18 Sep 2027 37 Weeks All Levels Split Payment Options Trips from £16995

Overview

The Ultimate Gap Year is the ultimate combination of surf, travel, adventure and personal development. It’s the biggest surf adventure you can do. It’s the cream of the crop.

Over 37 weeks, you’ll travel through four countries and two continents, surf some of the world’s best waves, gain internationally recognised surf instructor and lifesaving qualifications, build real-world coaching experience and experience what it’s like to live and travel with a group of like-minded people from around the world.

From the tropical beaches of Sri Lanka to the wild coastlines of South Africa and Mozambique, finishing among the world-class waves of Indonesia, every stage of the journey brings something different.

You'll arrive as a surf student and leave as a qualified surf instructor, confident traveller and seriously accomplished surfer, with almost a year of experiences, friendships and stories that will stay with you for life.

This isn't a normal gap year, it's the ultimate Ticket to Ride Adventure.

What to Expect

Part 1: Sri Lanka Surf Academy

Your adventure begins in Sri Lanka, where you'll spend the first part of the trip learning to surf, travelling around the island and preparing for your surf instructor qualifications.

Based at the Ticket to Ride Surf House and travelling through some of Sri Lanka's best surf destinations, you'll get intensive coaching, video analysis, ocean theory, fitness and water safety training.

By the end of the Academy you'll be ready to take your ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor qualification and lifesaving qualification.

Highlights:

Train at our Sri Lanka Surf Academy
Professional surf coaching and video analysis
Ocean theory, fitness and water safety
Explore Sri Lanka's beaches, temples, tea plantations and wildlife
Experience life at the Ticket to Ride Surf House
Earn your ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor qualification
Complete your lifesaving qualification

Part 2: Surf Coaching Apprenticeship

Now it's time to put everything you've learnt into practice.
You'll spend two months living and working alongside our surf coaching team in Sri Lanka. You'll shadow experienced instructors, assist with surf lessons and start developing the confidence and leadership skills needed to become a great surf coach.
It's real experience in a real surf environment and one of the most valuable parts of the whole journey.

What you'll gain:

Practical surf coaching experience
Leadership and communication skills
Confidence working with groups
Experience in a professional surf environment
A deeper understanding of surf coaching and safety
Time to explore Sri Lanka on your days off
Friends and memories that last a lifetime

Part 3: The Ultimate African Surf Road Trip

Next stop: Africa.

You'll hit the road for an epic overland adventure through South Africa and Mozambique, chasing waves, exploring new places and living the surf road-trip dream.

From Cape Town and Jeffreys Bay to the tropical coastline of Mozambique, you'll experience some of the most iconic surf destinations in the World.

Expect long drives, perfect waves, wild landscapes, beach camps, new cultures, unforgettable nights and plenty of adventure along the way.

Highlights:

Thousands of kilometres of overland adventure
Surf iconic South African waves
Experience Jeffreys Bay and the Garden Route
Head north into tropical Mozambique
Surf remote and uncrowded breaks
Wildlife and safari experiences
Diving and other epic excursions
Campfires, beach sunsets and plenty of good times
Continue building your surf and travel experience

Part 4: Six Weeks of Indonesia

Just when you think the adventure is over, we take it to the next level.

After seven months of travelling, surfing, qualifying and working your way around Sri Lanka, South Africa and Mozambique, you'll head to Indonesia for the ultimate finale.

Six weeks. Three islands. Endless waves.

Starting in Bali, you'll surf the famous (and not so famous) breaks on the West Coast before heading to Lombok, where you'll explore the waves around Gerupuk by boat.

From there it's on to Nusa Lembongan to surf Playgrounds, Shipwrecks and Lacerations, before returning to Bali for a final two weeks travelling up the West Coast through Canggu, Balian and Medewi.

And by this point in your journey, you'll have the skills and confidence to make the most of it.

With professional surf coaching throughout the trip, you'll continue to work on your technique, confidence and wave selection, with photo and video analysis helping you take your surfing further.

Highlights:

Six weeks of Indonesian surf adventure
Explore Bali, Lombok and Nusa Lembongan
Surf a huge variety of world-class waves
Boat trips to Indonesia's best breaks
Professional coaching throughout
Photo and video surf analysis
Volcano hike
White water rafting
Snorkelling and manta rays
Uluwatu temple tour
Travel the West Coast of Bali
Chase some seriously long waves
Finish your gap year completely surfed out and stoked

Why Choose the Ultimate Gap Year?

  • The Ultimate Surf Adventure: 37 weeks of surfing, travelling and exploring four incredible countries.
  • Get Qualified: Earn your ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor qualification and lifesaving qualification in Sri Lanka.
  • Get Real Experience: Put your new skills into practice during your surf coaching apprenticeship.
  • Chase World-Class Waves: From Sri Lanka and South Africa to Mozambique and Indonesia, you'll surf an incredible variety of waves and environments.
  • Travel With Purpose: This isn't travelling for the sake of travelling. You'll learn, grow, gain independence and develop skills that stay with you long after the trip ends.
  • Build Your Career: Gain real surf coaching experience and access to job opportunities with surf schools and camps around the world.
  • Find Your Tribe: Spend 37 weeks surrounded by people who love surfing, adventure and travel as much as you do.

Who's It For?

  • Whether you're taking a gap year after school, looking for an alternative to university, taking a career break or simply want to spend the next year doing something extraordinary, the Ultimate Gap Year is for you.
  • You don't need to be an amazing surfer. You don't even need to have ever surfed! What you do need is a sense of adventure, an open mind and a willingness to get stuck in.
  • By the end of the year, you'll barely recognise the person who arrived on day one.

Trip Timeline

Here you'll find a day by day breakdown of your course.

  • Sri Lanka Surf Academy

    Start your journey in Sri Lanka and get stuck straight into surfing.

    Travel through some of the country's best surf destinations while developing your surfing, learning about the ocean and preparing for your surf instructor and lifesaving qualifications.

    You'll finish this stage as a qualified surf instructor, ready to put your new skills into practice.

  • Surf Coaching Apprenticeship

    Now it's time for the real-world experience.

    You'll join our surf coaching team in Sri Lanka, shadowing instructors and helping deliver lessons while developing your own coaching style.

    You'll live, work and surf alongside the team and get a genuine taste of life as a surf instructor.

  • Ultimate African Surf Road Trip

    Next up: Africa.

    Travel overland through South Africa and Mozambique, surfing your way along the coastline and experiencing everything from iconic surf towns to remote tropical breaks.

    It's a huge road trip packed with surfing, adventure, wildlife, culture and some of the most memorable moments of the year.

  • Indonesia Surf Adventure

    Finish your Ultimate Gap Year in Indonesia.

    Start in Bali before travelling to Lombok and Nusa Lembongan, then return to Bali to explore the West Coast.

    After everything you've learnt throughout the year, this final six weeks is all about putting it into practice, surfing as much as possible and enjoying some of the world's best waves.

    You'll arrive in Indonesia as a surf student.

    You'll leave as a completely different surfer.

Qualifications

International Surfing Association (ISA) Level 1 Surf Instructor / Coaching qualification

This will be run out of the Ticket to Ride Surf House in Ahangama and is a two day course run by Surfing Sri Lanka. It has several different components, including beach safety, teaching methods, health and safety, teaching surf lessons and of course, the practical surfing test.

The Lifesaving Course

Designed specifically for surf coaches and run at the Ticket to Ride Surf House, it covers everything from first aid, spinal board rescue and board rescue. There is also a timed swim where you're required to swim 400m in under 9 minutes, you can wear googles. The whole Ticket to Ride Surf Academy prepares and trains you for surf instructor success, so don't stress! There will also be opportunities to re-take any elements you didn't pass for whatever reason.

Course Video

What past riders say


FAQs

Got a question about this course? Here's the best place to start. If you don't find your answer here, you can request a callback or get in touch using our contact page.

You don't need to be an amazing surfer to join the Ultimate Gap Year. You don’t even need to have surfed before!

The Sri Lanka Surf Academy is designed to take you from your current level, whatever that is and develop your surfing throughout the course. Each new location provides opportunities for you to keep pushing your surfing to the next level!

What matters most is that you are committed to improving and willing to get stuck in.

Nope! You can join the Ultimate Gap Year as a complete beginner. We'll teach you the skills you need throughout the Sri Lanka Surf Academy and continue developing your surfing throughout the rest of the year.


You'll work towards an ISA Level 1 Surf Instructor / Coaching qualification and a lifesaving qualification during the Sri Lanka Surf Academy.

You'll also finish the year with significant practical experience assisting professional surf instructors during your apprenticeship.

This is where the apprenticeship becomes particularly valuable.

You'll spend two months putting your qualification into practice, shadowing and assisting experienced surf instructors in Sri Lanka.

We'll also help connect graduates with job opportunities through our network of partner surf schools and camps around the world.

The Ultimate Gap Year is 37 weeks in total. Starting in September, finishing in May. 

You'll travel through Sri Lanka, South Africa, Mozambique and Indonesia.

Your Ultimate Gap Year includes the accommodation, meals, surf coaching, qualified Trip Leaders, surf transport, activities, internal travel and support included across the individual stages of the programme.

The exact inclusions vary between Sri Lanka, Africa and Indonesia, you can download the brochure to get more info.

You will need a flight into Colombo Bandaranayake International Airport (CMB) on or before the trip start date of 18th September 2027. 

You will need a flight from CMB to Cape Town International (CPT) to arrive on or before 22nd January 2028 

You will need a flight out of Durban International Airport on 22nd April 2028 to arrive into Denpasar Airport Bali (I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport) for 23rd April 2028

You will need a flight out of Denpasar Airport Bali on 3rd June 2028.

We'll give you full guidance on the flights you need to book before departure so you don't have to figure it all out yourself.

Food arrangements vary throughout the year.

You'll have breakfast and 5 evening meals included during parts of the Sri Lanka programme, while breakfast is included during the African and Indonesian sections. You'll also have plenty of opportunities to eat locally and experience the food in each destination.

The Ultimate Gap Year attracts people from a wide range of ages, from 17 - 50+

You'll meet people taking a traditional gap year, as well as people taking career breaks or simply looking for an adventure. The thing everyone has in common is a love of surfing, travel and meeting new people.

Don't panic.

The Sri Lanka Surf Academy is designed to prepare you for the qualifications, and you'll have plenty of training and support beforehand. If you don't pass an element first time, there will be opportunities to retake relevant elements.

Absolutely.

That's one of the reasons the Ultimate Gap Year works so well.

You'll be travelling as part of a group and supported by experienced Ticket to Ride Trip Leaders throughout the programme. You'll gradually become more independent as the year goes on, but you'll never be expected to figure everything out alone.

Hopefully, sun-kissed, very surfed out and wondering where the last 37 weeks went.

But more importantly, you'll leave with internationally recognised qualifications, practical coaching experience, a huge amount of travel experience, improved surfing, lifelong friendships and the confidence to go and create your next adventure.

This isn't just a year away.

It's a year that could change what comes next.

For Sri Lanka you must have Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) you can get this here: www.eta.gov.lk. You will want to get a 30 day tourist visa, this can be extended when in the country.

For most countries South African immigration will issue you with a holiday visa on arrival. This visa is free of charge and valid for 90 days. If you will be staying longer than 90 days you will need to apply for your visa extension early on in your trip. The 90 day holiday visas are only issued on the grounds that you have proof of return/onward travel out of South Africa. Please do double check with your embassy before departing for South Africa and check out the latest Foreign Travel Advice by going to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

For Mozambique most foreign citizens require a 30 day visa for entry to Mozambique. These are now purchased at the border crossing and your Trip Leader will be there to guide you through the process.

When leaving Mozambique to re-enter South Africa, to fly home, you will get a short 1 - 7 day visa until your flight leaves.

For Indonesia, for many nationalities they are doing a Visa on Arrival system. The free Visa on Arrival (VOA) cannot be extended, but you can pay for the extendable version at the airport. This can be extended for a further 30 days, so you can remain in Indonesia for 60 days total.

Visas are only issued on the grounds that you have proof of return/onward travel out of Indonesia. You may also be asked to show proof of funds (often about £1,500), so it's always worth bringing a valid credit card for this purpose.

Important: Please check with your own country’s embassy/advice to confirm your travel requirements as this varies from country to country.

Straight from the surf