Volunteer travel specialists i-to-i are offering a huge 12 per cent off all adventures booked during January, so everyone can start the new decade with an exhilarating new challenge abroad.

Challenges and gap year adventures are available all over the globe, lasting from just one week to three months. From working with lion cubs in South Africa to helping orphans in Cambodia, there’s a whole world of gap year and volunteer abroad opportunities to choose from, including community development, wildlife, conservation, building and teaching projects. Or, for those who want to mix volunteering with exploring, i-to-i’s tours offer the very best in off-the-beaten track adventure travel.

These trips aren’t just a great way for travellers to challenge themselves and make a real difference to people’s lives either: as they’re living and working with local people, i-to-i travellers have a privileged opportunity to experience foreign cultures from the inside, meet new people and have a lot of fun while they’re at it.

Fay Short, 29, who did a teaching and temples tour of Cambodia, said: “I couldn’t wait to tell everyone how amazing it was to be immersed in another culture and gain hands-on experience of teaching English to the kids. All of the kids were amazing and the staff were just fantastic.”

Plus, taking on the challenge of volunteering abroad doesn’t just make a positive difference to people out there – i-to-i travellers also report benefits to their own lives, which last much longer than their tans. Carmel Gargan, 53, who worked on a community development project in Jaipur, India, said: “After spending 6 weeks in a school in the slum and overcoming the challenges there, I feel empowered to take on any other challenges that life wants to throw at me!”

These adventures aren’t just reserved for gap year students either: a massive 41 per cent of people who volunteer abroad with i-to-i are over the age of 25. What’s more, with many trips lasting for just one or two weeks, it’s possible to ditch the beach break and do something a bit more exciting with that summer holiday.

i-to-i travellers also enjoy bags of support. From friendly travel advisors to recommend that perfect trip, to dedicated in-country support teams, a 24 hour emergency helpline and expert UK customer support staff, there’s always someone to answer questions, help out in a crisis or simply recommend a good bar to go to for drinks. In fact, the support is so top notch that 90 per cent of i-to-i travellers rate the service they receive as good or excellent.

Those wanting to take on the challenge of an i-to-i trip in 2010, and save 12 per cent, should call a member of i-to-i’s expert travel team on 0800 093 1505 or visit www.i-to-i.com before the end of January.

Honor Baldry – Volunteering abroad, a gap year, a career break or just a holiday with a difference. Whatever you’re thinking of doing, i-to-i can help you make it a reality!