Gap year travel ideas
Gap Year ideas for travelling or volunteering
Whether it’s a three month trip over your university summer holidays or a full twelve months spent away before or after uni then here are some ideas on how you could spend it.
Inter-railing across Europe
The classic itinerary for many a student’s summer spent abroad is to inter rail around Europe. It’s even easier now with high speed rail links from London to Paris or Brussels from where connecting rail journeys can be made further afield. A pass sold from the likes of Rail Europe offers unlimited travel over a certain period and you’d be wise to take advantage of the youth discounts on offer while you can. From the UK we are spoiled for choice with the quality and variety of cultural capitals on our doorstep, check out Seat Sixty-One for advice with itineraries. If you’re looking to cool off in the Med after all that sightseeing in the big cities then avoid the overcrowded and overpriced South of France or Italian Riviera and head further afield, island hopping to find one of the more remote Croatian or Greek Islands. Of course there are also the Alps, Pyrenees or an abundance of national parks well connected with main rail services for some clean air downtime.
SE Asia to Australasia
Another popular route is to take the heavily travelled trail to the Far East jetting out to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to take in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia or Indonesia; possibly preceded by India or China, before continuing on to Australia or New Zealand. On a round the world ticket (often the best value enabling you to take a number of flights heading east around the globe) this can be combined with some Pacific Islands (Fiji is a popular stop off) followed by some time in South, Central or North America before returning home. Check out STA Travel for ticket options.
The Americas
An alternative could be to fly into South America to explore that continent or combine Central America starting off in Mexico City or even to add North America too heading on a one-way ticket into a US East Coast city such as New York, Washington DC or Boston before driving coast to coast. In the US whilst the comfort of Greyhound bus services are fast improving whilst tickets remain cheap, hiring a car is the ideal mode of transport giving you the flexibility to visit some of the excellent State or National Parks where you can camp from $10 a night or take overnight breaks on the road at cheap motels. If continuing your journey south then flying from LA to Mexico City is a sensible option in skipping a vast area with not much to see. From Mexico City bus connections right through to Panama City are numerous, if sometimes rickety, but thankfully distances between the small countries are short. Again a connecting flight is necessary to skip over the Darién Gap between Panama and Bolivia into Bogota or Quito, or you may find a boat to sail you to Cartagena via Panama’s San Blas islands. Once in South America bus services generally improve markedly, which is handy as you’ll be covering some vast distances particularly across Brazil or Argentina. Then once you’re done flights out from Rio, Buenos Aires, Lima or Santiago will be your best options – possibly connecting via the US or Europe.
Volunteering opportunities closer to home
Gap Years do not have to involve spending weeks on trains or buses. Why not consider opportunities closer to home such as getting close to nature whilst also getting the escapism you crave after the revision and exams by volunteering with organizations such as the National Trust or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF. Whilst unpaid your living costs will typically be very low with food and accommodation often provided. As its name implies WWOOF also opens up opportunities abroad and the opportunity to benefit from additional language skills or just immersion in a foreign culture whilst meeting people from a variety of backgrounds. If you'd rather not get your hands dirty in the literal sense and are looking for other volunteering opportunities in the UK then check out the thousands of listings on Do-it, Community Service Volunteers or Volunteering England. For more on volunteering abroad or TEFL please see the relevant sections below.
Environmental impact whilst you’re away
Whilst clearly benefiting local communities often dependent on tourism with much needed hard currency, travelers must bear in mind their environmental impact whilst away. Consider some small steps such as taking a rigid aluminium or plastic water bottle away with you to reduce the waste of bottled water and a lightweight foldable canvas bag to avoid the unnecessary waste of plastic bags. Check out WorldNomads Top 10 Tips for Environmentally-friendly travel for more pointers. For the planet as a whole consider carbon offsetting your flights, if you can afford to fly you can afford to do this – from as little as £2 for a flight to Europe.
Click through to our other gap year pages for articles on:
Advice on how to pick the right volunteer abroad opportunity as well as some links to volunteer adventures plus ideas for summer jobs working at home or overseas
Learn how to teach English abroad with a TEFL job as well as links to TEFL and foreign language courses
Gap year travel insurance
For a worldwide coverage gap year or backpacking travel insurance policy there are many flexible and economical travel insurance policies available, but you want to be sure that if an incident does occur you can rely on your insurance provider to assist - ash clouds included! Travel insurance covers not only the loss of important travel documents like tickets and your passport, but also your luggage, personal belongings, travel delays, cancellations and more seriously injury and even kidnapping. Insurance is not just for emergencies, but also to help you enjoy your trip, secure in the knowledge that you are covered against the unexpected. It may not be as exciting as planning your trip, but travel insurance is probably the most important purchase you'll make for your trip.
In terms of reputable providers the student friendly Endsleigh provides good travel insurance coverage at a reasonable price which includes a student discount.
American Express offers specialist Backpacker travel insurance, perfect for gap years, sabbaticals, career breaks and extended travelling around Europe and Worldwide for up to 24 months. This comprehensive policy automatically covers you for a variety of sports, including white water rafting, scuba-diving within a depth of 30 metres and para-scending. An additional Adventure Sports option is also available. Prices start from as little as £67.62.
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Your Gap Year "The definitive handbook for students wanting to make the most of a year off before further education. Your Gap Year is the essential book for all young people planning a gap year before continuing with their education. This up to date guide provides essential information on specialist Gap Year programmes available as well as the vast range of jobs and voluntary opportunities available to young people around the world. Catering to all possible desires for how to spend a year, there is detailed information on how to gain qualifications and skills from your gap year, or details on how to join an expedition if that s your preference. The guide includes a country by country guide to gap year opportunities and is illustrated with first hand accounts from travellers to show you what you can expect." |
Gap Year web resources and UK student summer jobs
For jobs abroad view our volunteer work abroad page.
24/7 Recruit - search thousands of part-time, full-time, temporary and seasonal jobs.
Anywork Anywhere - jobs and resources for work & travel throughout the UK and worldwide.
Employment for students - student jobsite advertising part time jobs, summer jobs and other temporary work opportunities.
Find a Gap - named the 'Google for Gap Years' by the Daily Telegraph, findaGap.com provides an A-Z guide to taking a gap year or time out. Find paid jobs, volunteer projects, cheap travel, hostels, insurance and more.
First Gap Year - Gap year travel guide covering travel planning, packing, health, safe travel, solo travel, hostels, hotels, flights, decision making, finance, accessories, volunteer work, teaching English and working abroad.
Gap Work - gap years and jobs abroad.
Gap Year - the complete guide to taking time out.
Gap Year Directory - one of the UK's most comprehensive gap year guides for students and young people, featuring info on over 300 placements and courses worldwide.
Gap Year New Zealand is the complete guide to taking some time out in NZ.
Gumtree.com - search 1000s of jobs and find the right position today.
Hot Recruit list thousands of full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal jobs.
I Gap Year - Gap Year information and first hand advice.
Inspiring Interns aim to place students and graduates in internships in London and the UK.
Junction 49 helps you set up your own projects, campaigns or events about issues that matter to you. The dedicated helpdesk team will give you tailored advice and support to get your idea off the ground.
Just Jobs 4 Students is an on-line directory of employment opportunities for UK students.
Springboard for Children - volunteer literacy tutoring in inner city schools in London and Manchester.
Part Time Jobs - the place for Part Time Jobs and Work Placements.
Student Jobs 4 U - list a huge variety of jobs from a range of different employers. Whether you are a student looking for a part time job, a student summer job, or a job for Christmas, you will find it here.
Study Options is a unique independent education agency that helps students from the UK choose and apply to their dream undergraduate degree, postgraduate degree, gap year course or internship in New Zealand and Australia.
Summer Jobs 4 Students is a comprehensive online directory of UK summer employment opportunities for young people attending colleges & universities.
Summer Jobs 4 U - season, full and part time work all over the world.
Summer Jobs - features year-round temporary work.
Tax Fix - if you have earned less than £5235 in the last year and have been paying tax you may be eligible for a refund from the taxman. Tax Fix can recover tax on earnings for up to the last 6 years. They can also recover tax paid under the emergency tax rate and operate on a "no refund, no fee" basis. Fill out this form and submit it to Tax Fix to apply for your refund.
Temp Jobs - find some temporary work here via the Reed employment agency.
Trekking Mount Kenya - Mount Kenya climbing trips.
World Challenge Expeditions is the leading provider of leadership, teamwork and personal development training for young people.
Work Permit - UK & Overseas Work Permit information.
Year Out Group - provides suggestions on things to do on a year out from your studies.
Year in Industry - provides talented young people with paid, degree relevant work placements in the year out before or during their university course.
Youth International is an experiential education programme which focuses upon international travel and inter-cultural exchange, adventure and community service.
