Here's what you need to know to plan a trip around the world

Dec 29, 2021 • 7 min read

Cenote Suytun at Valladolid, Yucatan - Mexico

Don't start planning your round-the-world trip without reading this guide © Getty Images

In 1924, a team of aviators from the USA successfully completed the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by airplane, a feat that took 175 days, 76 stops, a cache of 15 Liberty engines, 14 spare pontoons, four aircraft and two sets of new wings. This achievement ushered in an era of international air travel, and nearly a century later, travelers are still creating their own round-the-world itineraries. 

You might not have the same worries as those early aviators, but planning a round-the-world trip has never been a more complex process. As COVID-19 continues to alter world travel , heading out on a multi-country trip might be more complicated than it has been in decades. While it might not be the right time to hit the road, luckily it's never too early to start figuring out the logistics of a trip around the globe. After all, who doesn't have a lot of pent-up wanderlust at the moment? 

When it comes to booking your trip, there are several options for booking your airfare, as well as flexibility on timing, destinations and budget. But don't let that overwhelm you – start here with our handy guide on how to plan that round-the-world trip you’ve always dreamed of.

Where and how to get a round-the-world plane ticket

The most economical way to circumnavigate the globe is to buy a round-the-world (RTW) plane ticket through a single airline alliance. These are confederations of several different airlines that make it simple to maximize the number of places you can travel and pay for it all in one place or with points. There are three primary airline alliances to choose from: Star Alliance, OneWorld and Skyteam.  Star Alliance is a coalition of 26 airlines that fly to 1300 airports in 98% of the world’s countries.  OneWorld includes 14 airlines traveling to 1100 destinations in 180 territories.  Skyteam is made up of 19 airlines that serve 1000 destinations in 170 countries.  

Read more:   How to save money when you're traveling

Once you pick an airline alliance, whether because of a loyalty program you’re already a member of or because you like its terms, conditions and destination list, you can purchase a single RTW airline ticket made up of several legs fulfilled by that alliance’s partners. The RTW ticket rules vary between each of the airline alliances, with particulars like Star Alliance’s rule that a RTW ticket can include two to 15 stops. But there are some general principles that apply to most RTW tickets, no matter which airline group you go with. 

You typically must follow one global direction (east or west – no backtracking); you must start and finish in the same country; and you must book all your flights before departure, though you can change them later (though this could incur extra charges). Typically you have one year to get from your starting point to the finish line.

How long do I need for a round-the-world trip?

You could whip around the world in a weekend if you flew non-stop, especially with the advent of new ultra-long-haul flights that can clock in at 20 hours of flight time. However, the minimum duration of most RTW tickets is 10 days – still a breathless romp. To get the most out of your round-the-world ticket, consider stock-piling vacation days, tagging on public holidays or even arranging a sabbatical from work to take off at least two months (but ideally six months to one year). Because most airline alliances give you up to a year to use your ticket, you can maximize your purchase if you plan well.

A hiker approaching an archway on a mountainous trail in Nepal

When should I travel on a round-the-world trip?

The weather will never be ideal in all your stops, so focus on what you want to do most and research the conditions there. In general, city sightseeing can be done year-round (escape extreme heat, cold or rain in museums and cafes), but outdoor adventures are more reliant on – and enjoyable in – the right weather.

Research ahead of time if any must-see destinations or must-do activities will mean facing crowds. For example, if you’re hoping to be in Austria for the famous Salzburg Festival, you’ll want to plan ahead and book your tickets months in advance. If you’re hoping to fit a shorter thru-hike into your round-the-world trip, you’ll want to make sure you’re going in the correct season and starting in the right spot. You won’t get far or have as enjoyable an experience if you’re, say, attempting the Tour du Mont Blanc during the dates of the annual winter marathon or headed northbound on the Pacific Crest Trail in July, missing most of the warmer months. 

Accept youʼll be in some regions at the "wrong" time – though this might offer unexpected benefits. For example, Victoria Falls has a dry season each year , which means a slightly less thunderous cascade, but it does open up rafting opportunities and a chance to swim right up to the lip of the falls in The Devil’s Pool. Going to Venice in the winter might mean grayer skies but fewer crowds. Heading to Kenya and Tanzania in April is likely to mean fewer humans, but not fewer chances to spot wildlife, all while saving money on safari.  Also keep in mind that mom-and-pop locations have their downtime and holiday seasons as well; don't be too surprised if your local bakery in Paris is closed for a holiday week or two in August.

Where should I go on my round-the-world trip?

The classic (and cheapest) RTW tickets flit between a few big cities, for example, London – Bangkok – Singapore – Sydney – LA . If you want to link more offbeat hubs ( Baku – Kinshasa – Paramaribo , anyone?), prices will climb considerably. The cost of the ticket is also based on the total distance covered or the number of countries visited.

A train crossing a bridge curves through lush green hillsides in India

Remember, you donʼt have to fly between each point: in Australia you could land in Perth , travel overland and fly out of Cairns . Or fly into Moscow , board the Trans-Siberian railway  and fly onwards from Beijing.  Pick some personal highlights and string the rest of your itinerary around those. For instance, if youʼre a keen hiker, flesh out a Peru ( Inca Trail ) – New Zealand ( Milford Track ) – Nepal ( Everest Base Camp ) itinerary with stops in Yosemite , Menz-Gauassa and the Okavango Delta .

If budgetʼs an issue, spend more time in less expensive countries and plan budget city breaks along the way. You’ll spend more in metros like Paris, Dubai and San Francisco than in Nusa Tenggara , Budapest  and Buffalo . 

Tips, tricks and pitfalls of round-the-world tickets

Talk to an expert before you book a round-the-world ticket: you may have an itinerary in mind, but an experienced RTW flight booker will know which routes work best and cost least. A few tweaks could mean big savings in time and money. Hash out a budget well ahead of time, not only for your RTW ticket, but also for the whole trip. Reach out to friends or travel bloggers who have done a round-the-world trip or are full-time travelers because they can offer tips on how to budget for a trip around the world .

Be flexible: moving your departure date by a few days can save money. Mid-week flights are generally cheaper, as are flights on major holidays such as Christmas Day. Avoid days and times popular with business travelers to escape higher prices and more crowded cabins.

Think about internal travel: it can be cheaper to book internal flights at the same time as booking your RTW ticket, but with the global increase of low-cost airlines, you may find it better (and more flexible) to buy them separately as you go.

Be warned: if you donʼt board one of your booked flights (say, on a whim, you decide to travel overland from Bangkok to Singapore rather than fly it) your airline is likely to cancel all subsequent flights.

You might also like: 10 destinations perfect for solo travel Can visiting lesser-known places offer a better travel experience? 6 things I learned from flying 6 days in a row

This article was first published March 2012 and updated December 2021

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How to plan a trip around the world: 2024 Traveler's Guide!

How to plan a trip around the world: 2024 Traveler's Guide!

Planning isn't always easy, let alone a round-the-world trip. From destinations to budgeting, this 8-step guide covers all the basics you'll need to start an unforgettable worldwide trip.

planning travel around the world

Taufiq Ul Haque is an avid traveler and cyclist. He provides content marketing services to clients worldwide. With 8+ years of experience, he is a government-endorsed freelancer who specializes in scaling digital assets, writing and search engine optimization.

Do you want to create your own version of a "trip around the world in 80 days"? Worry not!

This guide will give you an idea of how to start planning your ideal round-the-world trip. As a common bucket list item for many travel enthusiasts, this guide is a trending topic in the travel community - so much that many travel influencers and YouTubers even leave their day jobs to fulfill their dreams of traveling the world! 

A round-the-world tour requires weeks of planning and organization. The process may sometimes feel overwhelming but also exciting once you start. There may be some setbacks, but trial and error will help you gain experience. It might feel scary at first, but that's how every great adventure starts! 

This article will give you a starting point for planning your trip. It highlights all the bases you need to cover before your grand journey worldwide. 

What is a "Round-The-World Trip"?

What exactly does a round-the-world trip entail? Is it only one if you visit all 195 countries? 

Well, the answer can vary. Some travel enthusiasts aim to tour most countries. But for others, a round-the-world trip could mean visiting a few countries from each continent. Beginners can also take the Eastward or Westward technique of a round-the-world tour. 

Round-the-world trips start with a one-way ticket to wherever your heart desires. They usually last around six months to one year. Of course, the involvement of your bank account is inevitable. You may even have a  travel bucket list  of witnessing all of the world's wonders. Every country has its own natural beauty and history. Travel lovers find fascination in different cultures, cuisines, and languages. 

But before diving into how to plan for the trip, let's look at the different approaches to world tours.

Eastward around the world 

With the Eastward approach, your trip will mainly cover Asia, Australia, and the Pacific regions of the world. This is the way to go if you're eager to learn about Eastern culture - it's also a good starting point for beginners because the Eastward approach puts less constraint on your budget.

Taj Mahal

You can plan your trips around Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and many more. This approach will allow you to see at least two of the world's wonders. You can also witness India's most significant monument, the  Taj Mahal at sunrise , or  tour the Great Wall of China . 

Westward around the world 

A Westward trip highlights the continents of Europe, North America, South America, and Africa. You can choose this method if you want to indulge in Western civilization. But the Westward method is comparatively more expensive than the Eastward.

Plan your trip around the world in 8 simple steps 

Following these steps will push you to start organizing your world tour. Remember, planning can make for a seamless experience. It's the key to a successful and satisfying trip! 

Step 1: Decide on your destinations 

Deciding which destinations you want to visit is the first step of the plan. Avoid randomly picking countries. You want to lay out your travel destinations in an orderly manner. 

Top view of Krbelica Island

Give yourself some thinking space, or pull out your travel bucket list. Then, decide if you want to take the Eastward or Westward approach. There are plenty of resources for you to find inspiration. You can listen to travel podcasts , read travel magazines, or find articles on the best countries and  islands to visit . 

Most beginners start with 10 to 15 countries. It's best to start in more affordable cities that you feel familiar with. You can always add more if you're feeling confident.

Step 2: Decide on your trip length

Deciding how long you want to spend traveling depends on you and your budget. Firstly, ask yourself if you'd prefer a fast or slow pace of travel. Some seasoned travelers can jet-set to more than 50 countries in a year. In contrast, some like to take their time to indulge in all the different cultures. 

Curate a list of countries you want to visit. Then, list all the points of interest you want to see in each. This will give you an estimate of how long it'll take to cover all the locations. If you're a beginner, going slow instead of rushing everything is wise.

It can be worth it to allocate a decent amount of time to each country. Spend your trip interacting with the locals and immerse yourself in their culture and history. This will enrich your world knowledge and elevate your travel experience. 

Step 3: Create your trip's budget 

This is the backbone of your trip planning. A flexible budget allows you to explore the world more freely. Most travelers have extra funds dedicated to traveling. If you're planning a trip around the world, it's time to start saving!

Budgeting can be challenging when it comes to a round-the-world trip. Research the cost of living for each country and make sure to look for special deals and offers to save money. You can divide your budget into different categories. It's also vital to keep some funds aside for emergencies. 

Woman Using a Black and Red Smartphone and Calculator

You can comfortably travel in countries like Nepal on a budget, but it'd be challenging to do the same in a European city. If you have a smaller budget, start with  more affordable places to visit  in Asia, Africa, or South America. Crossing out some countries from your list is expected due to costs. But gradually, you'll become an expert in budgeting your trips efficiently!

Step 4: Research the countries and local holidays 

This is the part where you research as much as possible so you know what you're signing up for. Absorb all the information that you can about each country. You can check various travel guides, YouTube videos, podcasts, and more. 

It's essential to research the weather in each country. Each country has its different seasons. If you're traveling around June, it'll be winter in Australia, while India will be scorching hot. Planning for the weather will also guide you in packing your clothes. 

Try to learn the basic etiquette of each country. You don't want the side eyes of the locals! Many countries have rules you may not be aware of. For instance, Singapore prohibits chewing gum.

Each country also has its own unique holidays and events. Attending festivals is a great way to experience other cultures. You can also plan your trip such that you celebrate one local holiday in each country. 

Step 5: Plan out accommodations

Once you're confident about what you're diving into, it's time to book your accommodations. You can look into websites like  TripAdvisor  and  Trivago  to plan your stay. If you can spare some extra expenses, you can also talk to a travel agency to scout hotels for you. 

Interior View of a Hotel Room

It's essential that you thoroughly check the reviews of each accommodation. This enables you to filter out the best deals. Moreover, try to grab all the discounts and offers you can. 

Avoid staying in remote locations, as these are huge red flags for tourists. Choosing accommodations around your point of interest is best for safety and convenience.

Step 6: Arrange all the necessary documents 

Arranging all your travel documents can be pretty tedious. If you make a list of all the essentials, it becomes easier.

The primary key to your bon voyage is your passport. It's mandatory to check whether you need to renew your passport and resolve any issues before your trip. 

It would help if you also got all the visas when traveling to multiple countries. It's highly advisable to start your visa procedure months in advance. Research all the requirements for each country based on the passport you hold. Some countries may give you a visa on arrival. 

Remember to apply for  travel insurance ! This allows you to receive compensation for any travel-related incidents. Try to have all your health documentation, as well as vaccine cards. Especially after the pandemic, these are a travel necessity.

Passport on a Clipboard

Step 7: Book your round-the-world tickets 

Now, it's time to book your round-the-world (RTW) ticket! Every travel enthusiast is aware of the three primary airlines for RTW tickets—Star Alliance, OneWorld, and Skyteam. These airlines are the top choices when it comes to traveling around the world. 

RTW tickets allow you to make multiple stops and visit various countries. These three airlines give you the option of going east or west. It is crucial to remember RTW tickets have the rule of starting and finishing in the same country. Backtracking is not permissible with this type of ticket.

Woman using A Laptop

Step 8: Pack for the great adventure!

When it comes to packing, you might feel lost. This is understandable as you might be away from home for more than six months or even a year. Before you start packing , it's helpful to look into guides and  packing lists . There are various articles and videos about how to pack for your trips. 

When packing for a long trip, focus on the essentials. Pack light to avoid the hassle of carrying multiple heavy luggages. The clothes you pack should also be compatible with different climates. This is where individual research concerning each country's climate comes in handy.

Moreover, investing in a good pair of running shoes that are sturdy enough for your adventures will definitely do the trick. These packing cubes will definitely come in handy for your next adventure! 

Packing is easier when you make a checklist. Don't worry if you leave something behind. It's an honest mistake, and you can always buy things at your destination. Just don't forget your passport and ticket!

A Woman Packing Clothes in a Suitcase to Travel the World

Plan your Round-The-World Trip with Pilot! 

World tours can elevate your travel experience to great heights. You'll learn many things about the world and witness different cultures. If you're thinking about a round-the-world trip, take the leap of faith and go for it! Of course, it requires heavy planning, but that's where Pilot comes in. 

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Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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How to plan a trip around the world

 Making the fantasy of a global odyssey an achievable reality is not as impossible as it might seem.

Combining a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a single around-the-world trip can feel like the ultimate expression of luxury travel. It can be a daunting prospect though, with many contending factors to consider. Here's how to start planning the ultimate round-the-world trip.

1. Take to the sky

Air travel is, predictably, the simplest way to traverse the globe. Start by purchasing an around-the-world plane ticket through an airline alliance — coalitions of different airlines which let you pay for all of your flights in a single transaction. The alliance offers regional passes which might work better should you want to devote the bulk of your time to one or two continents.

There are three main players: Star Alliance, OneWorld and Skyteam; the latter, however, has suspended sales of RTW tickets. Star Alliance is a confederation of 26 airlines covering 1,200 airports in 98% of the world’s nations, while OneWorld’s 13 airlines serve 1,000 destinations across almost as many countries.

The small print varies, but fliers must always keep to one global direction, east or west (the latter better suits your circadian rhythm), with no backtracking; must only cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans once each; must start and finish in the same country; and must travel for a period between 10 days and one year.

Convenience is a benefit here, allowing you to minimise paperwork. It’s worth noting that some countries, such as China, also require proof of an outbound air ticket before issuing visas.  

How to do it:   Star Alliance offers a 133-day itinerary from London via Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Los Angeles and New York from £2,580 per person.  

2. Ride the rails

A century ago, taking extended rail journeys was one of the only means of long-distance travel. Today, trains are a great option for travellers looking to minimise their carbon footprint and take a slower, more measured route.

Recapturing the romance of the past, around-the-world specialists Travel Nation can tailor-make odysseys involving   separate train journeys. Vietnam’s Reunification Express, an Outback crossing aboard the Australian Ghan and a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada can all feature.

How to do it:   Travel Nation ’s 74-night, rail-focused global tour costs from £17,760 per person, including flights, trains, accommodation, most meals and some excursions.  

3. Go Private

For those who truly want to travel in style, it’s possible to circumnavigate the globe by private jet through National Geographic Expeditions. These trips are based around epic itineraries whose remarkable destinations are brought to life by a experts and groundbreaking researchers in various fields, who most travellers never get to meet.

On the 24-day Around the World by Private Jet expedition, you can visit 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Among the trip’s standouts are Easter Island’s Moai statues, Angkor’s jungle-flanked temple complexes, rock-carved Petra and a Serengeti safari. Departing from Washington, DC, up to 75 passengers will travel VIP-style in a customised Boeing 757, bedding down throughout the adventure in five-star hotels or lodges.

How to do it: National Geographic Expeditions ’ 23-night Around the World by Private Jet trip starts from £77,100 per person, all-inclusive, including medical evacuation insurance. Departures on 10 March, 29 October and 28 December 2024.  

train curving near Lake Louise on bright, sunny day

4. Head overland

Travellers who don’t mind hitting the open road can try Oasis Overland, a tour company specialising in overland travel. Its longest offering is a 293-day trip from the UK to Cairo via an anticlockwise loop along much of the African coast, plus Victoria Falls and Zanzibar. The slew of highlights include the Sahara desert, the Giza Pyramids and East Africa’s wildlife-rich plains.  

The 16 (or fewer) group members will ride in one of Oasis Overland’s bright yellow trucks, built for traversing bumpy roads while offering as much comfort as possible. Nights are almost exclusively spent camping, and everyone is expected to contribute by pitching tents or cooking dinners.

You could also combine trips by flying from Cairo to Istanbul and then joining another overland tour all the way to Singapore, for example.

How to do it: Oasis Overland ’s 292-night UK to Cairo expedition starts from £9,495 per person, including all transport (except flights from the UK to Gibraltar or Malaga) and a selection of excursions.

5. Do it yourself

Arranging everything yourself is an option — most easily accomplished by purchasing multi-destination flights through a comparison website such as kiwi.com or Skyscanner.

A big upside to this is that you can work out something closely aligned to your specific needs; it’ll require a fair bit of time, though, and you’ll lose out in terms of flexibility — changing dates can be tricky — and cancellation cover.

It’s usually more convenient to aim for large airport hubs — the likes of Bangkok, Dallas, Dubai, Heathrow, Paris and Singapore — as the many competing services provide more options. A typical around-the-world ticket will involve something along the lines of London — Istanbul — Bangkok — Singapore — Sydney — Los Angeles — New York — London. From these hubs, you’ll be well placed to add in more obscure destinations in between.  

It’s also worth bearing in mind that you don’t have to fly between each stage. For instance, it’s possible to travel from London to Istanbul by train, lowering your carbon footprint in the process. Or, rather than flying from Bangkok to Singapore, you could get a boat from the Thai capital to Koh Samui and continue from there instead. A reliable tool for establishing train, bus, boat or taxi costs is the website Rome2Rio, and it’s worth investigating the likes of Amtrak rail passes in the US, Eurail Passes for European trains or Greyhound coach tickets covering Australia’s east coast.

Accommodation is something to decide on in advance. Be sure to have all hotel bookings locked in place well ahead of time. Hostels are a good bet, especially if you’re travelling solo or planning an ad-hoc approach during each stage of the trip, but can be lacking in privacy and comforts. House or apartment rentals can be much more comfortable and convenient, particularly for longer stays.  

How to do it: A sample 147-day itinerary from London via Istanbul, Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Los Angeles and New York from kiwi.com starts at £2,189 per person, including checked luggage.

evening images of Singapore's Supertrees lighten up at Gardens by Bay.

6. Enlist a pro

One of the best ways to arrange an air-based around-the-world itinerary is by booking with a specialist agent or operator such as Trailfinders, Travel Nation or AirTreks. This can cut out a lot of organisational stress, while also enabling you to take advantage of these companies’ many years of experience. These firms often have access to special deals and aren’t constrained to particular airlines or alliances, allowing them to further improve the offerings to their clients.

The AirTreks website even has a trip planner tool listing a series of suggested activities, interests and attractions such as hiking, beaches, meditation or family travel, providing an extra level of choice at the planning stage.

If you’re interested in earning air miles, specify this to the agent so that they can concentrate on finding flights that qualify. Agents will also be able to suggest tempting additional stops — Taiwan, maybe, or a pause in Oman — which can be a great way of adding an extra bit of excitement to burgeoning itineraries.  

Finally, a specialist company can also take care of — or advise on — vaccinations (such as malaria), and certification and visas you’ll need, saving you plenty of legwork.

How to do it: AirTrek s’ nine-stop ticket from London via Paris, Florence, Venice, Athens, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and Los Angeles costs from £1,325 to £1,770.

7. Learn to sail

Land ahoy! You might just get to utter those words by signing up for a unique sailing adventure with London-based operator Another World Adventures, which can arrange for you to join a classic, square-rigged tall ship for 90 days as it makes its way around the world on a 455-day voyage. Once on board, you’ll learn how to trim the sails, haul mizzen spinnakers and lean on trade winds to cross the tropics. No experience is required, and participants will become part of a tight-knit crew and make friends for life.

It doesn’t matter at which point on its itinerary the ship happens to be, as it’s entirely possible to join subsequent legs. Setting sail from Bali on 6 November 2023, leg three sees the ship call at the Indian Ocean islands of Rodrigues and Reunion before arriving in Cape Town on 6 February. Beginning one day later, the fourth and final stage is via Namibia, the British overseas territory of St Helena, several Caribbean islands and, on 13 July, Nova Scotia in Canada.

If you’d prefer to wait and tackle the whole trip — the other two legs are Nova Scotia to Tahiti, and Tahiti to Bali — then Another World Adventures (which also offers other, similar experiences) expects it to start in 2025.

How to do it:   Another World Adventures offers 90 nights, full board, from £13,600 per person, including transport, port fees and instruction.  

daylight image of people sailing

8. Cruise along

Ever more around-the-world voyages are being offered by cruise lines. To join one, you’ll need one important thing: lots of spare time. The circular itineraries are mostly more than 100 days in length, with Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise maxing out at 274 nights via seven continents and around 150 stops. These kinds of journeys really fit the ‘trip of a lifetime’ tag, running up to £100,000 per person.

Notably, 2023 marks a century since the world’s first continuous passenger cruise ship completed its pioneering journey. Chartered by the American Express Company, Cunard’s SS Laconia arrived back in New York City after completing a monumental six-month sailing via Japan, Singapore, India and Egypt.  

They also sell out quicker than almost any other cruise, partly due to having a limited number of departures. Holland America Line, for example, opened bookings this summer on its new 2025 Grand World Voyage. Departing from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, this is a six-continent, 124-day round-trip which transits the Panama Canal before visiting Callao (for excursions to Machu Picchu), Easter Island, Tahiti, the Great Barrier Reef, the Seychelles, Cape Town, Kenya, Jordan and Barcelona among 46 stops.  

How to do it:   Holland America Line’s 123-night Grand World Voyage starts from £19,900 per person, full board, including complimentary airport transfers, a $500 (£400) air credit and up to £6,700 per person in onboard spending credits if booked by 3 June 2024.  

9. Hop aboard a cargo ship

A rather more adventurous way of sailing the seas is aboard a cargo ship or freighter cruise. Carrying large containers of clothes, electrical equipment, foods and most other things between the world’s major ports, some of these allot space for four to 12 passengers.

Single, twin or double cabins are the norm, usually with sea-facing windows as well as a sitting area, a desk, a shower and a toilet. A few boats come with a pool, but most are very simple — they’re built for work, not pleasure, after all — and you certainly won’t find a spa or casino (though playing cards with the crew members isn't unheard of). All meals are provided in the on-board canteen.

The major appeal is the sense of serenity — watching the ocean drift by and having time to gather your thoughts or write that novel you’ve always planned.  

This can also be an amazing way to tick off some hard-to-reach places. Take freighters travelling to Singapore from New Zealand; be it for fuel and supplies or to make a drop-off, these stop at numerous Pacific islands en route, occasionally for a couple of days. That said, some port calls are too quick for guests to go ashore.

Note that good health and unaided mobility — due to steep gangways and lots of stairs — are mandatory, and it’s not suited for children or elderly travellers.

How to do it:   Cargo Ship Voyages offers a cargo ship crossing from Rotterdam to Cuba (estimated at 16 nights) from £1,880 per person, which includes all meals.  

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Where The Road Forks

How to Plan a Trip Around the World in 7 Steps

By: Author Zachary Friedman

Posted on Last updated: February 10, 2024

Categories Travel Budgeting , Travel Tips

Home » Travel » Travel Tips » How to Plan a Trip Around the World in 7 Steps

Planning a round the world trip is overwhelming. Hours of research and thought go into making a trip like this a reality. You must consider your route, visas, your budget, accommodation, transportation, activities, and much more. This guide will give you an outline to follow to help you plan a trip around the world. It also includes useful tips and advice to make your journey a little smoother, safer, and more affordable.

Over the past 12 years of traveling, I have made 2 trips around the world and have visited over 60 countries. On my first round-the-world trip, I traveled for 6 months through 15 countries on 4 continents. On my second trip, I visited 12 countries on 3 continents over the course of 5 months. In this guide, I’ll share my experience in planning round-the-world trips. Currently, I’m in the middle of my 3rd round the world trip.

Different destinations on a round the world trip

Key Takeaways: How to Plan a Trip Around the World

-Step 1: Decide where you want to go. Try to choose 3-4 continents to visit and choose 2-3 destinations on each. -Step 2: Plan a route. Try to find the most efficient and cost effective route between your destinations. -Step 3: Plan a budget. Calculate the costs of airfare, accommodation, food, drinks, sightseeing, entertainment, travel gear, etc. Determine how much money you have to save. -Step 4: Do your research. Research visas, entry requirements, travel documents, transportation, accommodation, security, things to do, points of interest, etc. -Step 5: Determine how long you’re going to travel and which direction you’re going to travel in. -Step 6: Re-evaluate your plans. Try to streamline your itinerary. Eliminate or re-arrange sections to avoid having to backtrack. -Step 7: Book your round-the-world trip. Book your flights and accommodation for the first leg of your trip.

Table of Contents

  • Route Planning- Where do you want to go?
  • Budgeting- How Much does a Round the World Trip Cost?
  • Visas and Entry Requirements- What documents do you need?
  • Transportation- Info on booking your flights as well as ground transportation
  • Accommodation- Where will you sleep?
  • Money- Banking and finances
  • Packing and Travel Gear- Preparing for departure
  • Sample round-the-world trip itineraries- A few ideas to help get you started

Step 1: Decide Where You Want to Go and Plan a Route

Choosing your route is the most exciting and important part of planning a round the world trip. You need to know where you’re going in order to calculate costs and plan activities, accommodation, and transportation. At this point, let your imagination run wild.

I recommend you start by researching the various regions of the world that interest you and make a list of potential destinations. While making your list, you may want to consider:

  • Cities- Are there any major world cities that you’ve always wanted to see? Maybe you’ve always dreamed of visiting London, New York, or Tokyo. Add it to your round-the-world itinerary.
  • Countries- Maybe there’s a particular country that you’ve always dreamed of visiting. While planning my round the world trip, I knew I had to include India and Thailand in my round the world itinerary.
  • Major tourist sights – Which world wonders do you want to visit? For example, maybe you’ve always dreamed of visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, or Macchu Picchu. One of my bucket list activities was going on an African safari. I ended up visiting the Serengeti and Maasai Mara parks.
  • Foods- Consider your favorite cuisines. Maybe you really like Italian or Thai food and want to taste authentic flavors.
  • Activities- What types of activities do you like to do? Do you enjoy hiking, diving, surfing, laying on the beach, dancing, extreme sports, or visiting museums ?
  • People- Do you have family or friends in another country? Your around-the-world trip is an excellent opportunity for you to stop in for a visit.
  • Culture- Maybe you’ve always wanted to experience a particular culture. For example, maybe you’re fascinated by Japanese culture and you want to learn more about it.
  • Parties, festivals, and concerts- Another valid reason to choose a destination. Maybe you’ve always wanted to attend a particular music festival, for example. Maybe you’ve always wanted to visit Rio de Janeiro for Carnival or Munich for Octoberfest.

If you need some inspiration, you can check out my destinations page. Also, read some travel guides, blogs, or books, or watch some travel vlogs.

Iguazu Falls, Brazil side

How to Make a Rough Around the World Itinerary

After making your list of potential destinations, it’s time to put together a rough round-the-world itinerary. This itinerary will probably change multiple times throughout the planning and research process. This is just a rough draft so you have something to start with for budgeting purposes. You can always add or remove destinations as you plan your round the world trip. You can even change plans mid trip. Nothing is set in stone.

To make a round the world itinerary:

  • Prioritize your list- Chances are, you can’t hit every destination in one trip. Move the ‘can not miss’ destinations to the top of your list and place the lower-priority destinations toward the bottom. I recommend you select 3-5 dream destinations that you can not miss. These will be the base of your round the world trip.
  • Look at the location of each ‘can not miss’ destination on the map- This gives you a rough overview of your general route. You’ll travel from one destination to the next either east to west or west to east until you return home. If one destination is too remote or out of the way, consider saving it for a future trip.
  • Find the closest ‘can not miss’ destination either to the east or west of your starting point- That will be the first region that you visit on your around-the-world trip.
  • Look for nearby countries and cities to visit in the same region- You will visit these destination on this leg of your journey. If you’re unsure, research nearby cities and countries. You want to visit all of your desired destinations on each continent or region before moving on. If you don’t have any other destinations to visit in that region, you can move on to the next region.
  • Find the next closest ‘can not miss’ destination in the same direction of travel- It’s time to move on to the next another continent or region. This is the second leg of your journey. Research the region and look for activities, events, and points of interest in nearby cities and bordering countries.
  • Continue plotting a general route around the world- As you go, research each destination to find potential activities and other nearby destinations. The number of stops that you make depends on your budget and the amount of time that you can travel.

By now, you should have a rough around-the-world trip itinerary. If you’re having trouble, look at a map. I found it really helpful to study the world map while planning my trip. Looking at the map made it much easier for me to plot out my travel path.

Consider the Timing of Your Round the World Trip

Some destinations are seasonal. When planning your around the world trip, you’ll need to consider the season you’ll visit each destination. You may need to be in a specific place for a specific date. This can determine the direction you travel or the order you visit each region.

For example, you may not want to visit Europe during the winter because most of the continent is cold and snowy. You might travel to Asia for the winter, then head to Europe in the spring when the weather warms up.

if you’re planning a particular activity, you may need to visit during a particular season. For example, if you’re planning on going skiing in Colorado, you’ll have to visit during the winter.

Also, keep in mind that the seasons are flipped in the southern hemisphere. If you’re visiting the southern cone of South America, Australia, or southern Africa, summer runs from December-February. These are the warmest months. If you’re visiting the global south, you may need to take this into consideration.

If you’re planning on traveling for a particular holiday, festival, or event, you’ll have to time your visit. For example, maybe you want to visit Oktoberfest in Germany. You’ll have to plan your trip so you’re in Germany in October.

Traveling East Vs West on a Round the World Trip

When planning your around the world itinerary, it’s important to decide whether you want to travel East or West and stick with this decision. You want to minimize backtracking. Many round-the-world tickets don’t allow you to backtrack. Backtracking also increases costs and travel time. It’s inefficient.

If you have the option, traveling west is better. Traveling west produces less jet lag because it disrupts your circadian rhythm less. This is because your days will be longer when you travel west. This makes it easier to sleep at night. If you travel east, you’ll deal with more jet lag.

It’s also important to consider the dates. When you cross the international date line, you will gain or lose a day. Consider this when making bookings.

Scheduling Your Round the World Trip

You’ll have to calculate how much time you need to see every country you plan to visit. Spend some time researching each attraction and how much time it takes to see. Don’t forget to consider transport time.

Exactly how many countries you can visit on your round-the-world trip depends on which countries you’re visiting. In some countries, you can see all of the main tourist sites in a week. In some countries, you might need a month or more to see everything you want to see.

When planning your around the world trip, it’s important to remember that you can’t see everything. Pick and choose the sites that you want to see. Save the rest for a future rtw trip. You can always find something to do if you have some extra time. If you want to visit a country to see one world wonder, you can.

Also, try not to pack your around the world itinerary too full. You will burn out if you’re running from one site to the next every day of your rtw trip. You need some rest days. Another problem with packing your schedule too full is that you can easily fall behind if you hit a setback such as a canceled flight or missed connection. Many new world travelers on their first trip try to visit too many countries and see everything.

Plan Overland Routes

Most around-the-world travelers fly into a region and then take overland transport between destinations. Traveling overland is cheaper and more adventurous than flying everywhere. You’ll also get to see more when you travel overland.

For example, maybe your first ‘can not miss’ destination is London. You might fly into London, then take a train to Amsterdam and Paris before moving on to the next destination. Maybe your next ‘can not miss’ destination is Los Angeles. From there, you might rent a car and drive to the Grand Canyon.

At the Taj Mahal on my first round the world trip

Step 2: Create a Budget

Before you start calculating how much your rtw trip will actually cost, you need to know how much money you have to work with. Most travelers don’t have an unlimited budget for world travel. Look at your finances and calculate how much money you are able to spend. Consider your occupation, your age, your savings, and your income.

The average round-the-world trip costs somewhere between $1500-$2500 per month or $18,000-$30,000 per year. This budget includes all costs including airfare, accommodation, food, ground transport, activities, and entertainment. Basically, all costs associated with an rtw trip.

A good budget for a one-year round-the-world trip for one person is $25,000. That gives you $2083 per month or about $68 per day. That is manageable if you budget correctly.

You will have to watch your spending to stick to this budget. You’ll have to limit your time in expensive countries, shop for affordable airfare, stay in hostels, and cook some of your own food. You will have some room to splurge on some more expensive activities.

Of course, your budget can be significantly lower or higher than this depending on the style of travel that you prefer and the level of comfort that you require.

If you’re a frugal traveler, you may be able to travel for a year for $15,000-$20,000. If you’re on a shoestring budget, you can take a round the world trip for as little as $500-$1000 per month or $6,000-$12,000 per year. In this case, you’ll be camping for accommodation, hitchhiking or bicycle touring for transportation, and cooking all of your own meals.

If you prefer to stay in hotels every night and eat in restaurants every day, you might have to budget $35,000-$40,000 for a year of travel. If you prefer to travel in luxury, the sky is the limit. A round-the-world trip could easily exceed $100,000 for a year of travel. In this case, you would be staying in luxury hotels and resorts, traveling in business or first class, and eating in restaurants for every meal.

In the following sections, I’ll give a brief outline of each of the major costs associated with a round-the-world trip. This will help you form a rough idea of your total budget. We’ll cover flights, accommodation, food, transportation, and entertainment.

Flights for an Around the World Trip

Most round-the-world travelers fly between continents. This cost of flights depends on the number of flights you plan to take, the countries and cities you plan to fly into, when you plan to fly, and how far in advance you book your rtw ticket.

To purchase round-the-world flights, you have two options . You can book your flights individually or you can buy a rtw ticket. There are benefits and drawbacks to both options.

Booking your flights individually is usually cheaper because you can take advantage of budget airlines. In Europe, you have Ryanair and Easy Jet. In Asia, you have AirAsia, IndiGo, JetStar, and more. On these budget airlines, you can find flights to nearby countries for less than $100. Booking flights as you go allows you to be more spontaneous. You can change your plans as you go. It is slightly less convenient to book your flights individually because you must do all of your own planning and booking.

A number of companies offer round-the-world airplane tickets. Buying a rtw ticket is slightly more expensive because these tickets offer more flexibility. You can generally change the date of departure without an extra charge on round-the-world tickets. You can also change the airports but there will be an extra charge. This makes it a bit harder to change your plans as you go.

If you’re traveling for a year or more or if you’re booking a very simple around the world itinerary, buying flights as you go is probably the best choice. I always book my own airfare because I appreciate the spontaneity. I can also save money by taking advantage of budget airlines.

Sometimes buying a rtw ticket can be more convenient. Particularly for round the world trips that are shorter than one year or trips with many stops. Some travelers find that having all of their flights booked brings peace of mind.

Most travelers who book flights individually spend $2000-$3000 on airfare for a simple round-the-world trip stopping on 2-3 continents. This includes 3-4 international flights. If you want to fly more frequently or visit more remote destinations, like Africa or South America, you might spend $5000 or more on airfare.

Travelers who book a rtw ticket typically spend $2500-$5000 on airfare. This includes 3-4 stops on 3-4 continents. You can spend up to $15,000 or more on a rtw ticket if you want to make lots of stops, fly into smaller airports, or fly first class.

To save money on airfare, try to fly into and out of major cities in each region you visit. Flights are cheaper if you fly into major hub cities. For example, if you’re flying to Europe, fly into London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt. If you’re flying to Southeast Asia, fly into Bangkok, Singapore, or Kuala Lumpur. Every region has large hubs. Once you’re in a large hub, you can easily catch a budget flight, train, or bus to your next destination. This can save you a good amount of money on flights.

Accommodation

Accommodation is probably the biggest expense of your rtw trip. If you plan to stay in budget accommodation like hostels, guesthouses, and campgrounds, you can expect to spend $20-$30 per night in expensive countries and $10-$15 per night in cheap countries.

If you prefer to stay in private accommodation like hotels or Airbnb, you can expect to spend $20-$40 per night in inexpensive countries and $60-$150 per night in expensive countries.

To more accurately estimate your accommodation budget, I recommend you go to your favorite booking site like Booking.com or Hostelworld.com or Airbnb.com and price out accommodation at your destination.

An Airbnb in Bali

Take note of the prices and consider the number of nights you plan to stay at each destination. Multiply the price by the number of nights and add them all up. This will give you a pretty good idea of what you’ll be spending on accommodation.

Try to book your accommodation at least a couple of weeks in advance. If you’re traveling to a particular destination during the busy season or during a holiday or festival, you might need to book a couple of weeks in advance to ensure that you get a decent room at a reasonable price.

Food is a nother major expense. Your food budget depends on how often you plan to eat out, the types of food you like to eat, and the destinations you’re visiting.

If you plan to cook most of your own meals, eat street food, and eat in restaurants occasionally, and you can get away with budgeting $10-$15 per day for food. You can get by on this budget pretty much anywhere.

If you plan to eat out at restaurants for most meals, you can plan to spend $25-$40 per day in inexpensive countries and $40-$60 per day in expensive countries. If you cook almost all of your own meals, it is possible to eat for $5 per day.

Sushi

I have found $10 per day to be a pretty comfortable food budget. This assumes that I prepare most of my own meals with the occasional restaurant meal.

Another major expense to consider is alcohol. To get an idea of how much you’ll spend on alcohol, look at some restaurant menus in the locations you plan to visit to see how much drinks cost. Consider how much you drink, how often you drink, and what you drink when calculating your alcohol budget.

Drink prices vary greatly around the world. In some countries, you can buy a drink for $3. In other countries, a drink costs $15. If you like to drink, you could spend as much on alcohol as you spend on food.

Drinking too much is one of the easiest ways to go over budget. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to be careful with drinking and partying. The easiest way to save money or extend your trip is to limit your drinking.

Activities, Entertainment, Tours, and Admission Tickets

You need to budget for all of the activities you plan to do and the sights you plan to see during your trip. This includes admission tickets, entrance fees, tours, permits, guides, tips, equipment rentals, entertainment costs, etc. This cost depends on where you travel, what types of activities you enjoy, and your personal preference.

To calculate your activities budget, it’s best to price out each activity individually. If you plan to safari in the Serengeti, go online and price out the tour you plan to take. If you plan on diving the Great Barrier Reef, go online and see how much tours cost. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of transport, entry tickets, parking, a guide, tips, etc.

You don’t need to calculate the price of everything you plan to do. Just research the price of big-ticket ‘cannot miss’ items and add the prices up. You can pay for smaller activities such as museum entry or snorkel rental out of your daily spending money. It’s important to budget for big-ticket items to make sure you leave room in your budget.

Ground Transportation

A bus station in Thailand

Most travelers only take flights for the long-distance or overseas sections of their around the world trip itinerary. You can cut costs significantly by taking the bus or train between cities within one region.

The best way to calculate this cost is to research each journey that you plan to take and add them up. Generally, a full-day bus ride or train between two major cities costs $30-$100 depending on the region and distance. In the developing world, expect to spend $3-$3 per hour of travel. In the developed world expect to spend around $5-$10 per hour of travel.

A great resource for finding bus and train routes and prices is Rome2rio.com. This site makes it easy to research transportation options and estimate ticket costs. Another great booking site for finding bus ticket prices is Busbud. For train routes and ticket prices,  Seat61.com  is a great resource.

You must also consider the cost of local travel around the cities you’re visiting. Depending on the city, you may have a choice between taking a taxi, Uber, public bus, metro, tuk-tuk, rickshaw, motorcycle taxi or cycling or walking.

This cost is difficult to estimate. Generally, a one-way public transit ticket or rickshaw ride costs $2-$5. In cheaper countries, a taxi or Uber ride across the city costs $5-$10. Consider the sights that you plan to visit in each city to determine how many intercity rides you’ll have to take.

For more help budgeting help, check out my guide: How to Create an Accurate Budget for Long-Term Travel.

This is one budget item that many travelers forget to consider. Visa costs vary depending on the country that you’re visiting and your nationality. They can really add up in some regions.

To calculate visa costs, simply look up the visa requirements for each country that you plan to visit and add up the visa prices for your nationality.

Visa costs vary widely. Many are free. If there is a charge, the average visa costs around $20-$50. There are a handful of countries that charge upwards of $150-$300 for a tourist visa.

For most round-the-world trips, your visa costs will be minimal. In some instances, the costs can be substantial. For example, while traveling through East and Southern Africa, I spent over $600 on visas over the course of 5 months.

Travel Insurance

For a round-the-world trip, buying travel insurance is a good idea. In most countries, travel insurance is optional but highly recommended. Travel insurance will be one of your major expenses so it’s important to budget for it.

Travel insurance can cost anywhere from $25-$200+ per month. The cost of travel insurance depends on the kind of coverage you buy, the amount of coverage, the deductible, and your age.

The more coverage you get, the more the policy will cost. Most round-the-world travelers should buy a minimum of $100,000 in coverage. If you’re traveling to the United States, you should have at least $250,000 of coverage.

Travel insurance can cover you in the event of an injury or unexpected illness. Some travel insurance covers. Some policies can cover theft, damage, or loss of your belongings and trip interruptions. 

If you’re on a budget, you can opt for medical-only travel insurance. Travel insurance that covers your luggage and trip interruptions is significantly more expensive.

I use  SafetyWing Nomad Insurance.  They offer affordable insurance for long-term travel.

Travel Vaccinations

For many destinations, you’ll need a couple of travel vaccinations to protect yourself from various diseases that aren’t common in your home country. You may need a vaccination for Yellow Fever, typhoid, and hepatitis B. You may also need malaria prophylaxis if you’re traveling to a malaria zone.

This cost depends on which vaccines you need and where you live. To calculate this cost, find a local clinic that offers travel vaccines and malaria consultations. They probably have a price list online.

Add up the cost of all of the vaccines and prescriptions that you’ll need to buy. For most round-the-world trips, expect to spend $100-$400 on travel vaccines and malaria tablets.

Factors that Determine your Total Round-the-World Trip Budget

  • How long you plan to travel- Every day, you must at least pay for food and accommodation. If you can cut a month off of your rtw trip by traveling faster, you might be able to save $1000-$2000.
  • The number of destinations you plan to visit- The more stops you plan, the more your rtw trip will cost due to the additional cost of transportation. Airfare is one of the most expensive parts of the trip. Train and bus tickets also add up.
  • Where you travel- Some regions are more expensive than others. If you plan to visit expensive places like Western Europe, Australia, Japan, the U.S., etc., you’ll spend a lot more than you will if you visit cheaper regions like Southeast Asia, Central America, and Eastern Europe.
  • When you travel- Many destinations are seasonal. Prices are higher during the busy season. You can save money by traveling off-season or during the shoulder seasons.
  • The transportation that you choose- Do you plan to fly everywhere or are you comfortable taking buses? Will you take taxis around the city or walk?
  • The type of accommodation that you choose- Do you plan to stay in budget accommodation like hostels, guesthouses, and campgrounds, or do you plan to stay in hotels, Airbnbs, and resorts?
  • The foods that you eat- Will you cook for yourself and eat street food or do you plan to go to a restaurant for each meal?
  • The activities that you plan- You’ll spend more if you plan to ski, dive, take tours, etc. If you want to save money, there are plenty of free things to do while traveling.

On safari during my second round the world trip

How Long are you Traveling?

After determining how much you have to spend and learning about the costs associated with a round-the-world trip, you must consider the duration of your trip. How long do you want to travel?

Your trip’s duration affects your costs. The longer you travel, the more money you will spend . The duration also determines your around the world itinerary. The longer you travel, the more destinations you can visit.

When deciding how long you want to travel, consider your future obligations. Do you need to return home by a specific date for work or school? Also, consider your ability to find employment. Remember, a long gap in your resume can be problematic in some industries.

Most likely you only have a limited amount of time to travel. In my experience, 3-6 months is the ideal amount of time for a round-the-world trip. Anything less will feel rushed. Longer trips get exhausting. You will start to slow down after you’ve been on the road for 6 months.

Trips lasting 1-2 years are great but you will notice diminishing returns. After 6 months of travel, you may begin taking things for granted and get sick of sightseeing.

Big Ben

Updating your Round the World Itinerary to Fit Your Budget and Trip Duration

At this point, you may have found that your initial round the world itinerary is too expensive. Take some time to re-evaluate your plan. A few ways you can cut costs include:

  • Substitute expensive countries for cheaper countries- For example, instead of going to Japan or Korea, go to Thailand or the Philippines. Your money will go much further.
  • Eliminate expensive activities- Skip the SCUBA lessons and just go snorkeling. Instead of hiking the Inca Trail, just go for a free hike.
  • Reduce the number of flights by traveling some sections overland- Take a bus or train across a country instead of flying.
  • Reduce the total trip time- Cut a month off of your rtw trip. That will save you $1000-$3000.

For help reducing your budget further, check out my guide to ultra-low budget travel.

Step 3: Consider Visas, Travel Documents, and Entry Requirements For the Countries You Plan to Visit

The next step in the planning process is to research the entry requirements for each country that you plan to visit. Continue refining your round the world trip itinerary through this process. Items you need to research include:

Visa Availability

Look up the visa requirements for each country that you plan to visit during your round-the-world trip. Remember to look at the requirements for your specific nationality. Also, consider any countries that you are transiting through. Occasionally, a transit visa is required.

If you need a visa, find out if you can get the visa on arrival or if you must you obtain the visa in advance. If the visa is available on arrival, make sure that it is available at the port of entry that you plan to use. Some countries only issue visas on arrival at international airports and not at land borders. Some smaller land borders don’t have the capability to issue visas.

If you find that you must obtain a visa in advance, find out if you can get it online or if you need to get it from an embassy or consulate. These days, many countries offer e-visas. You apply for the visa and pay online then print your approval letter. When you reach the point of entry, you receive the visa in your passport.

If you have to apply at the embassy, find out if you can apply in a neighboring country or if you must apply in your home country. Some countries only issue visas to foreigners from the embassy in their home country. If you can get the visa in a neighboring country, I recommend you wait and do it there. It’s often easier and cheaper to go to the embassy in person to apply for the visa.

If you must obtain a visa in your home country before your rtw trip, consider the logistics and costs. Find out how long the visa takes to get and how long it is valid. Find out if you can apply by mail or if you must visit the embassy in person. Consider the cost of the application including postage or travel. Having to travel to an embassy to apply for a visa can be expensive.

While researching visas, take note of the amount of time the visa takes to obtain. Sometimes you may have to wait up to a month for an embassy to process the visa. You also have to account for shipping time if you must mail your passport to an embassy for a visa.

You may also need to shift your round the world itinerary based on the visa’s validity. Some visas are only valid for 3 months beginning on the date of issue. Some expire after 3 months if they are not used. You need to use the visa before it expires. You may need to adjust your round the world trip itinerary.

If you find that a visa is too expensive or complicated to obtain, consider cutting that country from your round the world itinerary. Personally, if a country’s visa process is too complicated, I skip it.

Proof of Onward Travel

Some countries require that you have a confirmed ticket out of the country to prove that you have plans to leave the country. This ticket can be back to your home country or to a third country. It can be a flight, bus, or train ticket. Oftentimes, the airline checks for proof of onward travel before they allow you to board your flight. Sometimes immigration checks this before allowing you to enter the country.

Proof of onward travel is often a problem for those traveling long-term or those planning to exit a country overland. Sometimes, it’s impossible to buy bus tickets in advance. Sometimes you don’t have a confirmed booking when you enter a country.

Luckily, there are several solutions to this problem. Some are free and some have a minimal cost. To learn more, check out my guide How to Provide Proof of Onward Travel

Vaccine Requirements for World Travel

A handful of countries require that you have a Yellow Fever vaccine in order to enter. This is a common entry requirement in most countries in Africa and a few countries in South America. All you need is proof that you have been vaccinated in the form of a Yellow Fever vaccine certificate.

If you have been traveling in an area where Yellow fever is a risk, you may be required to show your vaccine certificate in order to enter another country. For example, when I flew from Nairobi to Bangkok, I had to show my Yellow Fever vaccine certificate in order to enter Thailand.

Financial Requirements

A few countries require you to show proof that you have enough money to sustain yourself for the duration of your stay in that country. They do this to make sure that you don’t plan to stay and work illegally.

A bank statement works fine for this. Sometimes, a credit card is sufficient. Countries that have this requirement usually expect you to have at least $5000 in your account. This is a common requirement for those who plan to travel on a working holiday visa in Australia or New Zealand, for example.

A Note on Border Crossings

Be sure to research the entry requirements of the exact border crossing that you plan to use. There are a few instances of borders between two countries being closed due to a conflict between those two countries. For example, you can’t cross between Armenia and Azerbaijan. You must transit through Georgia if you plan to visit those two countries.

Occasionally, borders are only open for locals. Sometimes visas on arrival aren’t available at smaller border crossings. Some border crossings are notorious for bribes or scams and should be avoided if possible. Some are simply hectic. Research each border that you plan to cross to make sure that it is open and crossable without too much hassle.

Updating your Around the World Itinerary

After researching entry requirements, you may have found that some visas are overly complicated or just not possible logistically with your round the world trip itinerary. At this point, revisit your itinerary and re-evaluate your plans.

Consider changing the order of the countries that you plan to visit. You could also substitute countries with other nearby countries with visas that are easier to obtain.

While planning my round-the-world trip, I really wanted to visit Russia. I found that the visa was too expensive and time-consuming to get. After researching, I decided to visit St. Petersburg by ferry because a visa wasn’t required. I then visited the Baltic countries instead of traveling around Russia. This was a nice compromise.

Step 4: Plan Transportation: Round the World Tickets and Ground Transportation

You should have a pretty good idea of your round the world trip itinerary by this time. Now it’s time to begin researching flights. When it comes to arranging your flights, you have two options. You can buy a round-the-world ticket or you can buy your flights separately. In this section, I’ll outline each option and list the pros and cons of each to help you decide which works best for your itinerary.

Round-the-World Tickets

In this case, you book all of your flights before you leave home. A round the world ticket is essentially a flight pass with one of the major airline alliances. The three alliances include One World , Star Alliance , and SkyTeam . Another company called Air Treks offers round-the-world tickets on a wide range of airlines.

Each ticketing company has slightly different terms and conditions. If you choose the rtw ticket route, you can only fly airlines in the alliance that you choose.

Generally, tickets are sold in terms of miles or segments. If you’re buying a rtw ticket based on miles, you can choose from 26,000, 29,000, or 39,000 miles for economy tickets. Each rtw ticket has a maximum number of stopovers that you can make.

If you buy a rtw ticket based on segments, 1 flight=1 segment. If your flight includes a stopover, that counts as 2 segments. In this case, miles aren’t counted. You can maximize the utility of your rtw ticket by using each segment for the longest possible flight.

Pros of Round-the-World Tickets

  • Saves time- You don’t have to spend time shopping around for each flight during your journey. You can easily book everything with one company.
  • Can be cheaper- If you choose the right rtw ticket for your trip and you’re smart with your booking, you can save around 25% by buying a round-the-world ticket. This is particularly true if you visit a lot of obscure or less popular destinations.
  • More convenient- You book all of your flights before you leave home. It’s one less thing to worry about while you’re on the road.
  • You can make changes without a charge- Generally, you can change the date of travel for free on round the world tickets. If you want to fly out of a different airport or change your destination, you’ll be charged a fee of around $150 or so.
  • You earn points- You can rack up a decent amount of points and gain some nice perks by making so many flights with the same airlines.
  • You always have proof of onward travel- If you’re asked for proof of onward travel when checking in for a flight or passing through immigration, you always have a valid ticket to show.

Cons of Round-the-World Tickets

  • Can be more expensive- If you buy the wrong rtw ticket or you use flight segments for shorter trips, you can end up spending more than if you had just bought your tickets separately. This is particularly true if you fly between major hubs where flights are inexpensive.
  • You can only fly certain airlines- When you buy a round the world flight ticket, you’re committing yourself to only flying the airlines in the alliance that you choose to buy your rtw ticket from. Of course, you can buy additional tickets on other airlines but this adds to the cost.
  • You can’t fly budget airlines- None of the major budget airlines belong to any of the alliances. When buying a round-the-world ticket, you can’t take advantage of low fares on Ryanair, Air Asia, Southwest, or Tiger, for example.
  • Less flexibility- You need to have a solid round the world trip itinerary before you can book your tickets. You won’t know which rtw ticket to buy if you don’t have an itinerary planned out. This means you can’t be as spontaneous.
  • You must start and end your RTW trip in the same country- Most round the world flights have this rule. You can usually start and end in a different city, but it they must be in the same country. For this reason, you can’t really buy a round the world ticket if you’re already traveling.
  • Not ideal for those traveling longer than a year- Most round the world tickets have a maximum validity of one year.
  • You can only make a limited number of stops in each country- The maximum is usually 3.
  • You can’t backtrack in some cases- The rules usually state that you can only backtrack on continents. Backtracking over an ocean usually isn’t permitted.  Sometimes you can’t backtrack at all. Sometimes there are penalties.

Remember, the exact rules depend on the round-the-world ticket that you choose. Some of the above points may not apply. You’ll need to do a bit of research in order to choose the ideal rtw for your particular itinerary.

Buying One-Way Flights Separately

In this case, you simply book each flight of your journey by yourself. You can book as you go or book them all before you leave. You can fly any airline that you wish.

Pros of Booking Flights Separately

  • You can fly any airline- You don’t have to stick to the members of one alliance. This gives you more flight options.
  • You can fly with budget airlines- This can save you a good amount of money. Most budget airlines don’t belong to an alliance.
  • Usually cheaper- Most travelers save money by booking their own tickets. The reason is that you can wait for discounts and deals. Taking advantage of budget airlines also helps cut costs.
  • You don’t need a set plan- If you’re the kind of traveler who likes to keep their plans open, you’re better off booking as you go. You can be as spontaneous as you want.
  • More freedom- You can fly wherever you want, whenever you want. There are no restrictions in terms of the number of stops, the amount of time you travel, backtracking, where you start or end your rtw trip, etc.

Cons of Booking Flights Separately

  • More time-consuming- You must shop around for each flight that you want to book. I’ve spent hours trying to find the right flight.
  • Can be more expensive- If you’re traveling to unpopular or obscure destinations, flights can be expensive. In this case, you may end up spending more if you book your own flights.
  • You’ll be charged for any changes- If you want to change the dates or destination, you’ll end up paying a fee. I was once charged $250 to change the date of a flight.
  • You won’t always have proof of onward travel- If you try to enter a country without first booking a flight out, you won’t have proof of onward travel.

Shopping for Round the World Tickets

Whether you book a round-the-world ticket or book your own really comes down to the type of traveler that you are and your around the world trip itinerary. To determine which option is best for your itinerary, I recommend you price out both options. You’ll also want to consider flight times, durations, layovers, and the airlines you fly with.

Spend some time shopping around on Google flights or Kayak for each of the flights that you plan to take. Add up the cost. Remember that flight prices vary depending on the season and how far in advance you book.

Next, price out around the world tickets. You can buy them from a major airline like United or American Airlines. Alternatively, you can also buy them through a booking company like AirTreks or STA travel.

You may also want to consider playing around with your round the world trip itinerary a little bit. Maybe you can save some money or take better flights by making a minor adjustment. For example, you may have better flight options if you fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo rather than from San Francisco to Tokyo or vice versa. After shopping around for a bit, you should have a pretty good idea of which tickets offer the best value for your specific itinerary.

Tip: Consider making a stopover to break up long journeys

Scheduling a stopover is a good way to visit some places that you otherwise might not get to see. It’s also nice to rest between long flights. May airlines offer free stopovers in the country they are based in. You can also schedule your own stopover by buying multiple tickets with a few days between flights.

I have done this on several occasions. When I flew home from Australia, I made a stopover in Beijing. I visited the Great Wall and enjoyed some incredible Chinese food . I made a similar stopover in Dubai while flying from Europe to India. In this case, I saved some money by booking two separate flights. I also scheduled a stopover in Island when flying from the U.S. to Europe.

For more info, check out my list: 21 free stopover options and how to make them.

Ground Transport

At this point, you can begin planning overland transportation. This includes transportation within cities and transportation between cities. Ground transport can mean buses, trains, taxis, rickshaws, rental cars, shared minibuses, walking, or riding a bike.

Transportation Between Cities

When planning your ground transportation, the most important thing to do is to verify that some form of transportation actually exists between each of your destinations. For the most part, buses or trains can take you a lmost everywhere.

Sometimes you encounter a route where direct transportation isn’t available. In this case, you may have to make a transfer. You don’t need to know the exact route. You just want to find out if your desired route is possible.

Occasionally, you’ll run into a route where transportation isn’t offered every day. Maybe a bus only passes through once per week. In this case, you’ll want to plan your around the world trip itinerary accordingly or find a different way to your destination.

planning travel around the world

You may find that some routes aren’t possible during a particular season. Maybe a road floods during the rainy season. Maybe heavy snow causes a road to close during the winter. Take the season into consideration when planning your route.

During your round-the-world trip, you’ll probably visit dozens of different cities. You don’t have to waste time researching and planning transport for every leg before you leave. Just make sure that each leg is possible and not prohibitively expensive.

If you encounter a leg that’s just not doable for whatever reason, adjust your around the world trip itinerary accordingly. Maybe you can make a detour and transit through a third city. Maybe you can fly that section.

Some legs you don’t even have to bother researching. It’s pretty safe to assume that you can easily travel between any two major cities in any particular country. For example, you don’t need to bother researching transport between Berlin and Munich until you’re ready to make the trip.

Travel tip: Travel By Night

Consider traveling by night when possible. Traveling by night saves you money on a night of accommodation. When you arrive, you have a full day at your new destination. You aren’t wasting an entire day on a bus or train. As an added bonus, you often arrive at your destination faster because traffic is lighter and borders are less busy during the middle of the night.

It’s important to note that some routes are not as safe to travel at night. When traveling through an area that is considered dangerous, travel by day instead.

Transportation Within Cities

You don’t need to put much time into planning intracity transport. It’s safe to assume that you can easily travel anywhere in the city by bus, metro, tuk-tuk, or on foot.

Consider researching transport between your accommodation and your arrival and departure point as well as any major sites that you want to see. You may also want to research transport options from the airport into the city and back. Airport transportation can be surprisingly expensive. Particularly if the airport is located far outside of the city.

Step 5: Plan Your Accommodation

Next, start considering where you will sleep. Chances are, you will use a mix of different types of accommodation. Your accommodation options include:

  • Hostels- Every budget traveler’s favorite. As a long-term traveler, you’re probably going to stay in quite a few hostels. For help deciding where to stay, check out my guide: How to Choose the Best Hostel. Also, check out my guide to hostels vs hotels.
  • Hotels- In smaller towns, hotels are often your only accommodation option. Be sure to shop around and negotiate. Sometimes budget hostels are cheaper than hostels.
  • Airbnbs- If you’re staying in one place for longer than a week, you can often score a nice long-term discount. Sometimes Airbnb is your cheapest accommodation option. One major benefit to stayin in an Airbnb is that you’ll usually have access to a kitchen where you can cook your own meals. For more info, check out my guide to Airbnb Vs hotels.
  • Couchsurfing- Staying with a local host is a great way to get to know a city and make new friends. You can also save a chunk of money by Couchsurfing. Couchsurfing isn’t exactly free. You will have to spend some time with your host. You’ll also be expected to take them out or cook them a meal.
  • Camping- Camping really opens up your options in terms of where you can sleep. You can wild camp, stay in campgrounds, and even find free camping in some destinations. I recommend you always travel with a tent during an around the world trip. A tent really opens up your options. It also saves you money.

Research your accommodation options in each of your destinations so you know what to expect in terms of price and facilities. Accommodation is a major expense so it’s important to know what to expect.

The only accommodation that you need to book before your rtw trip is the first night or two at your first destination. There are two reasons for this. First, immigration will probably ask you where you’re staying. You need to have an answer to avoid any hassles. Second, you’ll probably be exhausted, jetlagged, and possibly not thinking right after a long flight. It’s nice to have a place to go after you arrive at the beginning of your trip.

During your rtw trip, I recommend you book accommodation as you go. Just plan ahead a few nights or whatever you’re comfortable with. If you prefer, you can book a month in advance. Most of the time, you can just show up and find a place to stay.

The exception to this is if you’re headed to a particularly busy destination. For example, if you’re traveling during peak season or attending a large event. In this case, you may need to book several months in advance to secure a decent room. Plan ahead.

If you plan to couch surf, you’ll want to start looking for a host at least a week in advance so you can be sure to find a place to stay. Good Airbnbs tend to be booked up early as well. You may wish to make reservations at least a couple of weeks in advance if you can.

While crossing borders, you should always at least have the address and phone number of a hotel or hostel where you plan to stay that night. One of the questions that immigration forms and officials usually ask is ‘where are you staying?’ You need to have an answer to avoid looking suspicious. You don’t want to give them any reason to deny you entry.

Travel tip: Whenever you check into a new room, do a quick check for bed bugs. C heck out my guide How to Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling to help you out. 

Money and Banking for a Round-the-World Trip

Before you set off on your trip, you want to ensure you always have access to your money. The best way to go about this is to carry several credit cards and debit cards . If one is lost, stolen, or eaten by an ATM, you always have a spare. I like to travel with 2 debit cards and 2 credit cards.

Before opening a new account, shop around for travel cards. Travel credit cards are usually free of foreign transaction fees. You can save a nice chunk of money by avoiding these fees. Also, search for new account perks. Some companies offer enough points for a free flight. I flew round trip from the U.S. to Africa on credit card points.

Before your RTW trip, you should also call your bank and credit card company to let them know that you will be using your card abroad. They will put a travel advisory on your account. They need to know the general dates that you plan to travel and the countries where you will be using the card.

If you don’t notify your bank, a fraud detection system may shut off your card when you try to use it. When this happens, you have to call the bank and ask them to turn the card back on.

If you don’t know all of the dates and countries that you plan to visit, that’s fine. You can always call the bank and update the travel advisory during your rtw trip. Just make sure that you can use your card whenever you arrive in a new country so you can withdraw cash from the ATM.

These days, most banks require two-factor authentification (2FA). After entering your password, the bank sends a code to your phone that you must enter to log in. You need to be able to receive calls or texts to receive the 2FA code. You can use your regular number if your phone company offers international texting. Alternatively, you can use a VOIP service like Google Voice.

Y ou should also carry some cash . I usually carry around $300-$1000 depending on my destination. I try to carry enough to sustain myself for at least a week . That gives me enough time to sort out any problems that may arise with my cards or banking.

You want to carry a currency that you can easily exchange everywhere. US dollars are the best. Euros and British Pounds work fine as well. Carry bills in denominations of 20, 50, or 100 that are new and in good condition. Smaller bills are harder to exchange.

Step 6: Packing

If t his is your first big trip, you may need to buy a couple of items in preparation. Travel gear that you may need includes:

  • A backpack or suitcase- For a round-the-world trip, I recommend a backpack instead of a suitcase. Make sure you buy a quality one as you’ll be putting it through a lot of abuse. Look for a pack in the 40-65 liter range. For most travelers, a 40 liter pack is ideal. If you pack camping gear and a lot of electronics, you’ll need a larger pack. I have traveled with my Osprey Talon 44 hiking backpack for about 10 years and am really happy with it. Read my full review here.
  • Outlet converters- These allow you to plug your electronics into the various types of outlets found around the world. I recommend you only pack electronics that can be used in 120-240v outlets so you can avoid carrying a heavy voltage converter.
  • Good shoes and sandals- You’ll be walking a lot. Probably multiple miles per day. Buy quality footwear before your around the world trip.
  • A smartphone with a good camera- Modern smartphone cameras are good enough for travel photography. You’ll also use your phone for navigation, communication, and entertainment.
  • Travel clothing- Consider buying some quality travel clothes. Travel clothes are durable, breathable, and quick drying. I like merino wool clothing because it is odor resistant.
  • Money belt- This is a hidden pocket that you wear around your waist. The idea is to hide your cash, cards, passport, and other valuables from pickpockets and muggers. I use the Eagle Creek Silk Undercover money belt. Read my full review here.

If you forget anything, it’s not that big of a deal. You can buy pretty much whatever you need at your destination. You don’t really need much gear to travel.

Try to pack a week or so before you set off on your round-the-world trip. I recommend that you live out of your travel backpack during that time. This way, you’ll notice if anything is missing. If there is anything that you didn’t use after that week, you can most likely leave it at home.

If possible, try to stick to a carry-on bag only. This can be a challenge for some travelers but makes the trip much smoother. Being able to carry your bag on a plane, bus, or train saves time and money. It’s also more secure. When you want to walk long distance with your backpack, you’ll be happy that you packed light as well.

For more help packing, check out my Ultralight Travel Packing List. Here, I outline everything you need to pack for a long-term trip. The guide includes info on clothing, toiletries, electronics, camping gear, backpacks, and more. Also, check out my guides to packing cubes and rolling vs folding clothes for more help packing.

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Step 7: Re-Evaluate Your Plans and Refine Your Itinerary

Chances are, you’ve overscheduled yourself. Try to streamline your trip. If you have sections that require backtracking, consider eliminating them or re-arranging your itinerary a bit. If there are some destinations that you’re unsure of, eliminate them. You can always visit them on your next trip.

If you overschedule, you’ll feel exhausted and rushed. It’s better to give yourself some extra time so you can slow down. You will never feel bored. You can always add destinations during your trip if you choose.

Sample Round the World Trip Itinerary

If you already have a solid round the world trip itinerary picked out, you can skip this section. If you’re inexperienced with travel or if you’re just undecided, I’ll try to outline a basic itinerary in this section to help you get started.

A basic round-the-world trip itinerary includes stops in North America, Asia, and Europe. Some travelers include South America and Africa. Many travelers choose to skip their home continent because they’ve probably already spent a bit of time traveling there.

The round the world trip itinerary that I’m about to outline starts on the West Coast of the US and travels east around the world. This itinerary starts here simply because that’s where I live. You can pick up this round the world itinerary wherever you live and adapt it to make it work for you.

Start by choosing a large European city to fly into. London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt are great choices. Next, choose a region of the continent to travel.

An example of a good Europe itinerary might be to fly into London and then travel to Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Prague, Venice, and Rome.

Alternatively, you might choose to travel through Eastern Europe. A good Eastern Europe itinerary would be to fly into a large city in Germany then travel to Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania.

From a large European city, fly to your next continent, Asia.

Choose a region of Asia to visit. Most first-time visitors choose to visit Southeast Asia. From a large European city, choose a large city in Southeast Asia to fly into. Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore are good choices.

An example itinerary around Southeast Asia would be to fly into Singapore and then travel overland through Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

From Southeast Asia, fly to the next continent, North America.

North America

From A large city, fly into a Coastal city in North America like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Vancouver on the west coast or New York, Miami, or Washington DC on the east coast. From your starting point travel North or South along the Coast.

Alternatively, you could travel overland across the country by bus or train or rent a car and take a road trip. Some popular stops include Las Vegas, Chicago, Memphis, and New Orleans .

From North America, you could fly home. If you want to continue your trip, fly to South America from a large city.

South America

Most round the world travelers choose a region of the continent to travel.

If you prefer to visit northern South America, fly into Colombia, travel through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

If you prefer to visit southern South America, fly into Buenos Aires, Santiago, Sao Paulo, or Rio de Janeiro and visit Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

The best way to get around in South America is by bus. You can also fly longer distance sections if you choose. From a large South American city, catch a flight home.

For more info on this region, check out my guide here.

planning travel around the world

For whatever reason, most round-the-world itineraries skip my favorite continent, Africa. If you decide to include Africa in your round-the-world trip, a decent itinerary would be to fly into Nairobi and then travel overland to Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Alternatively, you could fly into Cape Town and travel around South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana.

Consider visiting Africa After visiting Europe or Asia. You’ll find affordable flights to many destinations around the continent from Paris, London, and the Dubai.

For more help planning an Africa leg for your round-the-world trip, check out my guide to planning a Cairo to Cape Town trip. Also, check out my other Africa guides for more inspiration.

Many round-the-world trips also include a visit to Australia or New Zealand in their round the world itinerary. Alternatively, you could visit some Pacific Islands. Oceania would be a convenient destination to visit After Asia or North America. You can find affordable flights to Australia and New Zealand from many large Asian and North American cities.

My Round-the-World Trips

In my travels, I have made 2 round the world trips. I made my first trip around the world in 2013. During the trip, I traveled for around 6 months and visited 15 countries. I visited many of my dream destinations and saw some wonders of the world in person. I started at home in Southern California and traveled East. My around-the-world trip Itinerary was as follows:

  • Los Angeles to Reykjavik, Iceland- I made a 4 day free stopover by flying IcelandAir.
  • Reykjavik to Helsinki- I continued my flight and spent a few days exploring Helsinki.
  • Helsinki to St. Petersburg- I caught the ferry to St. Petersburg and took advantage of the 72 hour visa free visit program .
  • St. Petersburg to Tallinn, Estonia- I returned to Helsinki and then caught a ferry to Tallinn on the same day.
  • Tallinn, Estonia to Riga, Latvia- I caught a bus to Riga , Latvia.
  • Riga to Dubai – I made a 3 day free stopover in Dubai.
  • Dubai to India- I continued my flight on to Delhi , India.
  • Train travel through India- I spent about a month traveling in India by train. I traveled to Varanasi, Agra, around Rathastan, and Goa, then flew out of Mumbai.
  • Mumbai to Bangkok- I caught a flight to Southeast Asia and explored Thailand for a month.
  • Travel through Thailand- I visited Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Phi Phi, traveling by bus and train.
  • Thailand to Cambodia – I caught a minibus from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I spent a few weeks visiting Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville.
  • Cambodia to Vietnam- I caught a bus from Sihanoukville, Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
  • Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi- I bought a motorcycle and rode the length of Vietnam. I visited Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hoi Ann, Hue, and Hanoi.
  • Vietnam to L aos- I took a bus from Hanoi, Vietnam to Luang Prabang, Laos
  • Travel through Laos- I spent a few weeks visiting Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane, Laos.
  • Laos to Thailand- I returned to Thailand by bus and traveled there for a couple of weeks.
  • Thailand to Malaysia- I took the bus to Malaysia and spent a couple of weeks in Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
  • Malaysia to Singapore- I caught a bus south and spent a few days exploring Singapore.
  • Singapore to Melbourne, Australia- I caught a flight to Melbourne and spent a month traveling up the East Coast of Australia until I reached Cairns.
  • Australia to Beijing- I made a free stopover in Beijing while flying Air China.
  • Beijing to Los Angeles- I flew home from Beijing.

I completed my second around the world trip in 2017. This one just focused on Africa. I flew from Los Angeles, California to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From there, I traveled overland through 11 countries until I reached Cape Town, South Africa. From Cape Town, I flew to Bangkok where I relaxed for about 10 days. I then caught a flight back to Los Angeles, making a short stopover in Seoul on the way. This wasn’t originally intended to be a Round-the-World trip but the flights were cheaper if I stopped in Asia so I did.

Currently, I’m in the middle of my third around-the-world trip. I started this rtw trip in South America, visiting Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. From there, I flew to Uganda, where I currently am. I will continue to the Middle East and then to Southeast Asia before returning home.

Zac at Machu Picchu

Tips for Planning A Round the World Trip

It’s important to accept that you’re not going to see it all in one around the world trip. Most round the world travelers visit 10-20 countries. There are 196 countries. You can’t go everywhere. You have to carefully pick and choose where you want to go during your RTW trip.

Also, avoid counting countries. I have met quite a few travelers who like to brag about the number of countries that they have visited on their trips. Most of the time, these people don’t really get to see or experience much of anything in the countries that they visit. They’re always in a rush. I used to be like this. Now I travel slowly and enjoy each destination so much more.

The best advice that I can give while planning your own round-the-world trip is to travel where you want to go. You can take the advice of other travelers and your friends and family but it’s important to plan your own route Don’t travel somewhere just because you feel like you have to go because it’s popular. Don’t avoid a country just because a family member tells you it’s too dangerous. Do your own research and make an informed decision.

Also, d on’t feel bad about visiting touristy places or participating in cheesy touristy activities. It’s your around the world trip. You are spending your own time and money. Do whatever you want to do. The best part of travel is the absolute freedom that it gives you.

Final Thoughts

Planning a round-the-world trip is an exciting and rewarding experience. Taking the time to research your destination, arrange visas, secure transport, and accommodations, and plan activities ahead of time can help ensure a safe and enjoyable journey. Whether you’re looking to venture off the beaten path or simply relax in some of the world’s most beautiful places, having a round the world trip itinerary prepared will give you peace of mind as you explore all that the world has to offer. Wherever you plan to travel, I hope this guide has helped you plan.

Are you currently planning or have you taken a round-the-world trip? Share your around the world trip itinerary in the comments below!

More from Where the Road Forks

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  • 35 Types of Tourism
  • Should I Travel With a Laptop: Pros and Cons
  • Backpack Vs Suitcase for Travel: My Pros and Cons List
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  • How to Avoid Pickpockets While Traveling
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  • 30 Free Things to do While Traveling

Zachary Friedman

Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.

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mahmoud salah

Monday 6th of January 2020

What a guide!! Very informative thank you, im planning on doing cape town to cairo early 2021

wheretheroadforks

Glad you found it useful! Check out my Cairo to Cape Town guide as well if you get the chance. I think you'll find some good info in there to help you plan the trip.

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The Ultimate Starting Guide For Planning a Trip Around The World

Posted by Kyla Hunter | May 17, 2018 | Family Gap Year Planning , Planning & Packing | 26 |

The Ultimate Starting Guide For Planning a Trip Around The World

On July 22, 2017, we left home to travel the world for a year…with our kids. We called it our Great Big Trip Around The World.

If you’re thinking about heading off on an around the world trip, either as a family, a couple or on your own, the planning is all the same. It all starts with an idea, a little seed planted somewhere in your brain, leading you to spend countless hours planning, budgeting and researching. If you need some inspiration to really get yourself going, start with this giant list of wanderlust quotes . You’re sure to want to pack your bags and just go!

We planned our family around the world trip the same way we would have if we were going alone. The only difference was dealing with schooling! Whether you’re planning a solo-backpacking trip around the world, or a family trip around the world (which can also involve backpacking), this guide will cover everything you need to know to make your dream a reality.

Our Family Gap Year story

The summer of 2007, a year after getting married, Randy and I went on a 2-month backpacking trip around Europe. As we entered the Czech Republic we met a couple in their early thirties. They had sold everything and were planning on travelling the world for 2-3 years. It was a completely new concept for us. We started talking about how much we’d love to do something similar, but by saving up rather than selling our stuff. At the time I had just finished my first year of optometry school. I was already committed to 3 more years and a LOT of debt! We quickly set the idea aside and carried on with life.

Our Great Big Trip Around The World

Fast forward…

I graduated from optometry school pregnant with Calais, moved to our current home town, and settled into a job. We continued to travel after Calais was born, taking her to 7 countries and 3 continents by the time she was 3. At 6, she’d been to 13 countries on 4 continents. Her little sister, at 4, was only one country (Iceland) behind her.

We’ve never been afraid to travel with our kids, but taking them away for a year around the world hadn’t even occurred to us. The couple that initially inspired us had no kids. I didn’t think it was something people did as a family!

Not long after Kacela was born (2012) I was having coffee with a friend when she started telling me about her boss who was on a year long trip with her 9 & 11 year old kids. It was an Ah-Hah moment for me. That night I brought up the idea with Randy of taking a year off soon to travel. He immediately agreed and our little plan started to form. The planning for our family gap year began!

Our Great Big Trip Around The World

Planning an Around The World Trip:

Planning vs prep.

There are so many things to consider when planning a round the world trip. I’ve separated it into Planning and Prep. Planning is the fun part, all the dreaming and scheming, and it’s broken it down into the 4 main steps below. Most of the planning phase requires thinking, and talking, and making a spread sheet or two! You’re coming up with the general outline of what your trip will look like; how long it’ll be, where you’ll go and what it’ll cost. The planning stage also involves actually saving the money!!

Once you’ve got the idea sorted out, you can start actually prepping for the trip. This involves all the actual legwork of booking flights, outlining a bit of an itinerary and preparing to leave home. Ideally, you’ll have 6 months, but I understand this isn’t always possible. If you have less time, you’ll still need to get everything done, but your timeline will be a bit more condensed (obviously!!).

How to Plan Around the World Trip

(in 4 easy steps).

planning travel around the world

Step one, figure out your why?

The “why” will dictate where you go, what you do, and how much time you take for your travels. It might seem pretty straight forward, but dig deep! If you want to deeply experience a different culture, you might consider picking a few locations to live in for a short time. If you want to “get away from it all” it would be worth looking at more remote locations with less internet connectivity! If, like me, you’re looking to satisfy some serious wanderlust with time with your family, it really does’t matter where you go as long as you’re together.

Our “Why”

Aside from our serious wanderlust issues and love of travel, I also wanted time. Specifically, I wanted un-interupted time with my kids. Time away from everything to really solidify our bond as a family. The girls were just babies when I started my optometry business, and I sacrificed a significant amount of time with them in their youngest years for the sake of the practice. This trip has allowed me to rebalance, sacrificing a little bit my business for the sake of my family. Many people thought we were crazy to want to travel around the world with family, but for us, it sounded fantastic!

planning travel around the world

Step two – Make a Budget and Save Some Money.

Budget is the biggest consideration if you’re planning to travel around the world with a family (or on your own!). It was the first thing I researched, as the cost would dictate whether the trip was feasible or just a pipe dream. I spent HOURS pouring over different blog posts, looking at other RTW travel budgets , figuring out the average cost per day to travel in the countries we were considering, and plotting it all out in a large excel spreadsheet.

Family travel around the world is expensive. If you’re traveling without kids there are fewer people to pay for (obviously!), and it’s easier to find cheap accommodations (things like housesitting,  hostel dorm beds and couch-surfing). Thankfully, if the kids are little, they don’t cost as much as a full-grown adult. They can sleep in smaller spaces, eat less food, and often pay half price for transportation and attractions. Most of the resources I found were focused on planning a backpacking trip around the world, so the budgets were focused on solo or couple travel. I tried to balance out the variations with the kiddos, but ultimately based our budget on 4 adults, and multiplied the single person cost by 4. Realistically, although we were planning to backpack on a small budget most of the time, we still need a break from it every once in awhile.

How we came up with our budget

planning travel around the world

We took a good, hard look at our monthly spending, and cut it down everywhere we could. I was fortunate that I was just starting a (successful) business, so my income was increasing each year. As long as we didn’t increase our spending with our income, we had money we could put away for our big trip. I created a separate “travel” bank account and automatically deposited money into it each month. It was easier to have the money out of sight, so I wasn’t tempted to spend it on something else.

planning travel around the world

Step three – When to Go?

This can be a difficult decision depending on which stage of life you’re in. It may be as simple as putting a few boxes into storage, quitting a job you don’t like, and leaving. Alternatively, you might need to sell a house and all your belongings before you’re able to travel. Your job may offer a leave of absence, or you might have a maternity/paternity leave to use. There are endless scenarios, and each and every one will be a little different. Just keep in mind that there’s never the perfect time.

Our timeline

When we originally started talking about an extended trip I had a mountain of student debt and was just starting my own business. Our financial position left us totally incapable of going away anytime in the near future. 5-7 years seemed like a realistic time frame. With a goal in mind, we started working towards it. I asked Calais if she wanted to go on a trip around the world, to which she asked “where is the world?”, and our blog name was born. As long as the kids can remember, we’ve been talking about this trip, which at some point they renamed “Our Great Big Trip Around The World”. I think this sums it up pretty accurately!

Our initial plan was to take the girls out of Grades 2 & 4, which would have us leaving for our trip in 2019. We figured it was better for Calais to skip Grade 4, than to go a year earlier and have Kacela skip Grade 1. Both are formative schooling years, but we thought missing grade 4 would be the lesser of two evils. Then I got antsy, and decided we should move it up a year. However, life has a way of stepping in and taking control.

planning travel around the world

Step four, where to go?

Start by going back to Step one for this. Figure out your why,what you really want to get out of the trip around the world. Make sure you choose countries you feel comfortable traveling to (mostly at least, being a bit uncomfortable is never a bad thing!), at a time of year when you want to be in that location. It’s not going to be perfect everywhere, but try your best!

How We Chose The Route for Our Family Gap Year

Our country rule right from the start was no English and no first world. The girls were still little, so we wanted countries that offered the most cultural difference from home. This would maximize the impact and increase the likelihood of them remembering things. It also provided the best opportunity for character-building experiences. Also, we weren’t going to be as financially ready as we’d hoped.  Developing countries offered better value for money and still allowed us to splurge every once in awhile.

planning travel around the world

The Ultimate Timeline to Plan A Round The World Trip (Prepping to leave)

Everyone will have different amounts of time to plan a trip, some shorter and some longer. Everything before a year is really dreaming and scheming (my favourite part!!). Once your trip is 6mo to a year away, then it’s time to really get serious!

6mo to 1 year Ahead – Planning turns to Prep

The two most important things to do during this time is work your way through Steps 1-4! This is the “trip-planning” phase where you figure out where you’re going to go and what you’re going to spend. You’ll need to have a decent idea about this to start really prepping for the trip.

RTW Flight Options

The other thing to start looking into early is flights. This is the likely the largest single expense, and the cost of these can really make or break your budget. In many parts of the world, flying can be a quick and inexpensive way to travel. Thankfully, it’s often possible to find these cheap flights last minute. The long haul flights, however, can add up quickly. Flights are also one of the few areas where kids pay almost exactly the same amount as adults. There may be a small discount, but it’s usually not very much! Paying for 4 seats versus 2 is a massive cost difference. If you’re seriously considering this, you need to check out Chris’ guide to Round The World Tickets . It’s the ultimate, and jam packed with great info!

There are essentially 3 different options for choosing your round the world flights.

  • RTW Ticket with One World or Star Alliance.
  • RTW Ticket with a third party (such as Air Treks)
  • Single segment tickets purchased independently.

Each of these has their own advantages and disadvantages. I looked into each of these options extensively, and ended up choosing single segment tickets because it allowed us greater flexibility. Of all the people I know who’ve done a family trip around the world, every single one of them had plans change. Our plans changed, and I was sure glad not to have to spend time on the phone, and change fees, to change flights. 

In my opinion, the RTW Tickets are great for shorter-term or fixed itinerary trips. They offer good value, and the ease of having it all done without having to scour the web for the best fare for each segment. If something needs to change, you just call and have someone else make the change for you. There are restrictions, and change fees, but if you’re able to fit a trip into these they can be good value. They’re especially good value if you have airline miles you can use towards it!

I priced out both StarAlliance and Air Treks RTW tickets for our flight. It was going to be approximately $25,000 CAD for Star Alliance, and $18,000CAD for Air Treks, but this only included the long-haul flights.  We ended up spending just shy of $20,000CAD, for our family of 4, for ALL the flights. This included short haul, long haul, and a side-trip home to Canada for my cousins’s wedding. It was definitely the cheapest in the long run, although it took more of my time finding the cheapest flights and the best routes.

Tricks to Finding Cheap Flights

1. I always start by searching both   Google Flights and Momondo .  I find that between these two it covers almost every flight possibility between 2 locations. Recently, I’ve also been surprised by the options that Expedia has, and ended up booking a number of our long-haul RTW flights through Expedia (these will show up on the Momondo search).

2. The other thing I always check, is the departing flights from the airport I’m leaving and the arriving flights into the airport where I’m going. Smaller, budget airlines sometimes don’t show up in even the most comprehensive online search, and checking actual arriving and departing flights will ensure you don’t miss a good deal!

3. Connecting flights are often cheaper than direct flights, so if you can spare a little bit of time, take a connecting flight. This might also have the side-benefit of a long enough layover to explore a different city, or break up an extra long flight.

4. Multi-city flights can be cheaper than one-way flights. When we flew from Vancouver, Canada to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the one-way ticket was going to be $1500CAD each, flying on China Southern through Guangzhou and Urumqi. I searched a multi-city ticket with the exact same flights but a 4-day stopover in Guangzhou (flight 1 Vancouver to Guangzhou, flight 2 Guangzhou to Tashkent via Urumqi), and it ended up being $750CAD each. It was HALF the price, for exactly the same flights, just splitting it into 2 legs a few days apart. I did this same thing when traveling from Chiang Rai to Dubai, and ended up having a 5-week stop over in India!! (I got a bit side-tracked on that one!)

5. Flight prices can fluctuate greatly depending on the day of the month or week you travel. If your schedule is a bit flexible, make sure you check flight prices +/- a few days to ensure you’re flying on the cheapest day.

planning travel around the world

6 mo before Leaving – Now it’s time to kick the trip prep into high gear!

Start with the single most important thing you’ll need…your Passport! At 6 & 7, my girls already know the only thing they really need is money and their passport. Everything else is extra! Check the expiry date and ensure it’s valid for at least 6mo (better yet, a year) after you plan to return. Also, ensure you’ll have enough blank pages for all the stamps and visas you’re going to accumulate. We all had a good amount of room in our passports before our trip, but Randy still came pretty close to running out. If you think you might run out, it would be worth requesting extra pages at this time if your passport still has a lot of validity left.

Depending on your route, you may need to pre-arrange Visas for some countries. Make sure you do your research and have the most up-to-date information. This will often require mailing your Passport away, and if you require multiple Visas you’ll need to coordinate them and get your Passport back before you leave.

planning travel around the world

Vaccinations

I realize that not everyone is interested in vaccinations, but if you are, this is the time to start looking into them. Many require multiple injections over a period of time, so you need to start early. My recommendation is to go to a travel clinic or travel pharmacist. They’ll have access to the most up to date information on your destinations, assess your personal risk, and be able to write prescriptions for any necessary medications.

You might already have a plan for your job, and if you do…awesome!! If not, now’s the time to start thinking about it! There’s many different options, whether you’re bringing your job on the road with you, quitting forever, or taking a leave of some kind. If you’re hoping to go back to your job after your trip, you might want to start feeling out your boss long before you actually leave.

Break the News!!

If you haven’t told your friends and family already, you should do it now! If they’re skeptical they’ll want the time to get used to the idea before you leave. If they’re excited for you, you’ll want their excitement to help push you through the hard days leading up to “take-off”. And, if you’re going to start a blog or separate social media account, now is the time! You can let your loved ones know how they can follow your travels.

planning travel around the world

3-6mo Before Leaving

You’ve likely already decided whether you’re renting or selling your house, or putting it on AirBnB. Now’s the time to take action and either find an agent, or post some ads on Kijiji or Craigslist to get the process started. Ideally, your house will rent out (or sell) at the perfect time and everything will be just right. In reality, this probably won’t happen, so be prepared just incase!!

We had 3 renters fall through in the 2-months before we left, and we actually left without the house rented out at all. Thankfully, we had an incredible property manager who managed to rent it for the entire year the weekend after we left. I highly recommend using a property manager if you’re renting, or a realtor if you’re selling. Yes, it will cost you money, but there’s SO much to do leading up to the trip this is just an extra stress you don’t need, and you can have a professional do for you. This is especially true with a rental. You’ll be out of the country and unable to deal with any rental issues in a timely fashion.

Accessing money abroad costs a surprising amount of money. Start searching for a bank, bank cards and credit cards that allow you to withdraw money at a lower rate. If you’re in the US, you’ll want to check out one of these as they’re the best banks for international travel . Ideally you’ll want to have cards on the major networks; Visa, MasterCard, Plus and Cirrus. Visa and MasterCard typically work almost everywhere, but you pay a percentage as a withdrawal fee, so it can be quite expensive. I’ve found Plus to be more widely accepted than Cirrus, and although we have a $5CAD fee every time we withdraw money, at least we can still access the money!

Charles Schwab appears to offer the best debit card on the market for withdrawing money internationally. There’s no monthly minimum required balance, no monthly fee, no foreign transaction fee and unlimited ATM rebates. It’s an VISA Debit card linked to a High Yield Investor Checking account (so you make 0.2% on ay money in the account), and it must be linked to a Schwab One Brokerage Account.

Visa and MasterCard charge an average of 2.5% foreign exchange fee on top of the bank exchange rate. In Canada, there are very few options. Roger’s Mastercard charges the 2.5% fee, but gives 3% cash back on all purchases, so the net is at least in the positive, Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite has no foreign transaction fee, but a whopping annual fee of $139. You can find a few more Canadian options at Money We Have . There are WAY more available in the US (Chase seems to be leading the way), check out The Points Guy for a comprehensive list. In Australia, the 28degree platinum MasterCard and ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Visa card seem to be the ones with the lowest limits, but Credit Card Compare has a more comprehensive list.

If you’re from somewhere else, a quick google search of “(country name) credit card no foreign transaction fee” should result in a good starting place for you!

Travel Insurance

There are many options for travel insurance, depending on what country you live in, and even the province or state. In Alberta (Canada) we were able to set our provincial health coverage to “out of country” for up to 2 years, and we maintain coverage. This isn’t travel insurance, but it ensures we’re covered if something happens and we can get home! We topped up with World Nomad insurance. I searched a variety of options and this was the best for us. I know other family travellers specifically have found great plans through Allianz in the US, and CAA in Canada. Do your research and make sure you’ve got the coverage you need.

Online Gear Purchases

If you’re purchasing anything online, give it time to ship. If you’re ordering from Amazon in the US and have overnight shipping, this isn’t much of an issue. If you’re anywhere else and shipping can take 4-6weeks, you need to get on this early. At our 100 day mark , I had a massive post-it-note wall of things to do and purchase. We spent WAY too much money on gear, etc before our trip ( especially on our electronics! ), and we only sent some of it home!

If you’re wondering what you might need for gear, check out this comprehensive RTW Packing List . Some of what you need you’ll be able to find local (depending on the size of city you live in!), and some you’ll need to ship. You want to make sure you have enough time to ensure everything you have is perfect!

planning travel around the world

House-sitting

If you’re planning on house sitting at all, sign up for it and start contacting owners. I looked into house-sitting, but decided it was too restrictive for our trip. Others have told me that it took many (dozens) of inquiries before actually hearing back from anyone. Once you’ve had a successful house-sit, they’re easier to come by, but the first one can be a bit tricky (so I’ve been told.)

If you’re on a monthly cell phone plane, you’ll want to talk to the phone company and find out if there’s an international plan you can switch to, whether you can put the plan on hold, or if it’s going to be easiest to just buy out your plan before you leave. Your decision about how to stay connected during your trip will depend on what country you’re coming from, and whether or not you want to keep your home phone number. In the US, a number of cell phone companies offer international packages with a reasonable amount of data, calling and texting in many countries. Most Canadian companies offer a pay-per-day for international use, and we found that local SIM cards were significantly cheaper than this (almost everywhere!)

Monthly Subscriptions  & Auto Payments 

Now is also the time to look at all your monthly subscriptions and payments. If you have magazine subscriptions, or even your TV and internet services, you need to come up with a plan for these while you’re gone. If you’re renting your house furnished, you’ll want to leave many of these in place as they’ll just transfer over to be used by the Tennant while you’re gone. If you’re selling your house, you’ll need to cancel these before leaving. Look at every single auto-payment and monthly payment that comes out of your account, and decide whether you need to keep it, transfer it to someone else, or cancel it.

planning travel around the world

1-3 mo Before Leaving

It’s getting close now!! There’s a lot of things to do, so from now on, you just get a list. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory!

  • Book initial accommodation
  • Start to pack up anything you don’t need in your house
  • Book necessary appointments (Dentist, OD, MD)
  • Finalize Travel Insurance Options
  • Start a packing list
  • Start to think about what you’ll do with your vehicles; sell, store, have a friend drive? Look into vehicle insurance if you’re going to put it in storage or lend it to a friend for the year.
  • Pre-book any special or popular tours
  • If you have family/friends visiting, start planning with them
  • Will – ensure you have a will in place, as well as a living-will (prepare for the unexpected), and make sure someone at home knows where it is.
  • Give someone you trust access to your bank account in case you need it, as well as safety deposit box keys, etc.
  • Make friends with your personal banker! There’s a very good chance your debit card will get “hot-carded” (put on hold) while you’re gone, and you’ll need someone at the bank who can get it working for you again in a hurry! We’ve were lucky enough to just email our banker and she got it done for us same-day.

planning travel around the world

Kid-specific:

  • Look into schooling requirements for kiddos
  • Download curriculum and other resources
  • Get approval from school for leave if required
  • Have a lawyer prepare Statutory Declarations and Power of Attorneys

planning travel around the world

2 weeks – 1 month Before

  • Finalize your packing list and begin packing
  • Finalize and prepay for insurance – World Nomad will let you prepay and set your start date in advance. You can get it out of the way
  • Complete medical appointments. Fill any needed prescriptions, contact lenses, travel meds, etc. Follow all other pre-trip steps to stay healthy during your travels .
  • Make up your travel medical kit
  • Gather any necessary information needed for taxes and send to accountant
  • Set up mail-forwarding. Arrange who will receive your mail while you’re gone. Give them instructions regarding what to do with it.
  • What are you doing with your plants? Giving them to friends/family? Leaving them for your renters (if you have them?)
  • Entertainment – If you’re bringing a tablet or computer, you might want to load up some movies and audiobooks. I find audiobooks are incredible for long car, bus, and train rides. You can still look out the window and appreciate the scenery, but it provides a bit of entertainment en route. Audiobooks are especially great for kids. They require imagination as there’s no screen involved, and decrease the risk of car sickness because they can still look out the window.
  • Make a water-plan. Travel requires a significant consumption of water, potentially resulting in a significant amount of plastic waste! Consider buying a filter water bottle and metal straws at a minimum.

planning travel around the world

1-2 weeks until “take-off”

  • Finish packing up your house (recommendation to be out of your house a minimum of 2 days prior to leaving!)
  • Call your house insurance company and change your insurance status to “vacant” or “rental” depending on your situation. Be aware that your insurance cost will change with the change in status.
  • Complete packing
  • Purchase VPN
  • Sign-up for What’s App (if you don’t have it already)
  • Get an international driver’s license if you’ll need it (only 1 year validity, so should be last minute)
  • Unlock cell phone and change plan if necessary.
  • Notify home owner’s insurance of any changes
  • Order foreign currency (can take 1-2 weeks to arrive)
  • Throw a goodbye party for family and friends. This will consolidate good-byes
  • Organize pick up from the airport to your first accommodation
  • Deal with your vehicle(s)
  • Make any necessary last minute purchases
  • Confirm flight times and baggage allowance
  • Arrange a ride to the airport
  • Wrap any final things up at work
  • Take some time to think about your fears and anxieties , so you can acknowledge them and deal with it before you leave.

planning travel around the world

1 week before leaving

If you’re anything like me you’ll procrastinate a little bit (or a lot!!). Randy and the girls were gone for 2 weeks and came home 4 days before we left. I binge-watched SO much Netflix during those 2 weeks because I just couldn’t find the motivation to pack the house up by myself. I needed the last week to finish packing our bags, and the house, and was sure glad I got most everything else done before this.

planning travel around the world

So there you have it…a general outline for planning to travel the world. Anything you’d add? What am I missing?!

Our Great Big Trip Around the World YouTube announcement!! Feel free to binge-watch our YouTube videos 🙂

And don’t forget to Pin this for later, so you can check back again and again while you’re planning!!

planning travel around the world

(This post may contain affiliate links, for which we earn a small commission at no additional expense to you. You can read our affiliate policy here .)

About The Author

Kyla Hunter

Kyla Hunter

I am a wife, mother and professional schemer! I love planning travel...and of course, actually traveling with my family. My favourite experiences tend to happen off the beaten path, and I'd love to show you that it's possible to travel everywhere with your kids!

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26 Comments

Dawn

Just found your website and love reading about your plans. We took 6 months off when our kids were 3,5,7 and it is a great time to do it. Cant wait t to hear more about your itinerary. We are hoping for another 6 month trip in 2018!

Kyla Hunter

I’m glad to hear that 5 & 7 will be a good age!! And that after extended travel once you’re gearing up to do it again! That’s ultimately our goal too. I don’t know that we’ll be able to do a year again, but I’d like to take 6 months when the kids are a bit older too. The itinerary will be coming soon!!

The Family Voyage

Sounds amazing! We’ll hopefully be just a few months behind you on our family’s RTW journey 🙂

That’s exciting!! Where are you guys starting? When are you planning on leaving? I’ll be posting our planned route hopefully in the next couple weeks…if there’s going to be any close-to-cross-over let me know, we’re all about meet ups on the road!

inlocamotion

Wow wow wow!! What an exciting adventure you and your family have ahead of you! I’m glad to hear that after all of this time you are about to make it happen. Wishing the best for you and your family, and I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures around the world!

Thanks! It seems like we’ve been planning it forever, it’s kind of crazy that it’s finally happening!!

Christa

I can’t wait to follow along! We have a 4 year old who we’re taking to Costa Rica for a month this May. She’s been overseas but not for that long. I want to see how well she does before I plan any RTW trip for our family

We took the girls for a 6week long trip this fall just to make sure we’d all handle it okay, although I think we’d still be going regardless of how that trip went!! At least now we’re going into it with a bit of confidence! Have a blast in Costa Rica! There’s so much to do, it’ll be so much fun!

Megan Johnson!

This sounds like it will be an amazing trip! I love reading about families that travel and do long trips like this, I look forward to reading more!

Thanks Megan! I’ve been reading about other families on long trips for such a long time, I’m excited to finally be the one that others are reading about!

christine leger

This is amazing! Ive always wanted to do this. my kids are 2 & 5, but I don’t have a job (other than blogging lol)…. I’ll be following along for sure

Thanks Christine! At least blogging is a job that you can take anywhere!! That’s one less thing to worry about getting organized before potentially leaving for an extended period!! Maybe one day in the future I’ll be following your extended travels!

Yolanda

Wow! What an amazing trip it is going to be. I can’t wait to hear about all your adventures!!

Thanks! We’re definitely looking forward to it, it’s going to be an adventure!!

YashY Murphy

So excited for you guys and I hope we can link up at some point during one of our adventures!

Thanks!! I’m excited to follow your adventures too. Hopefully at some point our paths will cross, even if it’s in Toronto!

Anne

How exciting. Just found your blog and will be following your journey closely! We are planning to do our RTW starting in June 2019. Our kids will be exactly your kids age by then (missing kindergarten and 2 grade). Happy travels!

Yeah!! I’m glad you found us 🙂 I’m happy to have you along for our adventures! So far the girls’ current ages are perfect, so good choice on your part!! The school demand is minimal, but they’re old enough to understand what we’re doing, remember things, and carry their own bags (most importantly!).

Beth

Terrific post! We left for our trip around the world in July 2017– same time as you (and had also thought we would target 2019 but life made it happen sooner). I really would have benefitted from your outline above when we were planning… ironically followed a very similar breakdown as you outlined as we worked through the process. Will be saving your link to share with others when they ask how to do this….

One tip I would suggest adding to your banking is that Charles Schwab offers a debit card that is 0 international fees. We have used it everywhere this year and they credit your account back at the end of each month for all the ATM fees. Fabulous card…. and great travel tip for others traveling internationally.

Anyways. Great reading your post. Cheers from Australia! Beth

Thanks Beth, and thanks for the great tip on the Charles Schwab card. I’ll definitely put it in!! I haven’t added up all the banking fees we’ve paid this year, but I’m sure it’ll be well into the hundreds of dollars. It would be awesome if others didn’t suffer the same fate! (I’m going to go look into it right now and see if it’s available for us in Canada, even if we only have a few month left!!)

I hope you guys are having as much fun as we are!! Take care, Kyla

toptravelsights

I have one thing I’d add to that list and it’s thinking about your internet/cell phone plans. I don’t know how it works in other countries, but in Germany, many of them work on two-year contracts. One of the first things I did after deciding that I wanted to go on a year-long trip was cancelling my phone plan and changing to prepaid plan that offered me more flexibility.

Same goes for insurances. While health insurance is a big issue that many people still think about, I had more insurances than that. I have a private pension plan, for example, which I thought I would have to keep paying. But after a couple of calls, I managed to put it on hold for that year which saved me a lot of money. So it’s definitely worth looking into any insurances or monthly costs you have (this includes stuff like magazine subscriptions which you won’t read anyway while on the road).

Besides that, I can’t think of anything else. The rest is already on your list.

I hope you guys are having lots of fun!

Awesome, thanks for the input!! I’ll add that right away. We changed over our cell phone contracts to monthly pay as you go, but since it was ages before leaving I completely forgot about it! And, it’ll definitely be different depending on which country you’re coming from. Thank you!!!

Dawn

Great read Kyla! Have loved following you guys around the world and it is great to hear more about the planning for your trip.

Thanks Dawn!!

Wandering Family

Thanks for the list of preparations with a timeline – we are in the last few months before we leave on our gap year and used your list as a helpful reference!

I’m so glad you’ve found it helpful!! I made extensive notes while we planned because I had a hard time finding timeline info anywhere!! I’m excited for your travels!!

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planning travel around the world

Travel Around the World - How to Plan a Trip in 6 Steps

March 31, 2018

Traveling around the world is an amazing experience. Taking 4 plus weeks to explore different cultures and numerous countries provides an unforgettable view of the world and offers a new appreciation of different peoples and cultures.

Check out 16 top expert planned round-the-world trips ! 

Or speak to an expert for help crafting a custom trip.

Like to do the work yourself and reading long articles?

How does one plan for a round-the-world trip? There are many factors to consider, and we’re here to help you break it down so you can be prepared for the trip of a lifetime.

How to plan a trip around the world

  • Plan for a month or more at least
  • Buy a RTW plane ticket for the most cost cutting option
  • Stay in hostels or local hotels
  • Pack light! Avoid bringing too many shoes and pack lightweight breathable layers
  • Utilize travel blogs for planning tips and research - blogger interview  
  • TL;DR - See 16 top expert planned round-the-world travel packages

Planning a trip around the world travel tips

1. Plan to be gone a month or more at least

One of the first things you’ll want to figure out is how long you are allotting for this trip. It will determine where you go, and how much time to spend in each destination. For any around the the world trip, you have to have at least 4 weeks, and ideally more, available to make it worthwhile.

The 1 month around the world trip

With 1 month, it’s a good idea to stick to a broad region (such as South America , Oceania , or Europe and North Africa ). This can be a great way to gain insights into countries  that might seem disparate today. But their pasts are intertwined by virtue of their short distance from each other.

Spain moorish architecture

For example, Spain is very European in many cultural aspects, but its proximity to North Africa provides fascinating nuances throughout the southern regions, in things like cuisine and architecture. Or consider the similarities between Hawaiian, Fijian, and New Zealand native traditions, and the differences they display to Australian Aborigines.

But even confined within a specified region, a month long journey is going to feel rushed if you’re trying to see multiple countries.

The 2 plus month around the world trip

A more relaxing way to travel around the world is to plan two plus months of travel.

This will allow you to spend more time exploring beyond the tourist sites and visit many more countries in different regions around the globe. Your route will be somewhat dependent on how you decide to travel, flight schedules and routes.

Go anywhere, not everywhere

Map with pins

One of the biggest pitfalls of planning your dream trip around the world is trying to do too much, even if you do plan for 6 months to a year. This idea of “country counting” might seem appealing at first, but it will quickly become exhausting.

Especially as you won’t be allowing yourself to really get immersed in any one culture, and you’re limiting the amount of time you have to see both the most exciting tourist attractions and get a more local feel.

Allowing yourself the freedom and flexibility to change plans if a country deserves more time is one of the best around the world travel tips. And start your planning with the idea that you can go anywhere, but once you try to go everywhere you’ll find yourself in trouble of over planning and ultimately feeling more stressed than you need to be.

2. How much does it cost to travel around the world?

Saving for traveling around the world

The cost of a trip like this is largely dependent on how you prefer to travel, and where you go. Most sources agree that the flight planning is the biggest cost eater, as is often the case with travel in general. But there are some tips and tricks you can use for making your trip around the world as cost efficient as possible.

1. Buy a RTW (round the world) ticket

Some airlines offer a packaged Round the World ticket that bundles all your travel together. Two popular options are Star Alliance and Oneworld .

There are some quirks to booking a ticket like this - such as only being able to travel in one direction, either eastward or westward. Additionally Round the World Tickets through the airlines are only available once you have a certain amount of miles. So if you are already a frequent traveler with a Star Alliance airline or the airlines with Oneworld, this option will be cost cutting.

Departure board at the airport

Booking a series of one way flights can add up quick. But if you’re diligent about price checking, and are flexible about airports this can be a good option. And if you want to take it a step further, stick to one airline as much as possible, rack up those miles, and then cash it in the next time!

2. Avoid more expensive destinations

Traveling around the world offers a unique opportunity to travel farther and wider than a typical two week vacation.

Consider spending a majority of time away from Western European countries, the UK, and large cities where costs will be much higher. Avoid tourist areas for shopping and food, and if possible be selective about which sites and museums you buy entrance tickets to.

traveling around the world

3. Use a travel agent

Rather than trying to do all the research yourself and getting discourage, speak with a trusted travel agent who can help you plan an itinerary. They’ll listen to your budget and be able to make informed, relevant suggestions based on that based on your interests.

The expertise of an agent can be a lifesaver as you try to plan and get the details in place. Their time isn’t necessarily cheap, but you’ll have the peace of mind knowing your dream trip is in good hands. Plus they’ll be an available touchpoint along the way for help when unexpected situations arise.

Speak to an agent about a custom trip...

4. Don't forget about visas!

It can be easy to forget as you begin to plan your round the world trip that some countries have specific entry requirements. Be sure to check well in advance because visas can take time and are an extra expense. If you’d rather not incur this expense check your route and see if it’s possible to eliminate any countries that require visas.

3. Stay in hostels or local hotels

accommodations traveling around the world

Possibly the second biggest expense you’ll encounter on an extended travel journey is in booking accommodations. But you may be surprised at how little comfort you have to sacrifice when finding affordable places to stay.

Of course, if you insist on staying in large hotels this will significantly increase the cost of your trip. But hostels, couchsurfing, AirBnB, or even small local hotels are available in a wide range of prices and comfortability.

Hostels are not all created equal however, so be sure to do your research and use a trusted source like Hostel World or TripAdvisor to find reputable accommodations.

Cafe lounge in a hostel

If you don’t know the area, try to find hostels or small local hotels that host events or offer day tours can be a great way to cut costs and time in the planning stage. It’s also a great way to meet people on the road!

The logistics of planning transportation plus lodging and making sure everything lines up, especially when you’ve never been somewhere can be exhausting. (You just KNOW it can’t be as simple as it looks on the map…).

If you’re running into panic mode, consider looking at cruises or train travel for significant legs of your trip. This will give you some breathing room, allow you to unpack and air out, do laundry, and not have to worry about schlepping a suitcase of heavy backpack around. Plus some meals are usually included in your ticket price, so you’ll be saving some money!

4. What to pack for a trip around the world

Old fashioned suitcases with world map

Packing for any extended trip is a feat, let alone packing to be gone for a few months to a year. There are some key things to remember to make your trip as easy as possible.

1. Dress like a local

Pay close attention to the dress norms in the countries you’re traveling to, especially if you’re traveling in the middle east. Conservative clothing is necessary in many Middle Eastern countries to avoid unwanted attention, and also to be respectful of the culture. Women, be sure to pack something to cover your head as this is advised dress code in many muslim countries.

2. Dress appropriately

Additionally, if you plan on visiting churches or other religious establishments, bare shoulders, shorts, and sometimes open toed shoes are typically not permitted.

Young female traveler on hike in the mountains

It might be an obvious tip for even the most inexperienced traveler, but it really bears repeating, as even this author sometimes forgets the beauty of layers.

You’ll be living out of the same suitcase for an extended period so light, breathable layers are going to be your best friend. Also try to avoid cotton as it gets heavy and absorbent, and will become especially uncomfortable if you are in a rainy or humid environment.

4. Consider what takes up the most space

For most people this means shoes. Limit yourself to no more than three pairs. Don’t bring just one because your feet will get tired and sore, and switching up footwear regularly is a quick hack to give your feet a rest.

Also, your feet will thank you for support - resist the temptation to save space by bringing flimsy shoes. If you enjoy hiking, sacrifice some space for a good pair of tennis shoes or hiking boots.

5. Think about the weather and time of year

Heavy snows traveling around the world

Another major suitcase space sucker is warm clothes. Will it be winter in some countries? If you need a coat, scarf, and gloves, be cognisant of the space they take up. Try going to an outdoor store and finding thermal layers that preserve heat, rather than trying to stuff a down jacket in your suitcase.

6. Use packing cubes to keep organized

If you’re like me, once you’ve been on the road for a little bit, your suitcase is going to have an organized chaos look to it, except without the organization part. Packing cubes are a great way to keep clothes, toiletries, and other random suitcase items separated and easily reachable. This is also extremely helpful for going through customs and security at the airport.

7. Don't overpack

You’ll be in enough areas where you can purchase things if you forgot something, and you can do laundry at most hostels and hotels. And plus, you have to save some room for souvenirs!

5. Planning a Solo Around the World Trip - Interview with Travel Blogger Kirsten Smith

Kirsten Smith travel blogger in the Galapagos

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Smith, Wallflower Wanderer   ©

To get a “real world” insight into someone who has actually planned a full trip around the world completely ad hoc, we spoke with Kirsten Smith. Kirsten is a freelance marketing copywriter, photographer and travel blogger based in San Francisco.

In 2015, she quit her perfectly decent desk job to travel for a year — she's seen pyramids, coral reefs, deserts, rain forests, ruins, medieval cities, and Mt. Everest — and much, much more.

You can read more about Kirsten's experiences on her blog: Wallflower Wanderer

Interview with Kirsten Smith

Stride: How difficult was it to plan an around the world trip on your own?

Kirsten: Because I quit my job and gave myself an entire YEAR to travel (instead of only a couple of weeks for my typical vacation), I wanted to be spontaneous, and not plan too much in advance. I got my plane ticket and lodging for the first location, which was Barcelona — then I basically winged it from there. Before leaving, I had talked to friends about meeting up in various global locations along the way, which created a loose agenda, but didn't dictate each day.

Stride: What online sources, if any, did you find the most helpful?

Kirsten: For lodging I used Airbnb, Hotels.com,  and would definitely recommend HostelWorld  which is mentioned previously. For transit help I used  Rome2Rio , SkyScanner , and Google Flights.

To get advice on destinations, such as sample itineraries and important information I used  Frommers , Lonely Planet, and of course Trip Advisor. I also found travel blogs like Adventurous Kate to be extremely useful for tips about being a solo female traveler. 

Because I did use tours during some of my trip, I defintely found the compare tools on Stride helpful when I wanted a longer excursion. Viator was my go-to for short day trips, as well as local tours via the hostels. 

solo female traveler with backpack traveling around the world

Stride: Was safety a concern in traveling on your own?

Kirsten: For sure, especially as a petite woman. I knew that if anything bad happened, I'd pretty much be on my own to handle it — so I did a lot of small things to keep myself safe, including:

1) Trying not to draw the wrong kind of attention to myself. I dressed fairly conservatively in long shorts and pants, and I covered my arms and legs in countries where that's part of the culture. I didn't wear jewelry or makeup, and I kept my camera in my backpack unless I planned to use it.

2) I always tried to keep my wits about me, so I rarely went out drinking unless I was with my friends or other travelers (safety in numbers!)

3) My money and credit cards were always split up between my purse or backpack and hidden in my luggage locked up at the hostel, along with my passport. I also turned my bags to my front on crowded transportation.

Fortunately, I was never mugged, pick-pocketed or assaulted during my year of travel. I listened to my gut, researched where the sketchy areas were, and just tried not to do anything dumb in general, lol.

Kirsten Smith Wallflower Wanderer blog solo in Egypt

Photo courtesy of Kirsten Smith,  Wallflower Wanderer  ©

Stride: Do you think taking a guided trip is a good option for this kind of trip?

Kristen: Totally. I did several guided tours throughout the year, including a camel ride into the Sahara Desert in Morocco, a 3-day hike into the mountains of northern Vietnam, and tours through the Galapagos Islands .

I'm glad I did them especially in places where I knew there would be a tricky language barrier. Plus, when you're with a guide who knows the area, you know you're going to see the good stuff. Sometimes it's really nice not having to constantly think and stress.

Stride: What were the biggest challenges you faced in planning and on the ground?

Kirsten: Well, I have a terrible sense of direction. I'm honestly amazed I'm not still wandering around India somewhere. So, transit logistics and getting myself around new cities was one of my most common challenges. I used offline maps when I could, but even those weren't all that helpful in less-traveled areas.

I might book an Airbnb, but getting myself TO the place could be a real nightmare. That was the case in Kathmandu, Nepal, when I arrived after dark and I was useless in helping the taxi driver find the homestay among twisting unmarked dirt streets — my host finally had to come fetch me on his motorcycle, which was pretty...interesting.

Kirsten Smith travel blogger in India solo around the world travel

Stride: What was the best part of planning this trip by yourself?

Kirsten: Being able to go virtually anywhere I wanted in the world, for however long I wanted — I'd never had that kind of freedom before. I traveled on a super small budget, but splurged now and then on experiences I knew I'd never forget as long as I live.

Sitting in a cafe on a beautiful beach and asking myself, "Where to next?" and then simply going there, and realizing there's nothing I can't handle when I get there. Whatever happens, I'll figure it out. I'll make new friends, I'll eat good food, I'll see incredible things. It's an awesome feeling.

Top Packaged and Expert Planned Around the World Tours

young boy in burma with red umbrella

Hate planning and don’t want to miss anything?

Browse this list of top Around the World Tours . You’ll lose some freedom to choose where to go and if you want to stay longer or leave sooner, it’s true.

But you’ll gain so much more in the time you save stressing about making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s crossed. Let the tour operator do that and get ready to dive into the amazing world we live in with amazing guides, and meet fellow travelers and friends for life.

How well do you know the world?

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planning travel around the world

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Plan Your Trip

Plan your rtw trip.

Finding the right round the world trip planner can be difficult. This is first and foremost because many such tools on the internet are only for planning (and, in some cases, booking) RTW flights. The truly difficult part of planning a trip around the world is deciding where to go, how long to stay and how to arrange your trip, so the content deficit (let alone how rare it is to find a quality world trip planner) is frustrating for many travelers.

The good news? Whether you want to travel all around the world, or simply want to visit multiple continents during a single trip, this guide covers all the bases you’ll need to hit as you plan your trip.

Of course, I’ll also touch on the particulars of buying a RTW ticket, including a somewhat contentious recommendation on my part. I’m about to share a great deal of information with you, but I promise: Planning a RTW trip is much, much easier than it looks.

Booking Round the World Flights

Many a round the world trip planner (which to say, any airline alliance website create for the purpose of selling flights) will tell you that booking a single RTW ticket is essential for a round the world trip. However, I don’t agree with this. In addition to the fact that having a single travel the world for a year itinerary (even a flexible one) can lock you in on a trip that will be anything but predictable, it’s often more cost effective to book individual segments, particularly if you have some miles or points to play with.

planning travel around the world

Let’s say, for example, that you live in the United States and want to fly around the world westward. After taking advantage of a rock-bottom one-way flight from the US to Japan or China , you can take advantage of low-cost flights as you explore Southeast Asia and Australia , then gradually make your way to Europe (and from there, Africa ), flying to South America before returning home, often for only a few hundred dollars per segment. A round-the-world ticket, on the other hand, which often only includes long-distance flights, can easily cost between $2,000-3,000. And that’s without the fees you’ll certainly have to pay to change it as your plans evolve.

How Long Does a Round the World Trip Take?

Whether or not you work with an around the world trip planner, you should keep in mind that as you plan a round the world trip, the issue of timing can be surprisingly far in the back of your mind, particularly if you’ll be traveling to regions of the world you’ve never visited. While two weeks traveling through Japan or Western Europe can allow you to cover a lot of ground, it’s woefully insufficient in places like India , Africa or even much of South America. In general, it’s safe to assume you’re probably underestimating how long you’ll need to devote to your trip.

planning travel around the world

Broadly speaking, I’d say the best round the world holidays last a minimum of six months, though I have personally taken epic trips in a shorter amount of time than that. On the other hand, I’d caution against traveling for longer than a year at a time, as being away from your “real life” for such a period can have other impacts on your well-being, ones you might not be able to anticipate right now.

How Much Does a Round the World Trip Cost?

Another deficiency of many a round the world trip planner (which is once again to say a flight booking tool) is that it provides only a piece of the cost puzzle—your round the world trip isn’t only going to cost a few thousand dollars. Generally speaking, the average cost of traveling anywhere in the world is between 50-150 USD per person, per day, which means that a conservative estimate for the cost of the ultimate around the world itinerary for a six-month trip (without your “big” flights) is between $9,000-27,000. Not cheap!

planning travel around the world

Of course, there are ways to decrease the cost of a travel around the world itinerary, whether you manage to find the cheapest round the world ticket, take advantage of opportunities for free or discounted stays (whether you couch surf or do some sort of volunteer program) or simply keep your dining out and shopping to a minimum. In general, however, I’d recommend over-estimating your budget than under-estimating it, if only so you don’t end up as a “begpacker.”

When to Take a Round the World Trip

When you travel around the world will depend upon where you want to go. While most of the sample round the world routes I’ll recommend in the next section are fairly evergreen, some destinations are better during certain months than others, and planning according to this can influence the rest of your travel trajectory.

planning travel around the world

For example, let’s assume you want to see the cherry blossoms in Japan , probably the world’s most famous seasonal spectacle. Whether you choose from my round the world trip ideas below or commission a custom 6 month travel itinerary, you’ll want to arrange the rest of your RTW trip to optimize the weather in all your destinations. You might head to Nepal after Japan, for instance, to trek when the country’s famous rhododendrons are blooming, or visit Australia and New Zealand before Japan to catch the tail end of warm weather Down Under.

Round the World Trip Ideas

The best of six continents.

Most round the world trip planners will want to see the “whole world” on their trips—all six inhabited continents, and potentially even Antarctica. Regardless of where your RTW travel originates, the general path you will follow is North America-Asia (Australia/New Zealand)-(Middle East/India) Europe (Africa)-South America-North America, or maybe in reverse depending upon where you start and what time of year you’re traveling.

planning travel around the world

In terms of a general flight path, this might look something like the following: Los Angeles-Vancouver- Tokyo – Bangkok – Sydney – Dubai – Paris -Cairo-Cape Town-London-Buenos Aires- Bogota -Houston. Needless to say there are countless variations, from a 6 month round the world trip to ones much longer!

Wonders of the World

Rather than taking a comprehensive approach (which can lead to a year or even longer on the road—again, not an option for the majority of travelers), you can start your world travel planner based on a finite list of world wonders, be it classic ones you find on an Asia trip planner like the Great Wall or ones you designate yourself, such as Barcelona ‘s Sagrada Familia church or Ethiopia’s “Door to Hell.”

planning travel around the world

Assuming you take a more classic route for your around the world itinerary, you might go about planning a round the world trip between wonders as follows. From Chicago to Beijing (for the Great Wall), then to Delhi (for the Taj Mahal), to Cairo (for the Pyramids ), to Athens (for the Acropolis), to London (for Stonehenge), to Rio de Janeiro (for Christ the Redeemer) to New York (for the Statue of Liberty). Again, this is highly customizable!

The Backpacker’s Trail

I’ve taken great pains within this round the world trip planner to be honest and sober about the cost of traveling around the world, but this is still a sort of trip that people on the backpacking spectrum can take. Specifically if you decide to string together affordable destinations like Southeast Asia, India, Eastern Europe, Andean South America and Central America.

planning travel around the world

For instance, if you’re seeking a cheap around the world itinerary, you might fly from Denver to Kuala Lumpur (via China, as Chinese airlines are the cheapest), then fly to Mumbai or Delhi for a month or two there. From there, head to Ukraine or Poland to begin a month or so backpacking Eastern Europe (I particularly like the Balkans ), before taking a flight (probably a multi-leg one) to Lima (where Peru and Bolivia await) or Cancun, from which can you head south to affordable Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Five-Star Frolic

On the other end up to the spectrum for a world trip itinerary, travelers without a set budget can enjoy a round the world business class (or even first class) romp that pulls out all the stops. Rather than focusing on a set range of destinations, you can plan your trip based on luxurious hotels and experiences, be it a Tanzania safari from the opulent Four Seasons Serengeti , sampling award-winning in-flight products and services from airlines like Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines or dining in foodie capitals like Tokyo and Paris.

planning travel around the world

If you’re planning a luxury round the world trip, it makes sense to enlist the help of a professional (me or someone else), since the price of such assistance (usually between $100-200 per week of travel) is minimal compared to the overall cost of such a RTW trip.

Other FAQ About RTW Travel

How many stops do you get on a round the world ticket.

Whether you’re planning a 6 month round the world trip or plan to stay on the road for years, I am a proponent of piecemeal booking of air travel, rather than committing yourself to a RTW ticket. Therefore, I consider the number of “stops” permitted on such a ticket to be superfluous.

How do I plan a trip around the world?

Unless you are a very experienced global traveler, I recommend against trying to plan a trip on your trip. Rather, work with a professional (such as Yours Truly) to arrange a travel the world for a year itinerary. Or for longer than a year, or shorter—you get the idea.

Are round the world tickets worth it?

No! As I’ve expressed many times during this round the world itinerary, I am not a fan of RTW plane tickets. They rarely cost less; booking and changing them requires a pedantic phone call—or rather phone calls, since you’ll have to call in every time you want to make a modification.

Round the World Trip Planning

The best round the world trips are the ones where you get out on the road and go where the wind takes you, but that’s not realistic for most people. Whether because of finite funds or a “real life” you need to get back to, round the world trips require more planning than you’d probably like, even if you’re generally an adventurous and spontaneous traveler.

“So,” you might be asking, “can you plan my round the world trip for me?” The answer is yes, though there are a couple caveats. Because of the length and breadth of most RTW trips, many travelers want a more skeletal version of my typical “Travel Coaching” itinerary, which is typical extremely detailed and includes day-by-day recommendations. As a result, my pricing for planning RTW itineraries differs from what I’ve published on my Travel Coaching page , so I’d advise emailing me directly with any inquiries.

The Bottom Line

No matter how extensive a round the world trip planner you’ve been seeking, I’m confident that mine has met your needs. For most travelers, it’s simply a matter of learning your RTW flight booking options, assessing the cost of your RTW trip and deciding upon destinations and routing. However, others might want to hire a world trip planner (or a least a skeleton of it, which puts in place a broad trajectory) on their behalf.

planning travel around the world

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A Little Adrift Travel Blog

How to Travel Around the World

Last updated on November 6, 2023 by Shannon

My heart pitter-pattered with fear when I touched down in Sydney way back in 2008. That was the first day of my yearlong around the world trip (which would turn into 15+ years traveling and living overseas ). With online information scarce about long-term travel back then, this website documented my trip, and also shared all the practical details of world travel. 

You have two reading options. Sit down with a coffee and soak in my tips in the “Step-by-Step, Exactly How to Travel the Word” section—each tip links to an in depth discussion of that topic. Or, quickly browse by resources for your current planning stage in my “Most Common Questions” section.

Table of Contents

Why trust me to help plan your world travels?

world travels to China

Travel blogging was in its infancy and those with a dream to travel the world were left to hunt for advice in forums or dated library books. Fifteen years later, A Little Adrift is still the single most comprehensive resource online about long-term around the world travel .

Since that first day on the road back in 2008, I’ve completed numerous round the world trips and been named National Geographic Traveler of the Year. After 10 years of near-constant travel, with expat stints in Mexico, Thailand, and Bali, I moved to my home base in Spain in 2018 and explore from there with my toddler son.

Below, I share answers to every single reader question I’ve fielded over the years about long-term travel—and also everything I’ve figured out through trial and error. The FAQ page houses niche questions about planning world travel.

traveling the world with my son to see the mountains of switzerland

Although I traveled solo for the bulk of my round the world trips, I’ve also traveled and volunteered with friends, family, and even my four tween-aged nieces and nephews .

In short, I have the travel credibility to back up every recommendation I make. I specialize in long-term travel and moving overseas as an expat or digital nomad working from the road .

Planning to travel the world is overwhelming. This page catalogs posts tackling every major subject about plotting, planning, and successfully navigating world travel.

Step-by-Step, Exactly How to Travel the Word

rwanda, africa

1. Decide that you will make world travel a priority.

If you clearly have the wanderlust gene and you’re dreaming of travel but on the fence about if you can or should take a trip , just decide that you will do it. Set the intention and start viewing the world through the lens of, “How can I make world travel a reality for myself.” Opportunities and conversations you would have otherwise missed will filter into your life.

2. Assess your savings and debt.

Although you can travel the world for a lot less than you think— you can travel for an entire year for $20K for one person —you should still give your savings a hard look and use these tips for saving for travel to pad the trip fund.

Since I was working remotely the entire past 15+ years of travel, I paid down debt during my first four years of travel; I just factored that into my trip budget. Finding a side hustle now, or remote work, will speed up your ability to travel the world.

3. Renew your passport (or apply for one) right now.

Your passport is your gateway to the world and there is no reason to put off applying for a passport until just before your trip—instead, prioritize this step so that it’s in process while you plan your world travels. And if your travels are a ways off, a passport is a good motivator to stay the course!

4. Begin purging your belongings.

If you’re giving up your home or apartment, it’s never too soon to start selling things you won’t need, and donating those things you don’t use. Getting rid of everything you own is a process, and you should undertake it alongside planning your world travels.

5. Come up with a reasonable budget for your trip .

traveling in africa

Take stock of how much money you’ll have saved for your world travels, and the length of time you’ll spend on the road. Factor in any payments you’ll need to maintain while away, like paying down debt or a mortgage.

Calculate your daily average travel allowance by dividing your total budget (minus debt) by your days spent on the road. While it’s still possible in 2023 to travel the world for an average of $50 a day, that’s trickier to accomplish in a lot of countries, so you need to know where your daily average falls. Here’s how to calculate an accurate budget for long-term world travel .

6. Brainstorm the many places you could travel.

Dream big when listing all of the places you’d like to visit—perhaps some locations were inspired by reading the best travel books out there, or others are bucket list locations you’ve always dreamed of seeing. Make your list broad but still the cream of the crop ideas.

7. Assess the cost of visiting different countries.

planning round the world travels sometimes means skipping places like London

Now look at your list and note how much it costs to visit each of these places. Traveling in Southeast Asia , for example, has a far lower daily budget than traveling Scandinavia, for example. Assess if some of your destinations are grouped close together and would be better visited as a single trip, versus your around the world trip.

Also look into how much it costs to live in a place as a digital nomad —you may want to spend three months or more enjoying one location as an expat before continuing your travels.

8. Pick a route around the world.

Festivals are an important part of your round the world trip planning itinerary

You’ll need to pick a direction you’ll travel from your home country, and then start slotting in the countries as you build your around the world itinerary . Aim for a balance of developed and developing countries so that you can meet your budgeting goals.

On my own yearlong world travels , I cut out Scandinavia early in my planning because of the cost, and because I knew I could easily visit that corner of the world on a future trip. I kept in destinations that were budget-friendly, and that I would challenge me and create a more transformative trip .

9. Plan your homeschooling journey if you’re traveling with kids.

Learn from other families who have traveled for months and years with school-aged children on the various ways that you can homeschool , world school, and unschool during your trip. I homeschooled my niece for her sixth grade year as we lived in Thailand and traveled Asia together, picking up life lessons along the way .

10. Book your transportation.

Flying on a RTW trip can make your itinerary more doable but more expensive.

Decide if you should buy a round-the-world ticket for your trip, or if you should instead use cheap one-way flights as you travel the world.

And you can even travel the world without flying by using overland transportation like trains and boats. Some boat trips can be cushy, like a repositioning cruise, while others are more utilitarian, like booking passage on a cargo ship.

Once you’ve paid a fair bit of money toward your trip, you need travel insurance to protect your investment. I recommend IMG or Safetywing as the best options for long-term travel.

11. Pick out the right gear.

picking the right gear for world travel makes a difference

Long-term world travel is not like a weekend getaway, you need a balance of gear that you can afford, and gear that will hold up to the wear-and-tear of non-stop travel.

You should pick the right RTW backpack or luggage, and then buy select pieces of clothing and gear that will be most valuable to you on the trip you have planned. You don’t need to buy everything new , but you might need to invest in quality hiking shoes, sunny-weather gear for sun protection, and other things.

Here’s what to consider when packing for long-term travel , and also the best crossbody travel purse I’ve found. I also carry an ergonomic, portable travel system since I work from the road.

12. Make a plan now for handling your personal life while away.

Start weeks and months before you departure date to plan how you will receive and process mail , and which travel debit cards will best hold up to the rigors of life on the road (spoiler alert: Schwab is hands-down the best bank for travelers).

And the obligation to file and pay your taxes doesn’t disappear while you travel.

13. Make sure all of your vaccines are up-to-date.

Even if you’ve traveled extensively, your coverage for some vaccines may have expired—many last just five-to-ten years. Check your vaccine record , and assess if you need any odd-ball ones like Yellow Fever, based on your world travel route.

14. Understand how to stay healthy while you travel.

Getting sick is inevitable for long-term travelers, either a common flu, or any of the more serious diarrheal illnesses could strike. Know how to not get sick on vacation , as well as what to do once you are. Carrying something like a SteriPen or LifeStraw can lower your changes of getting sick on your trip.

And women should consider using a Diva Cup , which is an easy, reusable way to handle your period on the road—I’ve found it cleaner than the mainstream alternatives.

15. Apply for your visas.

you'll need to secure visas to travel to many places in the world.

Depending on where you’re traveling, you’ll need to apply for a visa before you can legally enter the country. While many countries offer visa-on-arrival, a fair few others require that you apply either online or in person at an embassy.

16. Start planning your travel specifics.

planning travel around the world

If you’re traveling the world for less than six weeks, you’ll probably need to do a fair bit of legwork planning the specifics before you leave—that means choosing the type of accommodation to use , and then booking it. (Photo at the Taj Mahal in India)

Contrary to what many believe, you actually need to plan a lot less if you’re traveling for many months. I always book just my first week in a new place if I have months at my disposal, unless I’m traveling during high season, when you need two-to-three weeks of bookings to avoid exorbitant prices.

I also look for social enterprises that I can incorporate into my trip, as well as volunteer opportunities , if I plan to stay in one spot for many months.

17. Educate yourself on challenges faced by most world travelers.

From learning how to stay safe to avoiding travel fatigue , you’re going to need some new knowledge that doesn’t always come up during short-term travels. Other issues many travelers face include overcoming loneliness —using a travel journal app that keeps you easily sharing and communicating with family can help.

18. Pack with intention and finesse.

Packing for long-term travel is an art, and one that you’ll get better at the longer you’re on the road. To start, you should plan a versatile wardrobe that can take you through the majority of the places on your route—if you’re stopping to ski in one spot, but in sunny climes the rest of the time, you should just rent gear.

Consider using packing cubes , which are among the best ways to stay organized on the road . And you’ll need at least an RFID wallet to carry your passport , if not a money belt to keep it safe. I also pack a few bits-and-bobs that I consider my Travel MacGuyer gear .

planning travel around the world

19. Know how to get the most out of traveling the world.

Many people seek transformational travel experiences , but don’t know how to make that happen. A lot of what you seek comes from deep cultural immersion —it’s about visiting the iconic, touristy spots, but then going deeper under the skin of a place through things like cooking class, using local transportation , eating the street food alongside locals, and more.

No every day as a backpacker or world traveler is what you dream of right now, but every day is an opportunity to learn something new from the place you’re visiting.

20. Navigate like a pro while you travel.

It’s easier than ever to use an e-SIM to have data on your phone the moment you land, or most places in the world offer cheap SIM cards packed with enough data to access your travel apps and get you where you need to go.

Consider using services like WhatsApp (the traveler Gold Standard) and Google Voice to stay up-to-date with those back home, and with new travel friends. You’ll also need a VPN—this is a must for not only accessing Netflix US, but also to access your bank and some services that use IP blocking. I’ve used NordVPN for years and it’s never failed me.

Most Common Questions About Traveling the World

advice for travel dreamers

Is a life of world travel right for you?

If you’re dreaming of around the world travel and need inspiration, the advice and perspectives in these stories will point you closer down your path toward travel. Whether you doubt if you can afford world travel, or if your family will approve, there’s advice here for you.

  • How Do You Make Big Decisions?
  • Why I Decided to Travel the World
  • Creating Transformative Travel Experiences
  • A Letter to Young Travel Dreamers
  • The Best Travel Books

Budget for World Travel

Afford a life of world travel.

For most people, we can afford those things we prioritize. And while life is never that simple, international world travel is likely more affordable than you assume—it all depends on how you save, where you go, and for how long. These resources share how to navigate budgeting and all things money and travel.

  • How to Get Out of Debt
  • How to Save for World Travel
  • How Much Does it Cost to Travel the World
  • The Best Credit and Debit Cards for Travel
  • Using Geoarbitrage to Live Abroad
  • How to Work Remotely While You Travel

practical planning advice for long-term travelers.

Plan long-term world travel, specifically.

Planning an around the world trip spanning months or years is a very different beast than a short trip. Here’s what you need to know from my 13+ years of peripatetic wanders.

  • Plan Your Itinerary Around the World
  • Packing for Long-Term Travel
  • Homeschooling While Traveling
  • How to Purge Everything You Own
  • How to Pick the Right RTW Backpack?
  • Buying RTW Flights: Everything You Should Know
  • FAQ for Long-Term Travels (Taxes, Mail, Etc.)

how to find flights and accommodation

Research & book your around the world trip.

Finding the great flight deals (and learning how to use credit cards for travel hacking) can significantly lessen the cost of traveling the world. These resources share my go-to methods for findings flights, accommodation, visas, and things to do in each new place.

  • Travel Accommodation 101
  • How to Find Great Flight Deals
  • Should You Buy RTW Flights?
  • Visas for Long-Term Travelers
  • Free Destination Guides

How to stay healthy on the road

Stay healthy and safe.

Staying healthy while traveling is an art and a science combined. When you’re traveling in developing regions of the world, it’s just a matter of when you’ll get sick. Be prepared. Know how to approach travel safety and health before you need this vital information. Here’s how:

  • How to Pick the Right Travel Insurance
  • Travel Vaccines 101
  • How to Stay Healthy Abroad
  • Safety and Solo Female Travel Advice
  • Handling Your Period on the Road

Advice for long-term travelers

Live your best travel life.

Life on the road has highs and lows, down days and true life-changing highs. Make your trip memorable with first-hand advice about handling loneliness, navigating new destinations like a pro, and finding the transformative travel experiences you seek.

  • Safety and Solo Female Travel
  • How to Balance Loneliness & Long-Term Travel
  • Stay Occupied on Long Travel Days
  • Best Travel Apps

How to find freelance work and travel the world

Pick the resources for your travel style.

I’ve been many types of travelers over the years, in fact, I am all of these at once. I’ve worked remotely for 19+ years, I travel responsibly, and I traveled solo for a decade—now I travel with my toddler. Select your travel style and you’ll find all of my best resources and tips for that type of traveler. :)

Digital Nomads Expats and Retirees Bloggers Responsible Travelers Volunteers Solo Female Travel

Companies I Truly Love (And Recommend)

These are the booking engines, guidebooks, and travel companies I use every time I’m planning a trip.

  • Accommodation :  Booking.com
  • Flights :  Kayak  or  Expedia
  • Route Planning : Bookaway
  • Travel Insurance :  International Medical Group (IMG) or SafetyWing
  • Responsible Travel :  Grassroots Volunteering

Who is World Travel Right For?

There is no one specific type of person who travels around the world. People of all ages, backgrounds, and interests may choose to travel extensively for a variety of reasons. That means if you’re dreaming of world travel, it’s possible and someone in your exact circumstances has figured out how to do it!

The resources provided outline all of the detailed steps to get from dreaming to doing. But if you’re still not ready to commit to world travel, here are some common traits or characteristics that people who travel around the world may have include:

  • Curiosity : A desire to learn about new cultures, people, and places is often a driving force for people who travel extensively.
  • Adventure : A love of adventure and a willingness to try new things and step out of one’s comfort zone can be important for those who want to travel around the world.
  • Flexibility : Traveling around the world often requires a certain level of flexibility and adaptability, as you may encounter unexpected challenges or changes in plans.
  • Resourcefulness : Being able to problem-solve and find solutions in unfamiliar situations can be a valuable skill when traveling around the world.
  • Open-mindedness : An open-minded attitude and a willingness to embrace new experiences can help make the most of a trip around the world.

Sound like you? I’ve spend more than 15 years helping other travelers find ways to travel the world on short or long-term trips. Usually there are some fears that might be holding you back from around the world travel. Here are some common fears that may be preventing you from traveling:

  • Fear of the unknown : Traveling to unfamiliar places can be intimidating, as it involves stepping out of one’s comfort zone and encountering new cultures, languages, and ways of life.
  • Fear of safety : Some people may be afraid to travel due to concerns about personal safety, such as the risk of crime or terrorism.
  • Fear of getting lost : Not knowing your way around an unfamiliar place or being unable to communicate with locals can be a source of anxiety for some people.
  • Fear of flying : Some people may be afraid of flying due to a fear of heights, turbulence, or other factors. Did you know it’s possible to travel the world without flying ?
  • Financial concerns : Traveling can be expensive, and some people may be afraid to travel due to concerns about the cost and their ability to afford it. That was me—I couldn’t initially conceive of how I would afford long-term travel. Then I realized that world travel can be more affordable than life at home, particularly in you work remotely. I was able to pay down more debt while traveling than I ever did living in Florida and LA.
  • Health concerns : People with certain medical conditions or disabilities may be afraid to travel due to concerns about access to medical care or the ability to cope with unfamiliar environments.

Let’s Connect

Let me know if you have any other questions about around the world travel, or something I can help you with; I’m happy to lend an ear or help you find the resources you need to plan your own world travels. I look forward to chatting! :)

Other places you can find me :

  • Tweet with me .
  • Connect on Facebook .
  • Follow me on Instagram .

Pick Your Pin!

Exactly how to travel the world. Firsthand advice from a traveler who has been around the world multiple times.

TripTins

Ultimate Around the World Itinerary | 1 Year Around the World

By: Author Charles

Posted on August 25, 2023

Ultimate Around the World Itinerary | 1 Year Around the World

In March of 2019, I quit my job, packed a couple of carry-on bags, and took a one-way flight to Auckland, New Zealand to begin my around the world itinerary.

Over the course of the next 375 days, I traveled to 20 countries and countless cities in 6 continents. I put together this post to walk you through the exact route, and how it all came together the way it did.

Whether, you are just interested in reading along, or you would like to put together an around the world itinerary for yourself, I hope this can inspire you!

*  Affiliate Disclosure : This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through the links provided, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting the work I put into TripTins!

1) Around the World Itinerary Overview

I knew from early on in my career that travel was a very important aspect of my life. I didn’t know at the time though, that I would have it in me to quit my safe corporate job of 6 years and travel for an extended period of time.

Instead of taking those few 10-day vacations and always looking forward to just taking that next trip, I thought a full year of solo travel would be the right move for me. I could visit places that would have taken years for me to get to, and challenge myself consistently along the way.

So, on March 13 2019, I hopped on a flight from JFK to LAX and then onwards to Auckland, New Zealand (essentially as far as one can get!). Over the course of the next 12 months, I got to experience some of the best travel moments of my life.

Whether it was meeting locals, exploring cities, hiking high into the mountains, trying new foods, engraining myself in new cultures, or hanging out with like-minded travelers. The one year of travel ended up being the best decision of my life, and one of the reasons, this site came to be .

Around the World Stats Days: 375  Countries: 20 Cities: ~100

Travel Around the World

2) Travel Considerations

As I planned the trip, there were a few “main” aspects that I was sure to plan the trip around. These included – weather, local holidays for & peak seasons, logistics, among a few other considerations.

Probably the most important aspect of the around the world itinerary, was making sure I was visiting countries during the best time of year from a weather standpoint .

I did not want to go through all of this, just to visit countries when it was rainy season or when I couldn’t take part of certain activities.

For example, I made sure to visit Nepal during November when the weather was at its clearest (but quite cold) and there was little risk of rain and clouds ruining the trekking views. I made my way to the Philippines at the tail end of the dry season and Costa Rica at the beginning of their dry season.

At the end of the day, it was all about being able to fully enjoy my time in each place on a day to day basis and not have constant days where the weather wouldn’t allow me to do anything.

With that said, the weather is unpredictable and you never know what it can bring (no matter how much you plan). There were certainly days I was completely rained out of doing anything, and times where I had to move things around last minute to circumvent the weather.

But by initially planning the trip to avoid poorer weather conditions, I feel as I was really able to get the most out of the journey.

Local Holidays & Seasons

Another thing that I considered is to avoid traveling to countries during the local’s national holidays . While dealing with tourists is one thing, dealing with a whole country traveling at the same time is another.

This isn’t across every country out there of course, but for some countries during these holiday times, many locals decide to travel for themselves.

This results in less availability for hotels and more expensive prices altogether . A couple that come to mind are Golden Week in Japan and Holy Week in the Philippines. 

I will caveat that with saying, sometimes it can be a great experience to take part of certain local celebrations if that is what is of interest to you.

In addition to holidays, I also tried to avoid peak season when most tourists are traveling to a certain destination .

Now, this is certainly not avoidable if traveling for a year, but it can help to steer clear of some places during those peak seasons.

Instead, I tried to visit places during shoulder seasons, as the weather is great but just less people are traveling to these places. At the end of the day it is just picking and choosing what works best.

The last main consideration when planning the trip was the logistics side of things. I just wanted to be sure that there was an easy way to get between city A and city B .

Whether that be a plane, boat, train or bus, I just didn’t want to put myself in the position where I would have to go drastically out of my way to continue on with the next city or country.

To the best of my abilities, I attempted to book direct flights when possible . I remember in the Philippines for example, there were not direct flights between certain islands or they were not operating every day of the week. I had to put the itinerary together so I was not wasting full days just to get between two islands. 

If I was renting a car, and I was taking a one way route through a country (such as Austria), I had to be certain that I could pick up and drop off the car in two separate locations without a hefty fee. 

With that said though, there were certainly times where I had to compromise with logistics. If I really wanted to travel somewhere but it would take days of traveling, I had to be fine with that. It all becomes a balance between everything .

Other Considerations

Also considered in the travel planning was the flexibility and having time to just unwind without anything planned. While I put together a list of countries and things I wanted to do in each country, I never had it written out to a tee.

I consistently moved things around as I went and sometimes did not even have a set date to leave a country I was in. Having that flexibility helped big time when things didn’t go 100% according to plan .

I also wanted to be sure that I had time to just rest and recover . For the majority of the trip I was out and about from morning until night. All of that traveling can take a toll on the body.

So, you will see times in the itinerary where I may have stayed longer than one may expect just to have time to do nothing and all.

When I combined the weather, holidays, and logistics, an itinerary began to form that I continuously worked on for months leading up to the trip.

→ Learn more: check out the planning a trip around the world and around the world cost guides for many more considerations when putting together an itinerary, as well as my around the world packing list

With that said though, there were some things that I had to plan around, making this around the world trip a bit more difficult to plan out than initially expected. See the next section for more on that…

One Year Travel Itinerary

3) What I Planned Around

Now, the around the world itinerary didn’t come without any hitches. There were a few things that came up which altered my initial travel planning.

Timing is never perfect to take a full year off from your friends and family. And there were certain events that I just had to come back for. Due to this, you will see a bit of interesting travel plans that the trip goes through.

» I spent October of 2019 back in the US as I had weddings to attend of close friends. Due to this I ended up staying the month back in the US before heading out again (and did get to visit NYC, Philadelphia and Chicago during my time back). Then again in December 2019, I came back again, but this time just for a quick weekend.

» On top of that, my trip was originally going to be closer to 15 months of travel. As we all know though, Covid started to ramp up in March of 2020. The end of my trip was a bit hectic trying to figure out where to go and what to do. But on March 20, 2020 I ended up taking one of the final flights out of South Africa before the world went into lockdown.

Round the World Travel

4) Around the World Itinerary Details

From start to finish the trip lasted 375 days with 329 days outside of the country. Over the course of those 375 days I visited 6 continents, 20 countries, and upwards of 100 cities. I ended up splitting out my trip in five phases:

Phase 1 : NZ/AU/Asia Phase 2 : Middle East / Europe Phase 3* : Nepal Phase 4 : Central and South America Phase 5 : Asia/Africa -> cut short

→ *I returned home before/after I traveled to Nepal

Below is the country by country route I took along with the number of days (including days to travel to them). Throughout the remainder of the post I will go into detail about where I decided to travel to in each country.

Country #1: New Zealand (29 days) Country #2: Japan (12 days) Country #3: South Korea (11 days) Country #4: Philippines (20 days) Country #5: Indonesia (30 days) Country #6: Australia (21 days) Country #7: Singapore (4 days) Country #8: Israel (17 days) Country #9: Jordan (4 days) Country #10: Austria (10 days) Country #11: Germany (6 days) Country #12: Slovenia (11 days) Country #13: Croatia (15 days) Country #14: Montenegro (10 days) Country #15: Nepal (26 days) Country #16: Belize (17 days) Country #17: Costa Rica (24 days) Country #18: Argentina (21 days) Country #19: Chile (11 days) Country #20: Sri Lanka (24 days)

Bonus : South Africa for 5 days until I had to take an emergency flight back home on my final day

Some of my travel plans would not necessarily look efficient on paper (Chile to Sri Lanka for example). However, given I did need to make some stops back in the US as I spoke about earlier, and with Covid ending the trip early, the trip doesn’t always make perfect sense without knowing the details.

You can see that I did spend quite a bit of time in many of these countries (24 days in Costa Rica). Like I said, when planning the trip, I did not want to rush myself in a country.

I wanted to truly enjoy all different aspects of where I was . I also wanted to be sure to have enough “rest” days, to just spend time to regroup and reset before continuing on.

You may find many itineraries out there that visit double the amount of countries in the same time period. But at the end of the day, each person has their own travel style and what they want to accomplish on a trip like this.

For me, it was seeing the world at my pace and really engraining myself in each country I visited.

How to Build a Around the World Itinerary

5) Around the World Itinerary Map

Below is a map of each and every place I visited all along the year long journey. You not only can see the cities I visited, but you can also see nearly every attraction I got to visit along the way.

Feel free to zoom in for more details!

6) 1 Year Around the World Itinerary

With that all said, below is a breakdown of each country along with the main cities/attractions I got to enjoy along the way.

New Zealand (March 13 – April 10)

I started off the around the world itinerary by taking a one-way flight to Auckland, New Zealand and from there got to explore both the North Island and South Island of the country.

After spending a night in Auckland, I grabbed a rental car, and then began the journey from north to south. Along the way I was able to visit the following places:

• Auckland • Waitakere Ranges • Rotorua • Taupo • Tongariro Alpine Crossing • Wellington • Abel Tasman National Park • Punakaiki* • Wanaka • Te Anau • Queenstown • Mount Cook • Pukaki • Christchurch

* As I was making my way down the western coast of the South Island, a major storm caused mudslides and a collapsed bridge. I ended up missing out on Franz Josef and had to spend a day driving around the island to Wanaka. Always good to have the flexibility to change things on the fly!

Driving in New Zealand

Japan (April 11 – April 22)

From Christchurch, I hopped on a flight to Tokyo via Brisbane. After a full day of travel, I arrived to Tokyo, where started my 12 days through Japan .

Since this was my second time in Japan, I did not spend as long as I might have if it was my first time. While I certainly went to some of the same places from my initial trip, I did not go back to places like Kobe, Hiroshima , Miyajima and Osaka.

However, I did get to visit a bunch of new places as well, and took the following journey through Japan:

• Tokyo • Kamakura • Hakone • Takayama • Shirakawago • Kanazawa • Kyoto • Nara

10 Days in Japan

South Korea (April 23 – May 3)

It was then off to South Korea as I flew directly from Osaka to Jeju Island. Over the course of the next 10 days or so, I visited three beautiful places in the country:

• Jeju Island (+ Mount Hallasan hike !) • Gyeongju • Seoul

Seoul South Kora

Philippines (May 4 – May 23)

After a successful time around South Korea, it was then onto the Philippines. It was all about the beaches, water, and island life during this portion of the trip.

As the rainy season starts in June, I got there just in time to fully enjoy the experience. Besides a few nighttime rain showers, it was all clear to enjoy some time in the sun. I ended up spending time in 4 different islands for around 4-5 days each.

Logistics were important here as it can get quite tricky to travel around the country. With a combinations of boats and direct flights, I ended up visiting these places:

• Coron • El Nido • Bohol • Siargao

Philippines Travel Guide

Indonesia (May 24 – June 22)

You are only allowed to visit Indonesia for 30 days without getting a longer term visa, so that is exactly what I decided to do. I spent a full month exploring the country visiting many places along the way .

While 30 days does sound like a long time, Indonesia is a massive country. I can honestly spend a year traveling around the country and still have things to do. But during my month there I started on the island of Java and then got to visit:

• Yogyakarta • Lumajang / East Java Waterfalls • Cemoro Lawang / Mount Bromo • Banyuwangi / Ijen Crater • Munduk • Ubud • Nusa Penida • Gili Trawangan • Mount Rinjani • Komodo National Park

From Komodo, it was then a quick flight back to Bali , where I headed off to Australia for the next portion of my trip.

King Kong Hill Bromo

Australia (June 23 – July 12)

Australia was one country, where it was a bit tougher to pick a time of year that worked weather wise for various cities around the country. I could have gone right after New Zealand but found some of the logistics a bit too difficult to manage.

Either way though, while I did not have the beach weather for Sydney, all else went great in the cities further up north. Below were the places I traveled to during my few weeks in Australia :

• Sydney • Blue Mountains • Whitsundays • Cairns / Great Barrier Reef • Port Douglas • Daintree Rainforest • Uluru / Kata Tjuta • Kings Canyon • Alice Springs / West MacDonnell Ranges

Whitehaven Beach Australia

Singapore (July 13 – July 16)

From Alice Springs I took a flight over to Perth for a quick layover before heading off to Singapore. I decided to split Singapore into two parts.

The first couple days I would spend sightseeing all around the city. For the second two days, I opted for a bit of relaxing and treated myself to two nights at the Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Overall, the four days in Singapore ended up great and got me ready for the next leg of my trip as I traveled all the way to Israel.

Visiting Singapore

Israel & Jordan (July 17 – August 2)

When visiting Israel, I knew that I wanted to spend a few days in Jordan visiting a couple of the top sites.

So, I ended up traveling around Israel for 10 days, and then ended up in Eilat. From Eilat, I traveled into Jordan for 4 days and then re-entered Israel, where I spent another week.

While I could have figured out the logistics to be a bit more favorable, the three weeks between Israel and Jordan ended up something like this:

• Jerusalem • Ein Gedi / Masada • Dead Sea • Mitzpe Ramon • Eilat • Petra • Wadi Rum • Haifa* • Tel Aviv

* After visiting Jordan, I crossed back into Eilat, rented a car and drove all the way north to Haifa. I spent a few days exploring the northern coast and ended the trip in Tel Aviv for a few days of beach time.

Israel Travel Planning

Austria & Germany (August 8 – August 23)

After taking a flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna, I spent the next 2+ weeks driving my way through Austria and the Bavaria region of Germany. I spent time in cities and out in the mountains, while visiting several places along the way:

• Vienna • Hallstatt • Berchtesgaden • Garmisch Partenkirchen • Mayrhofen

This is also a time where the weather did not always go according to plan. It was nice to have some extra days here in order to wait out the couple days of poor weather and then get up into the mountains.

Olpererhütte Bridge Hike

Slovenia (August 24 – September 3)

From Mayrhofen, I took the quick drive to Innsbruck, dropped off my rental car and then took a train over to Ljubljana. I spent the next 10+ days driving around Slovenia and enjoying all different aspects of the country including:

• Ljubljana • Lake Bled • Bohinj • Bovec • Piran

Ojstrica & Osojnica Lake Bled Hiking

Croatia (September 4 – September 18)

A quick train from Ljubljana to Zagreb and it was then time to explore Croatia for two weeks . I opted against renting a car here and just made my way around the country using busses and ferries. Along the way I got to visit:

• Zagreb • Plitvice National Park • Zadar • Krka National Park • Split • Hvar • Korcula • Mljet • Dubrovnik

Croatia Itinerary

Montenegro (September 19 – September 28)

Montenegro was the last country on the first portion of my trip around the world . I took a bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor and then rented a car for the next 10 days. During those days I made my way to a few different places:

• Kotor • Durmitor National Park • Lake Skadar • Sveti Stefan

My last night of the 200 th day of my trip was spent in the small coastal town of Sveti Stefan, where I got to enjoy one last sunset before making my way back to the US for the next month.

After heading to a couple of weddings and traveling to cities like NYC, Philadelphia and Chicago, I then made the round trip journey to Nepal. Here is where I took part of the Three Passes Trek + Everest Base Camp.

Sveti Stefan Montenegro View

Nepal (November 11 – December 6)

Visiting the Himalayas had been a life dream of mine, and during this around the world trip, I finally got to experience some time there. I decided to go for the Three Passes Trek , which is essentially a longer version of the standard Everest Base Camp trek .

In addition to EBC, I got to head over the Kongma La , Cho La , and Renjo La passes, visit the Gokyo Lakes , and trek up peaks like Chukhung Ri and Gokyo Ri .

After three weeks of trekking, I had a few days of relaxing in Kathmandu before heading back for a quick weekend in NYC .

Gokyo Ri

Belize (December 10 – 27)

It was then time to explore some of Central and South America, as I headed from New York down to Belize. During my time in Belize I spent several days scuba diving, visiting the inland of the country, and finishing up at the beach .

Technically I actually went to another country during the trip as I also did make the quick one night journey to Tikal in Guatemala. Overall, the trip to Belize (and Guatemala) looked like this:

• Ambergris Caye • Caye Caulker • San Ignacio • Tikal • Cockscomb Basin • Placencia

Belize Itinerary Scuba Diving

Costa Rica (December 28 – January 19)

It was then off to Costa Rica , where I got to spend 3+ weeks traveling to all different parts of the country.

It was a great mixture between volcanoes, rainforests, wildlife, hiking, and beaches as I visited the following places:

• Poas / La Paz Waterfall Gardens • La Fortuna / Arenal • Monteverde • Manuel Antonio • Corcovado National Park • Uvita • Cerro Chirripo • San Jose*

*The plan was to visit the Caribbean coast for the final few days of the trip around Puerto Viejo. However, the weather had different plans. So, I decided to just spend a few days in San Jose, rest and recover there before heading off to Patagonia for the next month of hiking.

Arenal Volcano Viewpoint Tower

Argentina (January 20 – February 9)

While I did spend a day in Buenos Aires, the main aspect of this portion of the trip was to hike my way through Patagonia . While, I did visit during what is considered one of the best times of year to go from a weather perspective, I still knew the risk of the Patagonian weather.

One day can be nice and sunny, while the next day could be a complete snowstorm (yes even in their summer months!). I mean, I even had a day when it was sunny and snowing at the same time .

Knowing the unpredictability of the weather, I decided to always give myself extra days in each one of the places I visited . This way if the weather did not cooperate for a day or two, I still would be able to enjoy my time there.

And for the most part, that is exactly what happened. Half the time I was in El Chalten, the weather made hiking impossible. A couple days in El Calafate by the Perito Merino Glacier were completely clouded over. But since I planned to have more days than necessary, it all worked out pretty well in the end as I visited these regions:

• Ushuaia • El Calafate • El Chalten • Huemul Circuit

Argentina Patagonia Itinerary

Chile (February 10 – February 20)

From El Chalten, I bussed back to El Calafate, and then took a bus ride over to Puerto Natales in Chile. From there began the O Circuit Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park (an extended version of the famous W Trek ) .

This was actually one portion of Patagonia, where I could not just add on more days for a weather buffer. Since I needed to book the accommodation in the park well in advance, I was locked into my days.

Although the weather was not perfect for some of the days on the trail, it was more than suitable for some trekking. Some top highlights included the Grey Glacier , French Valley , and Mirador Las Torres .

After 8 days of hiking the “O”, I made my way back to Puerto Natales and flew to Santiago to end my time in Chile.

Torres Del Paine Chile Around the World

Sri Lanka (February 21 – March 15)

It was then across the world to Sri Lanka , where I got to see the ins and outs of the country for the next three weeks. Yes, I know not the best flight plan, but I planned to spend the next several months in Asia/Africa. Along the way I got to experience a little bit of everything including:

• Colombo • Habarana • Polonnaruwa • Kandy • Dalhousie / Adam’s Peak • Nuwara Eliya • Ella • Yala & Udawalawe Safaris • Mirissa

Sri Lanka Tea Fields Views

And here is where things just started to get a bit crazy. We are talking March of 2020 as the world began to turn upside down. The remainder of my trip I was supposed to go to China (quickly got nixed), India, South Africa and Namibia.

I soon realized though, that traveling was no longer an option. After deciding to go to South Africa, I just lasted a few days in Cape Town, before taking one of the last flights out of the country back to the US. It wasn’t the way I wanted to end it, but I still did get to travel around the world for a year.

But now I have written a ton about the countries I visited before, during and after the trip around the world. I hope you find the itineraries and travel guides up on the site helpful!

If you have any questions or comments about any of it, just feel free to comment down below. Also be sure to check out some travel tips & tricks to help you better plan your next trip.

Have fun out there and safe travels!

Around the World 1 Year Itinerary

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Planning a Trip Around the World

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Monday 13th of November 2023

This is very helpful!, thanks so much for taking the time to put it together. Can you expand more on why you didn't go to Australia after NZ? Also, so it was fall when you went to NZ and winter for Australia, any regrets going when you did? thoughts? I've read travelling west, is the best way to do a RTW trip, so it's a given to start in NZ, but when to go to get less tourists but decent weather.

Sunday 6th of August 2023

This is all very inspiring and informative, as I’m considering doing the same. Question, how much did you spend your your entire trip?

Monday 7th of August 2023

Hi Mai - feel free to check out this overview I put together about the costs of traveling the world. Good luck with trip planning!

Monday 26th of June 2023

Hi, love your travel story. Have u visited china ever since u miss the last round? Do you plan to round china? I am looking for a company to go round china. I am 60 years old woman.

Hi Janet - I traveled a long while ago just to Shanghai and Beijing. I have yet to go back but would love to travel more around the country one day!

Friday 23rd of June 2023

Hi, this trip sounds amazing! myself and my husband would love to do this type of trip! How did you manage to sort all this out with transport etc? And how did you budget doing all the travel? How much would you need? Thanks. Katie

Saturday 24th of June 2023

Hi Katie - I just took everything one step at a time. The entire trip was not planned out from day one. While I knew of the overall route for the most part, I did not want to corner myself into making decisions too early. I would recommend writing out the countries that are most interested to you and then doing some research on what an overall route would look like. You can see what is possible and what may be too difficult or expensive to fit in.

As for budget, check out this around the world cost overview up on the site that will walk through it all.

Hope you have an amazing time!

Saturday 10th of June 2023

What was it like coming back to the US and finding work? I want to travel the world for a year or two but it would take me leaving my very stable/promising career.... Which scares me to death! My worry is that I would come home to the US and not be able to get the same type of job.

I also worry that a gap year (0r two) may look bad on a resume. Thoughts?

@hailey, from someone who used to work in Human Resources, the time you spend travelling is an education. Learning language, culture, customs, weather, geography, etc. As a candidate, you bring a lot to the table with this type of experience. It would be a completely different story, if you were just unemployed and laying on the couch for a year. Travel....you won't regret it at all!!!

Tuesday 20th of June 2023

@hailey, The current unemployment rate in the U.S is 3.7%. Anybody who wants a job can find one. As long as the gaps in your resume were doing something interesting and intellectually stimulating (like travelling) and were not spent doing something stupid (like in prison or in re-hab), you'll be fine.

Monday 12th of June 2023

Hi Hailey - everyone is different and I can't say for certain how hard/easy it will be able to come back and find work. I was able to do so within a few months but there are many factors at play such as industry, the economy, demand/supply, etc. I am an advocate of traveling as you can tell, and would recommend doing so if it is something very important to you. There are ways to fill up the gap in the resume - for me it was this site, for others it may volunteering, remote work, etc. It is certainly a tough decision, but hope you make the right one for yourself!! Good Luck!

The Bare Traveller

planning travel around the world

A complete guide to planning a trip around the world

How to plan a trip around the world - the complete guide.

Table of Contents

Do you dream to travel, but it worries you? Don’t let the travel fear prevent you from living your dream. What you should do is to learn to understand where this fear comes from, act to limit its effects, and even overcome it. 

Mark twain once said:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbour, Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Passport travel the world

How to overcome the fear of travelling?

Acknowledge this emotion, and don’t try to escape from it. People feel a bit of anxiety when they need to get out of their comfort zone. We believe that we have control of our life when we are on a daily routine within a familiar environment, but the more we think about it, the more we realise that we never have a full control of our life. 

When you travel, you realise that no country’s perfect, and no environment either. Learn to let go and this will help you a lot in the future. 

A good starting point would be maybe joining couchsurfing events or meetups, and meet travellers visiting your current city for a coffee or to do some activities together. 

This will allow you to meet strangers in a familiar environment, who will give you travel tips, destination inspiration, and reassuring testimonies. Try, on baby steps, to get out of your comfort zone, and move from curiosity to discovery. 

Start by organising a week-end away in your country, travelling by train. First you could book an all-inclusive package. Then a second step would be to join a tour. 

If you have a bit of adventure in you, the more you travel, the more you will travel, until the day where you will only book flights, the first few hotel nights, and leave the rest for discovery.

Save up some money

It is time to have a look at your finances, and be realistic. If you are struggling to make ends meet, take time to analyse your expenses, and make a list of the essential expenses and the non-essential ones. 

The key here is tenacity in achieving your goal, by reducing the non-essential expenses like restaurant meals, expensive clothing, nights out and drinks, you will be able to save enough to afford travelling for a long period of time. 

Having a lot of money is not essential to travel nowadays, as there are plenty of tips and ways to travel for less. 

Have a look online and read about experienced travellers, what is their daily budget in a specific country, to help you find out how much money would be enough to start planning.  

Make it look good on your resume

It depends on the kind of trip, and its duration, the most important here is to be able to explain the reason behind going for a trip: The desire to learn a new language, personal development, fulfilment, getting more mature…etc. 

An experience on a CV justifies why you are relevant to the job you are applying for. It is not a bad thing to have a gap on your CV. All you need to do is to find the right arguments about your travels to mention on a cover letter. 

Employers see people who travel as people who are not afraid of getting out of their comfort zone.

How to travel for free (or on low budget)?

You must have heard about the proverb (Nothing is free in this world). You certainly cannot travel free of charge (unless you are a paid traveller blogger), but you most definitely can travel on a low budget. 

The advantage of saving on accommodation, and flight tickets gives you the opportunity to treat yourself with nice meals, and activities. 

Here are some tips to help you travel on Budget:

Couchsurfing

The Couchsurfing community includes millions of travellers around the world. It is an online platform, that allow hosts (in any country) and travellers (Couch surfers) to interact. 

Hosts offer free accommodation to travellers. Couchsurfing is based on a desire to meet, discuss and experience the daily life of one or more people while staying for one night or more. 

The exchange of hospitality is key in couchsurfing. It used to be a quick and easy way to find accommodation on the go. The rise of Airbnb and the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has made things a bit more difficult.  

House sitting

House sitting consists of keeping a house during the absence of its owners. What are the tasks to be fulfilled as a house sitter you might ask? The house sitter is required to supervise the accommodation when the owners are absent, during holidays in general. 

One of its main tasks is to ensure that the house is inhabited in order to keep burglars away. For this, the sitter performs various tasks: watering plants, opening and closing of doors and windows, mail collection, pet sitting, housework, pool maintenance, home maintenance…etc. 

In order to volunteer for a house-sitting opportunity, a background check is done on applicants, and some house owners require a previous experience.

Workaway.info

Have you ever wanted to travel, to live with locals, but worried about accommodation cost? You feel that you can help your hosts with house chores? – Workaway is the solution for you.   

The principle of workaway is to be able to give back in a way other than financially. It is also (in terms of human relations) the opportunity to live an experience more authentic than a tourist service and richer than a solo adventure. 

In short, for me, Workaway is a way of traveling in a different way, emphasizing human relationships and above all: making yourself useful. 

I love that feeling of having lived somewhere with locals: this is what Workaway makes possible to a certain extent, allowing you to integrate with the local population in a win-win relationship. 

To start volunteering, you need to create a profile, pay a membership fee, and start contacting hosts from around the world.

Buy a plane ticket

Is it cheaper to buy a round-the-world ticket or buy your plane tickets as you go? There is no easy answer to this question. Round the world tickets have advantages and disadvantages. They are therefore suitable for some travellers and less for others. 

Advantages of buying a round the world ticket: 

  • Less stressful
  • Amendable flight dates·     
  • Easier to budget   
  • Avoids high season rates

Disadvantages of buying a round the world ticket:

  • Less flexible
  • Risk of missing flights     
  • Rules imposed  
  • Limited destinations
  • Limited to one year

To Summarize

If you want to buy a round the world ticket.

Before you leave, you basically need to be sure what itinerary will be (at least the arrival and departure cities in each continent). 

Also, you don’t want to spend hours on flight comparators during your trip. 

Finally, you want the dates of your tickets to be flexible, to have a fixed return date and you are planning to be abroad for a duration up to one year. 

Buy your flight tickets as you go if:

You don’t plan your route in advance, are prepared to spend a fair amount of time on the internet during your trip to search for airline tickets.

Also, if you want to minimize your carbon footprint and travel as much as possible by land. Finally, if you’re going away for more than a year or don’t have a scheduled return date.

One recommendation: When I bought a round the world ticket, I booked it with STA Travels UK. The ticket had a one-year duration, and offered multiple stops, and up to three changes free of charge. I bought it for £1300.

Healthcare and immunisation

When you get closer to your departure date, the issue of vaccines and health insurance needs to be addressed. Regarding immunisation, the first thing to do is to look at your vaccination record, and make sure they are up to date.

I recommend you take care of the vaccines well in advance so that you do not find yourself having to do them urgently a few weeks before departure. 

Indeed, for some vaccines, you will need to make several boosters to complete the vaccination plan (Rabies for example that has 3 boosters within a month), which can take time. 

It also helps to space the payments, because the cost of all these vaccines is high. Also, some vaccines, such as the yellow fever vaccine, can tire you out or cause a mild fever, and it would be a shame to find yourself bedridden shortly before departure date.

The choice of the vaccine is a personal choice. I recommend to use the world health organisation website, and have a look at what vaccines are recommended for every country you plan to visit. 

Also, some vaccines are recommended more for rural areas like rabies.  So, if you intend to travel to big cities only, it might not be recommended.  

Additionally, due to the current global pandemic, A covid 19 vaccine passport is highly recommended if you want to travel with minimum restrictions.

Malaria Tablets

Malaria is an infectious parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes very present on the African continent and a little less in Asia, South / Central America and the Middle East.

Unfortunately there is no malaria vaccine. What is recommended is to take malaria tablets before your arrival date to an infected area. 

Usually, doctors recommend taking malaria tablets 2 days before arrival, until 1 week after you left the infected area. (Please ask your doctor before you intend to start taking the pills).

Health Insurance

Questions to ask yourself before choosing travel insurance Everyone has a different situation and a different travel plan; it is important to ask yourself the following questions: 

  • What is the purpose of your trip? –  Are you going for leisure, studies, business …).  
  • How long are you going for?     
  • What countries are you going to visit?
  • Are you travelling solo? – How many people must be insured?
  • What is your budget
  • What activities are planning to do? (Sport, sightseeing…).     
  • Do you have a pre-existing condition?
  • What degree of protection do you need? – Minimal, maximal…

By asking yourself these few questions, you can already begin to assess your needs. For example, visiting Vietnam or Iceland will not present the same risk of falling ill. 

If you plan to practise extreme activities (Bungee Jump, Sky dive…etc) , you increase the risk of accidents and some insurance policies do not cover certain activities.

Finding Work on the road

A good way to travel and work on the road is to apply for a working holiday visa. It is a resident permit allowing the traveller to undertake employment in the country issuing the visa to supplement their travel funds. 

It enables holders to experience living in a foreign country without going through the job search expenses and sponsorship. I have used a working holiday visa for my Australia trip . 

Countries participating to the WHV scheme are the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, some middle east countries, some South east Asia countries, and some countries in Central and south America. 

Another way is to teach your native language (I was teaching French in Australia) or English if you are native speaker. Some countries like China, or Peru allow travellers to apply for long term visas to teach English.

Staying safe and Enjoying it

No matter where you decide to travel, safety should always be your number one priority. It’s sad, but there are safety risks in all countries and accidents can happen to anyone. 

Whether you plan to travel alone, with your family or friends, it is important to take precautions to minimize the risk of potentially dangerous situations. 

By implementing simple protective measures and using common sense, you can ensure that you and your loved ones are not victims of various accidents. 

Here are some of the best ways to stay safe on your next trip:

The choice of Destination

Before you buy your flight ticket to a certain country, you can check your government travel advice website. These offer the latest information on crime, natural disasters, terrorism and health issues for the destination you are considering. 

Take into consideration the countries that your government forbids you from entering. Traveling to such destinations will not only put you in a potentially risky situation, but could also disrupt your travel plans and affect your travel insurance coverage.

The choice of Accomodation

It is important to choose a hotel or other accommodation located in a safe area of the city you are visiting. Going for big brand hotels is usually a good option to start with. 

Also, you can easily check out reviews from almost any hotel you want. It is important to choose a hotel or accommodation that offers sufficient security for your room and your parking lot. While cheaper accommodation options, such as low-end hostels may be tempting, they may not be worth the potential dangers.

As I mentioned above, it is essential that you receive all the vaccines required for the destination you are travelling to. Mosquito-borne illnesses such as yellow fever or Zika virus can be quite serious, so it is advisable to wear suitable insect repellents. 

The flu usually strikes during the winter months, so extra care should be taken during this time. Avoid close and confined contact with large numbers of people and limit contact with public surfaces. Remember to wear hand sanitizer and wash your hands frequently.·  

Activities  

It is important to check the safety level of the venues you plan to visit and the activities you plan to do. Well-known tourist venues are generally considered the safest bet. Avoid putting yourself in danger by going to dangerous neighbourhoods where crime is perhaps more prevalent. 

You should also avoid engaging in high risk activities or extreme sports that could cause injury and may not be covered by your travel insurance policy.

Medical expenses abroad that are not covered due to reckless behaviour or activities that are not covered can be very expensive.

Getting the most of it

To help everyone get the most out of their vacation, here are some of my suggestions that you can apply to make the most of your stays, whether you are a solo traveller, or if you travel with family or your partner:

  • Plan ahead: Planning in advance is an important part of human happiness. When you think about the pleasure you are going to have, you feel much the same joy as the experience itself. So, choose your travel dates well in advance and think about what you’re going to do.
  • Do new things: To experience new pleasures when you travel, consider doing new things. Holidays are a great opportunity to consciously plan new experiences, whether it’s kayaking, learning to make cheese, or more. It doesn’t matter what activity you want to try, as long as it’s different from what you did in the past.
  • Organize your days with pleasant activities:  The nice thing about vacations is that they allow you to relax, socialize, exercise, do spiritual activities, and eat. So, on your adventures, take the time to enjoy good meals, read books, enjoy a few hours of lazing around and connect with the people you travel with, or you met while travelling. 
  • Forget your daily life: It can be going to the beach for few hours to lie down and listening to music, or going on a tour for a few days. What’s important here is to enjoy your time (switch off your phone or put it on flight mode – No social media or notification allowed!)

Are you in the process of travelling, or have been on an adventure recently, and would like to share your experience? – please leave a comment below!

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Planning a budget-friendly trip around the world: your ultimate guide

Planning a budget-friendly trip around the world? Unearth tips, cost-saving strategies, and must-visit destinations in our ultimate guide.

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Feb 18, 2024

trip around the world

If you're a traveler or backpacker yearning for an adventure that transcends the ordinary, consider embarking on a trip around the world. Imagine immersing yourself in diverse cultures, exploring breathtaking landscapes, and creating memories that will last a lifetime . 

Traveling around the world isn't just about visiting places; it's a journey of self-discovery and a chance to learn about different people and perspectives. 

Whether you're talking to locals in a remote village, trying new foods, or admiring impressive buildings, a trip around the world can change your outlook and remind you of the endless opportunities our world has to offer . 

It's a reminder that the world is vast, interconnected, and full of wonders, waiting for those who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and embrace this extraordinary adventure.

To help you plan an unforgettable trip, we've prepared a guide with tips on how to get ready and save money on your adventure. Check it out!

Reasons to go on a trip around the world

reasons to go on a trip around the world

A trip around the world offers a profound and unforgettable exploration of our planet's beauty and diversity. Check out some reasons that exemplify the allure of such a journey: 

Cultural exploration and immersion

Different cultures offer a vibrant tapestry that enriches our lives. As you meander through exotic locales, there is an opportunity for transformative experiences by immersing yourself in local customs and traditions. 

From trying out authentic street food in Chiang Mai to joining traditional dance festivals in Latin America - cultural exploration can make us see the world with fresh eyes .

Natural wonders and landscapes

Beyond culture though lies another compelling reason many embark on global journeys – natural wonders. Whether it's road tripping across national parks such as Yellowstone or Yosemite in North America; snorkeling at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef; trekking up Machu Picchu; every corner of our planet has stunning landscapes waiting to give you an adrenaline rush.

A moment spent marveling at nature's grandeur helps us appreciate its sheer scale compared to our daily existence – talk about perspective.

Here are some more extraordinary travel experiences for inspiration !

Adventure and exploration

The thrill of exploring new places and embarking on adventures is a major reason to travel. From hiking through lush rainforests to diving into crystal-clear waters, the world offers endless opportunities for adrenaline-pumping experiences .

Personal growth and self-discovery 

A long trip around the world is not just about sightseeing or ticking off countries from your bucket list. A global voyage offers a chance to contemplate, cultivate yourself, and have life-altering experiences .

The journey allows you to escape the routines of daily life and dive into unknown territories. By pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, we can gain insight into ourselves that wouldn't otherwise be possible.

Cuisine and foodie delights

Food is a universal language, and tasting the local dishes of each destination is a culinary adventure in itself. From street food to gourmet cuisine, you'll discover an array of flavors and ingredients that will tantalize your taste buds.

Unleashing inner strengths

Different cultures, customs, languages—traveling exposes us to unfamiliar situations that challenge our adaptability. These challenges often lead us to discover strengths we didn’t know we possessed ; resilience when faced with adversity or patience during unexpected delays are just some examples.

This newfound strength doesn't vanish once you return home either—it becomes part of who you are moving forward in life.

Meeting new people and making connections 

Traveling around the world isn't just about sightseeing; it's an opportunity to forge connections and build relationships that bridge geographic divides. It's about making friends, participating in cultural exchange, expanding your global community network , and creating bonds that span across continents.

We often forget how interconnected our planet really is. When you step out of your comfort zone to explore new places, you realize this connectivity firsthand. 

Meeting locals or fellow travelers from different backgrounds opens up avenues for conversation and shared experiences that might not have been possible otherwise.

How to plan a trip around the world

 Trip around the world: planning

If you're an adventurous spirit who dreams of exploring different cultures, cuisines and landscapes, planning a trip around the world might be just what you need. It's not as daunting as it sounds if you follow these steps:

Decide how long you'll travel for

Your journey could last for weeks, months or even years depending on your budget and goals. Be realistic about how much time off work or school you can afford to take . Remember that traveling is also about experiencing life at a slower pace.

Figure out your travel budget

This will largely dictate where you go and how long your adventure lasts. Consider accommodation costs, food expenses, transportation fees among other things. Don't forget unexpected costs such as health insurance and emergency funds! If money is tight, take a look at the next section for some money-saving tips .

Make a list of places you want to visit

Dream big here! Write down all the places that have ever piqued your interest - from bustling cities like Tokyo to remote islands in Fiji. Then prioritize them based on factors like cost of living and safety .

Consider weather and logistics to pick a direction

You don't want to visit Russia during winter unless ice-cold temperatures are your thing! Researching climate patterns will help ensure comfortable travel conditions throughout your trip. 

Also think about visa requirements; some countries may require extensive paperwork or pre-approval before entry.

  • Additionally, check:  Digital nomad visa: all you need to know about it and the countries that offer it .

Research travel tips and itineraries for each location

A little research goes a long way when it comes to maximizing experiences while minimizing costs . Look for local blogs, travel guides and Worldpacker's Travel Tips to get insider information about your chosen destinations.

Remember that planning a trip around the world is part of the fun! Enjoy this process as it brings you one step closer to your dream adventure!

How to save money on your trip around the world

 Trip around the world: tips to save money

Taking a trip around the world can be an enriching and life-changing experience. However, it's also true that such adventures often come with a hefty price tag. But fear not! With careful planning and some savvy strategies, you can make your global journey more affordable . 

Travel during off-peak seasons

The cost of travel can vary greatly depending on the time of year. For example, prices for flights and accommodations tend to skyrocket during peak tourist seasons. 

To save money, consider traveling during off-peak times when demand is lower. Not only will this strategy help you avoid crowds but it could also lead to significant saving s. Skyscanner is a great resource for finding cheap flight deals throughout the year.

Stay longer in each destination

Spending more time in one place allows you to benefit from lower weekly or monthly rates for accommodations. It also provides a deeper cultural experience while reducing the cost of frequent transportation.

Eat like a local

Dining out at restaurants every day can quickly eat into your budget (pun intended!). Instead, try eating like a local by shopping at grocery stores or street markets where food is typically cheaper. Here are some tips on how to eat well without breaking the bank while travelling.

Utilize public transportation

Rather than relying on taxis or rental cars, consider using public transportation. It's usually much cheaper and can provide a more authentic travel experience .

Travel light

Packing only the essentials not only saves on baggage fees but also makes it easier to use public transportation . You'll also avoid the temptation of buying unnecessary items during your journey.

Plan your trip in advance

Planning your trip well in advance can help you save money. This allows you to compare prices for flights and accommodations, take advantage of early bird discounts , and avoid last-minute booking fees.

Look for free and low-cost activities

Research free or budget-friendly attractions and activities in each destination. Many cities offer museums, parks, and cultural events at little to no cost. Take advantage of these opportunities to explore.

Do research and talk to locals to avoid tourist traps

Local knowledge is invaluable when avoiding overpriced tourist traps. Do your research, read reviews from fellow travelers, and engage with locals to find authentic, budget-friendly experiences.

Learn basic phrases in the local languages

Learning a few basic phrases in the local languages can go a long way. It not only enhances your cultural experience but also helps you negotiate better prices and connect with locals.

Become a volunteer traveler with Worldpackers

Last but not least, a fantastic way to significantly cut down costs while adding meaning to your travels is through volunteer work abroad via platforms like Worldpackers . In exchange for part-time work in hostels, farms or social projects among others; accommodation and sometimes meals are provided free of charge!

Itinerary ideas to travel around the world

 Trip around the world: itinerary ideas

If you're eager to explore and immerse yourself in diverse cultures, traveling around the world is an adventure that awaits. Here are a few itinerary ideas for your global expedition: 

  • Don't forget to check out the volunteer opportunities available in the destinations for a trip around the world with Worldpackers!

1. The classic route: Western Europe and Southeast Asia

This popular route takes you through iconic cities like Paris, Rome , Bangkok , and Bali . It's perfect if you love history, culture-rich experiences with some beach relaxation thrown in. You can start by exploring Western Europe, then fly over to vibrant Southeast Asia.

Here are some great opportunities in these destinations:

  • Friendly receptionist in a stylish hostel in Bangkok Old Town
  • Help with woodland management and gardening in rural France
  • Collaborate on various tasks at a hostel in Rome, Italy

2. The road less traveled: Eastern Europe and Central Asia

If off-the-beaten-path destinations excite you more than tourist hotspots do, consider this itinerary. Start your journey by diving into the rich histories of Prague or Budapest before venturing into lesser-known countries like Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan .

  • Help out at this hostel in Prague with the reception and have a good time
  • Collaborate with the marketing of a hostel in Kyrgyzstan

3. Around The Americas

This itinerary is ideal for those who prefer slower travel without crossing many time zones quickly. Begin in North America's bustling cities such as New York or Los Angeles before heading southwards towards Latin American gems like Mexico City , Rio de Janeiro , S an Pedro de Atacama , or Buenos Aires .

  • Help with a community garden and enjoy rural living in NY
  • Social media content creator at a Surf Hostel in Los Angeles
  • Learn about Mexico's culture and traditions while helping out at a hostel
  • Collaborate with an eco-village in Rio de Janeiro

4. An African adventure

Africa offers incredible diversity from its wildlife-filled savannahs to its bustling markets and stunning coastlines. Start at Morocco's colourful bazaars then head down South Africa's beautiful Garden Route ending with a safari experience in Kenya .

  • Help with the social media of a social project in Kenya
  • Assistance in taking care of rescued animals in Essaouira, Morocco

Remember that these itineraries are just starting points - feel free to mix them up based on what suits your interests best ! With Worldpackers' platform offering safe volunteer opportunities across the globe, your journey around the world can be a fulfilling one.

Did you like these ideas? Subscribe to the Worldpackers Community for free and start saving your favorite volunteer positions until you are ready to get verified. 

Join the community!

Create a free Worldpackers account to discover volunteer experiences perfect for you and get access to exclusive travel discounts!

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planning travel around the world

Oct 10, 2023

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the insightful content you've shared in this blog post. Your words have not only provided valuable information but have also sparked a thought-provoking conversation in the comments section. As a regular reader of your blog, I've come to appreciate the depth and diversity of topics you cover. Your ability to address a wide range of subjects with such clarity and expertise is truly commendable. It's evident that you put a great deal of effort into researching and presenting your ideas, and it doesn't go unnoticed. Moreover, what sets your blog apart is the sense of community that it fosters. It's heartwarming to see individuals from all walks of life come together to engage in meaningful discussions. The respectful and insightful exchanges that take place here are a testament to the quality of your content and the caliber of your readers.

In conclusion, I want to express my appreciation for your dedication to creating informative and engaging content. Your blog has become a source of inspiration and knowledge for me, and I look forward to continuing this enriching journey of learning and discussion with you and your readers. Thank you once again for sharing your wisdom and insights with us. Wishing you continued success in all your endeavors. It would mean the world to me if you can check out my website https://indianvisa.online/ and share your thoughts on it as well.

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Around the World Travel Planning Checklist and Timeline

Manage your Around the World Travel planning process with a good trip planning checklist. Use our solid timeline to outline when to do what before you leave.

Use AirTreks’ Official Around the World Travel Planning Checklist and Timeline to organize your trip to-do list from a year out all the way up until the day you depart. We don’t mean to brag, but it’s one of the best free resources for planning a complex, multi-city trip you’re likely to find.

Download a PDF copy of the trip planning checklist

1 year – 6 months before you go:

  • It’s still too early to be purchasing RTW tickets, so use this time to decide on your top destinations , outline your itinerary and set budgets – in other words, dream.
  • Make a destination list , ranked by importance, interest, and convenience.
  • Use TripPlanner to price out different around the world itineraries and get a feel for what each one costs based on what matters to you most: price, trip length, destinations and/or route.
  • Research, then prioritize your country and city list. Decide which to include or omit.
  • Use seasonality and resources like TimeOut and official tourism website’s calendar of events to get an idea of when you want to be in different locations.
  • Dig a little deeper – not all of the best info is reachable through Google. Check blogrolls from your favorite travel blogs for interesting links and read them. Some of the best info can be found on smaller travel blogs .
  • Start planning your budget . Set a price goal and then add 25% to it, just in case (everyone needs a little wiggle room on the road).
  • Research the sale of your home to see if that’s a good fit for you.

Simple and Flexible Around the World Tickets Get instant pricing on your route now.

6 months – 4 months out:.

  • Time to get the ball rolling! Select a route on TripPlanner and follow the prompts to submit it to one of our agents .
  • Wait for the callback or email from one of our consultants (within one business day), or  call us .
  • Take as much time as you need when working with a travel consultant to get the trip you want. Ask lots of questions. Our consultants will give cost differentials for whatever tweaks you have in mind.
  • Apply for a passport or make sure the one you have will be valid at least 6 months beyond your last travel date. If not, renew. It’s best to do passport stuff early.
  • Research necessary visas  (visa rules and length of stay limitations often dictate travel dates).
  • Decide on your trip dates.
  • Take the plunge – buy your round-the-world air tickets! (Don’t forget insurance .)

4 months – 3 months before departure:

  • Set up the other facets of the trip: where you’re staying, what you’ll be doing. Arrange accommodations, tours, events, activities, etc.
  • Tell your family and friends you’ll be out of town and give them your dates of travel and any information they’ll need to reach you on the road.
  • Start the application process for visas and work permits.
  • Create a day-by-day itinerary – it doesn’t have to be too detailed but if you have specific places or sites you want to see, pencil them in between flights.
  • Buy or download guidebooks or destination apps to take with you.
  • Begin to organize your life for an extended leave of absence, i.e., figure out what to do with your house/apt, bills, car, mail, pets, etc.
  • Set up frequent flyer accounts.
  • Acquire no fee international credit cards. (Or make sure yours can be used internationally. Pro tip: Make sure you have a 4-digit pin, even if you prefer to sign)
  • Request a spare debit card from your bank(in case you lose one).
  • Contact friends in faraway places to let them know you’re coming.
  • Get an email account (Yahoo or Gmail are free) that’s not linked to work or school if you don’t have one already and notify your contacts you’re switching.
  • Organize your address book. Fill out any missing contact info (phone numbers, addresses, and emails you don’t have). Don’t forget to add our customer service email to your list!
  • Read our 101 Things To Do Before Your Trip blog post.

3 months – 1 month:

  • Take advantage of this time period to hone your travel skills. Take local trips, be a tourist in your hometown or simply take a planning break. Maybe watch  movies about far off places or listen to some world music .
  • Purchase any needed supplies, gear, and clothing (backpacks/luggage, electronics, SD-cards, travel-wear, soap, personal ID, long white scarf, etc.) If you buy something technical, like a camera, familiarize yourself with it by taking it for test runs.
  • Request your sabbatical or hand in your work resignation (gulp!).
  • Set up a travel blog.
  • Read an  inspirational book .
  • Get your student i.d. card if applicable.
  • Get an international driver’s license if applicable.
  • Acquire extra passport photos.
  • Arrange for someone to rent or sublet your place (since you’ll be on the road, a property management company may be the best choice for managing this).
  • Set up online bill-pay.
  • Get your cell phone unlocked so you can switch out sim cards in different locations. Trust us, buying a local pay-as-you-go sim card in each location is much cheaper than paying international roaming charges.
  • Plan dinner dates with family and friends you won’t see for awhile.

1 month – 2 weeks:

  • Finalize accommodations, especially for your first couple of nights away ( but don’t commit to staying long-term in a place you haven’t seen in person ).
  • Get your travel vaccinations and immunization records and leave a copy with someone you trust, or scan a copy and save it to your cloud.

2 weeks – 1 week:

  • Carefully read over your itinerary/reservations and make sure everything is ready to go.
  • Visualize yourself in each destination from day to day. This will help prepare you mentally and emotionally for the experience and also remind you of things you need to pack for each stop on your route.
  • Copy and/or scan important documents. Keep originals on your person, and a hard copy elsewhere in your bags. You can also leave copies with someone you trust or upload them to your cloud so you can access them online without anyone else’s help.

Final week:

  • Pull out our packing checklist  or, if you want to travel light, never fear–turns out a backpack may be just enough baggage for your round-the-world trip . Use these pieces to pick up the items you’re sure you can’t live without, and discard the rest. When it comes to luggage, less is usually more.
  • Call your bank to let them know where you’ll be traveling — banks often freeze accounts when international charges appear out of the blue.
  • Forward your mail to someone you trust, or stop it altogether.
  • Reconfirm your first flight! (It’s best to do this before every flight.)
  • Jot down a to-do list for the night before your departure.
  • Set up an out-of-town message on your email to let people know about response delays.
  • Start packing! Grab everything you’re taking with you and  take inventory . Keep that list with you throughout your trip so you can keep track along the way. This will help keep your baggage within airline weight and size limits and also let you know right away if you’ve lost something.
  • Get cash/travelers checks and some local currency from your first destination .
  • Do laundry.
  • Don’t forget to breathe! Try to get plenty of sleep. Anxiety overload can keep you from accurately gauging what’s left to do.

Day before departure:

  • Finish packing. Checklist in hand, load up that luggage . Don’t forget to weigh and measure your bags and check Luggage Limits.
  • Make any last minute phone calls.
  • Hug your family, friends, and pets.
  • Charge your phone/camera/laptop/music player.
  • Look forward to the future .
  • Celebrate! But don’t forget that hangovers can make jet lag worse .

Day of departure:

  • Eat well and drink lots of water.  A good meal before your flight will give you the energy to stay awake, but staying hydrated is even more important.  Skip the alcohol–it dehydrates you and worsens jet lag, which can be debilitating upon arrival in a new country. You’ll need your all your faculties, so be prepared!

After departure:

  • Reconfirm your flights two to three days before each flight (see above).
  • Take lots of pictures.
  • Keep in touch with family and friends via phone, email, skype, or your blog.
  • Enjoy your trip! You’ve earned it.

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How to plan the itinerary of your trip around the world?

Last Update: 31/01/2024 0 COMMENT

Planning a trip around the world itinerary is no mean feat… To tell the truth, we’d spent quite a few evenings discussing, researching, imagining, compromising, and uncorking a little bottle to keep us going… It has to be said that there are quite a few things to take into account when planning a long-term travel itinerary: desires, budget , climate, etc. But don’t panic, we’ll help you sort it all out!

hiking trail sari organic walk rice field in Ubud

Should I plan an itinerary around the world?

What should you consider when planning your trip around the world itinerary, how do you plan a trip around the world itinerary , final tips for traveling around the world, what are the cheapest countries to visit, some ideas and examples for round-the-world itineraries.

our guide to plan your round-the-world trip

You are currently reading the third chapter of our free ebook How to travel the world , in which you will find all the necessary advice and preparations for your trip around the world!

In addition to the version on the blog , there is a PDF version to read it peacefully on your computer, smartphone, or tablet, or to print it 🙂.

This is perhaps the first question to ask, and as far as we’re concerned, there are two schools of thought:

  • Are you going on a trip with no return date ? Then an itinerary is not essential, or perhaps just for the start of the trip when you cross your first countries.
  • Do you have a limited amount of time in which to travel around the world (6 months or 1 year)? In that case, an itinerary is a good way to structure your trip.

Easter island

Why plan a round-the-world itinerary?

Initially, we weren’t too keen on having an itinerary all mapped out before we left on our trip around the world… We wanted to leave room for the unexpected , for encounters, and keep as much flexibility as possible. Nevertheless, we decided to sketch out the route of our trip for the following reasons:

  • Drawing up an itinerary forced us to put our ideas on the table , share our respective desires, and give our adventure a direction.
  • It also forced us to find out about certain destinations and countries that interested us. For example, we started our trip in China, and I can guarantee that having information on local customs, transport and practical tips in our heads helped us a lot when we got there.
  • Generally speaking, doing your homework when traveling in a country that’s not your own is simply a mark of respect for its inhabitants. It shows that we’ve taken an interest in local customs beforehand, and can help us avoid certain faux pas.
  • As we opted for round-the-world tickets , we had to have at least a rough outline of our travel itinerary . It doesn’t have to be ultra-precise, as round-the-world tickets are quite flexible. However, you should at least know the direction of the trip and more or less the regions that interest you.

However, drawing up a round-the-world itinerary doesn’t mean drawing up a day-by-day plan for the coming year! It gives you an overall idea of where you want to go, at what season/time of year, the must-sees, what to avoid…

Our around-the-world itinerary changes

in a village around Ba Be in Vietnam

Keep in mind that nothing is set in stone, and you need to remain flexible . The key is to know that you can change your itinerary along the way , according to your wishes and the conditions. Even if you go off on your own, there will always be a time when you’ll have to worry about administrative and environmental issues. This can range from visas to weather conditions to budgeting (an unforeseen event?).

To tell you the truth, our itinerary around the world changed drastically during our round-the-world trip… We knew our adventure would start in China, and then continue in Taiwan for 4-5 months in Southeast Asia. The length of our stay and the order in which we planned to visit the countries in this part of Asia were radically altered during the trip. For example, we were supposed to stay 20 days in Vietnam, but ended up staying twice as long!

Also, we eliminated Australia from our plans and completely reversed the order of the South American countries. As we arrived 3 months later than planned on the American continent, our climate and itinerary logic was turned upside down and we had to adapt to optimize the seasons. So why bother planning an itinerary at all? In fact, having an initial roadmap served us well, as it forced us to think about these details in advance!

To take things a step further, we’ve gone into a little more depth on the subject in the article “How to make a success of your round-the-world trip” . In it, you’ll read about the importance of listening to yourself and remaining flexible during a long-term trip.

Do I need a return ticket?

When you say itinerary, you say return… Depending on your project, it may be worthwhile to buy a return plane ticket.

Example: you’re going away for 6 months, not a day longer (due to professional or other imperatives). In this case, it may be worth buying your plane ticket before you leave, as you’ll be returning home on that date, whatever the cost. We’ve devoted an entire article to round-the-world tickets if you’re interested!

There are several things to bear in mind when you start planning the itinerary of a round-the-world or long-term trip. Here’s a short, non-exhaustive list to get you started!

The duration of your trip

The length of your trip is a complex equation, depending mainly on your budget , your professional availability (sabbatical leave or not), and your desires . To give you an idea, most backpackers travel between 6 months and 1 year around the world. You can of course choose to travel for longer, but the budget automatically becomes more substantial.

sunset in Mount Bromo

How to travel longer?

However, it’s not necessarily proportional and still depends on your future choices. If you go away for longer , you also stay longer in one place. And that means significant savings , whether on transport or accommodation. Renting a studio (or other) over several weeks/months is cheaper than sleeping in hotels or guesthouses. We did this in Ecuador and Argentina, and thanks to this more “static” stay, we were able to extend our world tour by 6 months! The important thing is that we had the freedom and, above all, the desire to do it.

Another solution for traveling longer is to have a job that allows you to be mobile and work en route. In the chapter dedicated to budgeting, we’ve written a whole section on jobs that allow you to travel .

What is the optimum duration of a trip around the world?

After returning from our trip, we recommend that you take a minimum of 6 months to get the most out of your adventure. Why? Because that’s the minimum length of time you need to completely cut yourself off from your daily routine and visit several countries. The truth is, it’s hard to enjoy a country and its culture if you’re only there for 1 week 😉.

6 months is a good length of time if you’re planning to travel to a single continent or a specific region. A road trip to South America, a trip to Oceania, or a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia… In short, 6 months gives you plenty of time to explore!

On the other hand, if you want to travel around the world on several continents , then I’d advise you to plan more than 6 months’ travel . This allows you to change countries and continents several times, without having to race against the number of countries crossed.

lan ha bay, Cat Ba

Your expectations and desires when choosing countries

This step can be critical when you’re planning a round-the-world trip with at least two people, whether with friends or family. You’ll need to agree on the places to visit and the things to do, as each of you usually has very specific expectations.

Our advice: draw up an itinerary on your own (without cheating 😉). Then, once everyone has their own itinerary, pool them together and start negotiating! Ideally, each person should draw up a small list of their dream destinations (must-sees) and those they’d like to visit. Then it’s a bit like school: we keep score before making the final choice! One thing’s for sure: we’re going to have to make some concessions …

Fortunately for us, we were pretty much in agreement! Fabienne simply postponed her desire to discover South Africa. For obvious budgetary reasons, this was the most reasonable decision. And it’s only a postponement!

on the beach of rabbit island or koh tansay next to Kep

The “difficulty” of the countries

This is a very subjective point… With hindsight, it’s not really a criterion that concerns me anymore. I’ll mention it anyway, as it influenced my choice of countries when preparing the trip around the world itinerary.

Not all countries are created equal, and some may require a little more travel experience than others. Factors influencing the difficulty of a country include insecurity, extreme poverty, political instability, the status of women, climatic/environmental conditions, etc.

Take each country’s situation into account before making your decision. For example, we decided to start with Asia instead of South America. The reason? We felt more reassured by the idea of having a little more backpacker experience before discovering Latin America. What’s more, we’d have acquired a few good reflexes before venturing into certain countries “reputed to be more dangerous” . I use quotation marks deliberately, because of course, an incident can happen anywhere… Just because you’re in a country with a high crime rate doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll end up with a gun to your head – far from it!

In general, all it takes is a little common sense and a few basic precautions . If you’re interested in the subject, we’ve written a full article on travel risks and, more specifically, another on safety in South America .

Quito in Ecuador when we were traveling around the world as a couple

Cost of living by country

Once again, money is an important factor when planning an itinerary for a round-the-world or long-term trip. For example, the average daily budget for travel to Laos is just 22 euros. To Australia? 57 euros. To the USA? 98 euros! As you can see, 1 year in Southeast Asia and South America won’t cost you the same as 1 year in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the USA or Europe.

Once again, it’s time to make some country choices. This is exactly why we decided (during the trip) to eliminate Australia from our final itinerary. Giving up 1 month in Australia allowed us to spend 2-3 more months in South America on the same budget!

For more information on costs per country, please consult our complete article on the round-the-world budget and all our articles devoted to travel budgets . At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find a list of the cheapest countries to travel to!

temple ulun danu in northern Bali

Climate and seasons

We all agree that travel includes a certain amount of adventure. But personally, if I could avoid arriving right in the middle of the rainy season in Asia, or when it’s -25°C in Mongolia, it would be better, wouldn’t it?

Of course, it’s possible to travel to a country even if it’s not the best season. It may even make the trip a little more pleasant: (often) fewer tourists and lower prices! But it’s worth planning your itinerary according to the wet and dry seasons.

tableau des climats et des températures qu'on a fait pour créer notre itinéraire de tour du monde

To create our itinerary, we drew up a table showing the ideal seasons for each country . We took into account the average temperature and rainfall for the 12 months of the year. If we had to plan our round-the-world trip again, today we’d use our buddy Nico’s super tool, the a-contresens planner (soon in English!), which automatically generates a table of climates . But we’ll talk about the planner a little further down with an example.

Once again, making an itinerary doesn’t mean putting up barriers . To illustrate this, let’s go back to our initial planning. We actually stuck to it until we reached Taiwan. Then we realized that we didn’t want to travel that fast… So we arrived in Laos in mid-February instead of January, and in Indonesia in April instead of February! In the end, we landed in South America in May, starting with Patagonia. But the climate was already getting too hot for that time of year. So we changed our plans and flew to Quito, where we learned Spanish for 2 months ! In short, we ended our South American tour in January in Patagonia instead of August in Colombia!

mendoza argentina

The direction of your trip

If you opt for a round-the-world ticket , you’ll be obliged to choose a direction for your trip: either eastbound or westbound . With this type of ticket, you’ll only be able to cross the Atlantic and Pacific oceans once.

On the other hand, forget the idea of enjoying spring in Argentina, cherry blossom in Japan, surfing in Australia, smoking a cigar in Cuba, summering in Russia and then wintering in Asia with a stopover in Tahiti! We’re going to have to make some choices (again!).

Carbon footprint and slow travel

More and more people are taking these trips around the world: traveling around the world without flying , traveling slowly and more responsibly … This philosophy and this way of travel have a major influence on the itinerary.

Around the world without flying

It may seem impossible to travel around the world without taking a plane , especially when it comes to crossing oceans and seas. But some have done it! Making this choice pushes the travel experience even further.

Perhaps you’ve heard of Thor, a Dane who traveled around the globe in 10 years, without once flying? He crossed the globe and visited 195 countries, traveling by land and sea.

But others have succeeded in meeting this “challenge” within the “standard” duration of a round-the-world trip: Ed spent just 381 days across the world without flying.

If you’d like to find out more, take a look at Carbone 4’s FAQ , which deciphers all the preconceived ideas about aviation and the climate.

boat in china

Slow travel

A year is both long and short. There’s no point in planning to visit 30 countries in such a short space of time! Visit less, but better .

A country the size of China covers 9.6 million km 2 . That’s roughly 17 times the size of France and 234 times the size of Switzerland… So do you really think you can visit China in 2 weeks ? It’s as if you had less than a day to visit France and wanted to know what there was to see at all costs… Impossible!

Between you and me, if you’re taking a year off , it’s probably not to race against the clock. So take it easy, plan a reasonable number of countries and make the most of it! So take it easy, plan a reasonable number of countries and enjoy! You’ll still have plenty of time to discover the rest of the world later in life. And who knows, maybe you’ll develop such a taste for travel that you’ll stay on the road for 10 years!

There’s no need to worry too much about visas ! You can easily apply for visas for most countries along the way. Remember that there are only a few countries that require a little more organization for this administrative side of your round-the-world trip. I’m thinking in particular of Russia and China.

We started our round-the-world trip itinerary in China because we wanted to stay there for between 2 and 3 months. In the end, that’s not such a long time when you consider the size of the country! But to get a 3-month visa, we had to apply from the Chinese embassy in Switzerland, and it wasn’t possible to get such a visa en route. So we applied for our visa from home before leaving for the first country on our trip.

visiting Pekin

Now that you know what you need to pay attention to, here’s our little method (which is, after all, very personal) for preparing a travel itinerary.

The inspiration phase

This is obviously the part we prefer when we’re in “sponge mode” . You look for information online, scour as many travel blogs as you can for inspiration and ideas, watch great videos, listen to travel podcasts, and so on. The idea is simply to come up with a list of things we dream of doing and places we absolutely want to discover.

Before our trip around the globe, we had a big map of the world in our living room. Whenever there was a country we had to see, we’d put a little pin on the map. That way, we always had the map in front of us and could better visualize distances and borders. And that’s how, over the weeks, we saw our project evolve and our itinerary take shape. The map is also a good way of pooling your desires if you’re traveling with several people, and of making compromises.

argentina were planned in our itinerary around the world

Integrating constraints with the planner

Once you’ve got your dream list, sort it out by taking into account the constraints we mentioned earlier. For this, we really recommend using the planner on the a-contresens blog , run by Nico and Aude.

planner for a round the world itenerary

Nicolas is a passionate traveler, but also a real geek. Having just returned from his first trip, he decided to create a tool to help future travelers plan their itinerary . The planner helps you integrate all the constraints into your itinerary around the world:

  • budget : behind the planner lies a database containing thousands of travelers’ budgets. Using all this information, the tool estimates the average daily budget for each country. Once you enter your provisional itinerary into the tool, it will give you an approximate budget for your trip. Frankly, for our part, this approximation turned out to be very close to reality.
  • climate : the planner integrates very precise information on climate and the best seasons to travel in each country. You’ll automatically get a great table that tells you if you’re in the right places at the right times!
  • visas : you’ll also find helpful information on visas (for French nationals) in each country.
  • and much more : safety information, recommended vaccines, important telephone numbers, internet, etc.

The site is very intuitive when it comes to planning your itinerary. You enter your dates, stages and routes, and in just a few clicks you’ve got your around-the-world itinerary!

exemple de planificateur pour le budget tour du monde

Our itinerary around the world

Below you’ll find the map we created with the planner for our round-the-world trip. Let’s face it, it wasn’t quite as accurate before we left, and we corrected it on the way home to post it on our blog. Once you’ve clicked on it, you’ll notice the buttons at the bottom right of the map displaying the estimated budget for your trip around the world, as well as the climate map (which we took the trouble to make by hand!). Pretty cool, huh?

Today, it’s the best tool you can have for a clear and precise itinerary , whether you’re on a round-the-world trip or a long-term trip. The planner is already in its 3 rd version!

We came across the planner by chance in 2011. We were total fans and signed up straight away. We didn’t know it, but we were only the 2 nd to sign up. We used it throughout our trip, scrupulously entering our numbers. In 2015, we met Nicolas at a conference and since then, he’s become a very good friend who we see very regularly. Just goes to show that even great friendships can come out of budget planning!

Fabienne and a panel describing why taking your time (and not race around the world) is important.

Making an itinerary is good. Not sticking to it is even better!

Even if you’ve spent a lot of time planning your around-the-world trip’s itinerary, be flexible and don’t hesitate to change what’s planned according to what you meet and what you feel like doing at the time. A round-the-world trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity . You’re entirely free to do what you want when you want. Zero constraints! It would be stupid to miss out on a great experience just because it wasn’t on your original itinerary.

In our case, we changed practically all the dates of the flights included in our round-the-world ticket. We traveled longer in China, stayed almost 2 months in Vietnam, skipped Australia, and reversed the order of our trip to South America to take a 2-month Spanish course in Quito. None of this was planned, but it was what we wanted to do at the time !

Here’s the video of our 7 weeks in Vietnam! If you’ve read everything so far, your brain must be fried!

🎶 Money, money, money 🎶 ABBA sings it very well and I don’t need to hum it to you. As mentioned above, many travelers leave with a budget defined in advance ! As a result, money can be a bit of an issue, especially when it comes to choosing which countries to travel to!

When we planned the itinerary for our round-the-world trip, I dreamed of going to South Africa (I’m still dreaming about it, by the way) and seeing the Northern Lights in Norway (we did that after we got back!). For his part, Benoit wanted to discover Japan. And Tahiti was on our radar, not to mention Australia and New Zealand!

northern lights in sweden

In the end, we didn’t visit any of the countries mentioned above! So no, we’re not weathervanes who change your mind as often as you change your underwear, but it’s the fruit of a logical reflection based on our round-the-world budget . That’s right! These are among the most expensive countries in the world!

Let’s be honest for 2 minutes. The world is a vast place, and there are plenty of cheap countries to visit on a trip around the world ! Not that these countries will ever be off our list! But it just made sense to put them aside when it came time to leave for 18 months on a limited budget.

So here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of the cheapest countries to travel to . We’ve based it solely on countries we’ve visited.

The cheapest countries to visit in Europe

  • The Baltic States : Estonia , Lithuania and Latvia are the cheapest countries in which to travel. We spent 2 months there in winter, and it was a great experience.

  • Greece : We love this country, especially the Cyclades ! Our last visit was in the middle of winter, outside the tourist season, which kept the budget down: 25 euros per day per person.
  • Spain : Ah, tapas, sunshine and good wine! We’re big fans! Budget-wise, it depends a lot on the region, with the big cities being more expensive. On average, you should expect to pay around 35 euros per person per day. We spent 6 weeks in Menorca in autumn 2017 and the whole of winter 2018-19 in Tenerife .
  • Croatia : We’ve never been there together: Benoit with friends and me with my best friend! We both have great memories! Budget: around 35 euros per day (partying 😉). In 2019, we went back (2 of us!) via Zagreb .

Menorca

The cheapest countries to visit in Asia

  • Laos : A superb country not to be missed! The budget for travel there is around 20 euros per person per day. Find out more about Laos here .
  • Cambodia : A must for road trips in Southeast Asia. Cambodia too can be visited on a more than reasonable budget! Expect to pay around 20 euros per person per day.
  • Vietnam : Our favorite country in Asia! We spent 2 months in the country instead of the 3 weeks we had planned, that’s for sure! For a trip to Vietnam , allow around 23 euros per person per day.
  • Indonesia : Beautiful landscapes, wonderful people, divine cuisine! The budget for our trip to Indonesia was 22 euros per day, but it included plenty of activities: surfing lessons, volcano climbing, trekking, etc.
  • Thailand : A bit of a place to go for backpackers, but also a wonderful country and people! Budget in Thailand : around 22 euros per day per person.
  • China : Our first round-the-world trip and first culture shock. We loved it! Budget: around 22 euros per person per day, but this depends on the region. Find out more about a trip to China here .

village de Nong Khiaw au nord du laos

The cheapest countries to visit in South America

  • Bolivia : This is probably the cheapest country in South America ! During our visit, we had a budget of 21 euros per day per person, with plenty of activities!
  • Peru : A sublime country offering many hiking possibilities! The average budget for Peru is around 25 euros per day per person. If, like us, you do a lot of trekking and sleep regularly in tents, then the budget can be reduced even further. For us, the budget for Peru was 20.7 euros per day per person.
  • Ecuador : One of our favorite places in South America! We spent 3 months there during our trip, and it paid for itself! The average daily budget is around 25 euros per person per day (excluding the Galapagos).

femmes péruviennes

You’ll notice that I’ve wholly omitted Oceania and Antarctica from the list. The only reason is that the cost of living on these continents is much higher, or the costs associated with getting there are astronomical!

I had intended to give you a few ideas and examples of around-the-world itineraries. In the end, I’d simply say let your desires guide you . In fact, there are almost as many itineraries as there are backpackers. There are no limits (except perhaps for certain war-torn countries) and I feel I’d be doing you a disservice by giving you ideas for more or less classic itineraries.

And while it may sound a bit cliché, more than the destinations you’ll discover, it’s the journey to get there that really counts, and the experiences you’ll make along the way.

If you want some sample itineraries, we suggest you use the a-contresens planner search engine below. It contains thousands of trips around the world itineraries, so you should be able to have a bit of fun!

Now, we hope you have a more or less clear idea of your around-the-world itinerary! For the rest of your trip preparations, we’re going to tackle a subject that divides backpackers a little, round-the-world tickets . Are you following?

  • Leave everything and travel
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  • Round-the-world Tickets
  • Health and travel insurance
  • Travel gear
  • Checklist and schedule

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Solo traveling basics: Expert advice for your first trip

planning travel around the world

Boarding the plane to head to another country alone is often an emotional experience – there’s the excitement, the anxiety, the anticipation.

It can also be totally nerve-wracking.

When Angie Orth made the bold choice to leave her job and embark on a solo yearlong journey around the world in 2011, her friends and family cautioned her about safety concerns. “Everyone was horrified,” the Florida native told USA TODAY. “The fear was all I heard.”

The then New York City-based Orth kicked off her 12-country solo trip in Fiji before making her way to New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Then she trekked through Europe, including Greece, Spain and England, and stopped in Turkey and Egypt before ending in Kenya and South Africa.

Stay safe while traveling: Here are 17 CIA tips, advice to think like a spy on vacation

Learn more: Best travel insurance

It wasn’t always smooth traveling. At times, Orth said she survived “by the skin of my teeth.” Orth was in Egypt during the Arab Spring , got unbelievably sick in Thailand, and had a bike accident in Bali. She was also robbed of 400 euros. “I was in Greece for a half an hour and had already been pickpocketed,” she said. 

Still, to Orth, the solo journey was invaluable. “It’s a confidence that I don't think there’s any other way to get that confidence than by solo travel,” she said, referring to the problem-solving that inherently comes with navigating travel on your own. Then there’s also the compassion you gain from meeting and experiencing other cultures. 

Now more than ever, more people are deciding to forgo travel companions and embark on their trips alone. Solo vacation package searches on Google shot up by more than 200% over the past 90 days as of Feb. 2.

Increased connectivity on our phones makes it easier to feel secure and social media shows more people – especially women – traveling the world alone. 

“Women are not waiting for permission or their 401(k) to mature. If my husband doesn’t want to go, fine. Women are having more confidence,” said Orth, who is also the author of the upcoming book “Flirting with Disaster,” which chronicles her yearlong solo trip. 

Here’s everything you need to know about solo travel. 

How to safely travel alone

Safety is always top of mind when traveling, and it’s especially important for solo travelers who have to look out for themselves. 

'It's like your local bestie': This startup helps make solo travel as a woman feel safer

“Isn’t it fun to meet a person in a hostel and say yes, let’s go hiking right now? That’s fun, but it’s risky,” Orth said. “It’s about balancing it out and researching ridiculously.” 

◾ Start your research by heading to the State Department website to see if there are any travel advisories for the destination you’re interested in. These advisories are based on changing conditions and also inform you about the specific region you’re visiting.

For the most direct updates, enroll in the agency’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service that sends you the most up-to-date information on the destination. It can also help connect you to the nearest U.S. embassy and consulate if traveling and something happens.

◾ One thing Orth always searches for is “the destination plus scams” to see what she has to look out for when in that place. Many European cities are notorious for petty theft, like pickpocketing in popular tourist hotspots like the Trevi Fountain or public transportation.  

When doing research, it may feel like an information overload. "There is so much information now, you could read 1,000 reviews and get so many sources of conflicting information," Orth added. "It’s hard to wade through all that and find trusted sources."

◾ To help sift through everything, Orth recommends reaching out to others who have traveled to your ideal destination. She also recommended cleaning out your feed and only following travel content creators who “give you the good and the bad.”

“You don’t want the glossy, glossy, oh, it’s so magical because travel isn’t always so magical,” she said. 

◾ At your destination, you’ll also need at least a basic understanding of the language used there. “Translation plays a big role in safety, just being aware of your surroundings,” said Craig Ewer, Google Communications Manager for Search. 

Besides direct translation between 133 languages, the Google Translate app offers pronunciation help – “such a lifesaver,” according to Rose Yao, vice president of product management at Google. You can also snap a picture of a menu and have it translated in real time. 

The Google app also has a feature called Lens that allows users to search using a picture of something like a sign. “You’d be surprised at what you can Lens: menus, what is that building or what is that statue,” Yao said. You can also capture a screenshot of your social media feed and then search for it on Google to incorporate it into your travel plans.

Staying healthy on your travels

◾ To safeguard yourself and others against preventable illnesses while exploring new places, look up any recommended vaccinations for the countries you plan on visiting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is a good starting point, with in-depth travel health notices and recommended vaccines and medicines posted. 

The CDC website also offers travel advice on managing nonpreventable illnesses, like preventing bug bites to reduce the risk of contracting diseases like dengue or Zika.

◾ Typically, you’d want to give yourself at least a month before departing on your trip to get everything you need from your doctor. And if you don’t know who to go to, the CDC can help you find a clinic as well. 

Orth recommends having a doctor help you put together a medical kit with some necessities and medications, such as for food poisoning. “It’s helpful to have some things on hand so you’re not scrambling on a remote island and no one knows what you’re talking about,” she said. 

◾ As you’re making the big purchases for your trip, don’t forget about travel insurance for the unexpected. Orth said she never travels without this layer of protection. Travel insurance not only helped with her medical costs from her bike collision but also replaced her camera, which was smashed in the accident. She also recommends a service called  MedJet , which offers worldwide security crisis and medical transportation assistance for its members.

What are the most popular solo travel destinations?

According to Google, the top-searched destinations for American solo travelers are: 

◾ Puerto Rico

Tips for solo travelers

◾ The Google app’s generative AI search allows you to “ask really detailed questions like you would ask a friend,” Yao said. “Ask what’s off the beaten path, what’s not crowded. What’s a great time to visit the Louvre that’s not super crowded?” 

◾ For your first trip alone, it’s OK to start small and dip your toes in the solo travel pool. “Start in an easier destination, something more familiar where you speak the language or you don't have to fly far away,” Orth said. “A lot of folks see ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and travel content creators trekking in Borneo for it to count but it doesn’t.” 

◾ It won’t always be rainbows and butterflies, despite what you see on social media. Expect decision fatigue from having to make many micro-decisions, like if this taxi driver seems safe. “I think this probably hits women a lot harder than it hits men because we are never not thinking about our safety, and that’s if we’re going to Target in our hometown or hopping on a plane to a remote island,” Orth said. 

◾ Make an itinerary for yourself with at least one thing planned every day, so you don’t feel aimless but still have space for flexibility, said Madison Pietrowski, U.S. brand director at GetYourGuide, a marketplace for travel experiences, where each company listed is thoroughly vetted. It can be as casual as wanting to eat at a certain restaurant for dinner or more intensive like a whole-day tour. (On that note, make sure to read the fine print and be aware of cancellation policies for your excursions.)  

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected] .

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Our Around the World Packing List

Julie Last updated: January 14, 2024 RTW , Travel Advice , Travel Gear 31 Comments

Around the World Packing List

One of the most common questions we get from people is “how do you pack for a trip around the world?” Prior to our around the world trip, purchasing gear was one of the most time intensive and important things we did. Tim and I made numerous trips to REI and placed many online orders in order to find the perfect backpacks, travel clothing, and travel accessories. Here is our around the world packing list, what we carried on our backs during 396 days of travel.

The general rule of thumb for long term travel is to pack light and be prepared to wash clothing over and over again. The less you bring the less you have to lug around. Buying lightweight clothing made from synthetic materials that can be washed in the hotel sink and hung up to dry is crucial to packing light. Being able to frequently wash our clothing by hand allowed us to bring less stuff.

It can be hard to make the transition from life at home with a closet full of clothes to carrying what you need for a year on your back. We learned that there is something liberating about only having a little bit of stuff…less to worry about, less to carry, less to weigh you down.

Around the World Packing List

Clothing (per person).

  • 5 short sleeve shirts
  • 2 pair of shorts
  • 2 long sleeve shirts
  • 2 pair long pants
  • 7 pair socks
  • 7 pair underwear
  • 1 lightweight fleece
  • 1 rain jacket
  • 1 pair pajamas
  • 1 pair long underwear
  • 1 visor/hat
  • 1 bra and 1 sports bra (Julie only)
  • 1 scarf (Julie only)

We designed our around the world itinerary for an almost “endless summer.” By staying in warm climates for most of the year, we were able to avoid bringing along winter coats or cold weather gear. If temperatures got chilly, we layered the clothing we had. There were a few times we bought hats and gloves ( China in early March and Drakensburg, South Africa in August). Prior to our trek to Everest Base Camp , we purchased winter coats and cold weather gear in Kathmandu. After the trek we donated the clothing to a local orphanage.

When purchasing clothing, chose synthetic fabrics over cotton. Synthetic fabrics dry faster and are more resistant to wrinkling. Our long pants were all synthetic hiking pants that either zipped off at the knee or rolled up to become capris.

There are a lot of travelers that get by with less clothing than this. Personally, I liked having enough clothing to go six to seven days without having to do laundry.

Julies Clothes

Julie’s clothing and a few miscellaneous items.

  • Running shoes
  • Hiking Shoes
  • Keen Sandals (Julie only)

On several occasions, we bought flip-flops to go to the beach (along with one or two beach towels).

  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • 1 bar of soap
  • Toothpaste and toothbrush
  • Dental floss
  • Makeup for Julie
  • Nail clippers
  • 1 bottle of nail polish
  • Brush and comb
  • Travel clothesline
  • Travel laundry detergent
  • Universal sink stopper

Our laundry supplies got a lot of use! The clothesline and universal sink stopper made doing laundry super easy. If you really want to save on space and weight, shampoo can also be used as laundry detergent.

  • Epi-Pens for Tyler
  • Ciprofloxacin (for traveler’s diarrhea)
  • Azithromycin (for traveler’s diarrhea for kids)
  • Pepto Bismol
  • Medrol Dose Paks (3)
  • Amoxicillin
  • Oral rehydration solution
  • Malarone (anti-malarial medication)

We carried a lot of medications but rarely needed them. On this list, the ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, Epi-pens, medrol dose paks, oral rehydration solution, and Mobic never got used.

Electronics

  • Laptop for each of us
  • Kindle (Julie, Tyler, and Kara)
  • iPhone for Julie, unlocked
  • Samsung Galaxy for Tim, unlocked
  • Panasonic Lumix point and shoot camera
  • 2 Travel power strips
  • GPS Tracker (Columbus V-900)
  • Eneloop Rechargeable Batteries
  • Back Up Hard Drive
  • Power Adaptors

Carrying four laptop computers around the world may sound excessive but it was perfect for our family. While we had downtime, Tyler and Kara did their homeschooling on their computers, I wrote articles for this website and edited photos on my computer, and Tim booked hotels and researched future destinations on his computer. It allowed us to be more productive and it also kept Tyler and Kara entertained, during the little bit of free time they had.

Tim tracked just about every mile traveled (by car, airplane, bicycle, horse, camel, you name it) with a small GPS tracker. Since the around the world trip, we started using a Garmin GPS 64S that we highly recommend.

The Eneloop rechargeable batteries are also a great thing to have in your backpack. For the few things that took AA batteries, it was much more cost efficient and environmentally friendly to have a few rechargeable batteries than leave a trail of regular batteries in landfills around the world.

We regularly uploaded photos and videos onto a back up hard drive , so we would have a second copy of everything in case our laptops were lost, stolen, or just stopped functioning. Roughly every 4 months we sent the hard drive home and then started uploading the new data onto another hard drive. The megabytes of data that we amassed while traveling were precious to us and we wanted to keep those memories backed up and protected.

To learn more about our photography gear, we have an in-depth post:   Travel Photography Gear Guide

Our Stuff

Miscellaneous

  • Soccer ball
  • First Aid Kit
  • Insect repellent
  • 2 travel umbrellas
  • Lockable steel cable
  • Small travel locks
  • Eagle Creek Packing Cubes
  • Eagle Creek compression bags
  • Microfiber travel towel (2)
  • Deck of cards
  • Emergency toilet paper

Kara carried a soccer ball with her for most of the trip. It was annoying to carry around and get through airport security on a few occasions, but it gave Tyler and Kara something else to do. Plus, other kids joined in on the fun, so it also opened up Tyler and Kara to the chance to meet other children from around the world.

I first started using packing cubes on our around the world trip and they have totally changed how we pack and organize our things. Now, we never travel without them. Packing cubes are available in all different sizes and are critical in keeping your clothing organized. If you are living out of a backpack long-term, keeping your clothes compartmentalized makes traveling, packing, and unpacking so much easier. Rather than a backpack filled with a jumble of shirts, socks, pants, shoes, and underwear, you can have a cube for each type of clothing. Finding what you need is easier and unpacking when you get to your next hotel is quick and easy. We used lots of cubes, in all different sizes, and I highly recommend them.

The Eagle Creek compression bag (size large) is the perfect place to stash dirty laundry while traveling. Throw your dirty laundry into this bag, compress it flat as a pancake, and toss it in your backpack. These bags separate your dirty, smelly clothes from the rest of the clean clothes, all while taking up less room.

There are several items that were rarely used but really nice to have. The corkscrew, the sewing kit, the Steri-Pen (for sterilizing water while hiking), and the first aid kit fall into this category. However, the emergency toilet paper was used much more than you might expect. This is something you really should consider carrying with you, as toilet paper is not found in all bathrooms around the world.

  • Copies of passports
  • Passport photos
  • Immunization Book
  • International Driver’s License
  • Tim:  REI Grand Tour 80L backpack
  • Julie:  REI Grand Tour 80L backpack
  • Tyler:  Northface Overhaul 40L
  • Kara:  REI Trail 25L
  • 2 Pacsafe daypacks
  • 1 packsafe messenger bag (as Julie’s camera bag)

We packed our clothing and accessories into Tim’s backpack, my backpack, and Tyler’s backpack. Kara’s backpack became the kids’ daypack, filled with their computers, Kindles, and journals.

While we were out sightseeing, Tim carried food, money, water, and other essentials in his daypack. I carried the camera in the messenger bag.

Homeschool Materials

When we traveled around the world, Tyler was in the 6th grade and Kara was in the 5th grade. To keep them on track with the public school system, they both did homeschooling while we traveled.

We used a company called Calvert Home School, at the advice of our local school system. In 2014, most of their books and lessons were not digitalized. Tim and I digitalized most of the curriculum ourselves (prior to leaving the US) and loaded this onto Tyler and Kara’s computers. There was no way that we could carry boxes of books with us as we traveled.

What about Souvenirs?

As we traveled we purchased souvenirs, although we kept this to a minimum. Anything we bought either had to be carried or shipped home. Shipping a box from Africa or Asia to the US is expensive and there’s always that small chance that it won’t make it to its final destination. All of our boxes made it home, but several got damaged in transit, so not everything we bought made it back in one piece.

In addition to the backpacks listed above, we also had a smaller bag, similar to a cloth grocery bag, for carrying souvenirs, filled journals, or even snack food, while traveling. Once the bag was full, we would ship it home.

Are you planning a trip around the world? Read all of our articles about around the world travel, from planning to what it’s like to be on the road, on our How To Travel Around the World page.

More Information about Traveling Around the World

Around the World Packing List

AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL: If you have dreams of traveling around the world, visit our Around the World Travel Guide , for links to all of our articles about how to travel around the world.

AROUND THE WORLD ITINERARY: We spend 396 days traveling around the world. Here is our around the world itinerary and a recap of our trip around the world.

TRAVEL ADVICE: Here is our list of tips to help you maximize your time while traveling. We also have tips on traveling with kids plus a massive list of 101 travel tips we learned while traveling around the world.

EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in Europe, check out our article 30 Beautiful Places to Visit in Europe and the 20 Best Hikes in Europe.

DESTINATIONS AROUND THE WORLD: For more places to visit around the world, check out our Destinations page.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc.), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

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Comments 31

Avatar for M V

Thanks!! and you made it to the future !!! And the wavelength matched what I was thinking Warm places and currently as I write its the countries on Equator which gets good sunshine and than The world without borders and national boundaries !!! It sounds the things I need to check now are 1. Did you applied all the visas from home country (some have limitation of 3 months or 6 months in advance from date of travel). 2. I see you answered the back pack question (40l vs 80l), is there any tough flights where luggage was charged extra due to large back packs ( in case you took budget airlines in Europe or South east Asia) 3. Where can we check the immunization required for 5 year old. or any minimum things… 4. Also in case you can talk about internet speed and network ( in jungles and remote vs country by country), prices and local internet plan on phone ( for urgent use when not at hotel or airport) 5. Did you used Google maps and Google translate, how good they worked. 6. What mode is good to send goods from Africa, East Asia, Eastern Europe and South America to home country, what about customs and charges like weight, size etc. Did you insured the goods which you send in-between the trips. 7. Appreciate the blog and thoughtfulness for traveling with family. 8. Is vegan and Veg food available in African parts of safari 9. How to save from frauds and how to book guides for local tours (either by hotel recommendation or by blogs !) 10. Thanks

Avatar for Julie

For visas in the middle and end to our trip, we applied for them while traveling, visiting the embassies for that country while in the country we were visiting. For example, we got our Vietnam Visa from the embassy in Yangon, Myanmar. To do this, we added on days in each of these cities to give us enough time to get the visas. Luggage fees depend on the airline so you will have to check them individually. For immunization requirements, you can check the embassy website of the countries you are visiting. Internet speeds and networks depend on the country. Usually in jungles and remote areas there is little to no internet access. Google maps worked very well and we use it all the time while traveling. To mail things home, we either used the post office, FedEx, or a shipping country like FedEx. It is expensive so we only did it when necessary. I don’t know about vegan food while in safari in Africa. We use a company like GetYourGuide to book tours. I’d be hesitant to book a tour from a guide on the street since it might not be reputable. Cheers, Julie

Avatar for Spencer

Love the site! My wife and I, 47, no kids, left The states on August 3rd thinking we were going to move to Costa Rica. Rented out our house, bought a car here and are Airbnbing. After some time, we are rethinking our plans and want to travel to places we never could get enough time off of our jobs to go to. We want to travel Primarily in Asia with a definite stop in Croatia. What kind of immunizations did you need for your Asian travels?

Thank you for any help! Be Well!

That sounds very exciting!! We had all the standard vaccinations you need in the US, including Hepatitis A and B and we also had a vaccine for Typhoid Fever. We also had Yellow Fever vaccine but this was for Africa and South America. We did not have the rabies vaccine (but had a few instances in Asia where we were almost bitten by dogs so I would consider getting this on a future trip to Asia) or the vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis. We also had malaria prophylaxis for India. Malaria prophylaxis meds aren’t necessary in Southeast Asia in the winter, but outside of this season, it might be a good idea. For more recommendations, you can check the CDC website . Have fun exploring Asia! Cheers, Julie

Avatar for Chi Le

Thank you for sharing your experiences and enjoyment of world travel with us. Do you have any packing advise for a couple 72 & 68 yrs who will travel 1 month in Viet Nam? Thank you, Chi Le

For a month in Vietnam, our packing list would be very similar to this one. We tend to bring less clothes for a longer trip (2 weeks or more) than a shorter trip (less than 2 weeks), since we do laundry when we travel (for a shorter trip we bring what we need with no plans to do laundry, so we may have more clothes). For Vietnam, I’d probably bring a 2nd swimsuit (if I was planning to visit the beach) and a nice dress or skirt with sandals for going out to dinner (or in Tim’s case, a nice shirt and pants). Cheers, Julie

Avatar for Oliver Sarmolin

Thank you for shairing so much info at one place. Although I perfer having bike trips generally, even though found your blog very interesting. you guys have serious good karma building up. take care and looking forward to your next post.

Avatar for Matt Law

Did you have to check your 80L packs on every flight? Do you think you could have made it in one of the newer carry on sized packs that are around 40L? I’m guessing packing extra pairs of shoes takes up quite a bit of space.

Yes, those 80L backpacks are pretty big (they had to be checked). Each kid carried a smaller backpack and we usually made these carry-on. I’m not sure if a 40L pack is carry-on size. You can check the dimensions with what the airlines qualify as carry on. There is a difference in sizes between both airlines and countries. For example, the European carry-on size is smaller than US carry-on baggage. It can be done, but it would have been almost impossible for us to get by with a 40L pack. Cheers, Julie

Avatar for Adelina Addy

I went to a rather small trek but your site helped! good stuff

Avatar for Crystal

Thankyou for this! helped me on my trip.

Avatar for Ethan Frank

Great article! Thanks a lot for sharing packing List

Avatar for Sarah

I’m planning a round the world trip, largely inspired by reading your blog! We plan to spend a decent amount of time hiking and camping. I’m curious what you all do with your valuables (in particular, the laptops) when you camp? Do you carry your laptops with you on hikes? Or find lockers somewhere to store them?

Thanks! Sarah

Hello Sarah. That’s so exciting that you are planning an around the world trip!! We only camped one time on our around the world trip and that was for 2 nights while on safari in Botswana. We left our belongings in our car, if I remember correctly. And for the Everest Base Camp trek, we had our hotel store our things for us. But since we stayed in hotels the rest of the trip, we either left our things in the hotel or in our rental car. Even now, when we are traveling between national parks and hiking, we leave our valuables in the car, since they would be heavy to carry on a hike, but the possibility of theft is always on our minds. Fortunately, that has not happened yet. Cheers, Julie

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10 Landmarks Around The World That Are Worth Planning The Vacation

  • Planning a bucket list can be daunting, but don't miss out on the global wonders like Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China.
  • Some landmarks are remote, while others are in major cities, but all represent stunning architecture and nature.
  • Insider tips include bringing water and hiring a tour driver for Angkor Wat, staying late for the pyramid light show at the Great Pyramid of Giza, and booking tickets ahead for the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Planning out a bucket list destination list can be a daunting task because there never seems to be enough time to see and do anything, but there are some global wonders that simply shouldn't be missed. From the UNESCO-recognized , sky-high ancient ruins of Machu Picchu to the serpentine Great Wall of China , there's plenty to explore in every corner of the world.

Some of these destinations are remote, but they're well worth the journey. Others, like the Eiffel Tower or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, are right in the heart of major metropolises. All of them are representative of the best of ancient architecture, stunning nature, or both. These are the best landmarks around the world worth visiting.

Siem Reap's Angkor Wat is a massive ancient temple complex that represents the glory of the long-gone Khmer Empire. It's a gigantic collection of structures that look at the sunrise, although visitors should expect a lot of crowds at that popular time.

  • Insider Tip: Bring water and hire a tour driver for the day to see the most possible
  • Best Time to Visit: January and February

Great Pyramid Of Giza

The majestic Great Pyramid of Giza is easily one of the top wonders of the ancient world at the final resting place of Pharaoh Khufu. This gigantic monument and tomb stretches over 450 feet high and towers over the smaller structures at Giza.

This is a top travel highlight while visiting Egypt and one of the many landmarks around the world worth visiting whenever possible.

  • Insider Tip: Stay late to see the pyramid light show for a fantastic treat
  • Best Time to Visit: Winter

Related Link: 28 Strange Facts About The Pyramids Of Egypt Very Few Know

Leaning Tower Of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa might be less than 200 feet off the ground, but its signature slant draws thousands of tourists every year, and it's truly worth the trip. Travelers can marvel from the tower outside or take just under 300 steps up and get a great view of Pisa.

  • Insider Tip: Book tickets ahead as this attraction tends to get really busy
  • Best Time to Visit: Spring

Machu Picchu

The fantastic, ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu sit just outside the town of Aguas Calientes, an hour or so away from Cusco, and are definitely one of the landmarks around the world worth visiting.

Visitors can take a train or attempt the Inca Trail trek if they want a more authentic experience. Machu Picchu itself is mountainous and vast and provides incredible views of the Sacred Valley.

  • Insider Tip: Wear layers and bring an umbrella as this part of Peru is prone to unpredictable weather
  • Best Time to Visit: Spring and Summer

Although Agra's Taj Mahal might look like an incredible palace, it's actually an elaborate tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, commissioned by her husband, Shah Jahan. In addition to paying their respects to Mahal, visitors can roam the 42-acre grounds and explore the gardens, mosque, and guest houses.

  • Insider Tip: Dress conservatively and plan to spend several hours inside
  • Best Time to Visit: Late Fall and Winter

Related Link: These Are The 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls In India You Should See

The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall of China has got to be one of the most iconic symbols of the county. It's comprised of many walls, with roots dating back centuries . The Great Wall's sheer size and length make it a true archeological wonder and an obvious candidate for anyone's bucket list as one of the landmarks around the world worth visiting.

  • Insider Tip: Try to avoid weekends and holidays, as the wall gets packed with tourists
  • Best Time to Visit: Fall

Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia, in Istanbul, Turkey, sits on the European side near other major attractions like the magnificent Blue Mosque. It dates back to 537 C.E. and is one of the most recognizable and beautiful mosques in the city. Tourists can visit it if prayer services aren't being held.

  • Insider Tip: Women must cover their heads to enter the Hagia Sophia, and other mosques in the area, so bring a scarf
  • Best Time to Visit: Early Spring

Eiffel Tower

Paris' most notable and iconic landmark has been depicted countless times in film, reproduced on t-shirts, jewelry, and even on the Las Vegas strip, and is one of the most romantic structures on the planet.

The Eiffel Tower towers above Paris , and visitors can hike up to the top for a phenomenal city view. As well-traveled as it is, the Eiffel Tower is one of the world's most popular landmarks worth visiting.

  • Insider Tip: Take your time, buy your tickets in advance
  • Best Time to Visit: March to May

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and is notable for its incredible natural cascades and tons of different wildlife. These falls are one of the top attractions in their part of the continent and are a great bucket list item for anyone interested in nature and sustainability.

  • Insider Tip: Bring waterproof cases for phones and valuables
  • Best Time to Visit: January to March

The Parthenon

The Parthenon is one of the undisputed wonders of the ancient world, an homage to Athena, and an incredibly preserved piece of Grecian architecture. Located in Athens in the historic Acropolis district, The Parthenon sits amid several other notable ruins and is well worth the trip to Greece.

  • Insider Tip: Get there early to avoid the crowds and see everything
  • Best Time to Visit: Late Spring

Related Link: Exploring Ancient Treasures: A Tour Of South America's Top 10 Ruins

There are countless landmarks around the world worth visiting, but these are excellent additions to any traveler's bucket list (or, at least, the beginnings of one).

10 Landmarks Around The World That Are Worth Planning The Vacation

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  1. 20 tips for traveling around the world. Everything you need to know

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  2. Planning travel around the world 830833 Vector Art at Vecteezy

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  3. Quick Guide To Planning A Multi Continent Or Round The World Itinerary

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  4. The Ultimate Starting Guide For Planning a Trip Around The World

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  5. The Ultimate Checklist for a Trip around the World

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  6. Around the World Itinerary: 13 Months & 35 Countries

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COMMENTS

  1. How to plan a round-the-world trip

    To get the most out of your round-the-world ticket, consider stock-piling vacation days, tagging on public holidays or even arranging a sabbatical from work to take off at least two months (but ideally six months to one year). Because most airline alliances give you up to a year to use your ticket, you can maximize your purchase if you plan ...

  2. How to plan a trip around the world: 2024 Traveler's Guide!

    Eastward around the world. Westward around the world. Plan your trip around the world in 8 simple steps. Step 1: Decide on your destinations. Step 2: Decide on your trip length. Step 3: Create your trip's budget. Step 4: Research the countries and local holidays. Step 5: Plan out accommodations.

  3. How to plan a trip around the world

    1. Take to the sky. Air travel is, predictably, the simplest way to traverse the globe. Start by purchasing an around-the-world plane ticket through an airline alliance — coalitions of different ...

  4. Plan Your Around the World Trip Itinerary in 8 Steps (2024)

    3. Find creative overland routes. My niece is pleased as punch for her first trip on a train—an overnight sleeper train between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Whew, you now have a list of dream destinations for your world trip and a direction of travel. Now it's time to fill in the space in your itinerary.

  5. Around the World Itinerary: 13 Months & 35 Countries

    Nepal - September 21 to October 17. Kathmandu. Everest Base Camp Trek. Patan & Bhaktapur. Pokhara. We planned our around the world itinerary so that we would be in Nepal at the end of September, the start of the trekking season to Everest Base Camp. Most people make the trek in early to mid-October.

  6. How to Travel Around the World

    Planning an around the world trip can be an overwhelming experience. From figuring out your budget to designing your itinerary to packing your bags, there are so many things to consider. We know what it is like. It's exciting and terrifying and awesome all at the same time. It took us four years of discussion just to even make the decision to ...

  7. How to Design an Around the World Itinerary

    The typical around the world itinerary takes people to 15 - 20 countries. Yes, you can fit in more than 20 countries in a one year trip around the world, but your expenses will go up and the amount of time you have to immerse yourself in each country goes down. There is no way you are going to get everywhere.

  8. Planning a Trip Around the World

    RTW tickets (round the world), have been a popular option for those planning a trip around the world. For one set price, you are able to book a set number of tickets between countries going in a certain direction. The downside of this however, is that the dates of travel are set in stone (without paying change fees).

  9. How to Plan a Trip Around the World in 7 Steps

    Key Takeaways: How to Plan a Trip Around the World. -Step 1: Decide where you want to go. Try to choose 3-4 continents to visit and choose 2-3 destinations on each. -Step 2: Plan a route. Try to find the most efficient and cost effective route between your destinations. -Step 3: Plan a budget.

  10. The Ultimate Starting Guide For Planning a Trip Around The World

    5. Tricks for Finding Cheap Flights. 6. Prep time: The Ultimate Timeline to Plan A Round The World Trip. - 6mo - 1 year before. - 6 months ahead. - 3-6 months to go. - 1-3 months left. - 1-2 weeks until you leave.

  11. Travel Around the World

    How to plan a trip around the world. Plan for a month or more at least. Buy a RTW plane ticket for the most cost cutting option. Stay in hostels or local hotels. Pack light! Avoid bringing too many shoes and pack lightweight breathable layers. Utilize travel blogs for planning tips and research - blogger interview.

  12. The Ultimate Round the World Trip Planner

    The Best of Six Continents. Most round the world trip planners will want to see the "whole world" on their trips—all six inhabited continents, and potentially even Antarctica. Regardless of where your RTW travel originates, the general path you will follow is North America-Asia (Australia/New Zealand)- (Middle East/India) Europe (Africa ...

  13. How to travel around the world: our complete guide

    Follow the guide! So we have created a complete ebook that details all the important steps to plan a round-the-world trip. This ebook is a project in which we put all our heart, it is now part of " our babies ". We hope it will help you to take the plunge and organize your world tour to make the most of this wonderful experience!

  14. 20 Easy Steps to Travel the World in 2024

    Plan long-term world travel, specifically. Planning an around the world trip spanning months or years is a very different beast than a short trip. Here's what you need to know from my 13+ years of peripatetic wanders. Plan Your Itinerary Around the World; Packing for Long-Term Travel; Homeschooling While Traveling; How to Purge Everything You Own

  15. Ultimate Around the World Itinerary

    New Zealand (March 13 - April 10) I started off the around the world itinerary by taking a one-way flight to Auckland, New Zealand and from there got to explore both the North Island and South Island of the country. After spending a night in Auckland, I grabbed a rental car, and then began the journey from north to south.

  16. A complete guide to planning a trip around the world

    Try, on baby steps, to get out of your comfort zone, and move from curiosity to discovery. Start by organising a week-end away in your country, travelling by train. First you could book an all-inclusive package. Then a second step would be to join a tour.

  17. World Trip Planner

    In this section you can plan the travel expenses of your trip. Simply assign expenses to a waypoint or to the whole trip and your expenses will be calculated. The travelers and the number of nights are included in the calculation, so you can easily and quickly adjust your travel plan and immediately see the impact on your travel budget.

  18. Planning a budget-friendly trip around the world: your ultimate guide

    Feb 18, 2024. 8min. Plan your trip. Budget travel. If you're a traveler or backpacker yearning for an adventure that transcends the ordinary, consider embarking on a trip around the world. Imagine immersing yourself in diverse cultures, exploring breathtaking landscapes, and creating memories that will last a lifetime .

  19. Around the World Itinerary Planner + FREE DOWNLOAD!

    Step 2: Determine length of stay. Some locations are easier than others when it comes to around the world itinerary planning. Just at a glance we knew we weren't going to need 10 days to "do" Oktoberfest but we knew that driving a campervan around New Zealand might take up to 4-6 weeks. By adding a second column to our spreadsheet titled ...

  20. Around the World Travel Planning Checklist and Timeline

    Use our solid timeline to outline when to do what before you leave. Use AirTreks' Official Around the World Travel Planning Checklist and Timeline to organize your trip to-do list from a year out all the way up until the day you depart. We don't mean to brag, but it's one of the best free resources for planning a complex, multi-city trip ...

  21. How to plan a trip around the world itinerary: our best tips!

    Thailand: A bit of a place to go for backpackers, but also a wonderful country and people! Budget in Thailand: around 22 euros per day per person. China: Our first round-the-world trip and first culture shock. We loved it! Budget: around 22 euros per person per day, but this depends on the region.

  22. How to Travel Around the World

    Planning for Travel Around the World - Quick Links. From planning your budget to choosing your destinations and packing the right gear, these will help get you started. Check out these in-depth articles for more detailed tips to travel around the world. How to Save Money for Travel: 15 Tips to Get You Started Now; Ultimate Pre-Travel Checklist

  23. Solo travel tips: How to get started traveling alone

    Stay safe while traveling:Here are 17 CIA tips, advice to think like a spy on vacation Learn more: Best travel insurance It wasn't always smooth traveling. At times, Orth said she survived "by ...

  24. Our Around the World Packing List

    1 rain jacket. 1 pair pajamas. 1 pair long underwear. 1 swimsuit. 1 visor/hat. 1 bra and 1 sports bra (Julie only) 1 scarf (Julie only) We designed our around the world itinerary for an almost "endless summer.". By staying in warm climates for most of the year, we were able to avoid bringing along winter coats or cold weather gear.

  25. 10 Landmarks Around The World That Are Worth Planning The Vacation

    The fantastic, ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu sit just outside the town of Aguas Calientes, an hour or so away from Cusco, and are definitely one of the landmarks around the world worth visiting.

  26. The Top Trends Inspiring Travel in 2024

    Three-quarters of respondents who plan to travel to a sporting event in 2024 will spend at least three hours getting there and most (58 percent) will be traveling for soccer, basketball or Formula 1 racing. ... American Express Travel also found that 66 percent of respondents planning on traveling solo are planning a trip centered around self ...