Australia Adventure with Gapforce

I would highly recommend this trip to anyone and everyone! Having always wanted to travel Australia I would never of been able to organise everything on this trip i.e white water rafting, fraiser island, surfing (I could go on) making my trip very easy. Our leaders, Andy and Humphrey truly made our experience being the parent, friend and occasional doctor we needed for our little family. We laughed the whole way up the coast whilst obviously conducting many dynamic risk assessments! The people on the trip were amazing and I made many true friends who saying goodbye was difficult. It’s crazy to me that I ever considered NOT going on this trip, it’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone whilst always feeling safe and make friends. The only bad thing about it is that the rest of gap year might not measure up! Thank you GapForce (Andy and Humphrey). Memories for a lifetime

Where do i start! This trip has exceeded my expectations and i am so pleased I pushed myself to take part as i wouldn't have made so many memories, met the most amazing people and formed amazing friendships.
My trip didn't have the smoothest of starts feeling homesick but I wouldn't have enjoyed it half as much if it wasn't for the encouragement of my leaders Andy and Humphrey. They really take care of you and made the trip so enjoyable.
Byron Bay was by far my most favourite place and i tried surfing for the first time. This trip enabled me to try new experiences like the Harbour Bridge, hold a koala, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsundays Boat Trip will be a trip i will never forget.
This trip is perfect for first travellers!

I recommend this company for first timers only. If this is your first time traveling abroad, or without people you know, this is most likely the perfect fit for you.
HOWEVER if you’ve travelled before and know how to take care of yourself, this may not be the program for you. Our leaders are super friendly and everything you would hope for. Probably for UK legal reasons the company structures the trip more like a high school trip (Buddy system etc) rather than a group of seasoned travelers looking for fellow seasoned travelers. I was slightly shocked by the lack of experience in the group but I am still super glad I did this trip. You can enjoy this trip as a first time traveler or a experienced traveler, just know what to expect!
I joined the trip for the awesome itinerary and that alone was worth it. Plus you still meet lots of people in and outside of your group.

In the following review, I would like to tell you about my personal experience with the Australian Adventure with Gapforce.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to have a change in my life and to forget about all my worries that stopped me from exploring the whole wide world. Far away - just to have some quality time for myself. I have to say that I did some kind of group travelling with random people before and they have been way older than me. It's actually more fun having people around you in your age.

I have never been in Australia before and not being a native english speaking person, makes it even harder to leave my familiar europe and to explore completely new cultures.
Actually, I wanted to do the 7 week program that includes these 4 weeks of travelling
and a voluntary phase at the end of the trip. It seemed to be the perfect combination for me. Travelling along the Australian East Coast and giving something back to Mother Nature before you go back home. Unfortunately, they didn't offer it for the Australian Winter Season. I booked it anyway and decided to just hang on a few more weeks and applied for a voluntary project on my own.

Our Expedition Leader was Gaz Lloyd. Or like he would say - Gazforce Banana Adventure Lloyd. You will definitely understand, when you meet him. If you will get him for your next adventure with Gapforce, you are really really lucky. He is one of the most impressive people I met in my whole life. If  you need individual help, want to do some optional activities in your freetime or just go for a hike, especially in the early morning, he was always there for you and ready to offer you any kind of help.
Anyway, he didn't want to hold our hands all the time and to protect us from making mistakes. Quite the contrary - he rather wanted to give us the freedom needed to experience the country independently, to get more self-
confident in travelling and to make our own personal adventures.

Our Australian Adventure is going to an end now and looking back to the past four weeks and all the things we have experienced and struggled with together, makes it even harder to finally say goodbye. I will never regret my decision to take part on this trip. Thank you to all the amazing people I met and for all these special moments we shared. You guys made my australian experience so special and I couldn't be more thankful for it.

So, if you're thinking about visiting Australia for a few weeks, but you don't feel well doing it for the first time and being completely responsible for yourself, the Australian Adventure with Gapforce might be the perfect solution. It gives you a general basis to work with. You don't have to worry about accommodation or transport. The only thing you have to think about is how you can make it to your own personal and unforgettable adventure.

Things that I learned on this trip: Don't think too much about what might happen. Sometimes you have to be brave for just a few seconds. Just do it, do it, do it!!!!
Change is all what life is about. You shouldn't worry too much about certain things that you would definitely regret. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder, if only... .

My experience on the Australia Adventure was one of the best trips I have been on. I would particularly reccomend it to any first time travelers who are unsure about backpacking abroad and would like to enjoy a summer of fun travelling up the East coast of Australia.
I particularly enjoyed Fraser Island, the Whitsundays and the Blue Mountains tour where we had a great day guide called Sam. This trip gives a balanced experience by staying in metropolitan areas like Sydney and then in Australian beach towns like Byron Bay. The koala sanctuary on Magnetic Island was one of my favourite parts of the trip where we got to see and hold koalas, lizards and snakes. The Bush Stone Curlew birds were also very amusing to watch around the hostels. Our leader, Gaz, helped us to prepare for each new day on our itinerary giving us advise on money management, food preparation and the best places to visit on our free days. His unlikely expertise/obsession with bananas was also a great topic of conversation during our trip. On our last day as a group we rented a car in Cairns and took a drive to the Daintree River to go on a crocodile tour which was not on the itinerary and was a really fun way to spend time together. I found our leader Gaz to be really easy going and open to planning day trips or taking individual requests that weren't on our itinerary in order to give us the full Oz experience! So feel free to plan and research any other experiences not included on the itinerary. It's also a perfect way to meet new people and make long lasting friendships with people from all parts of the world. Our group was relatively small compared to previous groups but I found that made us closer by the end of the trip. There were a few group dinners that were included as well as some hilarious group games which I think largely attributed to our close bond. If your interested in travelling in a group and would like a trip where all the bookings for transport and accomodation are taken care of then I would definitely recommend the Australia Adventure.

I decided to go with Gapforce since I have never been on a trip this far before and wanted to go on a organized program. After looking for companies online that accepted people my age, Gapforce took my fancy because of the program type and it’s itinerary, as well as the many great reviews I read online. The program was great. Got to see a lot of places I would have never been able to alone, and got to meet some really nice people I’m glad to call my friends too. Starting off in Sydney making our way up the east coast to Cairns was a once in a lifetime experience that I would Cherish forever. Each place was unique and had some really cool things to do in. Gaz our group leader was amazing and took really good care of us. He made sure the group blended well, we were safe,hydrated, protected from the sun, and came up with great things we could do. Without him our trip wouldn’t have been possible or enjoyable. Where else can I say that I went Skydiving, Sailing,4x4 driving on the beach,camping,hiking,snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, swam in a volcano with a crocodile (fresh water ones are safe), whale watching, and a lottt more... Would highly recommend

Honestly, my experience on the Australia trip would not have been the same without Gaz, our amazing group leader! He was always up for a laugh, kept us safe but was never overbearing and most importantly made every single experience enjoyable! I would recommend this trip for anyone that has never travelled before or is nervous about travelling by themselves. It is an amazing gateway into the world of solo travelling! Having Gaz as a group leader, with so much knowledge and so many stories about travelling really helped all the people that hadn’t travelled before! Him just sharing little tips really helped us with everyday things, such as budgeting. Having a leader really helps with not having as much stress during the trip! All the timings of things are taken care of, which I think is a good thing when travelling for the first time!

The Australia GapForce Adventure, led by Joe Craig, was an experience of a lifetime. I made lifelong friends, discovered one of the most beautiful parts of the world, and I had fun! I felt comfortable the second I arrived at our first hostel in Sydney. Everyone was so welcoming and soon it did not feel like I was on the other side of the globe. We traveled up the coast, and each destination had something unique to offer. Some highlights include seeing the ostentatious Opera House in Sydney, kayaking with whales in Byron Bay, seeing the Australia zoo, and zip lining in Daintree Rainforest. We also did volunteer work in Cairns, which was very rewarding. Examples of the volunteer work include mulching in the Botanic Gardens and weeding in Sugar World park. I enjoyed giving back to the beautiful land through which we had been traveling for two months. Through all these adventures, we were guided by our responsible and kind leader Joe Craig. He offered a beautiful blend of leadership and familiarity. He was extremely knowledgable of the places we encountered, and he was able to answer almost every question we had with ease. It was obvious that he really cared about our group, and he worked diligently to make sure we had an incredible experience. At one point on the trip I had a stomach virus, and I remember distinctively how Joe responded. He kept asking how I felt and was very considerate of my illness. Even though I was not in the comfort of my own house, Joe made me feel comfortable. Joe also was very responsible. He made sure we were on time for everything, and if there were any setbacks along the way, Joe handled it with ease and adapted well to every situation. Not only was he an amazing leader, he was also a wonderful friend with an excellent sense of humor. It was clear that our group respected him as both a companion and a leader. I cannot thank GapForce and Joe Craig enough for this amazing expedition! The trip was amazing and something I will remember for the rest of my life.