Planning your gap year travel can be both exciting and overwhelming. With the world at your feet, deciding where to go—and when—can make all the difference in your experience. Whether you're chasing endless summer vibes, looking for cultural immersion, or hoping to backpack on a budget, the timing of your adventure plays a huge role. In this blog, we’ll break down the best destinations for each season, so you can make the most of your gap year travel and create unforgettable memories.
So, ever helpful here's a handy guide to get your gap year planning started.
Asia itself is a vast continent, but most gap year travellers tend to gravitate to South East Asia. This doesn’t mean you should discount other parts of this vast continent, but SE Asia is popular with gap year backpackers due to it being:
There is a real difference in seasons between countries in SE Asia which can make it tricky to link different countries together, but our overview should give you a rough idea of where to go when:
Cambodia: Best time: November – April
Bali:
Best time: April – October
Monsoon season: November – March
Laos:
Best time: October – April
Nepal:
Best time: October – May
Monsoon season: June – mid-September
Sri Lanka (west and south of the country):
Best time: November – March
Monsoon season: April – October
Thailand:
Best time: November – March
Vietnam:
Best time:
North: October – April
Central: February – April
South: December – February
Not for the faint of heart, backpacking around Africa presents both challenges and epic highs when it comes to gap year travel. From climbing Mount Kenya, to watching the sun set over a game reserve, fortune favours the bold in this vast continent. Best for:
The advantage of Africa being such a large continent is that there’s good weather to be found year-round. We can’t cover every country, but here are the most popular:
Best time: December – March, June – October
Rainy season: April – June
Tanzania:
Best time: June – March
Rainy season: April – May
Zimbabwe:
Best time: May – August
Rainy season: November – January
Namibia:
Best time: April – August
Rainy season: December – March
Botswana:
Best time: June – October
Rainy season: December – March
Rwanda:
Best time: June – October
Rainy season: March – May
Uganda:
Best time: June – October
Rainy season: April – June
Central and South America are filled with contrasts. Some countries are super backpacker-friendly, some are not for rookie travellers. This part of the world has rocketed up in popularity over the last few years and you can really see why. Best for:
There’s so much variation and range between countries in Central and South America that it’s hard to say what the ‘best’ months to visit are. It’s a year-round destination, so whenever you decide to go you’re sure to have a fantastic time on your travels.
Central America:
Best time: December – April
Rainy season: June – October
South America:
Best time: September – November
Rainy season: January – March in Peru. June - Sept in Colombia.
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For many of us, Europe isn’t what we think of when we talk about backpacker travel. That doesn’t mean we should discount our neighbouring countries. Best for:
Much like the UK, Europe enjoys four seasons. Depending on where you go and at what time of year, it can either be very cold, or very hot. Consider travelling in the shoulder seasons for cheaper prices, although weather can be a bit more hit-and-miss.
Best time: May – September are generally warmest and driest. It can get very hot in high summer.
If you fancy a trip down under then add Australasia to your list. It may be a trek to get there, but it’s definitely worth it for the laid-back pace of life and chilled vibes. Best for:
Australasia sits firmly in the southern hemisphere, so expect seasons to be the opposite of ours in the UK. The long sunny days are one of the biggest draws of this part of the world.
Australia:
Best time: December – February
Low season: June – August
New Zealand:
Best time: December – May
Low season: June – August
We're sure we've given you lots to think about, but if you're still in a muddle with your gap year travel plans then give us a call and our friendly team of experts can advise. The good news is that no matter the time of year, there'll always be somewhere in the world with decent weather.
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