| Travel to one of the largest continents on the planet | | | | Traveling around |
| for your gap year and discover the true meaning of | | | | Spending a year somewhere means you'll want to |
| safari. Africa has the size, diversity and beauty to be | | | | travel around and Africa offers plenty to enjoy, from |
| the perfect gap year destination. With a year in | | | | jungles, game parks and beaches to a vast cultural |
| which to explore it's worth going the extra mile to | | | | heritage. The sights are only as good as the |
| find somewhere that will hold your attention and | | | | transport system though because nothing looks good |
| from the most colourful cities on the planet to the | | | | from a crowded bus! Getting around Africa varies |
| headline grabbing wildlife, Africa won't let you down. | | | | dramatically depending on the country you're in; the |
| The only regret you'll have is that there aren't more | | | | richer the country the better you can expect the |
| days in a year or more film in your camera! | | | | infrastructure to be. Public transport and crossing |
| If you've got a lot of time on your hands why not | | | | borders can be a source of frustration here as good, |
| use it wisely and explore the world's least discovered | | | | cheap transport is not as common as in Asia and |
| continent. Increasing modernization makes it | | | | officials sometimes expect bribes. Air passes that |
| accessible enough without taming its wild spirit. Plan | | | | allow you to make multiple internal flights can be a |
| your trip well and you can visit some of the best | | | | time, stress and money-saving option. The situation is |
| countries in the world at a fraction of the cost of | | | | always improving though and for the determined, |
| the other more famous tourist havens. We've | | | | travel here is extremely rewarding. |
| designed our own Gapometer with which to judge | | | | *** By no means easy, but the best traveling never |
| Africa as a gap year destination. | | | | is |
| ***** Gaptastic | | | | Cost |
| **** Great for gappers | | | | On a long trip it's important to keep track of your |
| *** Worth a look | | | | budget, even in a famously cheap continent like |
| ** Too much else to see | | | | Africa. If you become too free and easy you'll get a |
| * Never mind the Gap | | | | shock when you turn up in places like South Africa |
| Volunteering | | | | and find European prices to contend with. Apart from |
| There can scarcely be a better use of your gap year | | | | the few glitzy exceptions a modest budget will |
| than to volunteer abroad in Africa. The problems of | | | | suffice and allow you to see plenty without running |
| this continent are so well known they've passed into | | | | up a huge bill. |
| cliche, but still they remain. The legacies of past | | | | Africa has its share of glamorous restaurants and |
| humanitarian crises as well as the attempt to prevent | | | | hotels but the best traveling is done on a shoestring, |
| new ones means you can make a real difference | | | | so head for the markets and the budget hostels. |
| here. In 2006, 34 of the 50 nations on the UN list of | | | | Around the shops you can take advantage of a |
| least developed countries were in Africa. You can | | | | friendly exchange rate that will have your friends |
| take your pick of projects in areas such as | | | | beaming at their souvenirs. For those who plan to |
| community work, wildlife protection and teaching or | | | | travel after a volunteer project, try and make it back |
| even link up more than one. | | | | to your original arrival destination; one return ticket is |
| The WWF has listed 4 locations in Africa amongst | | | | usually cheaper than two singles. |
| their list of 19 priority places, demonstrating that it's | | | | ***** On the whole the cheapest continent in which |
| not just the people here who face critical times | | | | to travel |
| ahead. Africa's wildlife may grab the headlines but if | | | | The wow factor |
| you read the small print you'll see that it's the people | | | | Africa not only has the wow factor but the wild |
| that have the biggest effect on travelers here. | | | | factor too. There are very few beaten tracks to get |
| Unsurprisingly there are a huge range of community | | | | off here and the whole trip will be an adventure. |
| projects from which to choose and traveling | | | | Africa is not the easiest place in which to travel but it |
| between them is cheap enough that you can easily | | | | may well be the most rewarding. Luckily practice |
| link two together. | | | | makes perfect and we're sure you'll be coming back |
| **** Projects here are challenging but rewarding | | | | again and again to polish your skills. |