Gap Year Ideas 2025 & 2026

What to do

Are you wondering what to do on your gap year? Need ideas and inspiration?

A gap year is a fantastic opportunity to get out in the world, learn something new, do something good or simply get a taste of a different way of life. Choosing the right experience for you will depend on where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there.

Whether you want to travel and see the world, or live abroad, you can find lots of amazing programs and activities in destinations all around the globe. But deciding where to go and what to add to your itinerary can be difficult.

Our guide to the best gap year opportunities aims to help you to have the most amazing trip possible, and guarantee you find something which appeals to you.

Search popular options for students, graduates, backpackers, older career breaks and anyone looking to book the trip of a lifetime.

Best Things to Do on a Gap Year

View amazing things to do on your trip.

Travel

If you have a desire to see new places then going travelling on your gap year is recommended. You could book everything independently and travel solo, or if you are keen to meet other people you might want to consider a structured experience.

Round the World Trips
Tours
Wildlife Safaris
Island Hopping
Party

Working abroad is one of the best ways to travel on a gap year as it allows you to fund your trip as you go. There are so many jobs you can apply for, some are seasonal and can last a few weeks whilst others offer employment for 1 year +.

These are some of the most popular jobs to consider:

Au Pair
Summer
Summer Camp
Teach English Abroad
Farm, Harvest & Ranch
Sports Coaching
Winter and Ski

If you are looking to gain work experience you might also want to check out intern programs abroad.

Why not spend part of your gap year giving back and make a different to people, communities, wildlife and the environment? This is a great way to learn new things, meet incredible inspirational people and also do something meaningful.

There are volunteering programs available all around the world and these are some of the most popular areas to help:

Conservation
Animals
Childcare
Community Development
Building & Construction
Medical Work
Marine Conservation
Orphanages
Teaching

Spending part of a gap year improving your learning and development can be really benefit to your career. There
are universities, institutions and language schools all around the world offering courses to international students.

Language Courses
Study Abroad Programs
Online TEFL Certifications

Sports

There are lots of sports you can do on a gap year, either for fun or to actually become a trained instructor and embark on a new career.

Sailing
Surfing
Scuba Diving
Safari Guide
Ski & Snowboard
Yoga

Browse our website for more amazing ideas for things you can do on your next trip.