From a Kitchen Table Dream to a Global Movement

The Leap story

‍The Leap began in 2002, founded by Guy and Milly Whitehead around a kitchen table, driven by a shared passion for meaningful travel and life-changing experiences.

What started as gap year adventures quickly grew into something much bigger - a mission to make a lasting difference in the world, in local communities, and in the lives of every person who travels with us. As demand grew, so did we. Today, we offer purposeful adventures for gap, midlifers, schools, and tailormade groups, proving that challenge, connection, and impact matter at every stage of life.

From the outset, our mission was simple.

To make a difference – to the world, its communities, and the individuals who travel with us.

2002- where it all began

The Leap was Founded

The Leap was born around a kitchen table with a wobbly-legged chair and a dinosaur of a green Apple Mac. But the real story began long before that. After university, I (Milly) stepped into the world of school expeditions, organising teams of students across Africa and Asia. It was the kind of work that lit me up: travel with purpose, challenge with heart, and a sense of adventure baked into every mile. It was in Kenya, while working, that I met Guy.

Guy was born and raised in Kenya, with the bush as his backyard and a deep respect for wild spaces and local communities. After serving in the British Army, he returned to his roots with a passion for leadership, logistics, and getting stuck into projects that mattered.

Together, we realised we could do something different, something better. We wanted to create a new kind of gap year experience: one that combined adventure, structure, and real, meaningful contribution. So in 2002, we launched The Leap. We started by placing Leapers in safari camps, then quickly evolved into the team-based, impact-driven expeditions we still champion today.

Adventure has always been our heartbeat, and The Leap was our way of sharing that with the world.
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2010 – an early Milestone

2,000 Leapers – It was just the Beginning

I still remember the moment we realised we’d sent our 2,000th Leaper overseas, it felt surreal. We cracked open a bottle of champagne in the office, knowing we’d helped thousands of young people step out of their comfort zones and into the world.

That milestone gave us the confidence to push even further, to discover new countries, forge new partnerships, and dream up more ambitious adventures. By now, our Leapers were forming teams and travelling to all corners of the globe - trekking through Cambodian jungles, building classrooms in Colombia, diving into marine conservation in Kenya. The momentum was building, and we could feel the world opening up.
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learn more About our destinations

2012 - Milestone & legacy

£3 Million Invested Overseas

By 2012, we hit a milestone that really made us stop and reflect: over £3 million invested directly into our projects overseas. That money didn’t line our pockets, it renovated schools, protected endangered wildlife, planted forests, and helped improve health and hygiene in some of the world’s most remote communities.

It was a moment of deep pride. Every pound represented not just a donation, but time, energy, and heart from our Leapers. Together, we weren’t just travelling, we were leaving a legacy.
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2018 - 2025 Midlife, Schools + Tailormade

Expanding Our Horizons

In 2018, we took a bold new step and launched MidLife Leap, nine-day adventures for grown-ups craving purpose, connection, and a good old-fashioned challenge. From Kenya to Colombia, Costa Rica to Peru, we discovered a whole new tribe of midlifers ready to leap into something meaningful.

Then came the pandemic - challenging, yes - but it gave us space to reflect and reimagine. By 2023, we were raising a glass to 20 years in business (still can't believe it), and proudly launched School Leaps: bespoke, accredited expeditions for students that now come with 16 UCAS points and a deeper sense of purpose.

And we’re not stopping there. Most recently, we launched TailorMade Leaps, designed to meet growing demand from families, companies, fitness groups, and friendship circles looking for bespoke, impactful adventures. Whether it’s bonding, team-building, or just living boldly together, we now craft journeys shaped entirely around you.

Two decades in, and The Leap just keeps on leaping.

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Built on purpose, shaped by people, proven by time.

Countries

Africa, Asia, and South America.

Thousands of Leapers have contributed to conservation, education, and community projects that make a real difference.

Credibility

20+ years of Leaping.

20+ years of designing safe, seamless, and transformative adventures. From gap years to midlife journeys, our support systems and global partnerships are built on trust and expertise.

Community

Lasting impact.

70% of our bookings come from word of mouth and returning Leapers. A loyal, vibrant community is the heartbeat of The Leap, and the strongest testament to its lasting impact.

A Legacy of Impact

Since day one, we’ve been about impact, and not just on the communities we visit.

Our Leapers have contributed millions to local economies, helped build schools and clinics, supported marine conservation, and fostered grassroots partnerships across Africa, Asia, and South America.

But our proudest impact? The change we see in the people who travel with us. The confidence, the purpose, the lifelong friendships, this is the magic of a Leap.

A Legacy of change

At The Leap, we believe travel should do more than take you places, it should transform you.

We exist to be the bridge between adventure and impact, crafting immersive journeys that spark real change, out in the world, and within every traveller who takes the Leap.

No matter your age or stage, our experiences are designed to challenge, connect, and inspire long after the journey ends.

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Your next adventure starts here

Life-changing adventures combining culture, community, conservation, challenge, friendship, discovery and fun.

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