Wilderness Gap Year & Leadership Programs

The great news is that there are opportunities nearly all over the world! Below are some of the main regions and countries where you can take a gap year abroad:

Africa

From vibrant Senegal to the vast mix of savannas, cities, and villages of South Africa, you can have the perfect gap year experience in Africa. This is a great destination for wilderness gap years, especially if you've never lived in the savanna!

Asia

Asia is the perfect continent if you're looking for a region both very modern and extremely historical. Two of the most unique gap year destinations in Asia couldn't be more different: Nepal, home of the Himalayas, sherpas, and Buddhist monasteries, and lush, rainforest-filled Borneo.

North America

Whether you are hiking in the stark landscapes of the western United States and Canada or volunteering in a pueblo or city in Mexico, the gap year opportunities in North America are as diverse as the countries and landscapes themselves.

Central and South America

Delve into the rainforests of Panama or the wilds of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina for your next wilderness gap year. If you're searching for leadership opportunities, why not practice your Spanish while you're at it?

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are popular with international travelers for a reason. With stunning landscapes and diverse cities, you'll discover opportunities for any kind of adventure.

Choosing a Program

As you are evaluating your gap year plans, consider:

• What do you want to learn? Certain survival skills? More interpersonal leadership skills? Do you want to get a certification of some kind?
• What is your ideal location -- a desert climate? A cold climate? A tropical one?
• Do you want to focus on a particular area in addition to developing your leadership skills; for example, survival skills or environmental health?
• Do you want to attend an official training program? Volunteer? Study abroad? Intern?
• Is your program only available to current college students?

Costs

The costs vary per program. You'll find that some programs only last a few weeks (1-4, for example), and will cost anywhere from $500-5,000 USD. A lot of other programs last between 1-3 months or one full semester. They can cost $5,000-20,000 USD. For longer programs (a year or a little less), you may need to pay up to $25,000 USD.

Don't fret at the price, though: a lot of programs offer financial aid and scholarship options.

Housing

If you're looking to attend a leadership gap year, you'll likely be set up with more conventional accommodations: a homestay, dorm, volunteer house, or hostel.

However, if you're applying for a wilderness gap year, you'll find that camping is often a major part of your accommodations. In fact, some only offer camping options. But many others provide accommodations in apartments, volunteer houses, guesthouses, hostels, hotels, home stays, and student dorms.

Health & Safety

For destination-specific health and safety precautions, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) through the U.S. and the travel health and safety section through the Canadian government's website provide great information. Keep in mind that government websites always lean on the conservative side when giving health and safety precautions.

Overall, keep your vaccinations updated, and consult your doctor for treatment tailored to your itinerary, especially if you're traveling to more than one country with different health regulations.

Before you depart, make copies of important documents in case of emergencies, and always bring extra passport-sized photos with you. In destinations where petty theft is a problem, carry a money belt of some kind to keep your valuables close to your body and out of sight.

Contributed by Michelle Philippon