Your Complete Australia and New Zealand Gap Year

Spend up to 12 months on an amazing gap year in Australia and New Zealand. This programme provides all the structure you need, lots of activities, detailed orientation meetings and help when you need it but there are also opportunities for you to do your own thing. You choose when you go and how long you spend in each country as well as where you work and what sort of activities you get involved in.

Programme Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants health.

Your Programme in Australia
Your first flight will take you to Sydney, Australia. On arrival at Sydney Airport you will receive an airport transfer to your hostel in Sydney.

For the first 7 nights you will be staying in shared dormitory style rooms, meeting other young travellers, attending orientation meetings and having job consultations. We find you jobs – fast. You choose when you start working.

Your 12 month Work Package
What is included?

Working Holiday Visa
Before you leave the UK we will process your working holiday visa for you. The visa is available to anyone age 18 – 30 and valid for up to 12 months. If you want to stay for longer than 12 months it is now possible to extend your visa whilst out in Australia for up to 24 months - speak to one of our sales advisors for more info. We do not recommend getting a working holiday for Australia if you plan to spend any less than 3 months in the country – the visa can only be granted once in a lifetime and so it’s best to make the most of it!

Job Finding Services
Upon your arrival, our priority is to find you a job, all you need to do is let our team of job consultants know when you want to work and the rest will be done for you! You will then be safe in the knowledge that you have up to 12 months of job offers, all with reputable employers, a nice feeling considering that over 110,000 people enter Oz on a working holiday each year. The jobs available are likely to be in hospitality, call centers, office temping, accounting, childcare, teaching, retail, IT and fruit picking are among the many types of jobs on offer.

Loads of other stuff
Our Aussie team organises parties at various different venues. This is a great way to meet other travellers as well as having fun times. In addition they regularly organise social and cultural activities such as wineries trips, bush walking, sporting events, and festivals. When you decide to travel around Oz, there is 2 months free luggage storage for you at the Sydney office. Each month you will receive a newsletter with the entire latest goings on, events and offers. You will receive a beach bag, some flip flops and a water bottle, plus a booklet of discount vouchers.

Amazing discounts off exciting activities such as Jet Boating, Museums, Zoos and tours. Also loads of discounts on useful stuff like travel, accommodation and perhaps most importantly – beer!

Fun & Travel in Oz
5-day surf school adventure

On this trip you get to live the surfer’s dream of freedom, travel, good waves and good times. You spend 5 days travelling between Sydney and Byron Bay, stopping along the way at some of Australia’s most pristine beaches. Your transport is the luxury surf party bus, which will take you to your destinations in style, many of which will be off the “conventional” backpacker route.

The full surfing tuition covers all abilities from beginners to advanced, and the full accredited instructors will make sure that you will be standing and riding those waves. On top of this, they will pass on the skills of paddling, wave selection and ocean knowledge, as well as many other hints too.

All equipment, transport, accommodation and meals are included, involving the great Aussie bbq’s, beach buffets etc. The trip is an absolute dream, as you ride the waves by day and party away at night.

OZ Experience Bus Pass
You will receive the “Strewth” pass allowing you to travel between Byron Bay and Cairns, letting you see the main sights of the amazing East coast, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays, Airlie Beach and Fraser island. Not only that, the “Oz Experience” buses like to take you on out-of-the-way trips en route, showing you areas of natural splendour and adding local stories and legend, to teach you more about what makes Australia a fantastic place.

Your Programme in New Zealand

Your Work Package

You will fly from Sydney airport to Auckland where you will receive a shuttle bus transfer to the hostel in the city centre. What is included?

7 nights Dorm Accommodation at the ACB Hostel
We include 7 nights’ accommodation at Auckland’s largest and most vibrant hostel, conveniently located in the city centre where all the action is. The accommodation is in shared dormitory style rooms and breakfast is included every morning. The hostel is famous amongst travellers for its Globe Bar and is generally the meeting place for social outings in Auckland.

12 months of Job Offers
You are entitled to a 12- month job finding service. Our team specialises in finding jobs for working holidaymakers visiting New Zealand. Employment ranges from labouring and construction, short to long term temping assignments, bar and café work, seasonal fruit picking, travel and tourism, all trade positions, work in the health sector, clerical and office administration work, accountancy and much more. As part of the service you will receive assistance with opening up bank accounts, applying for tax numbers, preparing a Curriculum Vitae and arranging interview times with employers.

Types of Jobs

Bank Account
Once you arrive in to Auckland, we will open a bank account for you. Employers will require that you have a NZ account, as most wages will be paid directly into your account. People generally get paid weekly but some companies do pay fortnightly or monthly.

Other Stuff
Within your first few days of arrival, you will receive a full and detailed orientation with our local NZ co-ordinator. They will give you lots of advice with regards to living and work in NZ, plus the best places to have fun. They will also give you all the following items and information.

Kiwi Experience bus pass
Your “Funky Chicken” pass incorporates the main sights, ranging from the beautiful glaciers and alpine towns of the South island, to the volcanic and thermal regions of the North.

You will also be taken to the centres of adrenaline filled activities, however, whether you will do a sky dive in Taupo or a bungee jump in Queenstown is entirely up to you! By the end of your time in New Zealand, you will see why it is known as “God’s own country.”

Your Programme in Thailand
Bangkok Stop Over

You can choose to have your stop over either on your outbound or your return flight. Upon arrival at Bangkok airport, you will be met by a guide who will take you to your accommodation by air-conditioned bus for a 2-night stop over. Once there you can relax and explore this amazing and vibrant capital.

2-night stop over includes:

Facilities:

Flights
Once you have booked, we will talk through the best flight options. The airlines will depend on your departure dates. The inclusive price covers the airline ticket and the tax. The flight sectors are:

Initially we will book your flight sectors with dates. However you have the flexibility to change these dates for a small fee once you have left the UK.

Insurance
Our Gap Year comprehensive insurance policy is with Endsleigh. You will receive a policy document in your final pack, which outlines exactly what you are covered for. Full details of coverage are also available on our website www.realgap.co.uk.

Project Support
Throughout your programmes you will have the support and guidance of the programme coordinator and team. You will be provided with competent assistance and help with any questions or advice you may need during your stay.

You will be assigned a personal travel advisor who will coordinate your programme with you. Feel free to contact them at any time before you go, or when you are on your travels.

In addition, you will have access to a 24 hour emergency contact number so you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.

Start Dates
You choose when you want to go. We’ll plan your trip around what you want to do. For example, you can arrive into Sydney and have time off to relax, or you can start work immediately. The choice is yours!

If you are interested in the Complete Australia and New Zealand Gap package then please feel free to contact Lisa, our Complete Gap Programme Manager at lisa.fiddimore@realgap.co.uk or call the team on 01892 516164. We can also tailor make a similar itinerary just for you to fit in with your budget, time scale and ideals to make this your trip of a lifetime!