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Gap Year Travel

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Take time out to explore the world

Planning a gap year after school or university? Or want to take some time out of the 9-5 with a sabbatical? Whether you're planning a year-long backpacking adventure or looking for ways to fill an empty summer, we're here to help. 

Boost your CV with a volunteer project abroad, or learn a new language as you travel. Or grab yourself a working holiday visa and earn while you travel. We offer a range of life-defining adventures and travel experiences to over 60 destinations to help you get the most out of your gap year. 

What to do on your gap year

Image of young female traveller wearing a backpack - KILROY

Backpacking adventures

Backpacking is the best way to travel without breaking the bank. By staying in hostels and using local transport, you'll save money on accommodation and expensive flights.

If you like the idea of guaranteed travel buddies and the planning done for you, check out our backpacking itineraries for inspiration.

View backpacking itineraries

Image of a young man beside a turtle on a volunteer project in Thailand - KILROY

Volunteering

Make a difference on your gap year and join a volunteer project. It's the perfect way to add to your CV and improve your job prospects when you get back from your travels. 

We offer volunteer projects in marine, wildlife and environmental conservation, as well as community projects teaching English and helping with construction.

View volunteer projects

Image of a young woman working in a cafe on a working holiday - KILROY

Working holidays

Ever wanted to live in another part of the world while earning money to fund your travels? Then a working holiday is perfect for you! 

With our range of working holiday arrival packages, we'll hook you up with other young travellers starting their adventure Down Under, in New Zealand or Canada. 

View working holidays

Image of a man waiting for a train on a platform in Europe - KILROY

Interrailing Europe

Don't have the time for a full gap year? Use your summer break to travel around Europe by train instead. 

Interrail passes mean you can cover multiple countries in one itinerary - tapas one day, crepes the next. Tasty!

View Interrail packages

Image of a group of travellers reading books on a bench - KILROY

Learn a language

If you're visiting Latin America on your gap year, you can't pass up the opportunity to learn a bit of the local lingo. 

Brush up your Spanish and live like a local in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama or Argentina with our range of language courses.

View language courses

Image of a novice diver looking happy on a boat out on the ocean - KILROY

Learn to dive

They say everything's better down where it's wetter. But you'll never know unless you get down there yourself!

So if you're dreaming of the laidback beach life on your gap year, head underwater and get your PADI certificate on a diving course.

View diving courses

Image of an outdoor sculpture of the world - KILROY

Round-the-world flights

Can't decide which continent to visit on your gap year? Visit them all with a round-the-world flight ticket!

These special fares allow you to combine multiple stops on one ticket, so you can tick off Asia, Australia and the Americas in one trip.

View round-the-world itineraries

Image of tents set up at Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas in Nepal - KILROY

Trekking expeditions

A gap year is the perfect opportunity to start working your way through your bucket list. And we hope at least one challenging trek is on that list!

Choose from the famous W Trek, the iconic Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu or really test yourself by getting to Everest Base Camp or scaling Kilimanjaro.

View trekking expeditions

Boat Thailand Friends
Your gap year, your way

No two travellers are the same. And no two gap years are the same. That's why we're here to create your dream trip - wherever it is you want to go, and whatever it is you want to do. Use these itinerary suggestions as a guide, but that this inspiration and make it your own.

Email us your plans or book a travel advice session with one of our experts to start planning the gap year of your dreams.

Get in touch
Image of two female travellers enjoying a drink on a street in Bangkok, Thailand - KILROY

Ultimate Southeast Asia and Australia Gap Year Itinerary

Combine backpacking adventures through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia with a working holiday Down Under on this epic gap year. 

Find out more

Image of a male backpacker with Machu Picchu in the background - KILROY

Ultimate Latin America Gap Year Itinerary

Travel from Mexico to Brazil on this epic adventure through Central and South America, ticking off 15 countries, learning Spanish, volunteering with turtles and embarking on incredible trekking expeditions along the way. 

Find out more

Image of a group of travellers in a jeep on safari in South Africa - KILROY

Ultimate Africa Gap Year Itinerary

Travel on an overland camping safari from Kenya to South Africa before giving back to local communities with volunteering projects working with children in Cape Town and wild cats in Kimberley near Johannesburg. 

Find out more

Gap Year Planner Image For Side Widget
Countdown to your gap year
We get it – while planning your next trip away can be inspiring, sometimes the admin can be draining. That’s why we’re on hand to help you get the most out of your travels with our 'Off to see the world in 80 days' gap year planner.
Check Out Our Ultimate Gap Year Planner!

Gap Year Travel FAQS

 

When's the best time to take a gap year?

Many young people will take a gap year between studying. You might want to take a year out between finishing high school and starting university or higher education. Or you might prefer to take a gap year after finishing your degree and before starting work. The older adults among you might simply want to sack off full-time work for a while and take the gap year you always dreamed of. 

The best time to take your gap year depends on your priorities. You can always defer university for a year and employers won't be put off by you travelling before starting your career. In fact, many companies look for the personal and practical skills that young travellers develop while travelling, so use your gap year to your advantage. 

 

Where should I go on a gap year?

The world is truly your oyster on a gap year! With a round-the-world ticket in your pocket, you can explore multiple continents in one, combining stops in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas for a better rate than booking loads of individual one-way flights. 

Australia, New Zealand and Canada are popular destinations for young travellers thanks to their generous working holiday visas. If you're aged between 18-30-years-old (35 for Australia and New Zealand), you can apply for a one-year visa that enables you to work and earn money while you travel. It's a great way of getting to know a country while funding your travels.

Southeast Asia is considered one of the best destinations for a gap year, as it's cheap, easy to get around and you can cover a lot in a short amount of time. Latin America is another great choice - learn just one language and you can talk your way across most of the continent.  

 

How long should a gap year be?

It may be called a 'gap year', but that doesn't mean it has to be exactly 12 months long. You might only have nine months at your disposal, or you might be lucky enough to have a few years free to travel the world. 

Again, how long your gap year should be depends on you - if you're not ready to settle down in a career, then keep travelling! We firmly believe travel makes you a better person. So if you want to take a couple years out of real life to travel, we say 'you go for it'.

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Design your dream gap year

You could be on your way in just three easy steps:

  1. Fill in our Travel Wish List with your travel plans (no matter how loose they might be)
  2. Share your wish list with our travel experts and we'll suggest the coolest experiences, the best flights and share tips on how to put it all together
  3. Let us know what you think of our proposal and we'll work on it until it's just right
Start planning

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