So, I'm not a PhD student yet, but it is something I'm seriously thinking about...thing is, I'm wondering how long is ok to take off from study, from the end of your undergrad degree to applying for a PhD?
I'm currently in my last year of study, in my social sciences degree (anthropology), and before I do anything I just want to travel for a while. Is having a gap of, say, two years between my last year of undergrad, and applying to do a PhD going to be detrimental to my application, in particular to get a scholarship? What does anyone else think/know about this?

:-(

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As long as your motives, interests and long-term commitment to study are clear, I don't think it matters whether you take a break to travel/try other professional stuff/have a family etc.

I had an interval of almost 20 years between my undergrad and masters degrees, followed by a further 3 year interval, and still picked up AHRC full doctoral funding.

I took ten years between first degree and part time MA (to work including professional exams), then another 7 years between MA and MSc (fulltime) - again working and having children. Have just started PhD (partime) after anotehr break of 5 yearrs 9although I did do PGCert for HE in that time). Two years at this stage is nothing.

Oh well that's good to hear, thanks. Seeing as my long term interests revolve around anthropology and international politics, I feel traveling will be of benefit (although I want to travel purely for enjoyment, too). Also plan on learning another language, such as Spanish or Indonesian, as I feel only knowing english is defiantly a disadvantage for me if I want to work in the areas of development and aid (which I do, at this stage anyway).
So thanks again. :-)

I took a year off between my BA and my MPhil, and another year between that and my PhD, in both cases because I needed to earn the money to pay my tuition fees. If you can do something in your time off that is relevant and/or beneficial to your proposed research, that's great, but it won't count against you if you don't.

So long as you can demonstrate to a potential supervisor that you have a good research proposal, and the ability to do the research, you should be fine.

Don't rush it. A PhD is an entirely different experience from anything you have done before academically. Many do not stay the course, and drop out, and the desire to be in possession of a doctorate is not of itself reason to seek to do one. It is in fact the worst reason of all. In my experience the most dedicated and fruitful doctoral candidates are more mature, and have taken a few years, sometimes decades, to come to the decision to begin. These candidates have a burning passionate interest in a particular subject, which takes them through the process in and of itself. If you find yourself thinking: "I want to do a PhD, but I am not sure what in. I will try to decide upon a subject", then most likely you are not ready to do one. You will either not complete it, or else you will, but you will hate the subject, and possibly yourself by the end of it. Caveat! Take it easy. Go live a little.