Planning a round-the-world trip is no small feat. Gallivanting around the world and stopping wherever you want needs meticulous planning. Do you want to see it all or are you just indecisive? If you cannot decide on a single location, this is the best trip for you. Here is a guide on how to start.
How long you need
If you flew non-stop you could circumnavigate the world in a weekend. However, what would be the fun in that? You would be flying more than you would be enjoying the scenery. Moreover, the minimum duration on round-the-world (RTW) tickets is 10 days. To get the most out of this trip, you should consider stockpiling your public holidays, annual leave, and even taking a sabbatical. Ideally, you need to take two months off work. The maximum duration of a RTW ticket is one year.
Where to go
The cheapest RTW tickets fly between big cities such as Singapore, Sydney, and London. However, if you want to visit offbeat hubs, the prices will go up considerably. The cost of a ticket depends on the number of countries visited or total distance covered. You do not have to fly to each destination; you can travel by bus or train from one location to another. Is your budget an issue? You should consider spending less time in expensive countries. For instance, you will spend more money in North America and Western Europe and less money in North India and Australia.
When to go
When choosing the best time to travel around the world, you should consider the weather in your destination countries. The weather will not be ideal in all the stops. Therefore, you need to focus on what you want to do and look into the weather of particular places. Do you want to see whale sharks in Western Australia? Visit between the months of April and July. You also need to accept that you will be in some places during unfavorable weather – this could offer unforeseen benefits such as better sceneries and cheaper prices.
Generally, you can sightsee all year round while escaping bad weather indoors. Outdoor activities, however, rely more on good weather.
How to do it
The most cost-effective way of traveling around the world is to purchase a RTW ticket that uses a single airline alliance. Theoretically, you can route the trip in any way, but knowing the way RTW booking works could help you save a buck. For example, Star Alliance is a coalition of 27 airlines, which offers a RTW ticket with of 15 maximum stops. There are rules: you must begin and finish in the same country, follow one global direction, book all your flights before departing and change them later as needed.
Tips and pitfalls
- You need to consult an expert before booking your RTW trip. Although you may have a vague idea of what you want, an expert will know the best and cheapest routings – which could mean big savings for you.
- If you do not board one of the booked flights, the airline might cancel the subsequent flights, putting a stop to your RTW travel.
- When thinking of ways to raise money, you should exhaust all your options: savings, crowd funding, and loans.
- You need to be flexible. Moving up your departure date can save money. Flights taken in the middle of the week are generally cheaper.
Whatever you do, just remember that seeing the world is not a race. You should take your time in all destinations.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
Author Bio
Wendy Dessler
Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama
Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.
Photo: http://www.outreachmama.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Wendy-Dessler.jpg
Twitter Handle: @outreachmama
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/outreachmama
Website URL: http://www.outreachmama.com/
