Planning a round the world trip

Bob Atkinson
( Travel Expert)

Whether you are a novice or an experienced traveller, we have searched for companies who can help you turn your trip into the journey of a lifetime.

Travelbag - Being a long haul specialist, Travelbag offer a tailor made service for planning and booking a Round the World Trip.  Their staff have extensive personal travel experience and they use all the major airlines to build your trip at value for money fares

See more of our recommended companies

• Where do you want to go? - Grab a notepad and then open a map of the world!  Make a list of the places that you want to visit on your trip and note these down.
  
  
• How long do you want to travel for? - Identify how long you wish to spend in each destination and how long you have in total for the trip.  It's best to consider how hectic or how relaxing you want the trip to be.  If you plan too many places then you can end up feeling that the trip of a lifetime will end up as an ordeal, with no time to really get to know or see the destinations you dreamed of.  You also need to consider the effect of travelling and how this will tire you.
  
  
• Where are the 'must see' places? - Once you have your list of destinations and a time frame, you need to place importance against each destination, split these into 'must see', 'would like to see' and 'optional'. It is also worth listing any activities that you would like to do on the trip such as sports, culture, sightseeing... ..rank these as well.
  
  
• Route - Place the destinations you wish to see in geographical order from east to west, starting with the UK.  Use a world map to help you if you are not sure.  Round the World fares generally operate with a route that follows from east to west or one from west to east in a continuous journey.  It is usual that you can't back track, however there is always a way around this.  Place the level of importance against each destination.
  
  
• Budget - Decide on a total budget that you are looking to spend.  Bear in mind that this will need to cover your air fare and taxes as well as transfers, accommodation costs and food.  This is before any extras such as souvenirs and trips you may take in each of your destinations.

• Time of the year to travel & weather - Research the weather for each destination you are looking to travel to.
  
  The southern hemisphere (South America, Australasia, Southern Africa) has their summer in our winter and vice versa, however you may wish to check out the monsoon seasons in the Far East and the hurricane season in the Caribbean to ensure you don't arrive packed for sun and find you are in the middle of the rainy season or a blizzard!  This may help you to prioritise your destinations for the time you can travel.
  
  See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/
  
  
• Passports and visas - You are going to need to check your passport is valid.  We advise that it is valid for a minimum of six months after the date you plan to return to the UK.  You should also check whether you require visas for the destinations you are planning to go to.  Bear in mind that these can take several weeks to arrange and are rarely free!  Check with the relevant embassy of the country you are planning your travels to and only start the visa process once you have booked your flights.
  
  See: http://www.thamesconsular.com/
  
  
• Health - Have you considered whether your health is up to the rigours of trekking in Nepal, hitchhiking across the USA or diving in Australia?  To really enjoy your trip, you need to be in good general health and be realistic about what you are looking to do whilst away.  If in any doubt consult a doctor - you will probably need to anyway to check for any inoculations you may need, as well as any tablets for threats such as malaria.
  
  See: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/
  
  
• Accommodation - Use our hotels search for help with accommodation ideas around the world.
  
  
• Car hire - You can pre-book car hire to make the most of exploring your destinations.  Use our car hire search to help you with this.
  
  
• Insurance - Do NOT travel without adequate insurance cover.  For trips over one month you may need a specialist policy.  You also need to consider whether you are likely to take part in any activities such as bungee jumping, water sports or skiing and ensure your chosen policy will cover you as appropriate.  For an up to the minute tailored quote, complete our online form to see the best prices from travelsupermarket.com.

Who do we recommend?

With so many companies to choose from, we have researched the market to find those with a wide range of choice as well as some that are more specialist.  Browse our list below to find the right company for you, then click through to their web site for more information and how to book.  It couldn't be easier!

Further guides on round the world flights