Father Son Experiences (for Older Sons) - Feedback & Photos

Father Son Experiences (for Older Sons) - Feedback from the Dads in 2023

“I love my family, however I had never been taught how to express my love to them.
I now know that I have been passive in the home, and as such, my relationships were mostly silent.
This guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience meant a lot to me.
I have learnt so much, and it has caused me to take a big step by talking about myself to the other Dads.
This experience opened so many doors with my son, that had previously been blocked.
Nobody was judgmental, I was able to speak freely, and grow in confidence.
This experience helped me to see my son, and my own life, from another perspective.
My favourite highlight from this experience was sharing the entire experience with my son, and also sharing it with other father-son pairs too.
Beyond this experience, I am going to share more of my story with my family, and be supportive, and shine.
And what I now have through having had this experience is priceless..”

(Patrick - Age 62 - Townsville, QLD)

“Prior to engaging ‘Fathering Adventures’, my son and I had recently become distant, and I was struggling with knowing how to reconnect with my son.  I felt helpless and unsure of how to fix the issue. 
My wife was aware of the ongoing issues, and asked if we would be interested in attending a Father-Son Adventure.
I cannot place a value on the reward that this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience has given me.
It far exceeded my expectations.
I now have a better understanding on how to better parent my son, and new tools to help me better communicate with my son.
This experience has been a second chance for my son and I, and our relationship.
The direction from Darren, and the collective input from all of the other Dads, was invaluable.
My favourite highlight from this experience was my son’s and my time alone together on the hike. The open space, and the combination of the previous days, really cemented our bond.
Beyond this experience, with a bit more effort on my part, I will now be able to communicate better with my son, and I’ll have a fuller relationship with him.”

(Steve - Age 56 - Brisbane, QLD)

“Prior to engaging ‘Fathering Adventures’, my teenage son had hit a low point in his life, and that was a catalyst for me to look for such a program.  I was wanting to connect with my son as much as possible.
This guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience has helped me to…
- Have a deeper connection with my son,
- Learn lessons as a father, and
- Guide my teenage son into manhood.
We all received experienced mentoring from Darren, who is a loving, giving man and father. He provided a wealth of knowledge and insights to all of us.
The commercial outdoor adventure activities were run in an excellent, professional manner, and complemented the more structured learnings very well.
My favourite highlight from this experience however, was the conversations my son and I shared upon Mount Tyson.
Beyond this experience, my son and I will continue our improved relationship, and I am more confident now that my son will embrace the ways of manhood we have learnt.
The value for money of this experience was excellent, and the food and the accommodation were also excellent.”

(David G - Age 51 - Tweed Heads, Northern NSW)

“Prior to this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience, I was having arguments with my 16 year old son, there was tension between my wife and son, and issues relating to study, responsibility, and initiative, were escalating. I was frustrated, and even anxious, when trying to solve our problems. There was an urgency to save what we once had.
This experience was an opportunity to formally reflect on my mistakes, our approach to parenting in this season of our son’s life, and a chance to share things that I had kept close to me, and doing so in a safe environment.
It was a genuine opportunity to address important issues affecting our family, and provided us with a better definition of authentic manhood.
The moment I realized that your involvement was actually helping me in my journey as a Dad, was in the first 30 minutes, when I realized that as parents, we were parenting our 16 year old son in the wrong season.
My favourite highlight from this experience was the hike to the summit of Bicton Hill, as it allowed my son and I to exchange really important issues. We agreed to leave certain things on that hill, and we agreed to take some new things away with us.
Beyond this experience, I will live as best I can as an authentic man, and I believe I will see the benefits in my family.”

(David R - Age 49 - The Sunshine Coast, QLD)

“Prior to engaging ‘Fathering Adventures’, I knew my relationship with my son was changing as he became a teenager, however I wasn’t sure how to adapt.
This guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience has been a very challenging and rewarding experience that has helped me grow as a father, and has given my parenting journey more direction and power.
I had never experienced anything like this before, so it was all different, but specifically I feel empowered to take a more conscious and purposeful role in my son’s journey.
The moment I realized that your involvement was actually helping me in my journey as a Dad, was when I paid my registration fees and booked our flights, as it felt good to know that I had taken the first step of prioritising my relationship with my son.
When it comes to my favourite highlight from this experience… the white water rafting was amazing, however the Rite of Passage Ceremony was the most meaningful.
Beyond this experience, I am certain that my relationships with my sons, my wife, and other men in my life will be enriched.
And when it comes to the value for money of this experience, I have received so much more in value than the cost of the experience.”

(Stuart - Age 44 - Bundaberg, QLD)

Father Son Experiences (for Older Sons) - Feedback from the Sons in 2023

“Prior to this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience, I didn’t really know my father’s story very well, and I never really felt comfortable talking to him.
I agreed to join my Dad for this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience because I just wanted to go on a holiday, but I am truly grateful for having this experience and for all I learnt.
I will remember, value, and treasure this experience.
Thankyou Darren. This experience helped me to understand what a man is. A true man.
My favourite highlights of the experience were the snorkelling, and me identifying that I am socially awkward, and that I need to work on that.
I now have direction on how I need to progress and move forward, so that I can become a better person.
Looking forward, I believe that I will be less passive. I will talk to more people, initiate conversations, and grow as a new man.”

(Noah - Age 17 - Melbourne, VIC)

“Prior to this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience, although my relationship with my father was stable, neither of us were comfortable to be open with each other and share thoughts and problems with each other. This program has helped us both tremendously, and has meant the world to me.
It was such an eye opener, and has given me goals to continue working towards being an authentic man.
The moment I realized that this experience was helping us in our journey, was over Lunch on the hike up Mount Tyson, when my father finally opened up about his story with his father, grandparents, and the struggles he faced at home.
My favourite highlight of this experience was definitely the 3 mouthfuls of water I drank in one rapid whilst white water rafting.
This experience helped me to see the difference between a conventional man and an authentic man, which in turn will help me to mentor others, and guide them on the right path.  Life for me is at a high at the moment.
Looking forward, I will continue with my dream, and continue my journey in becoming a better man.
This experience has been invaluable, and will change many.
I hope it is still running in 25 years when I will come with my own son. :) 10/10.”

(Elann - Age 16 - Townsville, QLD)

“Prior to this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience, my greatest challenges in my relationship with my father were us clashing over things like being late for school, being embarrassed in front of friends, and boundaries around electronics. It was frustrating. We would not agree, however we’d eventually work things out.
I agreed to join my Dad for this experience, to get out of the house and spend time with Dad.
This experience has helped me to get to know Dad better through opportunities for long, meaningful chats, which has helped me understand my Dad better, and I also now feel valued by my Dad.
As an external reputable source, you helped Dad and I get on the same page.
The moment I realized that this experience was helping us in our journey, was during the Conventional Manhood versus Authentic Manhood session.  That was very clear and helpful.
My favourite highlights of this experience were my conversations with Dad on the hike up Mount Tyson, and our rafting group working together as a team during white water rafting.
Looking forward, my hope is that Dad and I will work through any differences we face in the future, and respect each other.”

(Zorion - Age 15 - Townsville, QLD)


“This guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience has meant quite a bit to me, building a stronger bond with my Dad, and getting to know others, fathers and sons.
The moment I realized that this experience was helping us in our journey, was when you opened up to us.  It helped me feel that I could too.
My favourite highlight of this experience was the teamwork between us, yes between me and Dad, but also between us and the other fathers and sons.
This experience also helped me to know the kind of man I can be to make the world a better place.
Looking forward, I will have lots more confidence.
This experience was worth every cent. I will be recommending it to everyone I can… all of my friends and their fathers.  I will tell them all about it.  Thank you.”

(Ethan - Age 14 – VIC)

“Prior to this guided “Rite of Passage” 4 Night Son and Father Adventure experience, my father and I already had a great relationship – better than a lot of others. That said, nothing is perfect, and sometimes we would raise our voices and argue, disagree on things and get mad at each other.
Since this experience however, we have both promised to improve.
This experience helped us make new friends, experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, develop my character to become a young man, reflect deeply on my relationship with my Dad, and value the relationship I have with my father.
This experience also helped me discover the attributes of manhood, and know why those attributes are so important, which I may have never discovered had it not been for this opportunity.  It has helped beyond words.
One of the attributes of authentic manhood that surprised me was that an authentic man should not only step down and listen to others, but step up and voice their thoughts.
This father and son camp involved many breath-taking experiences that were both challenging and fun, however out of all of them, with the beautiful views and the exciting thrills, white water rafting topped them all.
And in regards to the value for money of this experience, it was priceless.”

(Peter - Age 13 - Wollongong, NSW)

Father Son Experiences (for Older Sons) - More Photos from 2023

How to Book a Rite of Passage Program / Father and Son Adventure experience

Teenage boys struggle when they are not actively and adequately guided by their Dad or father figure, through their most challenging life transition – from boyhood to manhood.
And no good parent wants their son to struggle because he remains a boy.

As you have read... Our guided “Rite of Passage” Son and Father Adventure experiences are a proven process that result in healthier relationships, a deeper understanding of one another, and new direction, into the future.

This is how you start the process to book / express interest in one of our guided "Rite of Passage" Son and Father Adventure  experiences in either Tropical North QLD, South-East QLD, or Queenstown NZ, for teenage sons, and older sons, and their Dads or father  figures... https://fatheringadventures.com.au/shop/cat/fathers-and-sons-13-years-and-over .

How to Book a Father and Son Adventure Weekend experience (for Younger Sons)

Far too many Dads fall short in their fathering because they have forgotten what they had wanted and needed from their Dads when they were boys.

Our guided “Fathering Boys” Father and Son Adventure Weekend experiences help fathers and their younger sons have healthier relationships, stronger bonds, and a deeper understanding of one another.

This is how you start the process to book / express interest in one of our guided "Fathering Boys" Father and Son Adventure Weekend experiences in either South-East QLD, NSW, or VIC, for sons aged 7-13 years inclusive, and their Dads or father figures... https://fatheringadventures.com.au/shop/cat/fathers-and-sons-7-13-years .