Location
  • Ireland
Length
4 - 12 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Volunteer Abroad

Program Details

Activities
Kayaking Trekking
Timeframe
Fall Spring
Housing
Guesthouse
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
17
Age Max
22

Pricing

Starting Price
16500
Price Details
Program fees include all meals, housing, activities and transport within Ireland and the full 24/7 support of the Irish Gap Year team.
For more information on whats included in our program fees please visit our website www.Irishgapyear.com/info/frequently-asked-questions
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Meals Park Fees Tour Guide Transportation Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

All food, accomodation, activities, travel within Ireland and full, 24/7 support from the Irish Gap Year team are included.
Please see our website www.irishgapyear.com/info/frequently-asked-questions for more details on what's included in the Adventure and Leadership Gap Year Program

What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance
What's Not Included (Extra)

Flights and medical insurance

Jan 19, 2022
Nov 21, 2022
62 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Irish Gap Year’s Adventure & Leadership Gap Year Program will take you far off the beaten track, deep into Irish culture and nature where you will learn much about yourself.

You will become immersed in our community and Irish culture, be challenged physically through outdoor adventure and mentally through our leadership course and volunteer in our community.

The rugged natural beauty of Ireland and warm heartedness of the people offer a unique setting for your journey of self-discovery. Our goal is create an environment that nurtures this process.

Throughout this program you will develop a deeper level of self-awareness, independence, group dynamics and self-governance. We hope that you will take with you a way of thinking and self-awareness that will last a life time.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Expeditions around Ireland: Each expedition on the Adventure and Leadership Program is unique with its own area of focus and theme. The expeditions are 3 to 5 days each and will and bring you far off the beaten track and face to face with Ireland’s hidden
  • Community Immersion: Live in your own magnificent Victorian home on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean on Ireland's rugged Northwest coast. Your home is cozy, quirky and quaint. Here you'll learn invaluable independence building skills with your peers!
  • Volunteer in the Community: Make a meaningful and positive impact on our community as you volunteer on farms, animal shelters, with local youth groups, Clean Coasts Ireland and other local organisations.
  • Develop your Leadership and Communication Skills: Our leadership workshops are fun, interactive and experiential. You'll learn much about yourself and others as you are challenged to work within a team on a wide range of projects.
  • The People: Irish people are amongst the freindliest and funniest people you'll come across anywhere and our gappers always love getting to know the locals. They're quirky sense of humor and unique outlooks on life won't disapoint!

Program Reviews

4.90 Rating
based on 143 reviews
  • 5 rating 90.91%
  • 4 rating 8.39%
  • 3 rating 0.7%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Housing 4.75
  • Support 4.85
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.8
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 41 - 48 of 143 reviews
Default avatar
Jean-Paul
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Experience

The activities that IGY offered were varied and very fun. They ranged from surfing (my favorite) to hiking to cliff jumping, and many, many, other outdoor activities. I thoroughly enjoyed the freedom that this program offered, while still maintaining a safe and comfortable environment. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves the outdoors and isn't afraid to get dirty. Anyone without these qualities will almost certainly struggle.
Housing was great. The houses were a bit old and things did tend to break like the dishwasher and laundry machine, but they were very cozy and otherwise functioned pretty well. They also had a maintenance man on call so any problems that did occur were fixed quickly.

What was your funniest moment?
On one of the trips we went to an island to volunteer to pick up garbage washed up on beaches. On the ferry ride back to the mainland, one of the group leaders bent over and untied one of our shoes. Then he took the elastic on my raincoat hood and turned my face hole tiny. Everyone died laughing.
25 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
makenna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year Adventure and Leadership

Going on this program was one of the best decisions I ever made. On top of getting to fully experience my love for the outdoors through hiking, surfing, and loads of other activities, I was able to discover new cities and learn about Irish history and culture. The atmosphere of this program pushed me socially, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and caused me to grow in ways I didn't know I could. There were definitely challenges in all aspects that caused me to discover myself, and the leaders and staff are right there to support us. The amount of growth and maturity we attained through a gap year and this program is unmatched. This program gave me the opportunity to try so many new things and to do so in a safe environment. The past three months have been the best, and quickest, months of my life. Time has flown so fast and we have done so much. I wish I could do this program all over again, just so I could take it all in one more time, the highs and the lows. This trip has taught me things I will carry with me for a long time, and I am so grateful for that.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come with an open mind and a good pair of hiking boots. You will meet people so different from you and try things you never have before, talk to everyone and give everything a chance. If you want to get the most out of this trip, an open mind is necessary. You are outdoors a ton, and the mud is no joke, so invest in good boots and rain gear.
26 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Allie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IGY Fall 2021

My three months with Irish Gap Year have been an incredible experience. Every week was filled with new adventures that allowed me to get out of my comfort zone in a safe environment. We went surfing, hiking, rock climbing, cycling, and toured major cities across Ireland. The views even right outside of the houses are breathtaking. One of my favorite experiences was our backwoods expedition. We spent time in the beginning of the program learning how to process firewood, start fires, cook food, set up shelter and more. After this we spent two nights camping which were amazing. Another rewarding experience was volunteering with Liquid Therapy where we spent four sessions helping kids with additional needs surf.
This program allows a lot of independence as the students live on their own. The staff is very involved and always available but not overbearing. Living in a house with other students definitely comes with it’s fair share of challenges but problem solving is a very valuable skill. This program challenged me and I gained confidence in my own abilities and learned a lot about myself. I highly recommend this program.

27 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kerri
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish gap year

I loved being a part of Irish gap year because it taught me a lot about myself and how I deal with others. Living in such close proximity made us all super close and made the experience super comfortable. My leaders Niall and Kate also made my experience a 10000/10. I love them. Onora and Fran ( our away from home moms) made me feel super at home and were always there for a mom hug when I needed it. Thank you so much Irish gap year for the wonderful experiences and people I will remember for a life time!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers would be make sure to pack lots of real water proof rain gear and don’t forget sunscreen
40 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jacob
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year

This program was great because it included education, adventure, and independence in a fantastic way! From staying in a house only with the other gappers to going on hikes to learning about permaculture you get the whole experience!! You also get to see all of Ireland by traveling to most of the major cities both in Ireland and in Northern Ireland. Another thing that made the experience great were the program leaders. Both Niall and Kate had a great dynamic that lead to some pretty awesome experiences!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The hikes were weird to me because it felt like I was walking on a sponge
38 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year Adventure Leadership Program

Even with Covid restrictions in place I had such a great time exploring Ireland and meeting all these amazing people. Everyone was so supportive and we did something new and interesting every week. Absolutely worth it and I’d happily do it again. Definitely good for any student taking a gap year and is a great opportunity to meet other people in the same situation as you. I’ll always have a soft spot for Ireland and the people I met here and I can’t recommend this program enough for any student.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Invest in decent waterproofs and warm socks/clothes.
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year

My three months with Irish Gap Year have been an incredibly fun-filled and immersive time and I could not recommend it more. Even with COVID 19 restrictions, Irish Gap Year managed to give us a very full experience. We spent much of our time hiking, surfing, exploring, and getting to know Ireland. Towards the end of our three months, we went on amazing trips to Belfast, Galway, and Derry. The leaders at Irish Gap Year are super supportive and fun, and made my time in Ireland even more enjoyable.

What was your funniest moment?
A top moment of the trip was when my group went on our first camping trip. We did an amazing hike to a beach where we set up a campfire and watched the sunset. It was really pretty and a very fun night!
37 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kate
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Irish Gap Year

I had such a great time with Irish Gap Year! Although covid restricted what we could do in the first couple weeks, the second six weeks of the program were amazing. All the hikes and trips to cities were so fun, and I’m so grateful I was able to have those experiences. Because of all the time we spent together, our group became extremely close, and I know I’ve made friends for life. Also, the leaders at IGY are so supportive and really made an effort to bond with us.

This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I highly recommend it.

What was your funniest moment?
One of the most fun moments was exploring Belfast.
37 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers