Volunteer holiday

If you want to do something exciting and original on your annual vacation and are struggling for ideas then why not consider a volunteer holiday? Volunteer holidays are ideal for anyone who is craving something more adventurous and stimulating from their holiday than the usual typical routine of lying on a beach and doing the odd bit of sight-seeing. Volunteer holidays allow you to give ‘something back' to the country you are visiting and, at the same time, experience the culture on a far more intimate level than the average tourist.

Volunteer holidays can be hard work at times, but you will certainly never be bored. A common phrase Real Gap hears from travellers returning from a volunteer holiday is that it was a ‘life changing experience.' Going on a volunteer holiday really helps to put life in to perspective and you learn so much from the local people you work with. Volunteer holidays are also a great way to meet other like-minded travellers and many people return home having forged life-long friendships. On a more practical level the experiences and new skills you acquire from going on a volunteer holiday really enhance your CV too.

What types of volunteer holiday are there?

Real Gap offers volunteer holidays all over the world. Many people get involved with a volunteer project when they take a gap year, but there are plenty of volunteer programmes that allow travellers to get involved for just two weeks or more - meaning if you are not on a year out you can still get involved by taking a volunteer holiday. A good way to arrange a volunteer holiday if, for example, you have three weeks is to spend two weeks working on a volunteer project and one week either relaxing or doing some travelling.

Volunteer holidays are broadly divided in to three main categories:

• Volunteer holidays with a ‘people-based' focus
• Volunteer holidays helping to care for endangered wildlife or animals
• Volunteer holidays helping to conserve the environment

If you want to go on a volunteer holiday the first decision you need to make is where to go. If you are not sure about where to go on a volunteer holiday it is well worth exploring the Real Gap website for inspiration. Real Gap has programmes in over 30 countries and you can use the site to read up on all of the different countries Real Gap visits, along with plenty of useful travel advice and detailed information about the various programmes. If you have any questions regarding volunteer holidays it's also a good idea to speak to one of Real Gap's team of expert travel advisers.

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