Seasonal work, vagabonding, nomadic travel, work camping- call it what you will- we’ve chosen an unusual path in life and it isn’t always the simplest to navigate.
For those of us who seek to live a life of adventure in the most spectacular wildernesses in the world, there are a number of go-to online job boards that post outdoor adventure travel jobs in the USA and abroad. Whether cold climate jobs (ski instructors, dog sled guides) hot climate (scuba instructors, yoga teachers) or somewhere in between (horseback guides, sea kayak guides), you’ll find it (and so much more!) on these adventure travel job boards.
In many cases, these types of jobs include employee housing. Some even include 3 hot meals a day. And with a built in community of coworkers living together, the adventure of a lifetime is inevitable.
Worldwide Outdoor Adventure Jobs
WanderJobs
WanderJobs is one of the major job boards listing outdoor adventure jobs in the US and abroad, many of which are entry-level. You’ll find ski and snowboard instructor positions, trail guide, water sports, boating, ranch, and wilderness lodge jobs, and more. For milder travelers, there are also plenty of jobs in hospitality, food and beverage, and customer service.
Unlike many other sites, jobs must be approved by a staff member before being posted. This filter prevents the big pay-to-work and pay-to-volunteer-vacation companies from extorting money from job seekers. All jobs are paid (this is not a volunteer or work-exchange board) and must include housing for employees.
Divers Jobs
Divers Jobs is all about scuba diving, and there are a good number of available positions to browse through. Divemasters can search for jobs in some of the most beautiful tropical places around the world- Thailand, Bahamas, Greece, Indonesia, the Virgin Islands- you name it. Companies need licensed divers as underwater tour guides and as PADI instructors.
Yoga Travel Jobs
Yoga Travel Jobs is great not just for licensed yogis, but also for other people in the field of “spiritual hospitality”, with listings for not only yoga instructors, but also meditation instructors, wellness coaches, etc. Here you’ll find a collection of positions, both paid and volunteer, in gorgeous locations around the world. Currently on the table are opportunities in Spain, Morocco, Sri Lanki, and Mongolia, to name a few.
Jobs Abroad Bulletin
Jobs Abroad Bulletin is honestly a bit of a crapshoot, with some truly fantastic opportunities listed alongside unpaid volunteer positions, questionable TEFL gigs, and listings better suited for work-exchange sites like workaway.info. But if you sift through, you’ll come across some gems- like Pilates instructors in Canada, chefs in Ireland, and hospitality positions in New Zealand.
Anywork Anywhere
Anywork Anywhere has a fairly small selection jobs, not all of which are fantastic (pay-to-work and TEFL companies are often sketchy). But some are really cool. You can find a some jobs in Japan, Iceland, and New Zealand.
Jobs in the USA
BackdoorJobs
BackdoorJobs is a large, trustworthy, and long standing job board geared specifically toward adventurers in the US. They’ve got a great selection of jobs for outdoor enthusiasts. You’ll find camp and ranch positions, farm work, conservation, trekking, and bicycle, cross-country travel, and a few luxury tours abroad. They also have tamer customer service positions available for nature lovers who don’t necessarily want to work outside.
Some of the jobs listed here will require more experience with the outdoors, but there are entry level jobs as well.
Coolworks
Coolworks is a large staple site for seasoned travel workers. They commonly feature outdoor adventure jobs in their lineup. They focus heavily on the western US and Alaska, where there are tons of jobs for nature lovers. Many of the listed jobs include room and board, which makes transitioning from place to place a simple ritual of packing your bags.
Adventure Job Board
Adventure Job Board is an aptly named medium-sized job board for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. Most jobs are adventure based: you’ll find sea kayak and horseback guide jobs, but also jobs in sales and hospitality. There are occasional listings for jobs abroad.
Good Natured Jobs
Good Natured Jobs is a smaller job board that features jobs within the US, at both large and small companies. While they don’t have a big selection, they often list jobs not found on the other job boards. You’ll be able to browse job openings for guides, parks & recreation, and camps. They also list Work Camping jobs, which is geared toward the older RVing crowd.
Adventure Jobs
Adventure Jobs is another small source of outdoor jobs. Their openings aren’t listed on the bigger job boards. Some positions on offer are zipline guides, outdoor education, and rock climbing. They don’t ignore the midwest, either: it’s not only flyover country out there!
Jobs In Australia
Seek
Seek, while not specifically an outdoor adventure job board, does have plenty of positions for outdoor travel enthusiasts. Companies are looking for tour guides of all sorts- zip line, drivers, divers, walking tours, and even ghost tour guides. There are plenty of other exciting positions, too- on boats, in hospitality, and both entry level and management positions. Just type “adventure” into the search field.
QORF
QORF (Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation) is a small board that encourages job seekers to “live life outdoors” as expedition guides, field instructors, and more outdoor adventure positions throughout Australia.
Jobs In Canada
Good Work
Good Work dedicates itself to “green” jobs in the environmental sector. Jobs with employee housing included isn’t specifically their MO, but there are some to be found on the site. They include the more “normal” ski resort jobs, but also snowshoe tours, farm work, conservation, and a few internships. Most positions are in Canada, though there are a few abroad.
Job Trekker
Job Trekker, though a small site, includes a fun mix of jobs in beautiful places across Canada. Positions run the gamut from fall foliage sightseeing guides, bike education instructors, and wilderness instructors to amusement park staff.
This is a live, ever-growing list, so please send us a message if you know of another useful resource to share! And check out these tips to guide you on your adventure job search.
