Program Reviews

I had amazing time on the Thailand experience from Xtreme gap year. What can I say the best four weeks of my life! The trip cost a little bit over £1000 and I'm very pleased to say that I could really tell that my money had been spent wisely. There were 20 of us in the group, and we all got to do lots of different activities. The trip was really well structured, it offered a really nice balance of cultural experiences, adventure and beach time. I made some great friends, and had some really good experiences. My personal favourite was learning to scuba dive, but I also did stand-up paddle, and trekking. LOVED EVERY MINUTE!

I joined Xtreme Gap Year's Ultimate Australia trip in November 2015. This was my first time travelling, so I was looking for a company to book with. I found Xtreme Gap Year very helpful in alleviating my fears prior to travel. Sarah at Xtreme Gap Year, came up with some very good suggestions for sorts of things I could do. We settled on Australia together, because I've always wanted to visit the country, but it seemed like a great experience all in all.

When I arrived, I was made to feel very welcome by the coordinators in Sydney. My trip took me up the east coast from Sydney to Cairns which took me about six weeks to complete. I had lots of activities arranged which I thoroughly enjoyed. My personal highlight was the Surf tour, because I met loads of people and actually got to stand up on a surfboard for the first time in my life!

I found Xtreme Gap Year to be very professional, helpful and great value for money as well. I would definitely recommend them.

First of all after traveling many parts of the world I have never travelled alone without knowing anyone, stayed in hostel/backpackers or ever done anything like this. My experience by far was one of my best! Everything it's says on the programme you do and is by far better than what u could imagine! From abseiling off Table mountain to Paragliding, diving with sharks, jump of the biggest commercial bungee in the world, sky dive, walking with lions, riding an ostrich and elephant, horse riding, sand boarding, Safari, hiking,c anoeing, seeing some of the most beautiful scenery/sunsets/beaches in the world u have it all right here!
I was nervous about staying in hostels as I have never done it before but when you are traveling alone it is the best way to meet people, I met more people in one week than I did living in Australia for 6 months! The people I met were from all over the world and were so nice and helpful which only enhanced my experience so much more I made so many new friends!
The organisation of the programme was second to none. From my pre departure with Xtreame Gap, very helpful, very organised and always on hand to give advice or answer any queries. After arriving in Cape Town I was picked up taken to my accommodation which was my first ever hostel but was put at ease straight away with the welcoming and friendliness and cleanliness of the place! My first 2 wks here was 2 of my best, great times, great fun with some amazing people and if Me you like a good night out you are in the right place! Highly recommended doing the Wine tour in Stellenbosh one day, it was a fantastic day with a great group of people (although the last few hrs are abit of a memory loss haha) the farms have great wine, cheese, lovely lunch and they are situated in some beautiful surroundings.
My volunteer work at a Township was very heart breaking but so rewarding.. Not only are you working with some of the most passionate people who help and give daily to these children but you will have fun with the children to! It was so nice to give something back and to see the smile on them kids faces every morning as they were so happy to see you, that smile makes it so worth while! Great kids and a great team with big hearts! Their living conditions are so poor so helping and bringing any sort of fun to their lives while helping to educate them was more rewarding than I could of imagined.
The garden Route was excellent! Our group was so mixed from all different countries and I couldn't of been with a better group for a wk lots of fun, great days/nights out everyone got on great and I loved every minute. Our tour guide was second to none! His knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment to the week with Us Was fantastic and was great to be around socially to! He is so focused on you having the best time and goes out of his way to make sure u do all wk, which we did!! All back packers was great, clean and every night was a fun experience! This is the wk you can walk with lions (highly recommended) do the bungee( you can't do the Garden Route without doing this) your days will be packed with lots of amazing things to do never a dull moment!
Jeffreys Bay, great seaside resort for chilling out, surfing, shopping! If U like a drink they have a great bar with beer pong, lively music, pool table etc.. I had a few great nights in this bar with again all the staff being amazing! After 3 days there we went to Port Elizabeth where u will be shown around by a very nice funny guy who will then in the evening take you for a great night out in Beer Shack.. Get your drinking head on, great bar/club/people one of my favourite nights!
Last wk on Safari your chance to get up and close to the animals in their natural environment! You will see the big 5 daily some just casually walking past your van! Accommodation was great! In the morning you help the environment doing volunteer work and then game drives all afternoon great experience! NOTE: if you go in winter take plenty of layers for this trip!
Overall my experience was amazing! Had some of the best food out there and wine ever, you can eat like a king or queen for pennies! Whatever u hear about South Africa I would like to share that in the 4 wks that I was there I did not feel ever In danger, see any danger or feel uncomfortable in any circumstance, obviously certain rules u follow as in don't go out on your own at night or walk the streets always stay in groups but still I never felt unsafe. It's just being cautious and using your initiative.
I had a reason for getting away for the month personally.. And on my return I was more confident, motivated and most importantly so happy again my journey was incredible!
Thank you to Xtreme Gap for organising everything for me! Your help and organisation especially Oliver was fantastic very professional. Thank you once again. If anyone thinking off going on this trip and would like to speak to me about it.. Feel free to get in touch with Oliver at Xtreme Gap and I would be happy for him to put you in touch with me as I was the first to do the trip and I would love other people to experience what I did! I wish I could show you more pictures but if anyone would like to see more again let me know and I can send some to you.

I'd say this program is the best way to experience South Africa! From all the extreme activities to volunteering this has been one of the best trips I've had hands down! There's so much too see and do!

As an experienced backpacker I can say, I saw a lot more with this company than I would have on my own. For first time travelers this is the best way to live large meet great people and see a wide variety of Thailand. From Temple hopping to elephant riding to full moon parties, you really do get a great range. Also unlike other tours ive done you get to meet and more so become family with locals. I spent my 21st birthday here at a man I call Uncles bar in the north mountains of Thailand accompanied by fun loving travelers even though they had all been strangers a mere 48 hours prior.
I am normally extremely hesitant about doing group tours because theyre are normally a tourist taste of the land but I felt more locally immersed than even my solo travels. My grandfather passed on the tour and the company paid for me to drive down to Bangkok and stay at another program I didn't even sign up for while I waited for news.
If your skeptical don't be, this program and the staff have your back, and unless your not human you will have a dope and incredible time!

When I first arrived I was nervous (and also very tired) because this was my first experience outside the country I live in as an independent traveler. When I first arrived to the hostel I immediately like it. I met the owner 'Sander' who is such a cool guy some of the staff who made me feel very welcome and some of the residents. My first night there despite being very tired I was invited to a meal in the hostel with other residents. I couldnt believe how cool these people were and from all over the world I really enjoyed my first night there and knew I would be fine. It took me a few days to adjust to being an independent traveller but any 'butterfiles' soon disappeared. Sander came with me on my first excursion which I really appreciated, he helped me feel comfortable. I enjoyed the area I was in and the people I was with. Thanks to the Hostel I really enjoyed a special addition to the holiday... the 'Experimental Mayan Theatre' it was brilliant.
Moving onto the excursions I enjoyed them all immensely, the sky dive in particular was the highlight. Sander joined me again on the 'Flyboarding' and I not only appreciated his company but his taking of photos and videos which have now made the Xtreme Gap Website. The fact that that was the case made me feel like an appreciated customer.
At times I wanted to eat out at a restaurant however the food in the hostel was fantastic so I didn't need to really even though I did on two occasions.
I enjoyed the Sian K'aan trip in particular the traditional Mayan Chicken which was the best meal I've had in a long time. The guide on the Sian K'aan trips' knowledge was vast and answered any questions we may present with expert detail.
The cenote I visited was brilliant along with the cliff diving and snorkeling, the guides really took care of you and ensured you enjoyed all they had to offer. I enjoyed the zip lining and the cliff diving it was a lot of fun and made me feel like a kid again.

Overall my experience in Playa Del Carmen was definitely one to remember and I would highly recommend this trip to anybody. The staff at the hostel are great, the hostel itself is brilliant, the area is gorgeous and the excursions on offer are invigorating, rejuvenating and overall fantastic. My time there was just incredible, for anybody who likes traveling independently, loves meeting new people and last but certainly not least is an 'adrenaline junkie', choose this trip.
If you have more experience diving then you almost have to go there to explore Cotsumel, but please stick with Xtreme Gap and do not purchase any of the excursions off local sellers. Sander knows the area very well and you can trust his advice along with the owner of Xtreme Gap itself.

For me Xtreme Gap is an incrediiiible website. I am using it again without impedance for a group tour trip.

I was with Xtreme Gap year in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, for 2 months as part of my "gap year", between January-March 2015. Here I attended a Dive Master course.

I have had an interest in diving for a while now, with the potential aim of working within the industry. I found Xtreme Gap when I was scrolling the internet and was immediately attracted to their genuine enthusiasm for the courses they offer. I had looked at many gap year'ish companies who provide dive master courses before I found Xtreme Gap. But all of them seemed to be very generic, lacking a depth of detail, instead just proving you with some cheesy stock photo of someone smiling underwater. However Xtreme Gap provide a large amount of detail about the courses they offer, along with a personal enthusiastic tone, which enables you to feel like you really know about the trip you are wishing to take. Once you take the leap and have your trip written in your diary, the personal touch continues as you receive regular emails from the people who work within the company, which is really useful for most people who don't like taking a leap into the dark .

When I arrived in Mexico, Xtreme Gap had organised my transfer to my hostel and it all went smoothly. Its nice, I guess especially for people of high school age, to be able to know that people know that you are there and are looking after you. My hostel was amazing, probably very hard to beat. The atmosphere was super relaxed , making you feel at home. Id strongly recommend it to anyone doing courses with Xtreme Gap or travelling through central America. I mentioned this in detail because It represents the care and interest that Xtreme Gap take in sourcing the best providers, hospitality and connections for their clients. And now having become friends with their America's representative, Sander, I can pretty much tell you that they work super hard to provide the best service achievable.

My day-to-day life within my dive master consisted of being up early, walking literally 2 minutes to the dive centre, setting up my equipment for the day (and eventually my clients equipment's), diving 2 or 4 times , morning then afternoon, then back to the hostel to relax in the evening;Which is needed after a nice long days diving. However Playa is a busy town with lots to do and see. So my evenings were often filled by going out and getting to know people id meet in the hostel, visiting local restaurants and even joining a local gym. In my days off from my Dive master I got a chance to be a tourist. Again, being with a company that cares a lot about their clients, all I had to do was suggest an interest in seeing local sites and Sander would provide huge enthusiasm towards lots of ideas for visiting local areas. Being a diver I took a large interest in the thousands of "cenote's" ( caves/holes in the ground with crystal clear water in them) which are dotted all around the Yucatán Peninsula- Id recommend a visit to these to any one.

I quickly became very relaxed within Mexico , feeling as if I truly knew the place, feeling less and less like a tourist and more and more like someone who would and could live there. My learning process as a dive master was quick, this was helped as I had an Amazing teacher and friend , Maira and I soon confirmed that my passion for diving was real and that I really can consider it as a potential industry to work in in the near future. Again Xtreme Gap have done really well in selecting their providers for their clients , as the dive centre is one of the best in the area , providing a professional and fun service.

On the day of leaving Mexico I was given a very warm goodbye, from people that I had become good friends with , including the people who worked with Xtreme gap , feeling more like a friend that a client. I would defiantly return to Mexico to visit all the people I met and got to know, maybe even working within the diving industry.

I believe that the support network and the genuinely personal service that Xtreme Gap provide, is key for anyone who is looking for a adventure and a trip where they gain new experiences and grow as a person. I have gained many new friends from this trip and friends I hope to keep. The reason I quoted "gap year" was because "year" may easily now turn into "years" as I genuinely loved my trip and don't want it to end in September, not hesitating to use Xtreme Gap again.

So for anyone looking to be a dive master or simply looking for a company to use to provide them with the steps to go travelling, USE XTREME GAP.

Hamish.

ps. The waters warm, the waters clear, the weathers sweet, the beaches are amazing , the fish are colourful , the coral is dense , the music is good , the food is good ,the town is buzzing and the people are friendly. - The simple review and all you need to know ;)

pps. Go paddle boarding. Sander will tell you the same.