Program Reviews

The ELT program was amazing and such a good experience. The biggest thing I got out of it for me was the confidence in my own abilities to start planning work straight away. The course is structured to provide a progressive program, developing your skills (both personal and leadership) constantly. The first few weeks in Wales were great to meet the team, climb some mountains and form friendships. The pace and intensity picked up when we got to Costa Rica and straight into the jungle. The instructors were great at making us feel as comfortable as possible and you do get used to living in a jungle environment quickly. The endless animals and plants is beautiful and there are some really amazing sights and sounds you’ll see every single day. Belt-kit and survival challenge tested our skills but also developed them and our confidence even further. For me, the highlight of the course came during the survival challenge. During this, my team ended up making a huge five person bed out of vines which was incredibly comfortable. After several nights of sleeping on that, it was time to leave the jungle…but our way of doing it. We trekked down the river, past incredible waterfalls and through a lot of obstacles. We kept on trekking through the river until it got too deep. At that point, we swam, using our massive 75L+ rucksacks as floats. We ended up following the river down to the beach and seeing the astounded look on the tourists faces as we emerged from the jungle absolutely soaked and stinking was priceless. I highly recommend the course, you will develop your skills and confidence way above what you thought was possible!

This course was the most amazing experience. The chance to live in the jungle, learn from indigenous folk and learn important life skills is priceless and an opportunity most of us will never have again. Over the past 4 months I have become a more confident, well-rounded and employable person, enjoying every second of it. The staff are supportive and are passionate about what they do. If you want into the adventure travel industry, this is your chance! Gain skills, memories and friends for life!

The trip to Costa Rica was full of vibrant, unique experiences. From learning about the culture of indigenous people to seeing the beautiful animals of the jungle, there was never a dull moment on this journey. Aside from the exciting excursions, the group members also made the trip super fun. It was refreshing to meet new people and to go on so many adventures. The program also creates awareness of environmental restoration efforts through engaging young adults with hands-on activities. This experience has given me great friends, wonderful memories, and a renewed interest in environmental conservation! I am very thankful to have been able to go on this trip.

It was really nice, especially seeing the tribes and seeing the way they live and getting off our phones to connect to the world. U learn a lot during this trip while having a lot of fun. The amount of wildlife you get to experience was also very nice. Not only did the tour guides help give more info on the animals, but then seeing them in the wild on ur own knowing certain facts about them was very fun. Also you can’t forget the beaches, the waters were so warm and the views were so pretty. Would definitely recommend this trip to others

In the beginning I was very nervous about going on this trip because I have never been to Costa Rica. When I got here I was a little nervous when finding the group but Colin made it easy. I feel as if the way the program was structured that it gave plentiful down time to allow bonding with the participants while also enjoying the activities. The only things I would change is how long the trip is, I would make it longer, the pre-trip PowerPoint could use some more details, and finally the pre-trip call was a little awkward.

I really enjoyed the experience in Costa Rica and I am very grateful to all of the programs and communities that supported us and showed us what pura vida is all about. It was really interesting to contrast the animal sanctuaries in Costa Rica with the ones I have seen in the United States to better understand the conservation practices that are best for the animals. It was also really empowering to see how passionate and willing to talk about sustainability everyone was when we visited all of the programs. I hope to visit again soon and feel like I have made many life long friends.

It was a great opportunity to travel in a way that fully explored the area and culture of Costa Rica. Our trip leader Colin was so knowledgeable and gave us such a full experience in a short amount of time. The housing was comfortable, safe and cute. The food was great! I got to go to multiple animal conservation sites and explore. The most unique part of the experience, however, was going to Bri Bri. Staying with the tribe was so wonderful and something I could not have done without the guidance of this organization. So grateful for this experience!

One of the best experiences of my life! Met the best people and experienced the most amazing things. Would recommend bringing extra money as you have do subsidise some of the meals and things are more expensive than they seem. Had 2 different group guides and they were very different in dealing with challenges that we faced. Got to experience things you might not necessarily experience outside of an organised group (for example staying with the Bri Bri tribe), and met the most amazing locals. Would recommend to solo travellers as everyone is so lovely!

For any first time travellers (like myself) to somewhere so exotic, Gapforce provides an excellent safety net so that you feel independent but still supported. Certain experiences such as staying with an indigenous tribe or volunteering on a turtle project are things I would have struggled to sort for myself so I am hugely grateful to Gapforce for organising such privileges. Whilst more experienced travellers may find that going with a lead group is inhibiting, it is a massive confident builder to anyone who is even slightly apprehensive about travelling without family. I have also made friendships that will last a lifetime - it’s been the best time I’ve spent abroad by far.

I am extremely grateful for the experience I had. While the accommodations and overall cleanliness was not always ideal (nor expected given the locations), but that was far outweighed by the beautiful places we got to explore and volunteer with. The volunteer work was certainly tiring at times, but always felt satisfying and impactful in the end. There was a good balance between guided activities and free time. Overall the relationship between gap force and the places we visited felt very comfortable, welcoming, and safe. I can confidently say that it would be difficult to have a bad experience and I’d highly recommend anyone to give it a go. I found this program through a friend and truly knew nothing about it but after learning about the process the expedition leaders go through to lead these trips and the measures gap force takes to keep us safe, it is 100% trustworthy. I am sincerely grateful for the dedication and care gap force has for making a lasting experience on its travelers.