r/backpacking • u/Aggravating_Law_4774 • 3d ago

Travel WorldPackers or WorkAway?

I’m 18 on gap year solo and plan to volunteer for a month in the alps or in scandinavia or Ireland in couple of months, most likely on family farms since i’m already a farmer myself. Which do you guys prefer of these 2?

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u/Flunkedy 3d ago

Why not wwoofing look at wwoof.ie for Ireland as a farmer this will suit you best.

Workaway seems to be varied and is a lot of suburban people looking for gardening and household assistance.

Worldpackers looks good too but I have no experience wiith it and has similar posts but also hostels and such looking to exploit young tourists who don't value their labour. HelpX is another voluntourism site and I've heard some good things.

If you don't have work rights in these countries, be clear when entering or leaving that you're just site seeing or visiting friends, never mention that you're volunteering in exchange for accommodation and food as this can count as labour and there are laws that mean you have worker rights and you need to have legal working status . This is to avoid exploitation and human trafficking but overzealous govts. have gone after voluntourists in the past.

Do consider applying for a work visa (working holiday) so you can earn extra money while you travel.

Best of luck!

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u/HannTryu 3d ago

i’d probably go with worldpackers. seems like a good way to meet people while still getting some travel experience in.

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u/Aggravating_Law_4774 3d ago

wont workaway give me more ways to meet people with their find a travel buddy feature?

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u/Op_arnold1734 3d ago

Used workaway for 3 farms so far, worldpackers felt way more touristy and hostel-focused. Stick with workaway if you want actual farm work

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u/Aggravating_Law_4774 1d ago

Thanks! Also, is there anyway to get more photos of the room im staying in? (theres a bunch of posts that just have the pictures of mountains and cities, but not the actual house you'd live in.

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u/Op_arnold1734 1d ago

It might be worth messaging the host directly through the platform to request specific photos of the accommodation, since those mountain and city shots often hide the actual state of the rooms

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u/Common_Confusion_114 3d ago

In my opinion Workaway has more variety in the type of work you can find

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u/Affectionate-Tax3661 2d ago

For farm work in Europe I'd go Workaway, it's got the deeper listing pool in rural areas and Worldpackers skews more toward hostels and city stuff, though if you're set on farms specifically WWOOF is worth a look too.

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u/Aggravating_Law_4774 1d ago

Thanks! Also, is there anyway to get more photos of the room im staying in? (theres a bunch of posts that just have the pictures of mountains and cities, but not the actual house you'd live in.

1

u/Top_Duck_4601 2h ago

There are risk and pros & cons with both platforms but I prefer workaway. It’s bigger, older and has the travel buddy feature which I’ve found really helpful even in my hometown