Program Reviews

I’m not exaggerating at all when I say choosing the SE Asia Expedition is probably the best decision I’ve ever made! The people I’ve met and the things I have experienced have changed me as a person for the better- I am more confident, happy and up for trying new things. Between jumping into rivers full of elephants, eating club sandwiches on boat roofs in exotic Thai islands and building a house for a poor Khmer family, this trip is both incredibly fun and also extremely eye opening. Our leader Terence couldn’t have done a better job at making me feel safe, providing emotional support when I needed it and making sure everyone was enjoying their trip to the best of their abilities- thank you T you the man!!
The people I was with on this trip became family to me- choosing this trip means choosing to make friends for life.
Thank you Gapforce for providing this awesome adventure for young travellers, it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Having just arrived home today after 2 months travelling with our gapforce group, I’ve come to realise the impact the trip has already had on me.
I’d say it was the best period of my life so far, having experienced such a vast amount of incredible places and people in such a short period of time with such a brilliant group of people, who I now consider family.
Terence (or big T as we called him) was such a great leader: cool headed and wildly knowledgable, whilst also being a genuinely good friend proved that he was the best gapforce leader you could ask for. Whenever anyone needed help or advice, he was there with all his attention devoted to you. (If you’re reading this T, thanks so much man).
This trip was so ideologically enlightening and important to my view of the world and the people within it, I genuinely think this is something that everyone should do at some point in their life. Visiting such vastly different cultures to our own expands your perspective in such a refreshing way that I feel like a much improved person because of it, and for that; I have gapforce to thank.

I had an amazing time in Costa Rica! I was really nervous before the trip but the minute I got there GapForce made us feel welcome and very safe. The staff are amazing and really supportive all the way through the trip. We travelled all over the country and I did things I never thought I would do and will likely never get the chance to do again. For example, zip lining over ravines, or going to a Coffee Farm. Made great friends and met interesting people from all over the country. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is travelling alone, or who wants to see a whole new culture and lifestyle. Going into the jungle was massively interesting and nowhere near as scary as you’d think (if you don’t mind insects too much). I saw loads of wildlife such as crocodiles, monkeys, sloths and coatis. An all round wonderful trip!!

We had Terence and Lazlo on our trip as group leaders. They were so welcoming and we all bonded as a group really quickly. The trip was well organised and we did so many activities and also had a lot of free time to explore. Met some amazing people who I will be friends with for a long time. There was only one negative which was some of us got pretty ill. However it was sorted out quickly with a trip to the hospital where we had Terence helping and adapting the plans so we wouldn't miss out on activities. It was my 21st Birthday mid trip, everyone made it so memorable and we a party. We all grew so close really quickly, respected each others space and had so much fun. It was difficult to say goodbye. But we've all planned to have a reunion in 5 years.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect this trip to be like, but I am so glad I decided to go with a group like this. It was a very authentic, backpacking experience, which was fun but also character building. Staying in loud busy hostels, being constantly in the heat, and frequently taking night buses creates a sense of adventure, but it also isn't for the faint of heart. It's easily exhausting, but the locations we visited were worth it all. We saw a lot of Thailand in a relatively short time, and every place was unique and amazing in it's own way. Cambodia was also a very eye opening and life changing experience. There was a good balance between it feeling like a vacation while on the Thai islands, and productive while building a house in Cambodia for a family in need. While being abroad, I was able to create relationships with people from around the world, and the smaller group size allowed for great friendships to be created. I also enjoyed the sense of freedom this program creates. Our leader was there for us as needed and organized where we were going and staying, but we always had free time to find our own adventures. I definitely recommend this program for anyone that's looking for a true and authentic trip, able to be responsible for themselves but also able to be a positive and enthusiastic group member.

This was one of the most emotional experiences in my life. Traveling for the first time alone and learning so much about myself and also about other cultures.
It was a good decision to travel with an organisation, because you do not have to book hostels or think about where you go or what to do. These tasks are taken from you, your guide knows the country well and you just can enjoy the trip. The safety of the trip was good overall, also because most of the time we were in groups.
Thailand is such a beautiful Country.
The volunteer project at elephants world in Kanchanaburi was amazing.
I probably will never forget seeing my first elephant and the amazing erewan waterfalls..
We did so many funny activities, like white water rafting, tubing... and also saw and learned a lot of Thai culture (I (personally) would have liked to see a few more temples).
Also I met so many people from all of the world, who became friends to me.
I had many ups and downs, because it was my first time being so far away from home alone. But our leader is such a nice person and he always tried to help me with my homesickness and tried everything to make me feel comfortable in this new situation. I know, that I could have come to him with any problem and just talk about it.
I would say this program is perfect for everyone, who don't wanna travel alone.
I really would recommend doing it, because this is something you will never forget in your entire life.

I had no specific reason for signing up to this course other than reading the description and immediately feeling like I must.

The only hesitations I had were to do with the quality of the course (is this actually worth spending so much money on?) and the kind of people I'd find myself doing the course with.

To those who might have the same hesitations, it turns out I had no reason to be concerned at all. The course fully delivered what it promised AND teachers and peers were such enthusiastic, open, driven people that I rarely felt so supported in my learning efforts. A wonderfully motivating atmosphere.

Other than the above, it's been one of the most rewarding experiences ever, and I take back skills I will be able to apply no matter the field of work. Would do this again

Where to start on a whirlwind beginning of the year. It’s tough being away from home over Christmas while being plunged into the deep end of emersive adventure. This course taught me the value of being bold, concencoius, thick skinned, courageous and even being silent when it’s necessary. It’s been sometime since I’ve stressed about coursework, but now it’s all wound down to an end, I almost miss the rush of the stress. I’ve always had a penchant for adventure, but it was everything else that encompasses the adventure which I had no idea about, so to finally learn about budgets, itineraries and other mandatory documents was a real eye opener. The leaders were true inspirations and I hope to work side by side with such people one day. Thank you for making me a better person - I’ll be sure to go home near unrecognisable when I cook an mesmerising meal for 10 people without breaking a sweat!

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!