---
title: Why Half of Over-50s Are Planning a Golden Gap Year
description: Half of British adults over 50 are planning a golden gap year, swapping the annual holiday for months of travel, adventure and long-awaited bucket-list experiences.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-02-19T10:33:01.000Z
updated: 2026-03-04T18:11:25.825Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/why-half-of-over-50s-are-planning-a-golden-gap-year
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/9143795.jpeg
categories: Lifestyle, Travel
content_type: News
region: United Kingdom
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

Half of British adults over 50 are planning a golden gap year. Not a two-week all-inclusive. Not a long weekend in Barcelona. According to new [research from Emirates](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-15570079/golden-gap-year-50s-theyre-heading.html), one in two are now thinking about a real, sustained period of travel built around personal growth, bucket-list experiences and the kind of freedom that only comes when the mortgage is paid and the children have finally taken their towels with them.

The destinations tell you everything. The Great Barrier Reef. The Big Five in South Africa. Rainforests in Thailand. These are not places people visit on a whim. They’re the trips that have been pinned to a mental noticeboard for decades, quietly waiting.

## More than a travel trend

What makes this different from a holiday is the intent behind it. A golden gap year is a deliberate pause (months, sometimes a full year) taken at a point of transition. The kids have left. A career chapter has closed. And instead of quietly settling into routine, a growing number of women are choosing to do something with that space. For many, it starts with the same impulse that drives [mindful solo travel](https://richwoman.co/article/mindful-solo-travel-for-women-the-courage-to-explore-within) (a desire to explore what lies beyond the familiar) but stretched across months rather than days.

## The nostalgia factor

There is also an emotional pull behind it that goes deeper than wanderlust. The Emirates research found that 60 per cent of over-50s would happily swap a traditional beach holiday to revisit somewhere they went when they were younger. Not because the place was perfect the first time around, but because they want to see it again through different eyes (and, frankly, with a better hotel).

There’s something quietly powerful about that. Returning to a city you backpacked through at 22, this time with the confidence and the budget to do it properly. It is less about nostalgia and more about completion.

## Adventure is not age-dependent

The idea that people become less adventurous as they get older turns out to be nonsense. A [survey by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines](https://media.fredolsencruises.com/news/new-generation-embrace-the-golden-gap-year-as-they-head-to-retirement-according-to-survey-478769) (conducted by Opinion Matters with over 2,000 UK respondents) found that 42 per cent of over-55s describe themselves as adventurous, with nearly a quarter saying they’ve actually become more so with age. Three in 10 say they travel more now than they ever did while working.

Intrepid Travel has noticed the same shift. Bookings from UK customers aged 60 and over were up 42 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to Hazel McGuire, the company’s general manager for the UK and Ireland. The company has just launched a [Golden Gap Year competition](https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/golden-gap-year) offering one person aged 55 or over an entire year of travel.

## Permission to want more

Doni Belau, who founded [Girls’ Guide to the World](https://www.aarp.org/travel/vacation-ideas/family/golden-gap-year-of-traveling/) at 61, puts it simply. ‘The idea is to find a new spark in life, and it’s often a great thing to do during a transition.’ She recommends creating a personal mission statement before setting off (something that sounds a bit corporate until you actually try it and realise it stops you from booking 14 countries in six weeks out of sheer excitement).

The practical side matters too. This is not reckless spontaneity. Most golden gap year travellers plan carefully, save deliberately and go with a partner or a friend. According to the Emirates research, the majority want to travel with their partner, though 19 per cent plan to go with friends and 17 per cent want to go solo.

## A different kind of investment

What sits beneath all of this is a quiet reprioritisation. The old model of [retirement](https://richwoman.co/article/the-end-of-golden-watch-moment-as-retirement-timing-and-career-endpoint-demand-a-new-playbook) (work, stop, sit down) is being replaced by something more deliberate. Over-55s are increasingly choosing [experiences over inheritance](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/golden-gap-year-50-plus-generation-setting-off-see-world), spending on travel that enriches their own lives rather than saving every penny for the next generation. It is not selfish. It is overdue.

As Jabr Al Azeeby, Emirates’ divisional vice president for the UK, put it: the over-50s are ‘no longer just ticking off destinations, but planning trips that fulfil lifelong dreams.’ And if that means selling the car, renting out the house and spending a year discovering what happens when you finally stop putting yourself last, then perhaps the only real question is: what took so long?

## In case you were wondering…

**Q: What is a golden gap year?**
A golden gap year is an extended period of travel taken by adults in their 50s, 60s or beyond. Unlike a traditional holiday, it is built around personal growth, cultural immersion and bucket-list experiences rather than relaxation alone. Most people plan theirs around a life transition (retirement, an empty nest or a career shift) and travel for anywhere from several months to a full year. The focus tends to be on slower, more intentional travel, with time to genuinely experience each destination rather than rushing between them.

**Q: Is 55 too old to travel long-term?**
Not even close. Research consistently shows that people over 55 are among the most enthusiastic and well-prepared travellers. Many report feeling more adventurous in their 50s and 60s than they did in their 20s, partly because they have more financial stability, fewer daily obligations and a clearer sense of what they actually want from a trip. Travel companies have responded by designing experiences specifically for this age group, with options ranging from luxury cruises to overland adventures and volunteer placements.

**Q: How do you plan a gap year later in life?**
The best starting point is to define what you want from the experience, whether that is adventure, rest, learning or reconnection. Travel experts recommend creating a personal mission statement to guide your choices and prevent over-planning. Practical steps include budgeting for the full duration (including an emergency fund), arranging travel and medical insurance, researching visa requirements and deciding whether to rent out or downsize your home while you are away. Most golden gap year travellers plan for six to 12 months and book a mix of structured trips and open-ended time.
