Mangawhai | 2 nights 3 days or longer
Overnight school camps
The turnkey school camp: you arrive on the buses, we take care of everything else. Beds, meals, daily surfing, a full activity program and the safety file, all done. For 40 to 140 students.
The formula
A three-day camp of a lifetime
Our camps run at Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park, right on the water at the heart of the Mangawhai estuary, just over an hour north of Auckland. Between the surf beach, Picnic Bay and the estuary, students move between real waves, sheltered water and beach adventures without ever getting back on a bus.
- 2 nights 3 days, or longer
- 40 to 140 students
- From $329 per student
- $189 per supervisor
- Terms 1, 2 & 4
All-inclusive means all: accommodation, every meal (dietaries handled in advance), daily surf lessons, activities, equipment, instruction, even the sunscreen. Funded subsidies are available through Aotearoa Surf; tell us if cost is the barrier.
The program
Surf every day, plus everything else
Daily surf lessons at Mangawhai Heads Beach follow our levelled lesson plan, so first-timers catch whitewater on day one while experienced surfers work on technique out the back. Around the surfing, students rotate through a menu we build with you:
- Kayaking
- Paddleboarding
- Sandboarding
- Raft building
- Snorkelling
- Team building
- Coastal explore hike
- Beach games
- Volleyball, rugby & football
- Yoga
- Amazing race
- Camp Olympics
- Movie night
- BBQ
Alongside the fun sits real learning: ocean confidence, water safety, hazard and risk awareness, coastal environments, wildlife and sustainability. Students leave knowing how to read a beach, not just how to stand on a board.
Day by day
Sample 3-day itinerary
- Arrive and dive in
11:30 am arrival, lunch, welcome and a whole-camp activity, rooms set up, then straight into activity one. Camp Olympics before dinner, night activity, lights out 9:30 pm.
- The full camp day
Morning energiser yoga, breakfast, then activity blocks morning and afternoon (surfing for everyone), free time before dinner, night activity, lights out 9:30 pm.
- Last waves and farewell
Energiser yoga, breakfast, final activity block, early lunch, debrief and depart by midday.
Camps can run longer than three days; the program deepens rather than repeats. Ask for the full hour-by-hour itinerary for your EOTC plan, plus the what-to-bring list for parents.
Beds and kai
Glamping teepees, not leaky tents
Students sleep in modern, spacious glamping teepees set up specifically for your camp, organised by gender with pre-planned bed allocation. Supervisors get teepees plus self-contained cabins with full bathrooms, an arm's length from the students. A large dining teepee hosts meals and night activities, and the holiday park provides gender-specific bathroom blocks, a playground and a waterfront setting on the lagoon.
All meals are provided: nutritious, plentiful, and every dietary requirement (vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free and more) arranged with you in advance.
Safety
Two decades, no notable incidents
Aotearoa Surf has operated for over 20 years with no notable health and safety incidents. Camps run under our full RAMS and operating procedures with a 1:4-8 in-water instructor ratio depending on age, instructors who are ISA qualified, Surf Lifesaving awarded, first aid trained and Police checked, and dedicated onsite management across the whole camp. The complete documentation set is on the Safety & EOTC page.
What does an overnight school camp cost?
From $329 per student and $189 per supervisor, all-inclusive: accommodation, all meals with dietaries catered, daily surf lessons, all camp activities, night activities, supervision, operational oversight, equipment and instruction. Funded subsidies are available through Aotearoa Surf; we will let you know when you enquire.
How many students can the camp take?
40 to 140 students per camp, plus school supervisors. Students sleep in modern glamping teepees organised by gender with pre-planned room and activity group allocation. Supervisors have teepees and self-contained cabins.
Do students need to be able to surf or swim?
No. Lessons run at every level from first-timer up, and non-confident swimmers are our specialty: beginner sessions run at the right pace in waist-deep water where students can stand.
What is included in the camp?
Everything: teepee accommodation, all meals and dietary requirements, daily surf lessons, kayaking, paddleboarding, team building, night activities, all equipment, even sunscreen. You turn up on the buses and we take care of the rest.
How does overnight supervision work?
Your teachers and supervisors hold pastoral care overnight, sleeping in teepees and cabins right beside the students, and our Police-vetted staff are on site throughout. During the day we take full operational oversight of every activity. You have a dedicated Camp Manager, activity group instructors and additional water-based rotation support instructors at all times. The whole structure is written into your RAMS so everyone knows exactly who covers what.
How do you handle food allergies and dietary needs?
All dietaries are collected on our pre-camp manifests and arranged with you in advance: vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, allergies and anything else. All dietary requirements are catered for, and our commercial caterers and instructors are briefed well in advance and fully prepared.
What should students pack?
A sleeping bag or bedding, three changes of clothes, swimwear and a towel, warm jumper, lightweight rain jacket, sneakers and sandals, torch, drink bottle and personal medication (medication and administration is managed by your school team). All activity equipment is supplied, though students are welcome to bring their own wetsuit. The full what-to-bring list comes with your proposal.
Terms 1, 2 and 4 book out fast
Send your student numbers and preferred week. We reply within one school day with availability, the itinerary and the safety pack.