SA AIA Member Spotlight: Willem Steenkamp of High Africa Adventures

Where Outdoor Education Meets Purposeful Impact

At High Africa Adventures, nestled on a scenic stretch of the Breede River, learning goes beyond zip lines and obstacle courses. Under the leadership of Willem and Yolanda Steenkamp, the site has become one of South Africa’s most purpose-driven outdoor education venues, with a particular focus on one of the country’s most overlooked public health issues: water safety.

From Hospitality to High Impact

Willem’s background in hospitality and his wife’s lifelong dream of owning an outdoor education business, herself having been a teacher in the United Kingdom and South Africa, became the foundation for a powerful transition. High Africa Adventures, which they took over 3.5 years ago, was already a well-loved venue for school camps since 2003. But with their shared vision, the couple has expanded it dramatically—both physically and philosophically.

Since acquiring it in 2022, High Africa has grown from hosting 4,000 learners per year to over 11,000, including partnerships with 120 South African schools, UCT, and three European NGOs who sponsor educational camps for young South Africans.

But for Willem, it’s not about being the biggest.

“Our goal isn’t to grow for the sake of growth. It’s to become the most intentional, quality-driven outdoor learning centre in the country.”

That intention is what led them to transform a once-adventure-only operation into a space for life skill development, values-driven education, and leadership building.

More Than Just Water Safety: A Lifesaving Mission

It was Willem’s proximity to the Breede River that first exposed him to a dangerous blind spot in South Africa’s adventure and education industries: water safety, especially among children from rural and underserved communities.

“There’s a complete lack of water competence in so many kids who grow up near rivers and dams. It’s not that they’re reckless—they’ve just never been taught.”

The problem became undeniable during the COVID-19 pandemic, when local tragedies and rising awareness among nearby farmers brought the issue into sharp focus. Willem and his team realised they had to step up—but they also knew they couldn’t do it alone.

That’s when they forged a deep partnership with the NSRI, and today, High Africa is an accredited NSRI Water Safety Training Facility. Most staff member are trained as water safety instructors, are first aid qualified and some are certified in survival swimming instruction as well.

But High Africa didn’t stop there. They developed their own land-based water safety awareness programme, designed to teach water safety fundamentals even without access to a pool or dam. It’s practical, engaging, and—most notably—delivered free of charge to local schools, communities and NGO’s.

“We fund it from the business itself. And the feedback has been unbelievable. Teachers are hungry for this, because they know they aren’t equipped to teach water safety properly.”

Why It Matters: A Broken System & a Reactive Government

Willem is candid about the systemic inequality at play.

“Life Orientation in the curriculum includes water safety—but most educators don’t even know where to start. They’ve never received training themselves.”

After a tragic incident involving schoolchildren and water elsewhere in the country, the Western Cape government issued a blanket ban on all water-based activities in public schools. Willem saw the effect immediately:

“Private schools, with systems and resources, continued their programmes. But public schools—often the ones whose learners need these experiences the most—were shut out.”

Willem took this injustice head-on, initiating discussions with the provincial government that helped shift policy direction. Within months, new regulations for water-based activities were being drafted.

“We’re waiting for those to be released soon. But this double knee-jerk reaction we see from government is part of the bigger problem—lack of proportional thinking, and an assumption that if one thing goes wrong, the whole activity should be banned.”

Leadership from Within

What truly sets High Africa apart is not just what they offer—but how they see their role in the broader sector.

Willem’s goal?

“To become the first fully facilitator-owned outdoor education site in South Africa. That means everything we do in the next decade will be about building internal leadership and transferring ownership to the facilitators who are doing the work on the ground.”

This model has already begun to shift the internal culture at High Africa. Staff—some of whom were once terrified of water—are now confident instructors, leading sessions with pride. That growth and empowerment is what drives Willem’s approach.

“We apply the ‘Japanese empty boardroom chair’ philosophy which represents the voice of the organisation itself, and everything we do has to honour that seat at the table—the values, the learners, the facilitators, and the future.”

Advice to the Industry: Care Deeply, Prepare Well

Willem’s advice to guides, facilitators, and schools?

“Treat every child like your own. That’s the level of safety, preparation, and responsibility we need in this space.”

He’s a big believer in not avoiding water-based activities out of fear, but rather embracing the challenge with the right training, partnerships, and protocols.

“The adventure industry is full of passionate people—but we need to pair that passion with systems and shared standards.”

SA AIA: The Power of Belonging

When High Africa joined SA AIA, Willem admits they felt isolated in the sector.

“There wasn’t anywhere to go for unbiased, informed insight. SA AIA became that space—a collection of like-minded professionals, where we can share knowledge and challenge each other to grow.”

He hopes the association continues to be a representative voice for the industry—independent from government influence, and respected enough to shape public perception, education, and even policy.

“We need a recognised body that says, ‘This is what good looks like,’ and then backs that up with professional development, marketing tools, and a shared platform.”

Looking Ahead

For High Africa, the future is clear: quality over quantity, purpose over profit.

From expanding their rural outreach to empowering their internal team, they are proving that adventure and education can be more than fun—they can be transformational. Furthermore, within the next 18 months they will also be launching an on-site Training Academy with their international training partners and look forward to seeing how this can add further value to the sector.

“There’s so much more we can do in this sector. But we need support—from government, from industry, from each other.”

Willem’s final message to SA AIA?

“Keep going. This space needs new energy, new voices, and people willing to do it the right way.”