Doing the South America Explorer trip was one of the best decisions i’ve made in my life! I got to experience some amazing things, like spending so much time in a foreign country, volunteering with animals for over a week which has been a longtime dream of mine, and trekking in the jungle seeing amazing landscapes!! I think my favorite activities were the white water rafting, walks around cusco, the spanish school and the chance to play fútbol at a local venue. Gaz was an amazing leader and made things fun and adventurous the entire time. I felt so lucky to have such an amazing and knowledagable leader and great group of people to travel with!! I would recommend this trip to anyone in a heartbeat. Even the harder things we did, pushed me to do things out of my comfort zone and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to experience all that we did!

The trip overall was a great experience and I would recommend it for any beginner traveller. For anyone looking for pre planned easy going fun experience this trip is the way to go. Be prepared for long hikes and early mornings, but if this is your style of travel I have no complaints. Keep in mind this trip will provide you with the experience to travel on your own in the future. Make sure you bring warm layers, South America is surprisingly cold. I had a great time and I would recommend this trip to my friends.

I really enjoyed this trip! I loved the Salkantay trek as well as the other hikes we did as it felt very accomplishing and also found it to be a really beneficial way to connect with the group. The volunteering at the animal rescue centre was definitely a highlight as it was a unique experience that I’m very grateful I got to interact with such amazing animals I would have never seen otherwise. Overall I really loved the trip and would say our guide had really made the trip as well. He really helped to me to make the most of the opportunities and I think really brought the group together.

My Gapforce trip to Peru and Ecuador was amazing and full of adventure, culture, and volunteering. I loved exploring Machu Picchu, hiking through the rainforest, and meeting locals in small communities. Our guide was super helpful and made sure everything ran smoothly. I didn’t enjoy the lack of freedom at times, but I understand it was for safety reasons. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience that helped me grow, make friends, and see the world in a completely new way. I would definitely recommend this trip if your thinking about it.

Answers to questions I had before leaving:
- No need for a sleeping bag it takes a lot of space and the ones on Salkantay do the job (bring a liner)
- About half the group stayed on in South America although a few had pre booked plans
- You don’t need to have previous hiking experience although the long treks can be hard they are definitely manageable.

Overall it was great fun with other like minded people and Gaz as a great leader who felt like a proper part of the group. It felt like we spent a good amount of time in all places. I wouldn’t be worried about the home stay as everyone was happy with their hosts and no one was alone. I think it is perfect as an intro to traveling for those who would like to build confidence or get to grips with travelling. I think that the schedule was very full on which was good as it meant that you could get the most out of places but meant that all chill time was greatly appreciated.

The trip as a whole is full of valuable experiences and for me was a really nice ice breaker into travelling which is what I wanted when booking it. The itinerary is full of different experiences and personally even the ones I didn’t enjoy as much still were an interesting experience and equally as valuable. Throughout my time I felt very safe. The itinerary itself is pretty full on and personally I really appreciated any down time we got. I feel like away from the treks there was a lot more walking than I anticipated which is why I appreciated the down time. Additionally I personally would have appreciated a bit more independence as we were not allowed to do stuff on our own. I totally get that from a safety perspective it’s better to be in small groups or couples when doing stuff but I found to a certain extent it took away slightly from my enjoyment of certain places and experiences because I knew that other people might not want to necessarily do or look at what I wanted to. Another thing to bare in mind is that the food, while not bad, was very repetitive and largely consisted of the same things so lots of eggs for breakfast, meals consisted of a lot of rice chicken and plantain. That being said there is the opportunity to try new different foods that I would recommend, and I think this whole trip should be approached with an open mind. This is not to take anything away from the whole experience as it was really fun and I would recommend this to anyone who hasn’t done any travelling before, as it is a good first step and I will definitely look to go travelling again.

I absolutely loved the South America Explorer trip organised by Gapforce! All the activities, food and accommodations were amazing - personal highlights include the Salkantay trek and the volunteering at the animal rescue centre. My leader, Gaz, was also incredible, from his organisational skills to his insane jungle knowledge! I would thoroughly recommend this trip for anyone who wants to explore Peru and Ecuador whilst getting to know others and visiting places off the traditional tourist trail. It also offers a combination of pre-departure support and support during the trip as well as a a certain level of independence. Overall, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so grateful to Gapforce for allowing me to experience this and create special memories!

This was an amazing experience in which I learnt a lot about the world around me and myself. The trip has the perfect balance of Independence and being led as well as a balance of adventure and chill time, all amazing to bond with team mates. The trip has a nice mix of urban areas and countery side and beautiful views. Would definitely recommend and amazingly lead by Gaz Lloyd who was very approachable and kind and kept the group spirt up. There are so many awesome opportunities to take part in in the single trip whilst such as visiting Machu Picchu and volunteering with some adorable animals and getting to be really hands on.