Contiki's Gap Year Travel
Doing a Gap Year? Want to travel Europe? Go further with Contiki!
A Gap Year Abroad is your time to chase a dream, do something outrageous, extraordinary or fulfilling and most importantly, to explore new places! Make the most of your year abroad and take advantage of the UK mid-year school breaks with Contiki’s exclusive Europe Gap Year itineraries.
Contiki has been doing this for over 40 years and they have been attracting ‘Gappies’ before the term even existed! Now they’ve introduced dedicated Gap Year itineraries based on their breadth of experience and most importantly, past Gap traveller feedback. With nearly 100 staff based all around Europe, Contiki can make sure you’re always looked after. Their experienced and professional Road Crew has got an incredible knowledge of Europe’s sights, sounds and local customs – you’ll get the inside track on what to do and where to go!!
Your time, your choice
When you’re on tour, you’ll have loads of free time to explore and do your own thing, or get into some ‘Optional Extras’. Each Optional will give you something special that makes a great holiday, extra-fantastic! From parasailing in Corfu, riding to dizzying heights on a cog railway in Switzerland, to white water rafting in Austria, to dinner and a show in Paris.
The meal deal
Your Food Fund provides a great breakfast everyday, roughly half your lunches and half your dinners and the rest are your call, they won’t rope you in… you’ll be out and about exploring the local delights and maximising your free time – that’s half the fun!
29-Day Concept tour
This tour offers a real mix of accommodation styles, plus some extra special stopover highlights in popular European destinations. It’s variety that makes this programme different. From cabins in top campsites, or well-located 2 & 3 star hotels, to Contiki’s very own amazing stopovers like a Swiss Chalet in the mountains or Contiki’s exclusive 16th century French Chateau.
Contiki’s 3 types of Concept accommodation include:
Special Stopovers
These will definitely be one of the highlights of your tour! Contiki has their very own stable of hot properties in Europe, including a 16th Century French Chateau & a Swiss Chalet. Our Chateau is nestled in the heart of the Beaujolais wine region & has an amazing pool to cool you down on those hot European summer days. The old original wine cellar has been converted into a disco to dance the night away! Our Swiss Chalet is set in the picture-perfect Swiss Alps, a glorious alpine setting in amongst meadows and waterfalls. While you’re there you can take the mountain railway through the Eiger and up the snowy slopes of the 4158m Jungfrau Mountain.
All are owned by Contiki & run by our own team who’ll make sure you enjoy your time to the max!
Contiki Villages
The Villages are made up of custom-built clusters of comfy cabins located in Europe’s best campsites… and not just any old campsites, these places come complete with great facilities including hot showers, awesome bars, handy shops, some with swimming pool & restaurant, and a thriving nightlife…always!
Contiki Hotels
Specially selected by Contiki for their comfort, convenience & hospitality. Usually twin-share, but some may be triple or quad-share. We’ll match you up with your Gap travelling buddies and same-sex roommates of course!
You will need to bring your sleeping bag on the Concept tours, but there are no tents… we promise! You’ll always have a roof over your head and a soft bed to crash out on after a hard day’s sightseeing in Europe! For those that prefer traditional tent camping, we’ve got you covered too.
Detailed Itinerary: Click here to check out our GAP 29-day European Concept tour! »
Contiki Camping Tours
Camping with Contiki is a fun and sociable way to get to know your tourmates and experience Europe in a whole new way)!
Camping in Europe is the easy-going Contiki original, they’re how Contiki started and they’ll stretch your holiday dollar even further – plus, as part of our Gap Year exclusive programme only, we offer you guys free upgrades to Cabin grade accommodation (subject to availability)*!
Camping is a hands-on, fun & sociable way to see Europe.
The Campsites
You’ll get to stay in some of Europe’s top campsites which include swimming pools, showers, washing facilities, handy shops & a happening nightlife! We provide modern twin-share tents which are so easy & quick to set up and are all equipped with comfy air mattresses. Just bring your sleeping bag and you’re good to go!
Contiki Staff
At many of your trip stops, you’ll be greeted by our friendly Contiki staff who permanently man a selection of our European Villages. They’re fun, they’re knowledgeable on the local area and they’re there to help you!
Meals
Contiki’s top quality cooks will be preparing you heaps of delicious & nutritious breakfasts, lunches & dinners – included in your Food Fund, as per your itinerary. They’ll even cook up some traditional local meals… weather it’s a Wiener Schnitzel or a Swiss Fondue, our talented cooks will make your meal times authentic! The rest of the meals are your call so you can head on out there and sample the local flavours!
Detailed Itinerary: GAP 31-day Camping itinerary! »
Detailed Itinerary: GAP 46-day Camping itinerary »
Ski Hopfgarten – Austria
7 & 14 night packages
Contiki have been bringing skiers and non-skiers alike to Hopfgarten for over 20 years. The village is a winter wonderland located in the heart of the Austrian Tyrol. It’s everything you’d expect a European ski resort to be – traditional fairytale wooden chalets clustered around a twin turreted church, snow laden fir trees nestled beneath the impressive Austrian Alps. With non-stop downhill fun all day and cosy apr’s ski in our exclusive Contiki Chalet accommodation each evening.
With a large investment by the Ski Welt region, Hopfgarten and its neighbouring villages are part of one of the largest network of artificial snow-making machines in Europe, giving you the best possible snow conditions over all 250km of ‘piste’.
