Program Reviews

If you love animals and want to spend hours in close proximity to beautiful bears and amazing scenery then this project is perfect for you. The team at oyster are extremely helpful and accommodating making the experience the best it could have possibly been. The accommodation is amazing as it is right in the town close to so many restaurants, tourist spots and facilities. And getting to work in the sanctuary itself was a privilege.

Oyster Worldwide were fantastic in helping me set up one of the best experiences of my life! Had an amazing amount of fun and worked hard volunteering with rescued Indian elephants. These elephants had been rescued from the trekking/riding industry, many of whom had been used in these industries for decades, so it was great to see them getting the good care they deserved! Oyster were great in helping me know what to expect when I got to Thailand. One of the most helpful things was being given a selection of useful Thai phrases with the phonetic pronunciations. These really helped me to understand the culture and way of life in Thailand a little bit more, and were definitely great ice breakers! Working with the elephants was a lot of fun and a real confidence boost! I was humbled to be able to take part in some of the amazing work the charity do. If you want to experience feeding, walking and showering an elephant, and independent travel then I highly recommend going on Oyster Worldwide's elephant conservation program in Thailand!

I spent 2 weeks working at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Romania and this was by far the best experience I've ever had and it exceeded my expectations in many ways.

The booking process was easy and the payments are broken down into smaller chunks. Anne is always available to answer questions and help get you prepared. I was impressed with how smooth and stress free booking with Oyster was and they provide all the info you need before you go.

On arrival in Brasov, despite being delayed by traffic, Razvan (the Romanian rep) took us out for a welcome meal where we met the other volunteers. I was in a central hotel as the apartment was full but it was comfy and clean and only 5 mins round the corner. I was very well supported from the beginning to the end of my stay. Brasov is a gorgeous place to live and is filled with good food and friendly people.

Working at the sanctuary surrounded by the bears and doggy friends in such a tranquil and beautiful setting was, for me, an absolute honour and I would go back there tomorrow if I could. If you get stuck in and help with the work, the rewards are incredible. We got to ride along with the staff during feeding time and watch the bears enjoy the food we had prepared for them, It was amazing to see them freed from their previously hellish conditions and simply enjoying themselves in the trees and ponds.

I would recommend this project to anyone who loves bears or wants to make a genuine difference. You will be well looked after and make some great new friends along the way.

I truly could not recommend this trip enough.
The pre-trip organisation was excellent, and I went to Romania feeling very prepared. Upon arrival, I was met by Razvan - Oyster's Romanian representative, and shown around the accommodation, which was very modern and really lovely!
Spending time at the sanctuary was a dream come true. You can really tell that your money is being spent somewhere worthwhile, and that the work that you are doing there is really making a difference.

As I said before, I couldn't recommend this trip enough.
Excellently organised, and I felt that I had experienced a lot of the local area and culture through the organised castle trips.

I had an excellent time on my trip to Thailand. Oyster helped me get there and set up everything to make it all possible. I would go back for sure and definitely consult Oyster worldwide for other trips as they come up!
Oyster was very helpful and always ready to answer any questions I had. They kept in touch while I was on the trip and made sure I was having a good time and finding everything alright.

Africa pushed me out of my comfort zone. I went out there as the quiet, anxious one and then I ended up going shark cage diving in Plettenberg one weekend, getting tattoos with some of the group another week and trying new things like paddle boarding and hiking. Speaking of, the Wednesday hikes were definitely one of my highlights. I am not a hiker, I don’t climb and I don’t have the best coordination (proven when I fell on my face during one of the walks!). But the view at the top was amazing- in made the struggle up the cliff face, and my fearing death(!), all worth it. South Africa is a beautiful country; the coastline as well as the game reserves. And watching an African sunset is something that should be on anyone’s bucket list.
The volunteering itself wasn’t always easy work but it was so rewarding- we knew that we were working towards improving these animals' home. It felt good to help out the staff and work as a group with the other volunteers; proving that teamwork would get the best job done. Once, we managed to chop down 14 trees in the space of a couple hours, and another occasion had us all digging out concrete blocks, holding fence posts, and then lifting parts out of the way as a team. At the end of the day it just felt like we had achieved something, and I could say I had done tasks I never thought I would do.
Every single day, every game drive, every campfire or evening sat together watching films and every weekend, just surpassed my expectations. The breath-taking animals on this reserve stole my heart and I honestly could have watched them all day. But as much as I loved the animals, I have to say that the best part of the whole trip would be all of the incredible people that I met during my time out there. I went to South Africa with my best friend, and I came back having made a few more. Before arriving, I didn’t think that I would get so close to the people that I would meet, but when the time came to saying goodbyes, it was one of the worst things to have to do. You get to meet so many different people, from all over the world, and you go from strangers to roommates, to friends, almost instantly. These people become your family; they make you cry with laughter, talk with you like you’ve known each other forever, they are there for you when you’re down and they pick you right back up again (sometimes literally). You get to learn new things, like how New Zealanders call flip flops ‘jandals’, and you get to know some of their language and culture. In just 4 weeks I got to discover more about the world and other people’s lives. I have come back with many memories and inside jokes that no one else except the family will understand, but I know I am very lucky to have these and to have met these people.
So, if anyone has ever considered doing something like this; they want to do some good even in just a small part of the world, and want to challenge themselves, then I would 100% recommend and encourage this project. My experience gave me a confidence that I didn’t think I would ever have, and it led me to some amazing people. Thanks to Oyster, for providing me with a stress-free travel opportunity, I have some lifelong memories and friendships, and now I have more of the world to explore , for the sake of reunions!
I would happily do it all again.

I participated in the program last year in autumn. Living with a host family and teaching at local schools was a great experience and a very unique one as well.

Patagonia is an extremely remote place and Coyhaique (the town where the Programme is located) is just about big enough to have everything you need. This is one of the aspects that made this experience so special - it's just a special place to be and the surrounding landscapes are gorgeous.
Another aspect that I loved was the cultural immersion, by living with a host family, being treated as one of their children and working at the schools you get the chance to really experience the culture and learn a great amount of Spanish. It took me just about a month to bump into people everywhere in the streets!
I also got to joint the national junior championship for Cueca (Chile's national dance) and travelled down to Punta Arenas and Tierra del Fuego because my younger host brother was champion of the region. That was a fascinating week!

Regarding the teaching, I was admittedly quite unlucky with the teacher I worked with. He had never worked with volunteers before and did not seem to want us there at all. However, you can always get support and the local representative is there to help you change school for example.

Finally I would also like to mention the absolutely amazing travel opportunities. If you're an outdoor fan, Patagonia is your place! We the volunteer group did a Roadtrip down south to Patagonia's most incredible landscapes. You get to walk on glaciers, do hikes with amazing views and experience the endless wideness. At times, we didn't see anything or anyone at all for hours - just a few Guanacos passing by.

Sooo I would definitely recommend this Programme to everyone who is looking for a unique experience, to learn a lot of Spanish (you should learn the very basics prior to arrival tho - everything else is a missed opportunity because you need the basic grammar!!!!!), experience real cultural immersion and loves the outdoors.

Last year I was fortunate enough to travel to Nepal and spend four months teaching kids in a village in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. This was my first time travelling alone and Oyster made my trip amazing with their unwavering support from day one. Not only did I receive a highly detailed pre-departure briefing in the Oyster office but also received advice and support whenever I needed throughout my travel. Oyster also organised a representative in Nepal to aid me with any issues I may have had in the country. Not only was this representative, Basant, highly helpful he was also extremely friendly and made me feel at home straight away. This was the best trip of my life as a result of the fantastic personal support and planning I received from Oyster Worldwide. I highly recommend doing any of the Oyster Worldwide programmes as the level of care and interest they invest into each volunteer/ participant is fantastic!

Going away on your own is scary to say the least, but with Oyster I never felt truly alone. Different from other Gap Year companies, Oyster has a small team, all of which are friendly, passionate and experienced. They have tested the programmes, so they know what they are talking about. The programme had been something I'd dreamed of doing for ages, and as soon as I signed up, Oyster were on the phone the next day briefing me and making me feel as ease and all the more excited to go. While I was over there they were in touch whenever I needed them, always just an email or phone call away. I was only 18 and had never been away from my family. Oyster sent my parents all the information so they felt reassured. Nobody should have to give up on a dream for fear of doing it alone, and that, for me, is why I cannot rate Oyster highly enough. Since my time in South Africa, I have done a lot of other traveling by myself and no longer have the trepidation because Oyster helped me a little bit like putting L plates on a car. Oyster provide programmes where you can do some good in the world while feeling like you're in a safe environment and always have help on hand. I truly believe that anyone who goes away with Oyster will have the most fantastic time, because they always have that support in place.

This programme was more than I could have ever hoped for! Cliche aside - it was honestly the best thing I have done in my life...so far! I was going in expecting to enjoy the African wildlife and working hard to make a difference, but I came away with so much more than that. I made friends from all over the world - people who at home I probably would not have interacted with. I learned so much about the South African culture as well as the cultures of my fellow volunteers. The work we did was at times, very intense, but worth it. What you do has an immediate impact that you can see, as well as knowing your making an impact for years to come. The coordinators in the country became our family and there is nothing you cant go to them for. The opportunities to try new things outside volunteer hours are huge - but I would suggest if you want to make the most of them, to account for slightly more spending money to get the most of your experience. I can not say enough good things about this programme!!