Planning and booking a round the world trip may seem daunting, but don't worry, we've put together a step-by-step, easy to follow guide to get you off to a flying start. Follow this guide and you'll be ready to speak to an experienced advisor who can bring your plans to life and get your booking made! By planning carefully you will make the process much easier. Read more...
Do's
- Do be realistic in what you are trying to achieve - don't overstretch yourself
- Do set a clear budget and stick to it
- Do be clear about you really want to go and what you want to do
- Do listen to the advice of the travel consultants - many have travelled extensively and can give you lots of top tips
Don'ts
- Don't set off without doing research beforehand - arriving in a strange land with no idea where you are going is a recipe for disaster
- Don't travel without adequate travel insurance
- Don't travel without letting friends and family know where you are and when they can expect to hear from you
- Don't pack loads of unnecessary items - you'll soon regret having to lug them around the world with you.
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 flights 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 sight seeing you may want to do in 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 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.
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.
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 round the world 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.
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.
Travel insurance - Do NOT travel without adequate travel insurance cover. For trips longer than 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 travel insurance quote, complete our online form to see the best prices from travelsupermarket.com.
Choosing the right fare - There are a variety of round the world airfares and the companies that we deal with all have a wealth of experience to help you choose the right ticket for you.
They will help you choose fares taken from airline groupings such as:
- One World - British Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, JAL and more
- Star Alliance - Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Continental, United and more
- Sky Team - Air France, KLM, Delta, Aero Mexico, Korean Air and more
... Or you can choose from special offers put together by a couple of carriers.
An experienced consultant will take your planned route and fit your ideas to the fare options available. They can suggest ways to amend your itinerary to get the most out of your trip, and also advise on things such as weather, the cost of living and visas.
Main round the world fare types
The main round the world fare types are as follows:
- One World - Global Explorer, One World Explorer and Discovery tickets. These are based on either stops or a combination of mileage and stops.
- Star Alliance - Round the world ticket based on mileage. There are four levels based on 26,000, 29,000, 34,000 and 39,000 miles travelled on partner airlines of the alliance. These allow a minimum of three and a maximum of 15 stops.
- Sky Team - This is similar to Star Alliance and is based on mileage and minimum and maximum stops.
All the fares are available to travel in Economy, Economy Plus (where available), Business and First Class. Whichever class of travel you choose the same rules tend to apply, it's just the fare that changes.
You don't have to fly your entire journey, many tickets will allow you to have 'surface sectors' where you travel overland and then continue flying on. For example, you could fly into Bangkok and then fly out of Singapore, travelling overland between the two.
Round the world tickets are usually valid for up to a period of one year after the original date of travel from the UK. he minimum period is anything from one to two weeks. For most tickets you only have to book your first flight from the UK, the others can be left open so you can book at a later date; however you do need to state your intended route.
Most people will book their itinerary with the dates they plan and then if they need to change, this is usually accommodated subject to availability and the payment of a small administration fee. Flexibility on these types of tickets is very good and you can even change the route once booked with many of them.
Booking your accommodation - A trip round the world doesn't have to cost the earth as there are a range of options to suit all budgets.
Whether you're looking for luxury accommodation or basic hostels, it is vital to set your budget accordingly. To help your consultant get you the best deals, make sure you tell them the star ratings of the hotels you want to stay in.
If budgets are tight, you can always spend a few nights in a lower grade hotel and then treat yourself in between with a luxury stay in a top class hotel. Also consider local style hotels such as Ryokan's in Japan to experience local traditions. Generally the Far East is the best value for top quality hotels with many at very attractive rates and excellent levels of service. By combining differing styles of accommodation you can make your budget go further.
And finally... .. - Don't forget to pack accordingly to the type of travel you are planning. The key is to take as little as possible and have clothes that are easily cleaned and light. Don't take loads of things that you 'may' need - you probably won't even touch them on your trip so be ruthless and leave them at home. You can always buy anything that you forget when you are away.
