Tihoi Venture School is New Zealand’s most significant outdoor programme designed specifically for St Paul’s Collegiate School Year 10 students.
Tihoi Venture School is St Paul’s second campus, located on the western shores of Lake Taupo alongside the Pureora Forest.
The Tihoi experience gives Year 10 students the opportunity to step away from everyday routines and learn through challenge, adventure, community, and the outdoors.
Students spend time immersed in an environment that encourages resilience, independence, teamwork, and personal growth while developing strong connections with others and the natural world.
For many students, Tihoi becomes one of the most memorable and formative parts of their time at St Paul’s.
The programme challenges students to step outside their comfort zones, develop confidence in themselves and others, and return to school with a stronger sense of independence, resilience, and connection.
Tihoi combines outdoor education, environmental learning, leadership development, and shared living experiences.
Students participate in:
The programme encourages students to:
Students live in small groups and share responsibility for daily life at Tihoi.
This includes:
Without the distractions of phones and social media, students are encouraged to build stronger relationships, develop confidence, and fully engage in the experience around them.
Many students form lasting friendships through their time at Tihoi.
From 2027, the Tihoi programme will change to three intakes of 12 weeks (two for boys and one for girls). Key aspects of the current Tihoi outdoor experiences, such as activity rotations, house and parent tramps, solo experiences, and end-of-programme expeditions, will remain cornerstones of future programmes.
The academic component will be taught at the Hamilton Campus by our specialist teachers outside the 12-week intake. This change will enable the staff at the Tihoi campus to focus on outdoor learning experiences, alongside smaller inquiry/project-based learning focused on the unique natural environment in which the students will be living.
Tihoi has been awarded: