regional parks.
We’re a provider of Grade 1 Bike Ready Skills to Year 5 and 6 students, and guided bike rides for families.
We’re all about helping you get out and get active!
Contact us
Phone: 09 274 6904
Email: outdoorexperience@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Our home base is in Bairds Road, Ōtara.
Why choose outdoor education and exploration
The great outdoors offers so many opportunities for your students' or group members' development.
- Face new challenges.
- Learn decision making and problem-solving skills.
- Practice perseverance and resilience.
- Participate in cooperative group work.
- Learn leadership skills.
- Experience experiential learning ('learning through reflection on doing').
What we can do for school groups
Primary and intermediate schools
Together we design outdoor experiences that are engaging, have high levels of participation and focus on the learning outcomes you want.
These tailored programmes for up to 80 students per day could be water-based or land-based.
A typical primary or intermediate day programme
Our education outside the classroom (EOTC) day programmes can be run from the beach, bush, park or even your school grounds.
Generally, five different activities can be scheduled, such as:
- archery
- kayaking
- orienteering
- adventure-based learning (ABL) activities
- bushcraft
- Burma trail
- environmental activities
- kite construction
- outdoor cooking
- tent pitching.
Secondary schools
We work directly with you to meet your outdoor education curriculum requirements. This can include selecting activities that provide the experience and context for your students to attain NCEA units.
Activities can include:
- archery
- mountain biking
- orienteering
- rock climbing
- sea kayaking
- tramping.
Top Town programme
This half-day programme caters for 100 to 250 students.
Participants work cooperatively in teams as they rotate around 10 to 12 quick-fire activity stations set up across the school field. It is suitable for all abilities with the focus on fun and participation.
Our staff work with teachers and parent helpers to facilitate the activities. We set up and pack down all the equipment. We also provide scorecards and prizes.
Bike Ready programme
Bike Ready is New Zealand’s national cycling education system.
We are a provider of the Bike Ready Grade One Cycle Skills unit. Funding may be available for your school through Auckland Transport — contact us to find out more.
What we can do for community groups
We can provide opportunities for your group to get active in the outdoors.
This may be offering water-based activities for an end of year function at a beach setting, bike skills for those who’d like to ride their local pathways, or a fun Top Town event for a youth group.
Chat with us about the possibilities!
What we can do for teams of adults
There's nothing like a shared outdoor experience for team building!
Think about biking, kayaking, archery, or an amazing race — all tailored to your group and your desired outcomes.
Our memberships
Outdoor Experience is a member of:
Our sister service
Visit our sister service Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC). EOTC is based at Birkenhead Pool and Leisure Centre, and offers on-site and mobile programmes.
