The type of activity you’re interested in will also determine and narrow down the locations to choose from. Get your nose out of your compass! Here are some of the most popular locations for wilderness gappers.

Alaska, USA. America’s northernmost state is the epitome of the term “wilderness.” Its mighty mountains, forging waters, and abundant wildlife help it easily live up to its nickname, the Last Frontier. Having such a mixed geography, Alaska has tons on offer for outdoor gap years. Skiing or snowboarding, mountaineering, ice climbing (on glaciers!), sea kayaking, backpacking in boreal forests, crossing rocky alpine terrain, rafting down rivers, the list goes on! Doing a wilderness semester or year here will be an utterly life changing experience.

Patagonia, Argentina. This southernmost tip of the American continent is home to some of the most pristine mountains, rivers, and remarkable wilderness landscapes in the world. Go on expeditions to volcanoes, waterfalls, hotsprings, jungles, or and deserts. In such diversity, you’ll not only develop your trekking, kayaking, mountaineering, and whitewater rafting skills, but also the knowledge about environmental and civic surroundings, leadership and teamwork, communication and survival. What more could you want from programs like Outward Bound?

Pro tip: The Andes are the perfect location for a wilderness medicine and rescue semester, where you can learn the art of rock and river rescue, winter travel and avalanche rescue, as well as medicine and survival skills for this kind of extreme environment.

Nepal, South Asia. Earth’s highest peaks can be found in this landlocked country, with endless opportunities for gappers that are in love with the heights. Nepal is a perfect outdoor classroom where you can study while backpacking the Everest, learn from the best teachers and improve your mountaineering and rafting skills, or become the new Dr. House of outdoor activities with mountain medicine programs. A wilderness gap year in Nepal is the perfect chance to reconnect with nature.