South America Explorer with Gapforce

I had fun and saw some amazing things such as Machu Picchu. The views on the trek were equsiseite and the journey extremely hard but rewarding with the scenery it offered. One thing I struggled with was the food but this was due to my dietary requirements of being a vegetarian. All the hostels we stayed in were great and all the staff were lovely. Stefan made sure we were always safe and let us know when certain areas were more dangerous than others. Other activities such as white water rafting were reallly fun and memorable, but what I found the nicest was the friends I made along the way. I wish there was more we did in terms of activites as we had many free days, but at the same time it was up to us and go do something. Overall would recommend.

I had a great time on South America Explore 2019! I felt safe and supported everywhere we went thanks to the tireless efforts of our guide, Sara. This is the perfect program for someone who wants to travel but doesn’t want to go alone, or have the stress of planning it. I had no friends to come with and didn’t even know where to begin; 2 months later I can say that I’ve made friends that will last a lifetime and I loved not having to worry about where I was going, how I was getting there, or what I was doing since it was all pre-planned. From the coblestoned streets of Cusco to the blue waters of the Galapagos it’s been an amazing journey. The spanish school and nightlife of Cusco made it one of my favorite cities, Mancora was the perfect relaxation stop after the tiring but incredible Machu Picchu trek, Baños is a thrillseeker’s paradise with parasailing, white water rafting, bungee jumping and more, the jungle, animals, and people in Yanacocha/Tamadua made it a dream to volunteer there, visiting the Equator and markets in Quito was incredible, and the Galapagos is the perfect stop to the trip.

Absolutely loved travelling in a group and this program definitely let me do that. Sara our guide was always there supporting us no matter what time of the day/night. There were some tricky situations in the group that were handled very quickly and professionally. What an amazing trip. Highlights: Cusco, spanish classes were great, Machu Picchu was very hard but rewarding, Mancora beach town absolute blast, Baños (white water rafting was amazing but try not to drink the river water or you will get sick), Yanacocha is amazing especially for all animal lovers, Tamandua shuar community was a great way to wind down and in the middle of the jungle, incredible, Quito, slightly more dangerous as it’s a big city but a great night life and cultural experiences all around. Galapagos. Wow, definitely if you have the chance get your ass there right now, what a time to be alive. If you want to see turtles as big as you this is where to go. 10/10 trip, gert lush mind. Out 🎤

I had a really amazing time on my trip. Everyone was really supportive & great at pushing me out of my comfort zone & discovering what I can really accomplish. Our leaders were extremely caring & attentive. I went into the experience really nervous & not sure what I had gotten myself into, but it’s probably the best decision I have ever made. It’s set me up to feel confident to continue traveling on my own. I’ve gotten over my fear of heights by zip-lining, rock climbing & paragliding, I’ve made a couple new friends who I plan to travel with in the future, & it has opened up a “whole new world” full of opportunities that I now know are possible to attain, as in seeing the world. It’s bittersweet that my trip is over but I have come out of it knowing I didn’t waste one moment.

I had the most amazing time on my trip to South America in October! At first I was worried as there were only 3 other people in the group however as soon as we met the worries disappeared. Our guide Alfie was very enthusiastic and ensured we had an itinerary filled with fun activities and experiences. There was enough flexibility in the program that we were able to decide where to eat and what we wanted to see. The Spanish lessons in Cusco along with the homestay for the first week were a great way to start the trip. My favourite part of the trip was the hike to Machu Picchu. We were in an awesome group of people and saw breathtaking views. The Galápagos Islands were absolutely incredible and the activities were great especially the day trip on a boat out to snorkel! The best thing about this tour is the variety it entails. It involves adventure activities, volunteering and cultural experiences which combinded to make an unforgettable trip. Would highly recommend this program!

I had the most amazing time on my trip to South America in October! At first I was worried as there were only 3 other people in the group however as soon as we met the worries disappeared. Our guide Alfie was very enthusiastic and ensured we had an itinerary filled with fun activities and experiences. There was enough flexibility in the program that we were able to decide where to eat and what we wanted to see. The Spanish lessons in Cusco along with the homestay for the first week were a great way to start the trip. My favourite part of the trip was the hike to Machu Picchu. We were in an awesome group of people and saw breathtaking views. The Galápagos Islands were absolutely incredible and the activities were great especially the day trip on a boat out to snorkel! The best thing about this tour is the variety it entails. It involves adventure activities, volunteering and cultural experiences which combinded to make an unforgettable trip. Would highly recommend this program!

Just spent the last 8 weeks on the Gapforce South America expedition. Before arriving, I wasn’t so sure what to expect as the details on the website were quite vague.
Upon arrival, I was picked up at the Cusco airport by one of our leaders and brought back to our hostel. Once all 14 of us in the group had arrived, we went for a stroll around Cusco and clicked instantly. We spent the next 8 weeks learning Spanish, trekking, salsaing, beaching, exploring cities, working with animals, chilling by the Amazon, volunteering at a daycare and finally living it up in the Galápagos.
Going on this trip was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and although I was a little nervous beforehand, the website not having provided many details, I would recommend it to anyone. I would also suggest that if you’re going to do the expedition, definitely do the 7 week program and the Galápagos extension. I had originally only planned to do 7 weeks but going to the Galápagos Islands was an incredible experience and was totally worth the extra money.
The people I’ve met on this trip are some of the coolest and most fun people I know. We’ve all become close friends and I will miss you all so much.

The trip to South America was such an amazing experience and I'm so glad I decided to do it! The main attraction of the trip for me was the trek up to Machu Picchu which was absolutely breathtaking. But I throughly enjoyed every other part of the trip and each week was different which kept it exciting. The variety of activities we did such as helping out at an animal sanctuary, helping in a day care, spending a night in the rainforest and being in the town of Banos doing whitewater rafting, canyoning etc. were unforgettable experiences! The leaders, Colin and Jade, were fantastic, they did all they could to ensure we got the most out of our trip. They were especially good in organising changes to our itinerary, which happened more often than not, and did what was best for the group. I would recommend a program like this for those who want to travel but have concerns travelling by themselves or are travelling for the first time.