With the global economy in a slump, many graduates and jobless professionals are making a point to enjoy what would have been ‘dead time’ by embarking on gap-year adventures.

Game reserve work in South Africa is popular for gap years

Gap year opportunities abound, from working as a ski  instructor to serving drinks and canapés on Caribbean yachts. Compensation for travellers’ hard work varies between handsome wages to paying significant sums for the honour of toiling for a charitable organisation.

South Africa is an enduringly popular gap year destination for the adventurous. The region has game reserves a-plenty needing an extra pair of hands in exchange for room and board. Those seeking a tamer sabbatical may opt to labour away on South African organic farms.

How does one locate these fabulous opportunities so far from home? The most common route is to register for a fee with a site like workaway.info, which dishes up contact information for hosts around the world. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (wwoof.org) lists host contact details exclusively for organic farm opportunities.

Keep in mind that these types of positions generally exchange room and board for volunteer work, so you need enough savings to cover travel and everyday expenses.

Travellers on gap years often require work permits, depending on the country you’re from and the country you work in. Those requiring South Africa visas should apply well ahead of departure to ensure adequate time for processing.