Gap year travel information and ideas. Looking for some gap year inspiration? Whether it’s culture, adventure expeditions or volunteering you’re after, we’ve got you covered.

Gap Year Travel: India

The Rajasthan Volunteer Programme run by Real Gap Experience enables participants of all ages to live and work in the Rajasthan Desert and help with local childcare or education programmes. Four and eight week courses are available, prices from £949.

Visit www.realgap.co.uk or www.gapyearforgrownups.co.uk

Gap Year Travel: Peru

Madventurer offers a combination of voluntary work on community programmes with adventurous overland expeditions. Care projects are available in one of Peru's most famous cities - Cusco - which is sadly home to over 6,000 street children with little or no access to food, healthcare or education. Madventurer makes a valuable contribution to the lives of some of Cusco's most vulnerable children, giving them the time and attention that they deserve. Prices from £800 for two weeks (£150 for every extra week).

Visit www.madventurer.com

Gap Year Travel: Tanzania

In Moshi, a busy little town close to Mount Kilimanjaro, in northern Tanzania, a variety of projects are available including teaching English and assisting with other lessons and extra-curricular activities, from nursery school age through to secondary levels. i-to-i provides ethical volunteer travel and TEFL1/TESOL2 training in destinations worldwide. Prices from £775 for two weeks.

Visit www.i-to-i.com

Gap Year Travel: China

Interested in visiting the next superpower? Project Trust's 12-month placements are education-related and are located in Gansu and Xinjiang. Most volunteers are working in state-funded secondary schools teaching English to classes of up to sixty students. Teaching for sixteen hours a week, the role also involves organising conversation clubs and student activities. You’ll need funds of £4,480.

Visit www.projecttrust.org.uk

Gap Year Travel: South Africa

Spend six weeks with the non-profit adventure company Greenforce in the Cape on a Penguin Rescue Course learning how to catch, handle, feed and administer medicine to a variety of seabirds. Prices from £1,450.

Visit www.greenforce.org

Gap Year Travel: Ghana

If you love sport and adventure, Gap Sports offers a range of projects for rugby, football, ski and watersports enthusiasts. Train at Ghana's Football Academy and undertake an intensive six-week football training course, learning alongside professional players. In 2008, Ghana will also be hosting the Africa Cup. Prices from £1,695.

Visit www.gapsports.com

Gap Year Travel: Kenya

Join forces with the local Akamba people on Quest Overseas' Kenya Water Relief Project. Based in the dry, central and rural Machakos district, a team of volunteers works closely with the local community to build small-scale sand-dams and water tanks to aid the collection and supply of water. Prices from £1,495 for four weeks including project donation.

Visit www.questoverseas.com

Gap Year Travel: Thailand

In Thailand, work as a volunteer at a nursing clinic and animal care centre on Koh Phangan in Southern Thailand, helping to care for the dogs and cats (and a few other animals!) whilst living on a beautiful tropical island. Personal Overseas Development provides great value two week - six month gaps, summer mini-gaps and career breaks. Prices from £395.

Visit www.thepodsite.co.uk

Gap Year Travel: Australia

Choose from volunteering at a local zoo, helping koalas, dingoes and crocodiles on a local project, or volunteer to be a jackaroo or a jillaroo on a sheep or cattle station. Paid work placements are also available in schools and the hospitality industry. Changing Worlds offers paid work placements in Queensland. A three-month placement in a zoo is priced £3,307.

Visit www.changingworlds.co.uk

Gap Year Travel: Costa Rica

CESA Languages Abroad, a founder member of Year Out Group, offers Spanish language courses in the lively but rural Costa Rican city of San Isidro de Coronado. Courses can also be combined with volunteering or work experience. Courses run from 1 - 34 weeks. Prices from £297.

Visit www.cesalanguages.com

Gap Year Travel: UK

Tante Marie's Surrey-based cookery courses range from 4-11 weeks in length and are ideal for gap year students wishing to acquire cookery skills to secure them temporary employment in the ski and travel industries. The four-week essential skills course is priced at £2,300.

Visit www.tantemarie.co.uk

Alternatively, Year Out Drama Company, based in Stratford-Upon-Avon, offers full-time practical drama courses (September - August), expert guidance from theatre professionals and the chance to perform in a production at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The price of £4,700 includes tuition fees, productions and theatre trips but excludes accommodation.

Visit www.yearoutdrama.com

For advice on taking an extended career break, Click Here.

For our super-sorted backpacker checklist and safety advice, Click Here.