7 Sep 2024 13 Weeks All Levels Split Payment Options Trips from £6695

Overview

An action-packed surf adventure.

This 13 week surf adventure combines the best of a comfortable South African city life with an authentic African experience, along with world-class waves and impeccable surf coaching. Whether you're total beginner or well on the road to being a pro surfer, this will be the trip of your dreams, full of heart warming and heart racing experiences from Cape Town to Tofo.

Expect an action packed surf trip mixed in with moments of pure relaxation on pristine beaches.The coastline is packed with uncrowded world-class waves, thanks to incredible swells coming out of the Atlantic Ocean and cyclone swells heading down into Mozambique. With our nine carefully selected locations, each with their own unique character, you're in for an enriching surfing adventure.

The combination of having both top surf instructors and your Trip Leaders who are also accomplished surf coaches, means you'll take your surfing beyond what you imagined possible in three months. Travelling with a group of like-minded multinational people will also give you the friendly competition of surfing with others and the opportunity to make real life-long friends.

To give our bodies a much deserved rest from surfing, your experienced Trip Leaders will show you around any given area and suggest the best activities to maximise your surfing down time. Your Trip Leaders are with you 24/7 to ensure your comfort and safety, and make this more than an ordinary surf trip. They are your knowledgable tour guides, surf coaches, drivers, mentors, and of course, your friends. With our extensive experience of running these trips, we know that local knowledge plays a key role in the way you discover the surfing gems of South Africa and Mozambique.

What to Expect

Take your surfing to the next level. Whether you're at the beginning of your surfing journey or already have some surfing experience, this 13 week adventure offers it all. With qualified surf instructors as Trip Leaders as well as local surf coaches, Riders are placed in groups to suit their ability, meaning there is no such thing as not being good enough or too good at surfing to join this surf adventure course. The surf course outline is as follows:

Master the basics

  • Paddling / wave catching
  • Negotiating the lineup to get to the back
  • The “Pop Up”
  • Speed control & trimming
  • Basic turning
  • Surf etiquette

Rapid Progression

  • Linking turns and generating speed
  • Developing style and flow
  • Introduction to different types of breaks
  • Introduction to more advanced surfing
  • Video and photo analysis

Ocean Awareness

  • Swell prediction course
  • Beach and ocean safety
  • Surf fitness

What's Included

  • Accommodation
  • Full surf mobility
  • Coaching from South Africa's most highly regarded surf coaches
  • Unlimited additional coaching from your Ticket to Ride Trip Leaders
  • Small student to instructor ratios
  • Learning on the right equipment 
  • Discounts on surfboards
  • A Welcome braai
  • A Surfboard and swell talk
  • A leaving dinner party
  • Surf rentals for the start of the trip
  • Return airport transfers
  • Full UK support pre-departure

We also include:

  • The opportunity to climb Table Mountain
  • A visit to the Cape Winelands
  • Time with the Boulders Beach Penguin Colony
  • The chance to conquer the world’s highest bungee jump
  • A tour of a surfboard factory
  • The chance to ride the Flow Rider
  • Safari game drive
  • An ocean safari

Community

Giving something back to the local community is a central part of each Rider’s experience in South Africa and overall adventure with Ticket to Ride. Each project underlines Ticket to Ride’s commitment to leaving a positive impact on the host country, whilst also giving you the chance to do your bit for the local community.

Ticket to Ride Community Projects include:

  • Waves for Change in Cape Town
  • Volunteering at a children's community centre in Jeffreys Bay
  • Regular beach clean ups

What's Included


  • Surf Camp Accommodation

  • Trip Leaders For Duration

  • Video Surf Analysis

  • All Surf Lessons

  • Surf Guiding To The Best Beaches

  • All Surf Transport

  • Surf Hire

  • Welcome Meal

  • Involvement In Community Projects

  • Photos Of Your Surfing

  • Additional Excursions And Activities

  • Shared Accommodation

  • Optional Food Add On

  • Free WiFi

Trip Timeline

Here you'll find a day by day breakdown of your course.

  • Cape Town

    Settle in, master the basics of surfing, explore the best of Cape Town and help out in local townships.

  • Plettenberg Bay

    Enjoy new surfing challenges with the right coaches on hand to help you meet them.

  • Jeffreys Bay

    Surf world-class waves and get involved in environmental projects. Live life on the beach.

  • Cintsa

    Experience the wild coast! Get out of the town and into the bush, with great waves on the doorstep.

  • Coffee Bay

    Go back in time and enjoy simple South Africa. Peace and quiet, some African culture, great food and empty waves.

  • Durban

    Enjoy the buzz of South Africa’s ‘Surf City’ and refine your surfing off the piers amongst the country's best. Staying right on the powerful waves of the Bluff will also set new challenges.

  • Ballito

    Take on the North Coast power, or refine your surfing in town. It's time to get the 4*4's ready for Mozambique.

  • Stopover in Mozambique

    After a long drive, enjoy a swim in the pool with a cold beer and a delicious dinner.

  • Tofo

    Relax in a hammock or go fishing in between long surfs in tropical water. Everything now works on 'African time'.

  • Stopover in Mozambique

    After a long drive, enjoy a swim in the pool with a cold beer and a delicious dinner.

  • Pomene

    Probably the most beautiful place you'll ever go, with perfect sunsets and long running rights.

Course Video

What past riders say


FAQs

Got a question about this course? Here's the best place to start. If you don't find your answer here, you can request a callback or get in touch using our contact page.

Minimum a week and maximum two weeks, long enough to start to feel at home, but short enough that you'll wish for a few more days at each stop! 

Situated just north of South Africa, Mozambique feels like a totally different world to South Africa. It is much more 'African' if you will, more remote, yet still comfortable enough. It's a surf trip where 4*4's are a necessity! It is also tropical, with coconut trees everywhere and lukewarm water - a mini paradise. 

Book your outbound flight to Cape Town International Airport on the start date of the course and your return flight from Durban Airport on the end date of the course (also known as King Shaka International Airport).

The surfboard hire is included for the first couple of weeks (i.e. Cape Town). Towards the end of these two week the group goes to Lifestyle Surf Shop and purchase boards (please budget £200-£300 for this). By this point your coaches have seen you surf and can help with the choosing process, to ensure you're on the best board for you.

Surfboards are much cheaper in South Africa, so worth buying out there with the team. If you don't want the board at the end of the trip, you can probably sell it for around the same price you bought it as it's worth more at home. However, most people get quite attached :)

You will get more opportunities to learn about surfboard shaping and order custom surfboards along the trip.

Wetsuits are included in Cape Town as well, but we reccommend bringing your own (3:2mil will be best). Wetsuits are cheaper at home (so the opposite to boards). If you need one then I'd suggest looking on www.surfdome.com. Having your own is far nicer than using a rental as well.

The South Africa Rand (ZAR), which is a relatively stable but weak currency means that drinks and eating out will be cheap for most people.

As with anywhere in the world, and worse than some, South Africa has its fair share of crime. That's why you have your Trip Leaders with you, as they know the ins and outs of all the areas we visit to ensure your safety. Once in South Africa it won't even cross your mind.

This of course varies from trip to trip, with the maximum being 25. Saying that we generally have around 15 people including two Trip Leaders, which means you can really get to know each other and don't crowd out the surf spots at the same time!

This also varies from trip to trip, as we have quite a few people who are on their gap years, as well as various people in their twenties and up to their early 30's, who are looking to improve their surfing and travel around South Africa.

For most countries South African immigration will issue you with a holiday visa on arrival. This visa is free of charge and valid for 90 days. If you will be staying longer than 90 days you will need to apply for your visa extension early on in your trip. The 90 day holiday visas are only issued on the grounds that you have proof of return/onward travel out of South Africa. Please do double check with your embassy before departing for South Africa and check out the latest Foreign Travel Advice by going to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

Before you leave for South Africa please go and see your local GP, to get the appropriate vaccinations. It is important to do this in good time and we would suggest sorting this at least four weeks before you leave. For more information, please check out the following websites Fit for Travel – www.fitfortravel.nhs.co.uk and The World Health Organisation – www.who.int. If travelling to Mozambique you will need malaria medication.

Most foreign citizens require a 30 day visa for entry to Mozambique, costing around £50. You will need to purchase this when in Durban and your Trip Leader will be there to guide you through the process.

For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check http://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

Unfortunately not, you don't get a new 90-day visa from travelling into neighbouring countries as too many people were doing this just for the extention. However, you will get a short 1 - 7 day visa unitil your flight leaves.

Yes you can! Just contact us for a quote on a private twin, double or double en-suite. 

Straight from the surf