Tuition / Cost:
$15,500 USD
- LENGTH
12 Weeks
- DATE
5th September 2026
- GROUP SIZE
14
- AGES
17 - 22
Semester Overview
- Cost: $15,500 USA
- Length: 12 Weeks
- Date: 5th September 2026
- Group Size: 14
- Ages: 17 - 22
Semester Overview
Spend 12 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia exploring cultures shaped by tradition, resilience, and history — from hill tribe communities and elephant conservation in northern Thailand to Angkor Wat and Cambodia’s complex past. Designed to guide you first and then challenge you to lead, this experience builds cultural intelligence, ethical awareness, and leadership skills you’ll carry into university and beyond.
Two countries, One Story of Change
Thailand and Cambodia reveal how belief, history, and resilience shape life in Southeast Asia. In northern Thailand, daily life is shaped by deep-rooted spiritual practices, vibrant markets, hill tribe traditions, and the ongoing challenge of preserving natural resources and animal welfare in a country sustained by tourism. Cambodia presents a powerful contrast, where ancient temples, rural communities, and the legacy of the Khmer Rouge inform contemporary identity and social recovery. Moving between these two countries offers insight into how societies preserve identity, heal from trauma, and carry tradition forward in the modern world.
ITINERARY
THAILAND
Weeks 1–6
Learn & Apply | Guided Immersion and Cultural Foundations
ITINERARY
THAILAND
Weeks 1–6
Learn & Apply | Guided Immersion & Cultural Foundations
Week 1 - Building Cultural Foundations
Mae Sariang
You’ll settle into Northern Thailand through deep cultural immersion in Mae Sariang, a small town shaped by Lanna traditions and daily rhythms connected to nature and community. Through orientation sessions, language workshops, and hands-on activities, you’ll learn how to navigate daily life while building awareness of local customs, values, and history. This week helps you develop the awareness and habits needed to engage respectfully with people, culture, and place.
Key Highlights:
- Traditional cooking and craft workshops
- Language immersion in everyday contexts
- Explore local temples and markets
Week 2 - Ethical Community Engagement
Mae Sariang
This week introduces ethical community engagement and responsible volunteering. With close mentor guidance, you’ll learn how community projects are designed to support long-term impact while respecting local culture. You’ll help plan and deliver simple educational or environmental workshops, gaining your first hands-on experience working alongside local communities. Daily reflections encourage you to examine your role, challenges, and the ripple effects of your actions.
Key Highlights:
Learn about the pillars of sustainable community development
Deliver educational workshops in local school
Weekend in Chiang Mai!
Week 3 - Wildlife Conservation & Ethical Tourism
Chiang Mai Province
You’ll spend the week at an ethical elephant sanctuary, learning firsthand about the realities of wildlife tourism in Thailand. Working alongside rescued elephants, you’ll explore the impacts of riding camps, circus shows, and other exploitative practices, and what responsible, welfare-first conservation looks like in action. This experience challenges assumptions and builds awareness around animal welfare, ethics, and conscious travel.
Key Highlights:
- Ethical Elephant Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre immersion
- Daily care and conservation activities for Elephants, Dogs & Cats
- Developing a stronger awareness around ethical tourism
Week 4 - Travel Northern Thailand with Purpose
Northern Thailand
This week blends exploration with deeper cultural understanding as you travel through Northern Thailand. Moving between places such as Chiang Dao, Chiang Rai, and Pai, you’ll experience the region through its landscapes and traditions—from the nature and caves of Chiang Dao, to the white and blue temples of Chiang Rai, and the rice fields and canyon of Pai. Along the way, you’ll visit waterfalls, watch sunrises and sunsets, try traditional activities, sample Northern Thai food, and learn how to travel safely, confidently, and sustainably, while practicing leadership and soft skills under mentor support.
Key Highlights:
- Sunset at Pai Canyon
- Mountains and caves of Chiang Dao
- White and Blue Temples of Chiang Rai
Week 5 - Challenge & Resilience on the Salkantay Trek
Hilltribe Village near Mae Sariang
This week deepens your engagement with hill tribe communities as you work alongside ethnic minority groups such as the Karen or Lawa. You’ll plan and deliver primary school–based or community workshops in villages nestled in the lush mountains of Northern Thailand, responding to locally identified needs and priorities. With mentors stepping further back, you’ll practice communication, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity while reflecting on ethical engagement and the real impact of your contributions.
Key Highlights:
- Living alongside Karen or Lawa hill tribe communities
- Supporting primary education in mountain villages
- Experiencing life beyond modern comforts
Week 6 - Final Integration & Reflection
Mae Sarinag / Chiang Mai
This final week is a chance to pause and reflect on your time in Northern Thailand. You’ll bring together experiences from the past six weeks, spend time in guided and personal reflection, and complete your Thailand capstone project. As the programme shifts toward Cambodia, you’ll prepare for a new context with a clearer sense of self, stronger awareness, and readiness for greater independence.
Key Highlights:
- Guided reflection and integration
- Preparing for the transition to Cambodia
- Farewell and celebration of achievements!
ITINERARY
CAMBODIA
Weeks 7 - 12
Apply & Lead | Continued Exploration and Leadership
In Cambodia, you continue building on what you’ve developed in Northern Thailand, applying your skills in a new cultural and historical setting. Over six weeks, you’ll travel from Angkor Wat in Siem Reap to everyday life in Battambang, learning about Cambodia’s history, including the Khmer Rouge, and how it shapes life today. With greater independence than before, you’ll take on more responsibility for travel, planning, and community engagement while adapting to a very different context.
ITINERARY
CAMBODIA
Weeks 7 - 12
Apply & Lead | Continued Exploration and Leadership
In Cambodia, you continue building on what you’ve developed in Northern Thailand, applying your skills in a new cultural and historical setting. Over six weeks, you’ll travel from Angkor Wat in Siem Reap to everyday life in Battambang, learning about Cambodia’s history, including the Khmer Rouge, and how it shapes life today. With greater independence than before, you’ll take on more responsibility for travel, planning, and community engagement while adapting to a very different context.
Week 7 - Reorientation & Adapting to Your New Environment
Battambang
Your first week in Cambodia focuses on settling into a new country and way of life. Based in Battambang, a charming riverside town with a French colonial past, you’ll wander colorful streets, explore bustling markets, sip coffee in cute cafes, and discover vibrant street art. Along the way, you’ll learn to navigate the town, shop locally, and settle into daily routines, all while building an understanding of Cambodian culture, customs, and history. With less direct guidance than in Thailand, you’ll take more responsibility for logistics and daily decision-making.
Key Highlights:
- Battambang streets, cafés & markets
- Immersing in local culture & routines
- Learning Khmer!
Week 8 & 9 - Cultural Immersion & Infrastructure Project
Phenom Penh & Siem Reap
These two weeks plunges you into Cambodia’s history and culture, and the resilience of its people. From Siem Reap, you’ll watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat, explore the labyrinth of ancient temples, and uncover hidden corners of the once great Khmer Empire. You’ll also uncover the impact of the Khmer Rouge, learning how Cambodia’s past shapes its present, and see how communities preserve traditions, rituals, and daily life. Throughout this week, you’ll deepen your cultural awareness, practice more independent travel, and reflect on how history continues to influence people and communities today.
Key Highlights:
- Exploring Angkor Wat
- Visiting Phnom Penh’s palace, riverside & markets
- Understanding Cambodia’s history & resilience (Khmer Rouge)
Week 10 to 11 - Environmental Action & Marine Conservation
Pedasi / Isla Cañas
You’ll spend two weeks on Panama’s coast participating in environmental and marine conservation projects, including sea turtle protection, and tree planting initiatives. You’ll actively contribute to meaningful work, collaborating closely with your team and local partners to ensure your efforts are ethical, responsible, and responsive to real community and ecological needs. Immersed in these ecosystems, you’ll develop resilience, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship.
Key Highlights:
- Engage in Turtle Conservation work
- Tree planting & tree nursery work
- Sunsets at the beach!
Week 12 - Integration, Celebration & Transition
Coastal Cambodia
Your Cambodia adventure ends with reflection, celebration, and a well-earned beach escape. You’ll spend your final days reflecting on your six weeks in Cambodia and the entire Gap Year Semester. You’ll complete your final capstone project, sharing your insights and story, and mapping out the ripple effects of your actions and experiences. You will have some final group activities and celebrations to honor your growth and achievements, while preparing for your next steps—whether it is college or future adventures— cementing your confidence, leadership, and global perspective gained from this transformative dual-country experience.
Key Highlights:
- Relax at the Beach
- Reflect over your journey & celebrate your achievements!
TESTIMONIALS
What's Included
Included in your Global Semester:
- A Gap Guru mentorship pre, during and post departure.
- Designated group leader that travels with the group for the full 12 weeks
- Safe, fully vetted accommodation
- Meals throughout the program
- In-country transportation between destinations and activities
- In-country transportation
- Experienced local staff & 24/7 support
- Structured mentoring and reflection sessions
- Risk assessments, health & safety protocols, and communication
- Cultural immersion experiences and community projects
- Excursions, adventure activities, and learning opportunities
- Option to earn up to 9 college credits at no extra cost
- Certified carbon offset initiative
College Credits: earn up to 9 college credits through the Centre for Global Citizenship Studies word in a sentence., included in the cost of the Global Semester. Integrated coursework turns real-world experiences into recognized academic credit and may allow the use of 529 plan funds to support the cost of the semester.
What’s Not Included:
- International Flights
- Insurance
- Personal Kit
- Spending Money
- Visas
- Vaccinations
College Credits: earn up to 9 college credits through the Centre for Global Citizenship Studies word in a sentence., included in the cost of the Global Semester. Integrated coursework turns real-world experiences into recognized academic credit and may allow the use of 529 plan funds to support the cost of the semester.
What’s Not Included:
- International Flights
- Insurance
- Personal Kit
- Spending Money
- Visas
- Vaccinations
Explore our semesters
Students are supported throughout by experienced GapGuru leaders and local teams based in-country year-round. Guided reflection and mentoring help turn experiences into lasting learning, creating a semester that’s adventurous, supportive, and transformative long after the gap year ends.
