ultimate round the world trip

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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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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Ultimate Around the World Itinerary | 1 Year Around the World

By: Author Charles

Posted on August 25, 2023

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

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…

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 .

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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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!

Round the World How-To

Inside: the ultimate guide to planning a dream vacation around the world, from rtw tickets to choosing your bucket list itinerary..

Let’s face it, the pandemic was a punch to the gut for travel lovers around the world.

Never did I think I’d see a day when I couldn’t just bebop onto a transatlantic flight. Or just, say, leave my own home. But there we were.

When I (literally) dusted off my passport in early 2021, the thin layer of dust accumulated was borderline soul crushing.

But fear not dear globetrotters, the pandemic era is finally in the rear view mirror and international travel has rebounded with a heart-warming zeal!

So now what?

You’ve got some lost time to make up for, that’s what.

And there’s no better way to do it than with a life-changing, Bucket-List-crushing, dream vacation around the world .

Take my word for it…I’ve done 10 around the world trips, visiting more than 175 countries on all 7 continents along the way. And you can, too.

But I probably don’t need to waste my time selling you on the idea of a trip around the world. You found this site. I suspect you’re on board.

So let’s start with the basics.

What is a Round the World Trip?

Simply put, a Round the World (RTW) trip is a circumnavigation of the globe, either in an eastward or westward direction. Start in one city and continue east or west until you get back to it. That’s all there is to it!

Tip: West is best for combatting jetlag, while east saves time and hotel nights ($$) with overnight flights. (I’m cheap and usually short on time, I fly east. )

Read More: 8 Reasons to Stop Dreaming & Start Planning a Trip “Around the World in 30 Days “

Of course, while the concept of round the world travel is simple, the variables are far more complex.

For example, you may be wondering…

How many days do I need for a RTW trip?

What you’ve probably seen on YouTube and Instagram from round the world travelers is true.

Most quit their jobs, sell their possessions, and hit the road for a year or more with big dramatic flair. Of course, that kind of nomadic commitment is not for everyone.

And I’m living proof that there are other options.

My first 9 RTW trips were approximately 30 days each. The lone exception was RTW #10, my honeymoon , which clocked in at a pretty incredible 3 months.

I’ve also done 30-day trips focused on various regions of the world like Europe , Central America , Oceania , the Balkans , and the Himalayas (a great option if there’s a specific part of the world that interests you or you just hate jetlag).

For me, a month is the ideal amount of time to travel.

Long enough to truly disconnect and explore. Yet short enough that I’m unlikely to throw my carry-on (we’ll get to that) suitcase out the nearest train window because I’m tired of every single thing in it.

There’s no right answer to how long your round the world trip should take. I know someone who went around the world in 5 days (zero stars, do not recommend) and someone else who started 10 years ago and is still going strong.

So, two weeks, a month, or even 6 months to travel around the world? It’s totally up to you.

The bottom line: Take as much time as you can, anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months will do. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that you never know if you’ll have the chance to do it again.

A trip around the world sounds amazing, but how do I get the time off?

When I wrote the first edition of The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting 11 years ago, this topic was a central focus and the largest hurdle to taking a career-friendly trip around the world. After all, most Americans are stuck with a measly 2 weeks of annual vacation leave (the horror!).

So, how do you travel the world without tanking your career?

Amazingly, on this front, the COVID-19 pandemic gifted us with one gleaming silver lining:

WORK. FROM. HOME.

Yes, even the stuffiest of Fortune 500 corporations have finally come around to the idea that work from home can (and does) work – with the right employee.

This revelation is especially thrilling to me as someone who has been working from home (combined with business travel) for more than 20 years.

In fact, my friends will tell you that my life mantra has always been:

If you can work from home, you can work from Rome. Jenny McIver Brocious

Or Paris. Or Bangkok. Or wherever floats your boat. You get the idea.

There’s a lot more to making this work successfully from exotic locales – time zone challenges, reliable internet, etc. (I go into that in detail in the book) – but I can assure you, it can be done. And it beats the pants off working from your dining room table.

The bottom line: You can use the WFH option to increase your available time for travel. Add days or weeks onto your trip or schedule a trip just to work from somewhere inspiring.

What’s on your Bucket List?

And now we come to the fun part. This is where the magic happens.

Where in the world do you want to go?

I speak from experience when I say that there are few things more thrilling than sitting down in front of a giant foldout map of the world and plotting out your dream vacation .

Maybe you already have a dozen exotic destinations in mind. Or maybe there are places in the world you never considered visiting because they always seemed too far away.

The beauty of going around the world is that the entire world becomes just a short flight away.

How many destinations should I choose?

The answer will directly correlate to how much time you plan to take. My month-long trips have ranged from an uber-ambitious 15 stops on Round the World #1 to a more relaxed pace with 8 stops on Round the World #2 .

Here’s a simple, 3-step plan to crafting your round the world itinerary:

• Make your wish list.
• Compare it to the number of days you have to travel.
• Adjust accordingly.

Critically evaluate how long you actually need to see each place on your wish list.

For some (like me), 2-3 days per destination can be a good rule of thumb. Devote more time to your “ Top 5 ” must-see destinations and maybe just spend one day exploring the city you only added to the itinerary because it was right there and you couldn’t just skip it (you laugh, but I guarantee a few of these stops will sneak their way onto your itinerary!).

Remember that a short-term round the world trip, however incredible, is not going to be an in-depth cultural experience at every stop. Think more Amazing Race and less Under the Tuscan Sun .

It IS, however, a terrific way to get a taste of new and exciting places and start building a new wish list for future trips.

Depending on your interest level, you may not need a week to see the Pyramids , I did it in an afternoon and it was magnificent. A full day at the Taj Mahal and a morning walk along the Great Wall of China were enough to fulfill my dream of seeing those world wonders.

But that’s me. And I’ve been told I can be a little, ah, overly-energetic when I travel. You do you.

Need some destination inspiration? Here are 30 of my favorite travel experiences around the world:

Around the World in 30 Extraordinary Travel Experiences

And here are the Top 50 places I think should be on every Bucket List:

50 Amazing Places for Your Travel Bucket List (2024)

Round the World Flights: The RTW Ticket (your new best friend)

I am fortunate that my years of excessive business travel have one nifty little side benefit, I have a crap ton of airline miles.

So when I discovered the magical world of “ Round the World airline tickets ” years ago, those Delta miles not only afforded me the opportunity to take that first RTW trip but to take it in first class with Delta’s Skyteam Alliance.

Sadly, the days of booking a RTW ticket with miles went the way of the dodo bird in 2015. I won’t lie to you, I wept openly when Delta first announced it (followed quickly by United and American).

But all is not lost if you’ve been hoarding miles like pandemic toilet paper. All major US airlines now allow one-way award booking. Meaning you can still use your miles to route yourself around the world, one one-way flight at a time!

And honestly, the old mileage RTW tickets were a deal but they were a BEAR to book and had zero flexibility. One-way award booking gives you a ton more flexibility plus the option to mix economy and business class legs (for longer flights) on your journey. This is a BIG perk.

Here are a few more tips for you “ Up in the Air ” business travelers out there with miles & points to burn:

How to Use Points & Miles to Redeem Your RTW Dream

No miles, no problem

Two of the three major airline alliances do still offer paid RTW ticket options. Delta’s Skyteam Alliance is the exception, they discontinued the RTW ticket option completely a few years ago. The airline alliance RTW tickets are not cheap and you’ll spend extra time connecting through hub cities but you can earn a ton of miles as you travel.

If that option interests you, start here:

• Oneworld – World Travel (American, Alaska)
• Star Alliance – Round the World (United)

The affordable RTW ticket…

If redeeming (or earning) miles isn’t your jam and you truly just want the most affordable way to see the world, skip the airline alliances and head straight to:

• Airtreks – This site is more service oriented, you enter a proposed itinerary and a travel planner will contact you to create the perfect customized itinerary.
• BootsnAll – This one is more DIY. You can create and book an itinerary yourself online.

Unlike the airline alliances, these two round the world airfare specialists utilize all airlines to create your dream itinerary. This will often yield both the best price and the most direct routing for your trip.

WARNING: Once you start playing around with the trip planners on these two sites, you may become addicted to the global possibilities.

Tip: You guessed it, I’ve covered all the ins and outs of booking RTW tickets in the book.

Hotels vs. Airbnb – Where to stay?

Once again business travel rewards can be handy when planning a round the world trip.

My Marriott and Hilton points have been offsetting the costs of my round the world trips for years. Not to mention affording me swank rooms at hotels and resorts that were WAY outside of my round the world budget, like these:

But if you don’t have points, not to worry! I am a firm believer that a quality, affordable hotel can always be found, even in the most expensive destinations. My go-to hotel site (when I’m not using points) is Booking.com .

Tip: If you’re not a member of any hotel frequent guest programs, sign up for all of them before you go. It’s free and you’ll earn points as you travel. Many also offer perks during your stay, just for being a member.

If you’re not a fan of chain hotels or if you’re going to be in one spot for more than 3 or 4 days, I’d highly recommend an apartment rental. They can be considerably cheaper than even the most economical hotel and having a kitchen can be a tremendous cost-saver as well. Not to mention it’s just fun to live more like a local!

One of my favorite apartment rental sites is Airbnb but I’ve also found that more and more apartment rentals are also listed on Booking.com (and the fees there are often cheaper than Airbnb). That said, I’ve booked with Airbnb all over the world (including the Tuscan villa we used for our wedding – below!) and never had a bad experience. If you haven’t yet rented through Airbnb, click here for my discount code. You’ll get $40 off your first rental and, when you book, I’ll get $20 off my next rental…that’s a win-win!

Who should I travel with on an around the world trip?

If you’re married, it would probably be rude to go without your spouse (try it at your own marital peril).

But if you’re single, this is a question that deserves serious consideration. If you’ve never traveled solo, your gut instinct may be to find a friend or family member to travel with.

But before you do that, consider this…

A solo trip around the world is perhaps the best gift you can ever give yourself, especially for women. It’s empowering, it’s safe and it just might be the best travel experience of your life.

Read More: Why Every Woman Should Travel the World Solo (at Least Once) & How to Stay Safe Doing It

No matter what you decide, choose carefully.

How to pack (carry on only!) for an around the world trip

Yes, you read that right. I just casually floated the idea of traveling around the world for a month or longer with nothing but a carry-on bag.

If you’re a guy, you were probably not at all alarmed by the previous paragraph and thought, “ Couple of t-shirts, some shorts, underwear, got it. ” You can scroll down to the next topic, this section is not about you.

Now, for my globetrotting ladies. I’m going to ask you to trust me on this one (we’ve known each other for 10 or 15 minutes now and I feel like you get me).

With so many flights involved in a RTW trip, carry-on is truly the only option.

Reuniting with a lost bag can quickly become a logistical nightmare when you’re changing cities every few days. (And I can assure you that no one at the lost baggage desk understands what “ RTW ticket ” means.)

If you don’t believe me you can read all about the one time I broke my own rule and ended up spending an entire day at baggage claim in Paris on Round the World #4 . (Actually, don’t. It’s mind-numbing reading and definitely not my best work.)

You can do this. You don’t need all the “ stuff ” you think you do!

(For the things you do need, here’s all the Stuff I Love most!)

I have traveled for as long as 3 months out of just a carry-on (and in case I forgot to mention it, I’m a girl!). I do freely admit, however, that I was over just about every item of clothing in that suitcase by the end. I also confess I checked a bag to Antarctica. Because Antarctica .

How do I do it? This excerpt from “ The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting ” is guaranteed to help you overcome your RTW packing challenges:

How to Travel Around the World with Just a Carry-On: A Girl’s Guide to Traveling Light

What else do I need to know for a RTW trip?

We’ve covered the big-ticket items – how long to travel, how many places to visit, with who, how to find RTW tickets, where to stay, and what to pack. So what’s left?

Well, a LOT actually. But hey, that’s where my book comes in (insert shameless plug here).

I’ll end with a hit list of other tips, tricks and things to consider when planning your once-in-a-lifetime (or maybe more!) round the world trip:

• Apps : For currency conversion, I like Oanda. And Google translate is also incredibly handy to have around.
• Thoroughly research entry requirements for ALL countries you plan to visit well in advance. Almost all visa applications can now be completed online.
• A good universal power adapter & converter is a must. More than one is a plus if you have lots of devices (and don’t we all these days?).
• Check with your doctor for any immunizations you may need for your destinations. I got the works before my first trip and haven’t had to worry about it since (other than the occasional prescription for malaria pills).
• Consider purchasing travel insurance, for a trip of this magnitude, it’s a must! Especially in the post-pandemic era. Here’s a good independent review of the benefits of travel insurance and the options available: 10 Best Travel Insurance Companies
• Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your planned date of return because all countries have different requirements on this.

And finally…

Get the Book!

For more comprehensive advice on planning your route, booking RTW tickets and everything else you ever wanted to know about traveling around the world, get the ultimate resource guide to planning a RTW trip (without quitting your job!):

Round the World in 30 Days: The Grown-Up’s Guide to Globetrotting

Now get out there and start planning the around the world trip of your dreams!

As Phil Keoghan says at the start of every season of the Amazing Race,

“The world is waiting for you!”

Round the World Tickets: The Ultimate Guide (Updated 2024)

Y ou've probably heard about round the world tickets, a one-stop shop approach to cross-continental flying. But let's be real: it's never been easier to book flight tickets yourself, and round the world tickets are pricey. So why do people book round the world tickets, and are they  actually worth the cost?

The quick answer is, it depends . If you're pressed for time, have a seriously fixed itinerary with many international stops to make, it can be cost-wise. However, if you have a whimsical, budget-conscious trip in mind, or are focusing on just one part of the world, there are cheaper options out there that you should know about  (like finding fares yourself on Skyscanner on Kiwi.com ).

So, here's everything you need to know about round the world tickets, followed by our DIY approach that could save you even more money!

• 1 How do Round The World tickets work?
• 2 How to book a round the world ticket
• 3 What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?
• 4 The alternative: book separate flights yourself
• 5 How to book your own round the world trip
• 6 So, what's the cheapest option?
• 7 A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City
• 8 What are the alternatives?
• 9 So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

How do Round The World tickets work?

Round the world (RTW) tickets are flight packages that let you visit a number of destinations around the world for one price. These tickets are offered by airline alliances like SkyTeam, Oneworld, and Star Alliance. All the flights in your itinerary must be served by airlines within the chosen alliance.

RTW tickets require you to select your destinations and departure dates in advance. This means you prepay for the pass and book all of your flights before your trip. Note: you don't have to actually fly “around the world” with these tickets , they're also sold as multi-city flights, continent-based travel, or by miles.

The perk of RTW tickets is the ability to book all flights at once at a discounted price, plus ensures a mass accumulation of frequent flyer miles since you'll only be flying partner airlines. You can even purchase part or all of your RTW ticket with relevant miles, where permitted.

How to book a round the world ticket

Round the world tickets can be purchased directly with airline alliances or via  travel agents .

Airline Alliances

• OneWorld Alliance
• Star Alliance

Each alliance offers an online trip planner that allows you to put in every stop of your itinerary and get a price quote. It also makes it easy to work around the restrictions of round the world tickets, warning you when your planned route doesn't meet the requirements. All alliances offer online booking, or you can call one of the participating alliance airlines directly.

Travel Agents

• AirTreks (U.S. – our top choice & has 32+ years experience in RTW planning)
• Liberty Travel (U.S.)
• Flight Centre ( Australia , U.K. , Canada )
• RoundAbout Travel (Australia)
• Student Flights (Australia)
• A travel agent local to you

Travel agents have exclusive access to flight deals, plus receive discounts accessible only via their IATA code. They also save a great deal of time and money whilst adhering to your budget and needs. Find an agency that specializes in round the world tickets, so they're aware of the restrictions and can secure the best price.

What are the restrictions and/or setbacks?

RTW tickets often more expensive than a DIY approach (covered later), especially given they exclude budget airlines. Furthermore, there are restrictions to follow, so ensure you've read the fine print. Such restrictions typically include:

• A minimum number of flights to book (typically three), as well as a maximum
• Flights usually must be within the same airline alliance. This can sometimes result in obscure stopovers to stay with partner alliances.
• Restrictions on the direction of travel (e.g. East to West only) and/or requiring you to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at least once
• All flights must end in the city you started from and connect from city-to-city (i.e. you can't fly into London, then take a train to fly out of Paris)
• A minimum number of stopovers
• Additional surcharges for itinerary changes and/or flying to certain destinations
• Missing a flight in your itinerary could result in the remaining flights being cancelled, even if days or weeks away

Whew! Though there are many restrictions, most will come up when making your booking . Simply use the round the world ticket planners provided by each alliance, put in your desired destinations, and the options and costs will be presented automatically.

The alternative: book separate flights yourself

The value of a round the world ticket depends on the route you're taking and the flexibility needed. More often than not, you'll find it's cheaper, easier, and more flexible to book your own round the world trip online across several bookings using multi-destination flight search engines like Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner . You also can mix and match airlines, and aren't confined by the restrictions that accompany an actual RTW ticket.

Credit card points programs also allow multi-city flight bookings, effectively allowing you to book your own round the world trip via points or a combination of cash and points. You can readily rack up a significant amount of miles just by hitting the minimum spend within a set time. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is our top pick as a beginner card. On hitting its minimum spend, you can earn up to 60,000 points worth $750 – more than enough for an international flight .

Flight deal subscriptions like Scotts Cheap Flights compile discounted airfare to your inbox, based on the desired departure airports. Whilst this doesn't include RTW flights, this could help you cover some of the legs of your trip, as it has majorly discounted international flights departing the U.S. For those outside America, similar services exist in the U.K. ( Jack's Flight Club ) and Canada ( Next Departure ).

The only major drawbacks with booking a RTW ticket yourself is the time and patience needed to make the booking. Additionally, you may end up with frequent flyer miles spread across a variety of programs, without enough miles in any program to use them. Most likely though, you'll come out ahead financially doing it yourself.

How to book your own round the world trip

Kiwi.com  and Skyscanner are the two flight search engines we recommend for booking your own tickets for a round the world trip. They include budget airlines and let you search multi-destination flights, letting you see prices for your entire itinerary at once.

The key difference between the two is that Skyscanner prefers results from partner airlines , while Kiwi.com will always  mix and match airlines (including budget airlines) for the cheapest price . Either booking site can be beneficial depending on your trip, so to get the best price, be sure to compare results and follow these tips:

• Experiment with  the order of your destinations for the best price. Just because a flight is shorter doesn't mean it will be cheaper.
• Experiment with the  dates of each flight . This can be time consuming, but if you're dedicated, you can shave hundreds of dollars off your total cost by simply finding the cheapest dates for each flight.
• Multi-city and  return flights are often better value than booking many one-way flights when they can all be fulfilled by the same airline/alliance. For example, Virgin Atlantic has routes from New York to London, London to Shanghai, and Shanghai to New York, so making one multi-city booking with this single airline will be cheaper than several individual bookings with different airlines.
• Skyscanner prefers partner airlines that can fulfil the entire itinerary you submit, which doesn't always get you the best price on complex itineraries. So if you have a lot of destinations, split your searches into 3-4 destinations at a time . For example, instead of submitting New York > London  > Paris > Beijing > New York as a single search, try searching New York > London > Paris as one search, and Paris > Prague > Beijing > New York as a second search. You don't have to worry about this on Kiwi.com , which always mixes and matches airlines to get the best results.

So, what's the cheapest option?

In our tests, the DIY approach is always cheaper, but it depends on the kind of trip you're taking. Round the world tickets can cost anywhere from $1,500 USD to $20,000 USD . The price varies greatly, and depends on your departure point, number of flights, distance flown, continents flown to, and flight class.

On the other hand, regular flight ticket prices are all over the map, dependent mostly on supply and demand. Sometimes a flight across continents can be even cheaper than a flight within your own country. Since regular flight tickets include budget airlines , sale and error fares , and you can still take advantage of discounts with partner airlines,  booking your own flight tickets has always been cheaper for us .

The only way to know for sure is to compare. Use the links provided in this guide and see what gives you the best result!

A Thrifty Case Study: A Round the World Trip from New York City

As an example, let's find the best price for the following round the world trip:  New York City > London > Paris > Prague > Beijing > Hong Kong > New York City . We want to go in  April and May , and we are booking now in  January . We'll start on Tuesday, April 10, and schedule each consecutive flight for the following Tuesday.

Option 1: A round the world travel agent

Booking with AirTreks also gives you a team with over 32 years of experience in RTW planning, all your tickets in one spot (instead of many confusing separate bookings), 24/7 support, and better routes (less layover time, more baggage, etc.) If you do find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know – AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat it!

Option 2: A round the world ticket booked directly with airline alliances

Putting in the same itinerary into each of the airline alliances' round the world trip planner gives us the following totals:

• OneWorld: $3,738.86 USD
• SkyTeam: $3,904.28 USD
• Star Alliance: $4,543.84 USD

Not exactly thrifty, and up to 3x the advertised price of the travel agent! True round the world tickets require strategic planning, so using a travel agent's expertise can save you time and money. But let's take a look at booking regular airline tickets yourself…

Option 3: Book your own tickets using Kiwi.com and Skyscanner

Using the Kiwi.com multicity search feature, we enter our full itinerary, and within minutes, we have a variety of options from $1,390 – $1,434 USD .

As we mentioned, Skyscanner usually just shows results from  partner airlines that can fulfill a ticket for the entire route. This route is pretty complex, and it's unlikely one airline alliance could fulfill it all, so let's  break it up .

After half an hour of trying different combinations of multi-city and one-way searches, the cheapest combination I could find for these dates was

• New York City > London > Paris > Prague: $390 USD
• Prague > Beijing: $283 USD
• Beijing > Hong Kong: $119 USD
• Hong Kong > New York City: $493 USD
• TOTAL TRIP COST: $1,285 USD

This is the cheapest option, beating Kiwi.com by only $105. What's going on here? In short, trial and error. The first batch of airlines aren't partners, but Skyscanner sometimes lets you mix and match airlines by using Kiwi.com for booking. And although there are partner airlines to fulfill the rest of the route, Hong Kong Airlines is an independent budget airline with competitive pricing, so it ended up being cheaper to book the flights separately in order to include their fares.

You can take this even further by testing different dates in your itinerary, as well as the order of your flights. As you can see, the process can be time consuming, but a little time rewards you with hundreds or thousands of dollars saved!

What are the alternatives?

Regional flight passes.

While not a round the world ticket in itself, this type of flight pass might be more sensible for your trip, depending whether you'll be flying a lot in one region versus globally. For instance, if you are planning to take more flights around South America than across continents, then you may be better off investing in one of their regional passes (check our guide here ).

Some examples of regional flight passes include:

• OneWorld single-continent passes: available for Africa, Asia, Japan, Australia & New Zealand, Malaysia, South America, Europe, North America, Middle East, South Asian Sub-Continent
• OneWorld multi-continent passes: rather than flying all the way around the world, these passes let you fly in a circle around one smaller area of the world
• SkyTeam regional passes : available for Asia & Southwest Pacific, Africa, Asia, Europe, Greater China, Russia, and USA & Canada
• Independent airline passes in South America : these work within specific South American countries (check our comprehensive list and guide here )
• Qantas Explorer pass : a flight pass for exploring Australia and New Zealand

Building your own stopover

A stopover – that is, an extended layover where you can actually leave the airport for 1 or more days or weeks – can be added for cheap or free to any trip, all by yourself. Our how-to guide here explains exactly how to do this.

Essentially, you find a flight fare that includes a layover, but instead of rushing to your connecting flight, you spend days or weeks in the layover destination, visiting 2 destinations for the price of 1. Whether you go round the world or not, it's a great way to squeeze more travel value out of your flight costs.

So, is a round the world ticket worth it?

In short, for most travellers, the answer is probably no. There are a certain set of criteria where it could be more cost-effective, and some travellers may prefer the ease of having all of their tickets booked in one pass anyway. However, the fixed timing, many restrictions, and high price are likely to be unappealing to those who are seeking a thriftier approach, especially when it's so easy to book yourself for less with Kiwi.com and Skyscanner .

The Thrifty Gist

• Round the world tickets are usually pricier than self-booking, but offer peace of mind and a pre-set itinerary
• A dedicated RTW agent such as AirTreks can save you a lot of time, with the added benefit of 24/7 support, having all of your flights in one place, established airlines with shorter routes, and over 32 years of experience in RTW planning. AirTreks tells us they're confident they could beat the other prices in this post, so if you find a cheaper fare yourself, let them know!
• Round the world tickets can be booked with airline alliances or travel agents, while self-booking regular flight tickets can be booked using the multi-destination features of Skyscanner and Kiwi.com
• Self-booking is usually the cheapest approach to a round the world trip, but can also be more tedious
• Reasons to self-book include the abundance of available error/sale fares , budget airlines, the ease with which self-booking can be done, and that stopovers can easily be added to any trip

Our website contains some affiliate links in relevant areas. This means we get a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for recommending a product we personally use, trust, and own.

trying to fin d the cheapest country to start a Oneworld 4 continent ticket July 2022, it used to be South Africa or Jordan, any update links?

Please send complete information for my round the world travel for 2 – up to a year.

Skyteam RTW tickets are not available currently, and haven’t been since the start of COVID. The Star Alliance RTW business ticket I just booked was half the price of using the DIY method.

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6 Sensible (and Not-So-Sensible) Round-the-World Travel Itineraries

Recently I shared five planning tips for creating your ideal round-the-world travel itinerary. A reader suggested that a few sample itineraries might make useful reading, and the opportunity to play around with RTW routes for a better reason than purely my own amusement was too good to pass up.

Vagabondish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read our disclosure .

For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to start every route in New York. I don’t live there, but I bet more readers do than in my current hometown in Western Australia, and wherever you are, you’re more likely to be able to adapt a route going through the US to suit your own situation. I’m using my favorite RTW site TripPlanner for the price estimates.

So to start off, and following my own advice, let’s look at some routes that include what I would call “sensible” destinations.

A Varied Route: Not Just Beaches, But Not Too Much Cash

New York — Barcelona — Athens — Cairo — Dubai — Bangkok — Sydney — Auckland — San Francisco — New York

For just over $3,000, it’s possible to get a RTW ticket stopping at places as varied as Gaudi-haven Barcelona, historically soaked Cairo (I hadn’t thought of Athens, but it got thrown in by TripPlanner as a free stopover), the modern architectural marvel of Dubai, and a stop in Bangkok which you could turn into a beach sojourn in a quiet part of Thailand. Getting home again could see you explore parts of east coast Australia and New Zealand before soaking up the San Francisco Bay atmosphere.

If you’re looking for variety, think big. Nobody says you have to stop at the biggest or most well-known cities. Many standard routes would head to London or Frankfurt rather than Barcelona, but why not head straight to the cities that really interest you most?

A Not-Overdoing-It Route: Don’t Squeeze the Whole World In

New York — Moscow — Singapore — Tokyo — Honolulu — Vancouver — Seattle — New York

Too much variety can be too much of a good thing. This route’s cheapest variant comes out at around $2,500, and I picked it using a handful of cities that have really interested me of late. Singapore and Seattle were free extras thrown in by the system — places where these routes would make stopovers anyway — but Moscow, Tokyo, Honolulu and Vancouver make to me a fascinating and relaxing vacation which also doesn’t need to last more than a few weeks.

A Cheap Route: Cheap Fare, Cheap Living Costs

New York — Shanghai — Bangkok — Delhi — Amsterdam — New York

For just over $2,000, you can get around the world with a few stops in the cheaper parts of Asia and one of the slightly less expensive cities of Europe. If you spend most of your trip in China, Thailand and India, or other areas of south-east Asia where living and traveling expenses are relatively low, you’ll have enough cash to enjoy a European stopover like Amsterdam on your way home.

A Summer Route: Don’t Pack A Coat

New York — London — Vienna — Hong Kong — Bangkok — Singapore — Perth — Melbourne — Christchurch (NZ) — Auckland (NZ) — Los Angeles — New York

This gets trickier, and we’re talking about a longer trip, nine months or a year. Say we start in New York in April — that’s spring in the northern hemisphere. Head to Europe for the northern summer. As the seasons change, enjoy the eternal warmth of tropical Asia, then when the southern hemisphere summer begins in December, head to Australia and New Zealand for a few months. Summer all the way, and you’ll have really cut back on your clothes packing by avoiding cold weather. But for a relatively reasonable $3,500, you’ve really seen a lot of the world in your shorts and T-shirt.

A Quick Route: Around the World in Much Less Than 80 Days

New York — Paris — Dubai — Hong Kong — Los Angeles — New York

While this is not really my style of traveling, I still think that giving someone the chance to see some very different corners of the globe, even if it’s only for a short time, is better than staying at home. You get the romance of Europe typified in Paris, a stopover in Dubai and an easy Asian thrill in Hong Kong, starting from around $2,200. This is the kind of route you could fit into a two-week vacation. I’m not recommending it, but if you can’t get any more time off, then it’s a viable alternative.

An Eccentric Route: Writer’s Choice

New York — Miami — Lima — Mexico City — Los Angeles — Tahiti — Auckland — Sydney — Ho Chi Minh City — Singapore — Mumbai — Delhi — Moscow — Frankfurt — Madrid — Casablanca — London — New York

Like I said: go wild. This is the ultimate RTW route I’d take if money was no object (it comes in at around $5,000). I’ve still chosen it with relative care about which connections are sensible, so that I don’t spend half of a year away sitting at airports.

Lessons From Itinerary Planning

If you sit down to plan your own round the world itinerary, be prepared to spend a reasonable amount of time at it. Over the years, I’ve looked at so many different routes — and thank goodness that the marvels of the internet makes this easy to do without the help of travel agents, who would never be patient with all my questions and ideas — that I have a good idea of the various routes that exist the world over. As you practice, you’ll get the hang of it too, and soon work out that getting in and out of South America is tricky and usually expensive, whereas hopping around Asia is usually relatively cheap.

Of all the possible travel planning you can do, designing a round-the-world itinerary of flights is probably one of the most enjoyable. Open yourself up to the millions of possibilities that exist. Take your time to play and adjust your route to see what else you can squeeze out of it — a few dollars saved, or an exciting stopover added. Enjoy your RTW planning, and then make sure you tell us about it so we can share the excitement a bit too.

Love those suggestions! I spend many-a-bored moment at work working and reworking RTW itineraries on AirTreks.com. LOL. Good day dream tool, to be sure.

cool article. Because of the nature of RTW flights you can also fit in some really great destination that would otherwise cost a lot of money on single trips, like Svalbard and Easter Island.

Definitely agree with you there, Mark. And hopefully now and again we can turn some of those daydreams into reality. Which of course leads to a whole host of other places we want to visit and more dream itineraries and …

After visiting Southeast Asia, I would definitely recommend replacing Singapore with Bangkok for anyone looking for a cultural experience. Not to mention it is way cheaper. Also, you briefly mentioned that South America can be expensive. How much more should you plan on spending to get there? Technically you are going AROUND the world in those scenarios, but you’re skipping an entire continent. I’ve never been there, but it seems worth seeing. Was there any more motive behind skipping SA, or is it simply just the cost?

Hi Dave, That’s true, I only headed to South America in that very last itinerary (the “dream” one at around $5,000) and the only reason it didn’t feature in other itineraries is the cost. For me it’s more practical as a destination where you head there and back, rather than try to include it on a RTW, unless it’s a really long trip and time/money aren’t so much of an object. Don’t get me wrong, there are a million reasons to get to South America!

I have enjoyed reading your articles and postings about RTW travel. My wife and I, cafe owners on the east coast of the US are in our 40’s-50’s are are hoping to take a long (2-3 year) trip around the world which would take us to a large number of destinations. What we are trying to understand and figure out is this: if, for instance you wanted to go to Europe and see England, Ireland, Scotland and then Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Croatia, Greece and on to Turkey what do you do regarding flights? Do you fly from country to country and use trains/buses/cars to get around to places within the country? Do you fly into one place, rent a car or use trains, and travel to many spots before flying out of another country? How do you think of those issues? Do you establish a base or travel from place to place?

You best and cheapest travel method in Europe is over land, via train. I’d recommend flying into a major city and branching out from there…Ireland and England can be visited via boat. It’s really a matter of time vs money. Perhaps you have both?

I like the “eclectic” itenerary with a few exceptions/additions. Can you give me some advice regarding adding Tanzania/Serengeti, Bhutan, Turkey? How much time would you allow for the trip as a whole, or for your trip? What would be a reasonable expectation of total cost?

Great ideas! How does this route sound:

Boston – Rio de Janeiro – Marrakesh – Paris – London – Edinburgh – Amalfi Coast (or Cinque Terre) – Dubai – Varanasi – Hong Kong – Los Angeles – Boston

It comes in at around $4000, so I’d be saving up for a while. I’m planning on doing this sort of thing my whole life, where I save 15% of my salary each year for travel. So, is there anything on this list that I should save for later, rather than stay for 2-3 weeks (which I plan to do for the RTW)?

Changed: (Parentheses are for the number of days I’d spend there.) This one isn’t definite, yet.

Boston – Edinburgh(5) – London(3) – Paris(5) – Malta(10) – Marrakesh(7) – Dubai(10) – Hong Kong(10) – Los Angeles(5) – Rio de Janeiro(12) – Boston

This route comes in at $3796 to $5200 an it’ll take a little over 2 months to travel. It might be just me, but I don’t think there’s enough variety, since Marrakesh and Dubai are together; LA and Rio are together; and so are Edinburgh and London. Anything I should add/subtract? I travel for any purpose. It can be exciting and adventurous or relaxing.

I’m not really definite on Malta, because I wanna add some Italy, but Malta is the cheapest for travel and a lot of people say they prefer it to the Amalfi Coast and Capri. And then for Edinburgh, I’m not really into haunted castles, but it seems like a cool place other than that.

i don’t know about this – but i for one wanted to do – SA (5) – Brazil (4) – lima (6) – Rio (5) – and after that i get lost because i want to fit in Spain (5) – Greece (6) – Turkey (6) – Jordan (4) – Russia (8) – trans siberian train (5) – and then even worse is i want to do cambodia (5) and vietnam (5) about 65 days – you think its too far fetched or is it possible within these many days – i am also wondering how these RTW flights be possible.

About to retire at age 72, still workout every day, am planning on a one year vacation as follows: September -mid December: NYC-Panama City-Guayaquil- Galapagos-Lima-(Have already spent two years in South Pacific-Aus-NZ) South Africa (3 weeks including Safari)- Morrocco-Brussels. THEN RT Brussels-Florida for the winter and to see family. Mid- March back to Brussels- 2 months rail Europe- Turkey-Dubai-Mumbai-Chiang Mai-Myanmar- Seoul- Tokyo- Vancouver and home in July for rest of summer (Have already visited China 4 times and Indian Golden Triangle, Thailand, and Vietnam/Cambodia) Would appreciate thoughts from anyone who has bothered to read thru all this.

Peter, I noticed in reading your post that you wrote December, 2013, yet mentioned getting ready to travel September so my thoughts are that should be preparing to go in the next couple of months or so. Is that right.

Then you mention stopping in Florida for family. I was interested because I too am just sort of retiring (run a small sole agent travel business) and would like to keep my hand in travel through a web blog while moving around the world.

Will you be traveling alone and have you researched that or have you done much of solo traveling before. If you are expecting to stop by Florida sometime in the future, and will have started a RTW, I would love to chat with you more.

Possibly you could return and email to me at [email protected] and we could chat. Thanks, Saundra

Thanks for a comprehensive list of itineraries, my wife and I did a RTW trip 10 years ago with Russia and Egypt NYC Canada and so much more. We need do it again but with 2 little ladies from Perth WA! Need to include NZ, Disney land, LA? London, ooh maybe India and China? Better still we could pop over for a cuppa and discuss?

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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.  

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.

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.  

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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Find Your Next Travel Destination

The Ultimate Guide to the Round-the-World Trip of a Lifetime

Rachel Coleman

Going on a round-the-world trip is more than a mere travel experience. It’s a transformative journey that promises personal growth, cultural immersion, and memories to last a lifetime. 

Hang around as we create a comprehensive roadmap for your extraordinary round-the-world travel . Let this be your compass for navigating your (future) world trip, travel budget, saving up, and gathering invaluable insights to ensure your world trip becomes a journey worth remembering. 

Key Takeaways:

• Craft your round-the-world expedition based on tips, insights, and personal experiences of people who have been there, without overplanning everything. 
• Embrace flexibility in your travel plans. This will allow room for spontaneity and unexpected discoveries.
• Learn practical budget management and strategies as you go along, to allow you to maximize your adventure without breaking the bank.
• Friends from around the world? Hit them up, whether online or on the road to share experiences. 
• Beyond the physical journey, open yourself up to new experiences. Personal growth and self-discovery go with round-the-world trips. Embrace it!  

Table of Contents

Beyond Guidebooks: Your Ticket to Your Dream Round-the-World Trip

Where to? Here are some places of interest around the world to help you narrow down your choices. Remember, this is your adventure of a lifetime . So dream big and create a round-the-world itinerary that truly excites you! 

Note: The daily average cost included here refers only to what a backpacker (unless otherwise stated) would usually spend in a day – who stays in a modest accommodation, cooks most of his meals, and engages in free or cheap activities. 

For the adventurous traveler who finds thrill in bungee jumping, ziplining, or mountaineering, how about a visit to… 

New Zealand – $46-63

This Southern Hemisphere gem is home to mountains that touch the clouds, ice rivers that carve through green valleys, and where the friendly Maori people share their amazing culture.

Go zorbing in Rotorua, bungee jump off high bridges, skydive in Taupo, do aerial obstacle courses in Wellington or Auckland. New Zealand is a haven for adrenaline junkies. 

Costa Rica – $40-48

Costa Rica is a small, green jewel nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It isn’t just about lush forests and adorable sloths. It also offers a lot of extreme adventure activities that’ll leave your heart pounding. 

Arenal Volcano is known for its exhilarating ziplining activities. Venado Caves offer subterranean adventures like rappelling and discovering the secrets of the underworld. 

Nepal – $25-50

Nepal is home to ancient temples, snow-capped peaks that pierce the sky, and yaks grazing on its green valleys. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain above sea level, is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas in Nepal. It’s a popular destination for mountaineering and trekking enthusiasts from around the world.

For history buffs who’d rather visit ancient ruins, explore museums, or marvel at the ethereal beauty of historic sites. 

Peru – $30-50

The third largest country in South America, Peru is the proud home of the Inca Empire and the iconic ancient city of Machu Picchu. 

Caral is believed to be the oldest city in the Americas, the Caral-Supe archaeological site in north Lima dates back over 5,000 years. 

Ollantaytambo is a town and Inca archaeological site in the Sacred Valley, featuring well-preserved ruins and terraces. 

Egypt – $30-50

Egypt is home to the Nile River; the Pyramids of Giza – the last remaining of the original Seven Wonders of the World; and some of the world’s best museums. 

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is a colossal project eagerly awaited by history buffs and museum enthusiasts worldwide. It’s not officially open yet, but it promises a showcase of some of Egypt’s most valuable treasures. It houses an unrivaled collection (over 100,000) of artifacts that’ll make it the world’s largest archaeological museum. 

India – $30-45

India is the land of spices and smiles. Its landscape is a blend of bustling cities, serene mountain peaks, spices-filled bazaars, historical sites, and modern innovation. 

The splendid Taj Mahal is a mausoleum complex in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It’s a 17th century mausoleum built by emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth in 1631. 

Bangalore (aka the Silicon Valley of India) is a major hub for technology and innovation, home to numerous IT companies, startups, and research institutions. 

For the laid-back round-the-world traveler who prefers to spend time on pristine beaches, bask in the sun, and enjoy aquatic activities in paradise destinations. 

Bahamas – $50-100

The Bahamas is known for its picturesque beaches , clear waters, and vibrant marine life. Its capital city Nassau is a bustling cruise port with mega resorts, shops, restaurants, and entertainment complexes. 

Harbour Island is a popular destination famous for its pink sand beaches and laid-back atmosphere. 

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is a small island paradise that boasts a mesmerizing turquoise lagoon, luxurious overwater bungalows that offer ocean views, a majestic volcanic peak (Mount Otemanu) for exploration, and rich Polynesian culture to embrace. 

Bora Bora is a haven for relaxation, romance, and adventure, making it a sought-after destination for travelers seeking an idyllic retreat.

A week’s vacation for a solo traveler in Bora Bora ranges from $5,000 to $7,000. This rough estimate covers flights, a beach bungalow, meals, beverages, and activities such as snorkeling or beachcombing.

For foodies and wine connoisseurs where discovering culinary delights and indulging in local flavors is a delight, better be in countries known for their delicious food . 

Italy – $70

Italy is the undisputed champion of pasta, pizza, and wine. Its regional specialties like Tuscan ragu, Venetian cicchetti, and Neapolitan pizza can all be paired with world-renowned Sangiovese, Barolo, and Chianti wines.

Vietnam – $60-100 (mid-range)

Vietnam’s fresh spring rolls, vibrant pho noodle soups, and flavorful banh mi sandwiches are just a glimpse of Vietnam’s street food scene. Local rice wines and craft beers add another layer to this Southeast Asian culinary adventure.

For nature lovers around the world who find peace in the wilderness and encounter diverse species of wildlife. 

Madagascar – $81 (mid-range)

Madagascar is home to the endangered baobab trees, spiny forests, and vibrant coral reefs. It offers a fascinating glimpse into biodiversity. See lemurs in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park with its otherworldly limestone spires, or trek through granite highlands of Andringitra National Park. 

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

The Reef is so large that it can be seen from space. It’s a bit over 500,000 years old, and is home to several endangered species, including the dugong, the green turtle, and the giant clam. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its outstanding universal value and significance.

Day tours in the reef range from $220-250 per person. This covers snacks and lunch, scuba diving, and snorkeling, including gear. 

For budget-conscious round-the-world travelers who are looking forward to exploring places that offer value for money. 

Palawan, Philippines – $30-50

Palawan is known for its diverse wildlife, jungle-covered mountains, and pristine beaches. It’s home to hidden lagoons, limestone cliffs teeming with caves, and the Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park. It’s a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature . This recognition speaks volumes about its exceptional natural beauty and ecological importance. 

Greece – $75-108

Greece is home to the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, the ancient city of Delphi, and the archaeological site of Olympia. Its cultural influence extends to the arts, language, philosophy, politics, and sports. 

Known for its beautiful islands including Crete, Mykonos, and Santorini, island hopping is part of the Greek experience. But ferries can be expensive, so plan your itinerary to take advantage of slower, cheaper ferries, or consider island-hopping tours that focus on lesser-known gems like Koufonisia, Amorgos, Naxos, etc. 

Tips for choosing the right destinations for you

Write down all the places around the world you’ve ever dreamed of visiting. Prioritize them and consider their feasibility within your budget and chosen timeframe.

Check out countries with travel restrictions and visa requirements so you can prepare for and ensure a smooth round-the-world trip. 

Follow and read a travel blog, watch documentaries, and have a few words with experienced travelers. These are a great resource for travel tips and hacks, and discovering all the ins and outs of traveling around the world. Get inspired by diverse itineraries and hidden gems!

When is the right time to travel?

Research peak seasons, rainy seasons, and ideal times for specific activities like hiking or wildlife viewing. Choose destinations based on your desired weather conditions.

Time your trip to coincide with cultural festivals, sporting events, or unique happenings you wouldn’t want to miss. This adds extra excitement and local flavor to your journey.

Consider your ideal travel temperatures, tolerance for crowds, and desired level of activity. Do you prefer bustling summer activities or serene winter landscapes? Tailor your itinerary to your comfort and interests.

The big question: how much does a round-the-world trip cost?

Here’s a rough estimate per person. Actual costs depend heavily on your specific itinerary, travel style, and spending habits. But this should give you a general idea of the potential cost difference.

Quick trip: (40 days, 5 destinations) – $15,000-$25,000

Slow trip: (6 months, 10 destinations) – $20,000-$35,000

For those on a tight budget, staying in budget accommodations, using public transportation, and limiting costly activities, the cost might range from $20,000 to $40,000.

For mid-range travelers seeking a balance between budget and luxury can go for a mix of cheap and mid-range accommodations, varied transportation options, and a moderate budget for activities. This may cost between $40,000 and $60,000.

For luxury travelers who choose prime accommodations, private transportation, fine dining, and indulge in high-end activities, the cost could exceed $60,000 and go well into the six-figure range.

These estimates fluctuate based on:

Destinations . The cost of living and travel expenses vary from country to country. Visiting more expensive destinations will naturally increase the overall cost.

Travel Duration . The longer the trip, the more expenses you’ll incur. This includes accommodation, transportation, and daily living costs.

Activities . Engaging in costly activities, such as safaris, guided tours, or extreme sports, can significantly impact the budget.

Accommodation. Staying in hostels versus luxury hotels has a substantial effect on the overall cost.

Transportation. The choice between economy and business class, and the mode of transportation (flights, trains, buses), influence the budget.

Personal Spending Habits. How much you spend on dining, shopping, and entertainment, contribute to the overall cost.

Set a realistic financial plan based on your preferences. The cost of travel insurance, visa processing, vaccinations, and other unforeseen expenses should also be considered. 

Many travelers also include a buffer for unexpected costs or emergencies. Efficient planning and research are key to managing costs during a round-the-world trip.

Book your flights: Get an affordable RTW ticket

Round-the-world (RTW) tickets are special airline tickets that allow travelers to visit several destinations around the world with a single airline ticket purchase. 

RTW tickets are often sold at a fixed price, offering cost savings compared to buying individual one-way tickets for each leg of the journey. The price may depend on factors such as the number of stops, travel class, and airline alliances.

RTW tickets have a specific flight path – either eastward or westward. Travelers must follow the chosen direction throughout their trip, circling the globe in one continuous path.

RTW tickets usually have a predetermined travel period during which the trip must be completed. This could range from a few months to a year, offering flexibility for an extended trip.

RTW tickets are often offered by airline alliances, such as Star Alliance, oneworld, or SkyTeam. These alliances include multiple member airlines, allowing travelers to choose from a variety of carriers for their world flights.

While the overall route is planned, there’s flexibility in adjusting your route or departure date. Changes are usually allowed but may incur additional fees.

An RTW ticket comes with specific booking rules, such as starting and ending the trip in the same country, crossing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and completing it within the specified time frame.

Many airlines or travel agencies provide tools or assistance to help you plan your RTW itinerary. These tools may include a world trip planner, or the expertise of travel consultants.

Some RTW tickets have mileage limits, which means there’s a maximum distance (in miles or kilometers) that you can cover with one ticket. If exceeded, additional charges may apply.

RTW tickets are generally available to anyone, but eligibility criteria, such as residency or citizenship, may apply depending on the airline alliance.

Carefully read the terms and conditions, understand the rules, and plan your itinerary according to the specific guidelines provided by the airline alliance or ticket issuer before you decide to buy a round-the-world ticket. 

Types of RTW tickets

Economy-class RTW flight tickets range between $2,500–$10,000, depending on your mileage, route, and flight dates.

Business-class round the world tickets offer a more comfortable and luxurious travel experience, with prices starting from around $5,000.

A first-class round the world ticket provides the ultimate in luxury and comfort, with prices starting from around $10,000. 

Some airlines offer premium economy upgrades for round-the-world tickets, providing a more comfortable seating experience and additional amenities. 

Some also offer multi-city flights, which allow you to visit multiple destinations without the need for a full round-the-world ticket.

The most popular airlines that offer round-the-world tickets are typically part of major airline alliances, including:

Oneworld Alliance includes airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas.

Star Alliance includes Air Canada, United Airlines, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines. 

SkyTeam Alliance includes Air France, Delta Air Lines, KLM, and Korean Air.

How long does it take to save for a round-the-world trip?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long it takes to save for your dream round-the-world trip of a lifetime. 

A higher income allows for faster savings. Other travellers have existing debts or dependents which can significantly affect their savings rate. 

With little planning, a backpacking round-the-world trip that lasts for several months might need a 6-12 months’ worth of savings. Or even longer, depending on income, desired vacation spots, and lifestyle.

Aim for 12-24 months of savings if you desire a more comfortable mid-range round the world travel experience with occasional splurges for your next destination. 

A luxury round-the-world trip with extensive travel and 5-star accommodations may require, for your travel dreams to come true, saving for several years, depending on your income, desired travel duration, and level of extravagance. 

Set your travel budget and start saving for the big trip!

Saving up for your life changing round-the-world trip of a lifetime brings a ton of benefits! 

By setting a financial plan and saving in advance, you won’t have to worry about scrambling for funds during your trip or coming back home with a mountain of debt. 

Budgeting makes you prioritize experiences and avoid impulse buying. You’ll be more conscious of your spending and less likely to blow your funds on souvenirs or overpriced meals.

It encourages you to start planning and find creative ways to save and travel economically. You’ll discover hacks, discounts, and alternative experiences that enrich your trip around the world.

Unexpected expenses are inevitable during world travel. Having a buffer fund helps you navigate these situations without compromising your entire world trip.

Knowing how much you have helps you decide about transportation, accommodation, activities, and dining. You can compare options and choose the ones that offer the best value for your money. It helps you book flights and accommodation in advance to secure better deals and avoid last-minute stress.

Transportation options

Your choice of public transport defines the kind of adventure you embark on. Some people prefer a tightly-planned trip, others prefer flexibility. Certain routes offer open-ended tickets or spontaneous travel by bus or boat. 

Pre-booked flights provide structured movement. Choosing your transport style lets you adjust your itinerary on the go if needed.

Flights might be the fastest. They allow you to cover vast distances quickly, enabling a fast-paced travel with many destinations. Taking a direct flight instead of multiple connecting flights can save time and reduce the risk of missing connections.

Overland travel lets you immerse yourself in landscapes and local cultures, providing a slower, more experiential adventure. 

Taking a train or a bus can provide a more comfortable and scenic trip. 

Ships let you savor the ocean and can be considerably cheaper, especially if you prioritize slower travel.

A ccommodation options

Accommodation plays a vital role in your well-being during a long trip. Determining your accommodation options for a round-the-world trip is essential for maintaining energy and enjoying your adventures.

While immersing oneself in local culture is great, occasionally seeking the comfort and predictability of a major hotel chain provides a restful break.

Staying in hostels, guesthouses, or Airbnb rentals offer a more social and economical option. And can significantly reduce your expenses. 

Extended stay hotels or homestays offer unique cultural experiences and opportunities to interact with locals. 

A dvantages of having a pre-booked accommodation

Having a pre-booked accommodation avoids the stress of searching for unfamiliar places upon arrival, especially in new countries or at night.

Some travel insurance policies require proof of pre-booked accommodation to be valid, so booking ahead can provide extra security in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Some visa applications require proof of accommodation throughout your trip around the world, so having bookings confirmed streamlines the process.

A reputable and well-reviewed accommodation provides a secure base for your belongings and a safe haven for relaxation.

Pre-booked accommodations also allow you to take advantage of early booking discounts and promotions, potentially saving you money on your world trip.

How long does it take to complete a round the world trip?

The duration of a round-the-world (RTW) trip varies based on your preferences, travel style, and the number of destinations included in your itinerary. Round the world tickets usually offer a minimum of 10 days and a maximum of one year to complete the journey. 

The pace at which you travel affects the overall duration. Other backpackers prefer fast travel, while others opt for a slower pace.

The mode of transport you chose for the trip influences the time spent in transit. Overland travel by bus or train is cheaper, but may take longer than flying between locations. 

The kind of activities you prefer and the time spent engaging in these activities such as trekking or attending events can also affect the duration of the trip. 

Weather conditions and seasons can impact travel plans and the cost you incur. Some regions are best visited during the shoulder months, which is cheaper than a visit during the peak season. 

Your funds also influence the duration of your trip. A longer trip is more expensive. So planning the duration of your RTW trip according to your budgetary constraints will be helpful.

Don’t Over-plan your Ultimate Round-the-World Trip

Consider the big events and festivals.

Considering big events and festivals when choosing your travel destination can add some serious wow factor to your round-the-world trip! 

Festivals showcase a place’s essence – its traditions, music, food, and people. Imagine yourself immersed in the vibrant Rio Carnival in Brazil . That experience is far more enriching than simply sightseeing.

Big events offer unique experiences not found in regular world trips, like witnessing the Northern Lights at Tromsø’s Aurora Borealis Festival or joining Munich’s famous Oktoberfest.

Music festivals and food fairs often provide bundled experiences – live performances, workshops, tastings – at a lower or no extra cost than booking them all separately. Some local festivals are even free or affordable.

Understanding Diverse Cultures and Landscapes

Understanding cultures and landscapes helps you choose world trips that align with your interests and preferences. Knowing what awaits can guide your itinerary creation.

Understanding the climate and terrain of your round-the-world vacation spots allows you to pack efficiently. 

Knowing proper greetings and dining etiquette helps you avoid awkward situations. Tipping expectations, bartering practices, and appropriate dress codes – especially when visiting religious sites or conservative countries.

Taking time to learn a few basic phrases in the local language shows respect and interest in the culture. It’d also help you communicate and make connections with locals. 

Planning a round-the-world trip as a couple?

Planning together and combining itineraries is crucial for a successful and harmonious trip. It allows you to define your travel priorities as a couple. 

Do you crave adventure? Cultural immersion or relaxation? Discussing these desires upfront helps create an itinerary that caters to both your preferences.

Planning sessions become brainstorming opportunities where you can find creative solutions to accommodate each other’s wishes and deal with potential conflicts. 

The planning process itself can be a bonding experience. Discussing exciting tourist spots, new cultures and other amazing things, overcoming logistical challenges, and building anticipation together can strengthen your relationship. 

Compare and combine your individual bucket list

Comparing individual wish lists helps identify shared priorities and eliminates overlap, creating a streamlined itinerary that optimizes your time and resources.

Sharing individual research brings new attractions and experiences to light. You might discover a hidden gem your partner stumbled upon that wouldn’t have made it on your initial list.

Combining interests balances the itinerary between your preferences. This ensures both of you get to experience things you’re passionate about.

Leave room for spontaneity and unexpected encounters. Plot a rough trip itinerary that isn’t rigid. It should be a framework for shared adventure.

RTW planning and combining your itineraries create a world trip that caters to both your individual travel plans and shared aspirations. 

So enjoy the planning process, especially if it’s your first trip together, and let it strengthen your bond with your partner. In life and in travel! 

Slow travel vs visiting lots of places: which is better?

Slow travel lets you immerse yourself in a destination and enjoy it at a leisurely pace. This means spending more time in fewer places, getting to know the local culture, and really connecting with the place. 

• You get to spend more time trying local food, learning their language, and making friends with locals. 
• Slow travel is economical, and less stressful than trying to see everything in a short amount of time. 
• You don’t need to take as many flights or use as much transportation, which is good for the environment. 
• Slow travel can help individuals recover from burnout and improve their overall well-being by providing a space to think, feel, and grow, away from social obligations and the pressures of daily life. 
• If you have financial constraints or limited vacation time, slow travel may not be an option for you.
• Slow travel can be boring for some people.

Visiting lots of places is the more traditional approach to round-the-world travel, where you try to cram as many places as possible into your trip. This can be a great way to see a lot of the world, but it can also be rushed and tiring.

• This approach allows you to check off more items on your travel bucket list and see more sights. 
• Visiting many countries means you’re always on the go, which is exciting.
• It’s cheaper to visit multiple places on one trip, especially if you can take advantage of deals and discounts.
• Constantly moving from one route to another keeps you from getting to know more about a specific place. 
• Trying to see everything in a short amount of time can be stressful and overwhelming.
• Fast travel makes you take more flights, which isn’t as sustainable as slow travel. And you contribute to the overtourism of some places.

How to pack for an around the world trip?

Make a packing list and pack accordingly. Suitable clothing that can be layered, mixed and matched, like including at least 5 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, and a pair of pants. 

Your necessary travel documents such as travel insurance papers, flight tickets, your round the world ticket if you bought one, and other essentials should be in your carry on bag, including prescription medication. 

Bring toiletries, hygiene kit, comfortable shoes for walking and hiking, a pair of sandals or flip-flops for the beach or shower. 

Bring a camera, phone, charger, and other electronics. A luggage lock, a small daypack, and safety essentials such as a door stop, or a safety whistle should also be included in your packing list. 

Conclusion:

As we conclude this guide to your dream round-the-world trip, remember that the beauty lies not just in the places you visit, but in the transformation of your perspective and the stories that go in every step. 

So be flexible, be spontaneous. Let the world be your guide as you craft the tale of exploration that’s uniquely yours. 

This trip is also about self discovery, the infinite possibilities life offers, and how amazing it can be outside your comfort zone. 

What is the longest nonstop flight on Earth?

The longest nonstop flight is from Singapore to New York City, operated by Singapore Airlines using their Airbus A350-900ULR aircraft. This impressive flight covers a distance of 15,349 kilometers (9,537 miles) that usually takes about 18.5 hours, depending on the weather.

What’s the cost of a 1 year round-the-world trip?  

A year of world travel can cost anywhere from $12,000 for budget backpackers in Southeast Asia to $50,000+ for luxury globetrotters. Expect around $20,000-$30,000 for a mid-range adventure, and much higher for luxury travelers. 

How long would a round the world trip take? 

A typical RTW ticket allows at least 10 days, making for a whirlwind adventure. Aim for at least two to six months to realistically experience your trip.

What’s the best way to go around the world?

Go for the hybrid approach. Combine cheap flights with regional train, bus, or ferry travel. This offers more freedom and affordability than a round-the-world ticket while letting you cover wider territory than backpacking.

What is the safest form of long distance travel?

Air travel. Statistically, airplanes are the safest way to travel long distances. The accident rate is incredibly low, and rigorous safety regulations are in place.

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

Dec 29, 2021 • 7 min read

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.

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.

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 an Around the World Itinerary in 8 Steps

Last updated on January 5, 2024 by Shannon

You’re planning an around the world trip . Congrats! My one-year trip turned into a decade of wandering and it transformed my life . My own one-year trip itinerary took me through 15 countries and countless experiences—but narrowing down my dream countries to just 15 was hard.

After so many years on the road—and after several round the world trips since that first one—I have some hard learned advice for anyone planning their own route and building their own trip around the world. If you’re planning a world trip, it’s usually a long-term route of at least a few months and up to a year around the world, or more.

These are eight ideas—eight steps really—to help narrow your travel itinerary down to those stops along your route that will fit your budget, highlight the most memorable places to you, and make sense for the trip you’ve always dreamed of taking.

Table of Contents

1. Make an itinerary bucket list for the entire world.

The inspiration phase of planning your round the world trip itinerary is one of the most fun. Maybe you already have a laundry list of places you hope to cram into your world trip itinerary. Or perhaps you’ve nailed down a few key experiences but you’re open to more inspiration. You should absolutely start with a long bucket list of locations all over the world, because weather and route might automatically strike a few off the list for you.

If you’re curious for more travel ideas, browse the  best travel books sorted by destination , or search for long-reads and podcast recommendations on my Destination Travel Guides . Use these books and resources for inspiration on not only places to add to your round the world route, but activities, too.

Perhaps you read The Devil’s Picnic and subsequently add Paris to your list for that stinky but toothsome Époisses de Bourgogne cheese, or you add Bhutan because of its intriguing portrayal in The Geography of Bliss (that’s what has it on the itinerary for my next around the world trip!).

Books and podcasts are a phenomenal way to expand your idea of what is possible on your trip.

Once you have a list of dream destinations for your travel itinerary, highlight up to five that are your absolute priorities—these will become the bedrock of your around the world trip. The rest of the places on your list will slot in around those stops based on timing, weather, and more.

How granularly you plan is personal—some travelers leave with a precise list of destinations and timelines, while others plan the first couple of months of their round the world trop.

My three key travel destinations:

For my first year, I had three key activities on my list. The first was diving the Great Barrier Reef —that’s why my trip started in Australia . The second was meeting my cousin in India and backpacking north from Mumbai together for two months before ending our time together at a volunteer placement in Nepal . The third was time-sensitive as I had always dreamed of attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival , which takes place every August in Scotland.

Later, when I traveled with my 11-year-old niece for six months in Southeast Asia , I led her through some basic Google searches so that she could see what was on offer. We planned our joint world trip itinerary together centered around her three biggies: an ethical elephant encounter , ziplining somewhere, and visiting Angkor Wat .

2. Pick a direction around the world.

From your home country, your travel itinerary will take you either east to west, or west to east around the world. Backtracking is not ideal—it’s expensive, causes more jet lag, and is bad for the environment. Use this strategy whether you use a round the world ticket (which requires this stipulation) or if you book flights as you travel.

Pros and cons of traveling east:

• Science says this direction is harder on your body and produces more jet lag . The short of it is because you are losing time when you fly through time several zones, but your body actually prefers cycles slightly longer than 24 hours, not shorter.
• You’ll need to become a pro at minimizing jet lag so you don’t lose several days to it in each new location.
• If you’re planning a very long RTW trip, perhaps 18 months or more, and your itinerary creeps around the world, then you will likely not notice the difference much.

Pros and cons of traveling west:

• As noted, your body actually prefers days that run longer than 24 hours, so your internal clock has a much easier time adding hours into your day. This means fewer nights adjusting and staring at the hotel ceiling at 3am.
• Your body can do at least two hours of time zone jumping in this direction without having a noticeable effect on you, so it’s ideal to slowly hop west around the world. And if you’re crossing the Pacific from the U.S., your largest time zone change will likely occur at the beginning of your trip, so you can then enjoy more relaxing travel for the many months afterwards.

How I decided my world trip direction:

I was lucky that two of my key experiences could bookend my trip. Scotland and Australia are not close, so it was easy to plan many of my other dream destinations to fill the space between these countries.

Since I planned to leave the U.S. in November, it was easy to surmise that starting my trip in Australia, which was entering summer, made the most sense. Then I would make my way west toward Scotland for Edinburgh Fringe, handily skirting both winter in Europe and summer in Asia.

3. Find creative overland routes.

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. And you’ll do that by using local transportation, which is a lot more fun than flying—you’ll see more of the country and culture, and you’ll have richer travel experiences .

Go back now to those handful of key destinations from your bucket list that. These are the foundational bedrocks of your world trip itinerary. These dots on the map should lend a rough overview of a route. If they don’t, if one is just an outlier that makes it hard to see logical jumps, narrow your list down to four, and see if that helps—if you truly love the idea of an experience, but it doesn’t fit this trip it might make a great trip on its own in a couple years time.

Now, your world trip itinerary needs the details, and those usually come from visiting clusters of bordering countries—you’ll be crossing overland among many of these destinations. (For that to work, however, check visa restrictions for your nationality as some countries require visas in advance, or don’t allow crossings at certain borders).

Popular routes ( backpacking Southeast Asia , for example), have only a few restrictions and those are easily handled online, or in the days before your border crossing.

Start dotting the map with the countries that are very close to your bedrock destinations. That looks like this: If trekking in Nepal is a bedrock item, and India’s Golden Triangle and Sri Lanka were both on your dream list, then it makes sense to add them into your route, since you’ll definitely be in the region.

My creative overland routes:

As I planned my itinerary, a dear friend announced she wanted to meet me in Florence, Italy in June. That became another bedrock item with a firm date, so I now had a time I had to leave South Asia and head to Eastern Europe.

Nearby Croatia was on my tentative list, and I had a friend in Bosnia , so both of those became stops on my itinerary that helped give it shape. Prague hadn’t been on my list, but I decided to move north through Eastern Europe after leaving Bosnia.

I filled in adventurous stops that would take me from my friend in Italy in June to Scotland in August—plenty of time for rafting in Slovenia , finding charming towns in Czech Republic , biking Amsterdam like a local, and walking through the Lake District of England first!

Research activities in countries you’re considering.

If there are countries nearby your “must-visit” locations, use a site like GetYourGuide to research the types of activities you could see and do if you visited these adjacent destinations as well. I like checking out the day tour sites more than a guidebook at this stage because it’s a very quick overview of the must-dos in each location.

4. Research festivals in your favored locations.

Local festivals around the world are amazingly full of life, culture, and fun. It’s a huge letdown when you learn too late that you missed a major religious and celebratory festival by just a few days. And it’s also a shock if you arrive thinking it’s shoulder season but you really arrived during Brazil’s carnival.

Plan your route to coincide with the dates of festivals that seem most fun for you (this is especially important for trips with kids, because they love the excitement, colors, and foods at these types of events. You’ll need to book accommodation early depending on the event, so that may take some flexibility from your world travel route, but it’s worth it.

Here are a few favorite annual festivals that many travelers plan around: La Tomatina in Spain in late August; Holi the Festival of Colors  in India around early March; Thailand’s Songkran Water Festival often falls within April and its Loy Krathong Lantern Festival falls in late October or early November.

Festivals around the world I sought out:

When my cousin told me should could only meet in India in February, and I knew we’d be there for two months, I went into planning mode to decide where we should celebrate Holi the Festival of Colors . It was a real highlight of my trip and I am so glad our world travel itinerary allowed us to experience this incredible Indian festival.

Then, of course, was the Fringe Festival —that was one of my bedrock destinations so it was definitely on the planned route.

5. Play Tetris with locations to fit your travel budget.

I stuck to an amazing year-long world travel budget that came in under $20,000. The only way I could do that was by carefully planning my time to favor budget-friendly countries, and then add in high-cost countries in smaller supply.

Research each of your dream destinations ahead of time because some places you might assume are budget actually cost more than you imagine (a safari in Africa is not cheap, nor is accommodation in much of Africa, but visiting a dream destination on the continent is worth it). Japan may be in Asia, but it’s pricey, too. Central America and Mexico are easy on your budget, as are parts of South America.

How I made my RTW travel budget work:

Australia , England, Scotland, and Ireland were mega expensive and represented three of my eleven months on the road. India and Nepal were, by far, the cheapest places (even cheaper than backpacking Southeast Asia ), and it was actually difficult to go over budget during the three-and-a-half months that I backpacked South Asia.

I spent the other months in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, two regions that are in the discount to mid-range. All told, I was able to easily average $50 a day, even though some days in Europe topped $100.

6. Plan around weather trends.

On your trip, research destinations ahead of time and plan according to your own weather preferences. While it’s not likely you will hit every destination in your preferred season, you should know when monsoon season makes a paradise island unenjoyable, or when blizzards will thwart a planned ski trip.

Research using this great rundown of shoulder season locations around the world, and this European shoulder season list , and this very cool map of a a sample round the itinerary featuring perfect weather in every location.

Why I chased summer around the world:

I planned my trip itinerary to chase summer around the world. As a native Floridian, my tolerance for heat is higher than most others, and I deeply enjoy warmth. A year of summer was lovely.

Whether your around the world trip chases summer or snow—and note it’s way easier to pack for long-term travel when you can leave behind thick jackets and boots—you’ll want to pack effectively using packing cubes .

I have probably 20 packing cubes after 15+ years of travel—cubes of all shapes, sizes, and uses to fit every trip. This eight-pack starter set is well-priced, durable, and will give you a worthy introduction into the sheer magic of packing cubes.

7. Consider how you will fly.

When planning your itinerary, you have to consider more than just major long-haul flights. On my travels, I research local budget airlines too, and I always have a good idea of which regions of the world offer affordable puddle-jumper flights. If you’re considering buying round the world tickets , read my insider tips and advice first!

Southeast Asia has AirAsia and Vietjet, among others. Europe has many budget carriers: Vueling, Ryan Air, and EasyJet. And JetStar has good flight deals in South Asia. By checking for budget airline routes, I know that I can easily visit more countries in a region if there are sub $100 flights around the area. (Tip: this is an amazing interactive map of low-cost airline routes ).

My transportation choices:

I priced out my year on the road and found it was cheaper to combine overland travel with local carriers than it would have been to buy a RTW ticket up front. I also have a guide to how I find good flight deals , since I never buy round the world airfare.

Generally, flights are likely necessary unless you plan an entirely overland route around the world , but flights are harmful if you solely rely on this form of transportation, so truly consider how you can incorporate other options, such as buying a Eurail ticket in Europe, or a Greyhound bus ticket to travel down the east coast of Australia.

Don’t forget to  book travel insurance for your trip —a great policy provides coverage in case of medical emergencies, lost or stolen gear, adventure sports riders, and more. I’ve used  IMG Global  for more than a decade  highly recommend it !

8. Remove some destinations from your world trip itinerary.

There is no wrong way to plan your route around the world, and there is no perfect number of places that you can visit in a year—it all depends on what you’re looking for on your trip. And no matter how carefully you plan, you will love some places, feel mediocre toward others, and perhaps even leave early from a few. You won’t know until you set out which type of places and experiences best fit your long-term travel style.

But please keep in mind that the pace of short-term travels is very different from a multi-month trip. Create a route that travels slowly, avoids the dreaded travel-fatigue , and includes destinations you have long dreamed of visiting. To do that, you now need to take a critical eye to your trip and trim the fat.

Is there something you added it because it seemed fun and was moderately close, but it wasn’t a bedrock item? Or perhaps it’s a location you love the idea of so much that you know you will plan a trip there in the future if you skip it now. Snip those from your world travel itinerary right now and you will be shooting me an email of thanks once you’re on the road.

The countries I cut from my around the world trip:

The best advice other travelers gave me when I asked for itinerary advice in a travel forum was to remove an entire leg of the trip. I had hoped to backpack Scandinavia between my time in the Czech Republic and Amsterdam, but long-term travelers assured me that I would be grateful for wiggle room in my itinerary by that stage of my trip (nine months into it).

Plus, they accurately pointed out that I just couldn’t swing these very expensive countries on my limited travel budget.

Turns out that I burned out a month before reaching Czech Republic and camped out in Slovenia for an extra two weeks—if I had been dead-set on Scandinavia, I would have never had time to do that while still making it to Edinburgh Fringe in time! (And let’s not even think about what Scandinavia would have done to my travel budget!).

If you’re overwhelmed about planning the nitty-gritty details on a months-long trip around the world, know that a rough route suffices. All you truly need before you leave home is logistics for the first couple of weeks—you can easily sort out the rest on the road. I promise.

Really, I promise. It seems scary but I swear to you that you will be grateful for flexibility once you land, and that it’s completely possible to plan the smaller details as you go. Moving between countries and regions was infinitely easier than I had anticipated before my first round the world.

Your Next Steps for Planning an Around the World Itinerary

Research places around the world and assemble a dream list of locations. That’s really the first step and should be a lot of fun.

While my travel books selections are a starting point, you can also peruse guidebooks for inspiration. I always buy a Lonely Planet or Rough Guide for my first planned destination (and then I swap it along the way for each new country), and before my first round the world trip I checked out a stack of 25 guidebooks from my library. Do your research and dream big before you even begin selecting an itinerary and paring down your list of destinations.

This is my core page compiling resources on How to Travel the World and here are a few other pages sharing advice specifically for long-term travel planning.

• How Much Does it Cost to Travel the World
• How to Save for Travel
• Free Destination Travel Guides
• Best Credit and Debit Cards for Travel
• How to Pack for Long-Term Travel
• How to Pick the Right Travel Insurance

How to Travel the World

Free resources and first-hand advice on how to plan long-term and round the world travels.

Essential Travel Planning Resources

❗ Yes, you need travel insurance . IMG Global is the travel insurance I’ve used for well over a decade of traveling solo, and with kids. Here’s why .

🧳 Smart packing can save your trip. Shop my favorite travel gear , including all of the packing essentials for world travel , gear to keep you safe on the road, my favorite travel books , and more.

🛏️ Find great accommodation . Booking.com is essentially the only hotel booking site that I use. It has a wide and affordable selection of traditional hotels, but also hostels and vacation rentals, too. Use these pro tips to find the best travel accommodation .

📍 Navigate more effectively. Rome2Rio is super handy to assess the full range of transport options between two cities—shows everything from flights to trains, buses, minibuses, and more. If you’re booking a rental car, I’ve always found the best deals on RentalCars.com .

✈️ Book affordable flights. Expedia is one of the first places I look for low-cost flights .

☕ Peruse all of my tips for round the world travel , or learn how to move and live abroad .

All four corners, one epic voyage.

The Ultimate World Cruise

The most epic world cruise ever to set sail.

Get ready to see the world in a whole new light — introducing the Ultimate World Cruise onboard Serenade of the Seas®. You can spend 274 nights bonding with like-minded explorers over global discoveries across all seven continents. Or pick a corner of the globe and explore every inch of it on one of four Ultimate World Cruise℠ segments — each an immersive voyage of 60+ nights. Connect with countless distinct cultures, soak up the most spectacular landscapes on Earth, and marvel at World Wonders that showcase mankind’s boundless imagination.

Or call your local travel advisor . For more information, call the Ultimate World Cruise Contact Line at 800-423-2100.

Dive deeper into the world's wonders

Ultimate world cruise.

Visit 150+ destinations and 8 World Wonders, across 7 continents and 60+ countries. The Ultimate World Cruise features four distinct segments that traverse the globe in one incredible journey.

Dec 10th – Feb 11th

Ultimate Americas Cruise

Feb 11th - May 9th

Ultimate Asia Pacific Cruise

May 9th - July 10th

Ultimate Africa & Southern Europe Cruise

July 10th - Sep 10th

Ultimate Europe & Beyond Cruise

Chichén Itzá, Cozumel, Mexico

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Machu Picchu, Lima, Peru

Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Australia

Great Wall of China, Beijing, China

The Taj Mahal, Cochin, India

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Berlin, Germany

Copenhagen, Denmark

New York, New York

Dec 10th 2023 – Feb 11th 2024

Venture across Three Continents

36 Destinations, 64 Nights

Arica, Chile

Your once-in-a-lifetime journey begins December 2023, embarking from in Miami on the first segment of the Ultimate World Cruise℠ — the Ultimate Americas Cruise. Go from postcard-perfect Caribbean shores—including the ABC islands —to viewing abundant wildlife like sea lions, penguins and whales roaming glacier-studded Antarctica as you round Cape Horn. Along the way, discover World Wonders in South America, including man-made marvels and extraordinary natural phenomena.

Take in the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. Behold the largest waterfall system on the planet, Iguazú Falls near Buenos Aires. And explore Machu Picchu, one of the most iconic symbols of Peru’s ancient Inca heritage. Then sail up to the Yucatàn Peninsula to discover hidden coves and dramatic rock formations along Land’s End in Cabo San Lucas before exploring Ensenada.

Feb 11th 2024 - May 9th 2024

Far East. Down Under. And up for anything

40 Destinations, 87 nights

Taj Mahal, India

Venture miles from ordinary in Australia and Asia on this leg of the Ultimate World Cruise SM . Explore Hawaii and discover the crystal-clear waters of Mo’orea and Tahiti in unspoiled French Polynesia. Set out for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef — the only living thing on the planet that’s visible from space. Trek from pristine natural beauty in Bali to one of the most iconic man-made World Wonders, the Great Wall of China. And discover the unparalleled culture and modern architecture of Tokyo, then take in one of the most breathtaking sights in the world — The Taj Mahal.

May 9th 2024 - July 10th 2024

Beauty beyond belief

Ultimate Africa & Med Cruise

39 Destinations, 63 Nights

Walvis Bay Sandwich Harbour

Explore the orange sand dunes of the world’s oldest desert in Namibia. Bask in the beauty of idyllic beaches in Cape Town. And hike mist-topped rainforests along the Ivory Coast. Plus, go back in time as you wander through the Colosseum in Rome and get lost in the Venetian-style streets of Corfu.

Then your journey continues to even more destinations known for their storied history — like the fortified walls of Split, Croatia and the cobblestoned streets of Barcelona, Cannes and Provence.

July 10th 2024 - September 10th 2024

Set a course for the north

40 Destinations, 63 Nights

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The final leg of the Ultimate World Cruise is an immersive cultural exploration starting in the Med heading north. Discover Barcelona’s brilliant architecture, including Gaudi’s Sagrada Família. Savor flavors across continents — like a dinner of tagine and mint tea in Morocco.

Go from taking in fjords in Norway to biking through Copenhagen. Finally, experience another natural marvel — the other-worldly geothermal seawater at The Blue Lagoon in Iceland before stopping in New York and Perfect Day at CocoCay on your way back to Miami.

Amenities Included in your entire adventure

Join us for the entire Ultimate World Cruise, you’ll enjoy exclusive perks and amenities — all included in your adventure. So you can complement back-to-back discoveries onshore with all your favorite comforts onboard, plus thoughtful touches to elevate every moment.

*New World Wonders Shore Excursions included for Crown & Anchor® Society Platinum members & above

Business Class Airfare

Premium Transportation Between Airport, Hotel and Ship

Pre-cruise Hotel & Gala

New World Wonders Shore Excursion*

Deluxe Beverage Package

Wash & Fold Laundry Service

VOOM Surf & Stream

A World Wandering Fleet Favorite

Designed with acres of glass offering panoramic vistas of sea, sky and land, Serenade of the Seas® is the perfect ship for scenery-scoping. Take in captivating views of Norway’s majestic fjords, gaze at glaciers in Antarctica, and soak up the sun and the sights while cruising through French Polynesia. In between adventures onshore, you can unwind poolside or tee off on the mini golf green. Settle in for dazzling entertainment or dance until dawn beneath the stars. And with top-notch restaurants onboard, every meal turns into a global taste-tour that’s as immersive as your Ultimate World Cruise.

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Cruise Details & Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ultimate World Cruise?

The Ultimate World Cruise is a never-before-offered Royal Caribbean adventure that takes you on a 274-night journey around the world from December 10, 2023 – September 10, 2024. The adventure begins and ends in Miami, Florida, visiting all 7 continents, 65 countries, 150 ports of call, with 16 overnights and 8 World Wonders. More than 40 of the ports you’ll visit are either rarely available on our other itineraries or brand new to Royal Caribbean, so get ready for the exploration of a lifetime. Book The Ultimate World Cruise early to ensure the best accommodation throughout the entire voyage.

What is the starting price for the Ultimate World Cruise and its 4 individual segments?

Ultimate World Cruise Starting Price

Considering all that’s included in your 274-night Ultimate World Cruise fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. No matter which stateroom you choose, your fare includes Ultimate World Cruise complimentary amenities like business class airfare, pre-cruise hotel and gala, Deluxe Beverage Package, gratuities, VOOM internet package, wash and fold laundry service, and more.

*Taxes, fees, and port expenses of $4,667 USD per person are additional and are subject to change at any time. All starting prices listed are per person, in USD, cruise only, based on double occupancy and are subject to change at any time.

Ultimate World Cruise Segments Starting Price

Considering all that’s included in your Ultimate Cruise segment fare, you’ll enjoy an incredible value. No matter which stateroom you choose, your fare includes Ultimate Cruise segment complimentary amenities like Deluxe Beverage Package, gratuities, VOOM internet package, and wash and fold laundry service.

*Taxes, fees, and port expenses are additional and are subject to change at any time. All starting prices listed are per person, in USD, cruise only, based on double occupancy and are subject to change at any time.

What are the 8 World Wonders the Ultimate World Cruise and the four Ultimate Cruise segments will visit, and on what dates?

Ultimate Americas Cruise: December 10, 2023 – February 11, 2024

Chichen Itza: via Cozumel Dec 13, 2023

Christ the Redeemer: via Rio de Janeiro Dec 31, 2023

Iguazu Falls: via Buenos Aires Jan 5, 2024

Machu Picchu: via Lima Jan 29-30, 2024

Ultimate Asia Pacific Cruise: February 11, 2024 – May 9, 2024

Great Barrier Reef: via Airlie Beach and Cairns March 13-14, 2024

Great Wall of China: via Beijing April 7-8, 2024

Taj Mahal: via Cochin May 1, 2024

Ultimate Africa & Med Cruise: May 9, 2024 – July 10, 2024

Colosseum: via Rome July 1, 2024

Ultimate Europe & Beyond Cruise: July 10, 2024 – September 10, 2024

There are no World Wonders visited during this Ultimate Cruise segment.

What benefits are included when booking the Ultimate World Cruise or one of the four Ultimate Cruise segments?

Guests who join us for the entire Ultimate World Cruise will receive the following inclusions:

Embarkation Amenities

Round-trip business class airfare

Pre-cruise hotel and gala

Premium transfers between airport, hotel and ship

Onboard Amenities

Deluxe Beverage Package for entire voyage

VOOM Wi-Fi internet for entire voyage

Gratuities for entire voyage

Wash and fold laundry service

Our Crown & Anchor Society guests who hold Platinum status and above will also receive the exclusive benefit of included excursions to the 7 New World Wonders.

Guests who join us for one of the four Ultimate Cruise segments will receive the following inclusions:

Deluxe Beverage Package for entire segment

VOOM Wi-Fi for entire segment

Gratuities for entire segment

Wash and fold laundry service for entire segment

Will I receive the same stateroom for the entire duration of my Ultimate World Cruise or Ultimate Cruise segment?

Our Ultimate World Cruise team will ensure that you get the same stateroom for the entirety of the cruise when purchased within the exclusive booking window through November 2021. If you are purchasing your Ultimate World Cruise after the Ultimate Cruise segments have opened for sale, our team will work with you to make every effort to secure the same stateroom for your entire time onboard, based on the remaining available inventory.

What is the payment schedule for the Ultimate World Cruise and the four Ultimate Cruise segments?

To reserve a stateroom on the Ultimate World Cruise or one of the four Ultimate Cruise segments a non-refundable deposit is required. Final payment must be received by Royal Caribbean 180 days prior to cruise departure. For bookings created within 180 days prior to cruise departure, final payment must be received within 48 hours of booking.

How long do I have to place my deposit for the Ultimate World Cruise or one of the four Ultimate Cruise segments?

If outside of final payment, our Ultimate World Cruise and Ultimate Cruise segment guests are able to place a two-week hold to lock in their preferred stateroom and price before deposit is required. Your deposit must be placed within the two-week offer period to secure your selected stateroom.

Are there travel insurance options available on the Ultimate World Cruise or the four Ultimate Cruise segments?

There are travel insurance options available to guests who meet certain qualifications. For more information, please call 800-423-2100 or contact your Travel Advisor.

Why are the Ultimate World Cruise and the four Ultimate Cruise segments only offered as nonrefundable?

Our Ultimate World Cruise and the four Ultimate Cruise segments are a unique adventure that has never before been offered by Royal Caribbean and we want to ensure that our guests who are committed to sharing this experience with us receive priority placement. To preserve this unique experience, all sailings onboard Serenade of the Seas from December 10, 2023 – September 10, 2024, will be offered as exclusively nonrefundable.

Explore More

Travel By Carla Vianna

Travel and Adventure Inspiration

Ultimate Around The World Itinerary: 22 Countries in 10 Months

April 21, 2019 · In: RTW Travel , Travel Guides

In 2017, my boyfriend Guil and I embarked on a 10-month trip around the world , visiting 22 countries across Europe, South America and Southeast Asia. I’ve never actually shared our ultimate around the world itinerary with anyone, and I thought it would make for a fun blog post—especially for those looking to do a similar trip around the world.

Here’s a quick overview of the trip: We started off in Paris in September 2017 and spent the following two and a half months in Europe. From there, we flew to South America to spend the holidays with our families in Brazil. Four months later, we actually returned to the U.S. for a month before going to Asia. Then in April 2018, we left to Hong Kong, the final leg of our trip. We spent three months traveling in Southeast Asia before returning home on July 9, 2018.

This was our journey.

Our Ultimate Around The World Itinerary

It was an incredible feat to visit over 20 countries and countless cities across three different continents. This trip was the singular most rewarding experience of my life, and there’s little to nothing I would change in our adventurous nearly yearlong stint around the world .

First Stop: Europe

We spent two and a half months traveling through Europe, hitting mostly big capital cities since it was only my second time traveling there. The goal here was certainly to visit as many countries as possible—so we planned the route by each picking the major cities we wanted to see the most, and then combining our lists and narrowing it down to a two-month timeline.

We traveled mostly by land, via bus, and found it to be a remarkably affordable way to travel within Europe.

Netherlands

Czech Republic

Cinque Terre

Second Stop: South America

South America was a different animal. Getting around proved much more difficult (and expensive) than in Europe. We took our time here, spending a total of four months slowly making our way around the massive continent. This gave us time to visit several cities within each country — which allowed us to truly experience each individual culture, more so than in Europe, when we were hopping from country to country every few days.

Because flights are so expensive in South America, we also traveled mostly by land here. Though bus travel in many of the countries we visited isn’t as efficient as it is in Europe, it was usually the cheapest method of transportation, though sometimes flying was the only option. The longest bus ride we endured was 23 hours through the Chilean desert (and this was after a five-hour flight followed by a nine-hour layover).

Backpacking through South America definitely tests even the most experienced of travelers, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world, that bus ride included.

Rio de Janeiro

Porto Alegre

Buenos Aires

Salar de Uyuni

Viña del Mar

San Pedro de Atacama

Machu Picchu

Ollantaytambo

Final Stop: Southeast Asia

The final leg of our around the world trip was my absolutely favorite: Three months in Southeast Asia, including plenty of island hopping. Our time here was marked by incredible food, waterfall chasing, jungle hikes, endless beach days, surfing, scuba diving, and the most beautiful natural landscapes I’ve ever laid eyes on.

It was incredibly easy to get around in Southeast Asia, more so than in South America I’d say. The tourism industry is very much a fundamental part of the region’s economy and has been growing exponentially over the years, and the infrastructure in place for tourists clearly represents that. We traveled mostly by plane, train or boat, all at very affordable prices.

Ha Long Bay

Luang Prabang

Nusa Penida

Nusa Lembongan

Nusa Ceningan

Kuala Lumpur

Have I convinced you to plan your own trip? Reach out with any questions you may have — I’m here to help!

If you found this post helpful, you may also enjoy:

• The True Cost of Backpacking Around The World
• How To Plan A Trip Around The World
• How To Pack For A Backpacking Trip Around The World

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You’ll Also Love

June 16, 2020 at 6:21 am

Carla, I’m watching an old PBS vhs tapes about train travel, and you are in the story in Ecuador! You were choosing to ride on top of the train to take photos, and you really look happy! Guessing you speak Spanish for such a trip. Have read some of your other notes about travel, but haven’t read them all. Your world trip was a great story to read. Closest I can come to that experience was a 53 day, round the world cruise in 2015. You sure are an Adventurer! Thanks for the stories! My travel companion is a 20 year travel agency owner, and you and she could talk for hours I’m sure! Best wishes and safe travels!

June 16, 2020 at 8:59 am

Oh! I don’t think I ever rode a train in Ecuador, perhaps it’s my doppelgänger! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading my stories — it was certainly a life changing trip!

December 6, 2021 at 1:16 pm

Very inspirational. Given the new travel requirements and suggestions for a single woman over 60 years old who’s very fit, what changes would you suggest with this itinerary? My goal is to take the RTW trip upon my retirement at 67 at the latest. I plan to rent out my home and place my cats with a friend for 10 months during travel, sell my car, etc. I’m an avid photographer and blogger as well. I started a blog a couple years ago. lutreks.com I haven’t updated it in a long time. Thanks very much for your response. Be well. Laura I also have 2 other websites droneskyphoto.com and fotopaws.com as well as my smugmug and flickr sites.

March 30, 2022 at 8:37 am

Hi Laura! The changes are completely up to you! That’s the beauty of a round-the-world trip. You can make up the itinerary that best fits your travel style. Of course, now you’ll need to do some research ahead of time to ensure certain destinations are open. But I don’t see you running into many issues traveling through the European cities on this list. South America is also pretty open, and Southeast Asia (including Bali!) is now opening up as well.

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Our checklist to prepare a round the world trip

Last Update: 08/04/2024 0 COMMENT

If you have come this far (and read all the previous chapters of course 😉 ), you now know almost all the important things to prepare your trip around the world and embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

In this last chapter, we have created for you a checklist or recapitulation schedule that organizes all the important steps of your rtw trip preparations starting 1 year before your departure date until D-day (After all this, you will really have no more excuses not to go backpacking around the world 😉 ).

• Fix a departure date
• 1 year before departure
• 9 months before departure
• 6 months before departure
• 3 months before departure
• 1 month before departure
• 2 weeks before departure
• 1 week before departure
• 1 day before departure

When we start the preparations we sometimes have the impression that we are faced with a huge amount of paperwork… Sometimes we wonder if we’re going to make it, if we don’t to just leave without having to worry about the administration… But I guarantee you, with a little planning everything becomes easier right away!

We do not promise that this list is 100% complete, but it should contain the essential information… If you find that something is missing you can of course write us a short email or leave a comment at the end of the article and we will update it as we go along…

Fix a departure date!

As explained in Chapter 1 , if you can set a departure date, it will help you to make your travel plan a reality. This is the best way to embark on this great adventure and get the round-the-world preparation machine up and running.

1 year before the start of your round the world trip

• Start planning your itinerary and establish a budget per country and a total budget .
• Let yourself dream and keep some flexibility, planning is good, but not too much! 🙂 You will see, the next 6 months you will be in sponge mode , you will start strolling around on blogs, writing down ideas but it is also the moment when your trip will start to take on a more concrete dimension! And to inspire you a little more, we leave you the world map of all our blog articles below 😉
• Start saving for your round the world trip (we were giving you some of our tips for saving around here )
• If you decide to take a sabbatical leave , now is the time to start checking the conditions and deadlines in your company.
• Tell your family and friends about your travel plan … and don’t let yourself be frightened by certain reactions from your loved ones 😉
• Participate in travel events close to your place. You will see it is a great way to get inspired and meet other travelers or future backpackers.

The dream has now become a project, congratulations!

9 months before the start of your round the world trip

• Ask for quotes for your flight tickets . Whether with an agency or an alliance, start doing your research. Refer to this chapter of our ebook for more details.
• Make an appointment with your doctor for advice on vaccinations . Detail your itinerary and start preparing a vaccination plan. It is important to start this step early, as some vaccines cannot be given at the same time, and vaccines tend to weaken your immune system, the more time you take and distribute the injections, the less likely you are to have a reaction. For more details, check out our article about travel vaccinations .
• If you are thinking of going to a country where you do not speak the language, this is the right time to start language courses . Whether in a school or directly online at home, acquiring a basic vocabulary will help you to get by in the first place! On our side, we use the Mosalingua app (20% discount with this link) which allows us to learn easily even if we have just 5 minutes, directly from our smartphone.

6 months before the start of your round the world trip

• Buy your round-the-world flight tickets if you have received a good quote (see 1st very big expense of your round-the-world trip)
• Announce your departure to your boss (if you have one). Whether you want to take a sabbatical leave or leave your position, 6 months before departure is usually a good time to do so (unless you are in bad terms with your company… then you can wait until the last moment 😉 ).
• Start the process of selling/renting your home.
• It’s time to start selling/renting your personal belongings that you no longer need (car, furniture, books, old things you no longer use etc…) A good way to sort out before moving out but also a great way to complete your budget!
• Choose an optimal banking solution for your trip to avoid paying unnecessary withdrawal fees anywhere in the world and to limit management fees. The best option we know for travelers at the moment is to open an account at the N26 mobile bank (the N26 you option is the most attractive with free withdrawals worldwide).

3 months before the start of your round the world trip

• Book your various medical appointments for a final pre-departure check-up : Dentist, dental hygienist, gynecologist, general practitioner, ophthalmologist, etc… It’s always better to leave after having done your checkups… it’s better not bothering with that during the round the world trip.
• Subscribe to a travel insurance! Ask for quotes, compare offers and contact your current insurance company to find out what to do next. We let you take a look at our guide to choose the best backpacker insurance or directly at our comparative table of the best travel insurance for a rtw trip .
• Start thinking about your backpack , the clothes you want to take with you etc…. we have dedicated an entire chapter of this e-book to the equipment to take with you on a round the world trip that should help you about that.

• Remember to cancel your subscriptions on time: Telephone, internet, TV, unnecessary insurance, public transport, gym, etc… Most subscriptions have a 3-month notice period and there are no small savings
• Check the validity of your passport and the number of empty pages available. If necessary, you might have to order a new one!
• Apply for the visas of the first country you will visit during your round-the-world trip (if necessary). In our case, we chose China as our first country because it was easier to obtain a 3-month visa from Switzerland than on the way. Also check the visa requirements of the other countries you wish to visit.
• If you keep your tax residence in your home country during your trip, make sure you can pay your taxes online during your round the world trip.
• Find a place to store your belongings (after selling everything you no longer need 😉 ) during the trip: storage, with family or friends, it’s up to you!
• Apply for an International Driver’s Licence : This licence may be required depending on the country in which you are travelling to rent a vehicle.

1 month before the start of your round the world trip

• Usually it’s time to move out (good luck! it’s just a bad time to spend 😉 )
• Consider forwarding your mail to a trusted person. You could also use an online mailbox service (they receive and scan your mail to send it to you by e-mail).
• Start preparing your first aid kit , go to your doctor or pharmacist for some advice.

2 weeks before the start of your round the world trip

• Collect all the addresses and phone numbers you will need in a small notebook or send you the list by email: Addresses of your relatives, emergency numbers, number to stop on your credit card, travel insurance number, bank logins or other etc…. A good solution is also to create a word document with all this information and store it in a dropbox to have access to it at any time if necessary during the trip.
• Make a power of attorney (bank) to one of your relatives for the duration of your trip. You never know what may happen and you may need someone to do an bank transfer for you during your trip.
• Start planning your farewell party 😉

1 week before the start of your round the world trip

• Start packing and make last-minute purchases (I guarantee there will be some) ;). And please don’t do as we did… try to fill and carry your backpack before the D-day (and don’t worry too much if you find it heavy… you’ll get used to it 🙂 )
• Make a copy of all your important documents : Passport, vaccination booklet, driving license. Keep a copy on you, and send yourself an electronic version on your email.
• Subscribe to a VPN to be able to surf the web safely and peacefully all around the world. We use expressVPN which is the best VPN service in our opinion. More details about VPN here
• Go take a series of passport photos : useful for the different visas you will do along the way
• Print insurance certificates : they will also be required for some visas.
• Eat all the things you like you won’t find during your trip 🙂

1 day before the start of your round the world trip

• Finish putting everything in your bag. A little walk around the corner to see how you can manage the weight of your bag may not be a bad idea… And if your neighbours think you’re crazy, give them the address of your blog, it’ll make them dream a little! 🙂
• Enjoy a last evening with your relatives and friends!

Oh and STAY RELAXED! The adventure that awaits you is wonderful, don’t waste time worrying about it, it’s not worth it!

The final word

Did you like this guide ?

We hope that this little gift has been useful to you! If you liked it and want to thank us then you can come and follow us on our Facebook / instagram pages or share this guide with your friends!

In any case, if you have decided to leave, we can only congratulate you, it is definitely the most beautiful experience in the world! We wish you all the best for your coming adventures !

And if you want to contact us, don’t hesitate to write us an e-mail with your feedback about this guide or just to say hello ; we really love to read all your messages! And if you have remarks that could be useful to other backpackers, do not hesitate to comment the concerned pages directly on the blog, we will try to maintain this guide up to date thanks to your feedback!

Our email : contact[at]novo-monde.com

Fabienne & Benoit

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Tag: Best Around The World Itinerary

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Our Bucket List Of 100 Ultimate Road Trips Around The World

01 apr 2024 04 oct 2020 | dan.

Last updated 26 January 2024 by John and Dan

So many roads, so many adventures! So where to start? In this EPIC post, we’ve compiled our bucket list of 100 ultimate road trips around the world. It’s a road trip list for a lifetime of unforgettable journeys and experiences, spanning every continent (but one). Mission accepted.

We’re happiest when we’re on the road. There’s nothing quite like the freedom and anticipation of setting out on a driving adventure of your own making. Where you call the shots: you decide where to go, what to see, how long you want to stay. Where you can enjoy the best of the roads well travelled, and then leave them behind in search of the low-key and the off-beat; the hidden gems of a destination.

Road tripping is our favourite style of travel, and over the years it’s become a key element of just about every trip we make, whether it’s in our own car, a hire car, or with a local driver/guide and their car.

Years ago, we started compiling random ideas for the world’s best road trips. Our objective? The ultimate road trip bucket list to hang on our virtual travel planning wall and set the agenda for a lifetime of adventures to come. Over time, we’ve embarked on some these grail journeys too. Until 2020 anyway when, like everyone around the world, circumstances outside our control meant we had to shift down a gear.

Perfect opportunity to take our random list and make it properly epic, we thought, and plan our road tripping future for decades to come.

So we started researching. We trawled maps, websites, guidebooks, newsletters, social media and friends’ brains, to pinpoint the best drives in the world and build our own ultimate road trips list across the globe. Then we plotted out a rough route for every single one, with approximate distances and minimum timeframes. The clusters of starred places on our Google world map resembles the Milky Way.

This post is the result: 100 amazing, multi-day (in many cases multi-week) bucket list road trip adventures on every continent, except  Antarctica ( though we have set foot on the icy landmass and that trip has the number one spot on our list of 21 Epic Adventures Around the World ).

For every epic drive that’s made pole position on our road trip list though, there are another handful of road trips waiting at the back of the pack.

We’ve started with 100 but the world’s the limit, and our world is a very big place. We’re also keen to hear your tips on the best road trips in the world:  let us know in the comments at the end of the post . Let’s hit the road!

100 Ultimate Road Trips Around The World

1. Road Trips in Africa 2. Asian Road Trips 3. Road Trips in Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific 4. Road Trips in Central & South America 5. European Road Trips 6. Road Trips in the Middle East 7. Road Trips in North America

Our road trip bucket list has been years in the making and some we’ve happily warmed the tyres on already. Road trips we’ve done have their titles highlighted in orange and include links to posts where we’ve written up the itineraries. Plenty more write-ups and road trips still to come!

Road Trips in Africa

It’s the continent we’ve travelled the least and there are still vast swathes of Africa we’re keen to explore. There’s also an enormous diversity of experiences to be found between the desert dunes of the north and the wild and beautiful coastline of the south. So where to even start?

For our top 100, we’ve opted for seven mighty African road trip adventures taking in some of the continent’s most epic scenery, wildlife and history, from the top to the bottom, and off the mainland to an island on the Indian Ocean.

1. Baobabs, Wildlife and Pinnacles ~ Madagascar

Appx. 1,000+ km (620+ miles) | 10-14 days

Antananarivo to Morondava  | In an ideal world, we’d road trip all of Madagascar, but as the fourth largest island in the world, perspective is essential. So our starting point is a central island journey offering a taster of the unique wildlife, nature and landscapes the island is famous for, including the famous  Avenue of Baobabs  and the World Heritage  Tsingy pinnacles .

2. Across the High Atlas ~ Morocco

560 km (348 miles) | Up to 1 week

Marrakech to Merzouga  |  From a World Heritage walled city, we journey across the high Atlas Mountains, through canyons and gorges, past oases and ancient mud-brick kasbahs to the edge of the vast, burnt-orange Sahara Desert. We’ve travelled to Morocco twice and we loved this Moroccan road trip so much, we decided to carry on north with our driver guide through the ancient city of Fez and the blue city of Chefchaouen to Tangier. It’s a trip we hope to repeat one day. Itineraries to come .

3. The Namib Desert ~ Namibia

Appx. 2,500 km (1,550 miles) | 10-14 days

Windhoek to Windhoek Loop  | Soaring red sand dunes in the world’s oldest desert; grasslands and salt pans where wildlife roam; remarkable granite landscapes and ancient, World Heritage rock art; great gatherings of fur seals; Africa’s largest canyon; and the Skeleton Coast, a notorious stretch of coastline with the name to match. It all serves to make this one of the most exciting and anticipated adventure road trips on our list. In late 2023, we explored this fantastic country on an overland truck tour and now all we want is to go back and do it all again independently. Stay tuned for the write-up .

4. The Garden Route ~ South Africa

Appx. 1,850 km (1,150 miles) | 1-2 weeks

Cape Town to Cape Town Loop  | The Garden Route, South Africa – a 200 km (124 mile) stretch of road from Mossel Bay to Storms River – is said to be one of the most spectacular coastal road trips in the world. That in itself would be enough for us. So the fact it also offers amazing wildlife watching (on land and sea) and awesome adventure activities has cemented this on our road trip bucket list. We’ll extend the journey beyond the Garden Route itself by looping to and from Cape Town, and adding more wildlife reserves plus the wineries of Stellenbosch and Francshhoek.

5. Durban to Drakensberg Mountains ~ South Africa & Lesotho

Appx. 900 km (560 miles+) | Up to 2 weeks

Durban to Durban Loop  | This is a BIG drive: big beaches, big mountains, big waterfalls, big five wildlife encounters. Looping from Durban in South Africa along the coast, then inland through national parks and up into the World Heritage Drakensberg Mountains and the famous  Sani Pass  to Lesotho, this road trip is just one more reason we need to get driving in South Africa sooner rather than later.

6. Panorama Route ~ South Africa

Appx. 2,000 km (1,240 miles) | 1 week

Johannesburg to Johannesburg Loop  | A safari in Kruger National Park is a bucket list goal. A safari in Kruger at the end of one of the most beautiful road trips in Africa, which also happens to take in one of the world’s largest canyons, must be a bucket list road trip trifecta! In addition to the showcase Blyde River Canyon, the Panorama Route packs in forests, waterfalls, rockpools, gorges, a National Monument town and, of course, epic panoramas across the lowlands to Kruger.

7. Sea, Sand and Ancient Ruins ~ Tunisia

Appx 1,600 km (995 miles) | 2 weeks

Tunis to Tunis Loop  | If you know us, you know we’re mad for ruins, all ruins, but especially ruins of the Ancient Roman era. Tunisia, a wedge of land in Africa’s north, has some of the best ancient sites still standing, including the ruins of the famous Punic city of Carthage. By all accounts, road tripping through this under-the-radar country’s shifting landscapes – from the Mediterranean coast to the sands of the Sahara – is outstanding.

Asian Road Trips

From the ancient Silk Road through the mountains and high plains of Central Asia, to the cultural highlights of the Far East and tropical island jungles of the Indonesian archipelago, Asia is a treasure chest of road tripping adventures.

Drive journeys in Asia offer the chance to get off the more typical tourist trails and into villages, local hideaways and harder-to-reach destinations for unforgettable experiences in culture, adventure and history; and the nine epic Asian road trips on our top 100 road trip list do just that.

8. The Remote Himalayas ~ Bhutan

Distance varies | 10 days

Paro to Paro Loop  | The Himalayas remain seriously high on our bucket list (no pun intended), and at the peak is enigmatic Bhutan, a mountain kingdom with a unique culture and spectacular, untouched nature. The country’s tourism policy means we would need to have a driver and guide for this particular Asian road trip, but when you’re surrounded by the world’s highest mountains and happiest people, we’re fine with being able to sit back and just take it all in!

9. Road Trip Flores ~ Indonesia

Appx. 750 km (465 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Labuan Bajo to Ende  | This awesome road trip through the Indonesian island of Flores serves up soaring volcanoes, traditional villages, jungley highlands and some of the best off-the-beaten track beaches in the archipelago. Add some scuba diving or snorkelling, and close encounters with primeval dragons in speccy Komodo National Park, and this is one of the best island road trips you never heard of. We traversed the island with a hire car and driver-guide. Read  our 14-day Flores itinerary  for all the details.

10. Land of Kings, Rajasthan ~ India

Appx. 2,500 km | Up to a month

Delhi to Delhi Loop  |  India’s northern state of Rajasthan is a captivating world of epic fortresses, vibrant temples, extraordinary wildlife reserves, colourful cities, vast desert landscapes and tantalising cuisines. Our driving journey into this incredible place, via the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradhesh, is an adventure we’ll never forget. Read  our Rajasthan road trip itinerary  for the low-down on one of the best Asian road trips on the sub-continent.

11. The Golden Route ~ Japan

Appx. 550 km (340 miles) | 1-2 weeks

Tokyo to Osaka  | Where to start when it comes to exploring Japan? There’s so much we want to see on this island nation, and there are plenty of awesome-looking road trips to explore off the beaten track, like the  Scenic Byway collection on Hokkaido . For our very first trip to the country though, we’re keen to seek out the epic highlights of the famous  Golden Route , following the ancient Tokkaido Road between Tokyo and Kyoto and on to Osaka – a magic introduction of big cities, historic towns, rich culture and stunning scenery.

12. Gobi Desert ~ Mongolia

Distance varies | 1-2 weeks

Ulaanbaatar to Ulaanbaatar Loop  | Far-flung and properly off the beaten track, Mongolia makes for no ordinary road trip. Actually, it’s well and truly off-road and from the sounds of it, trips usually take place in functional old rust-bucket vans. The rough and ready nature of this trip is all part of the fun though and well worth the prizes: huge sand dunes, vast steppes, Mongol empire ruins, wild horses, endless skies, wonderful isolation…and nights under the stars in yurts!

13. Seoul to Busan Overlander ~ South Korea

Distance TBC | 2-3 weeks

Seoul to Busan  | We’re still talking about our one brilliant night in Seoul, and we didn’t even make it into the city on that stopover. So we’re eager to get back and explore the country proper. Road tripping is apparently easy and the best way to get off the beaten track to visit the country’s best World Heritage sites, traditional villages, Buddhist temples and monasteries. There’s a ton of culture, history and nature to experience here, plus Korean BBQ! If time allows, we’ll also hop across to Jeju Island to drive the renowned  Ilju Coastal Road .

14. Emerald Island Circuit ~ Sri Lanka

Appx 1,600km (995 miles) | Up to a month

Colombo to Colombo Loop  | Compact Sri Lanka is a wonderful country to explore by road, serving up beautiful coastlines, jungles and mountains, highland tea plantations, and standout World Heritage cultural and natural sites.  We’ve travelled the traditional tourist loop  from the capital to the highlands to the coast, but there’s so much more we want to see here with the freedom of a car, especially the less-visited north and east, only more recently reopened to visitors after decades of internal strife.

15. Island Loop ~ Taiwan

Appx. 1,080 km (670 miles) | 2 weeks

Taipei to Taipei Loop  | Taiwan is a magical mystery to us, but what we’ve read has put it squarely on our road trip bucket list. Apparently the roads are great and the sights are many – from the city lights and night markets of the capital Taipei, to the cultural sites, tea plantations, beautiful beaches, hiking opportunities, speccy Taroko Gorge and everything else in between. More than half of Taiwan is mountain country too and we can never get enough mountains.

16. Pamir Highway ~ Tajikistan

Appx. 700 km+ (430 miles) | 1 week

Osh, Kyrgyzstan to Khorog, Tajikistan  | The ‘stans loom large on our destination bucket list, so it goes without saying the opportunity to get out and explore by road (not just any road either but part of the ancient Silk Road!) only adds to the appeal. The Pamir Highway starts in Kyrgyzstan and winds a route through Tajikistan that by all accounts serves up some of the most majestic mountain scenery in the world. In fact, our mates Alesha and Jarryd of NOMADasaurus rate it so highly they set up group tours with a local operator, and their  road trip write-up  has us very much looking forward to one day making this journey.

Road Trips in Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific

We’ve been enjoying road trips in Australia for as long as we can remember (Dan since she was a kid on family holidays, and John since touring Oz in a Ford Econovan as a backpacker in the 90s), but we’ve still got a serious hit list of road tripping adventures we want to have across our vast island-continent home.

We’ve also been drawn time and again to that other island nation across the pond, New Zealand , as it arguably serves up some of the world’s best road tripping opportunities. Plus, after discovering the delights of Pacific Island road tripping in  Vanuatu  and  Easter Island , we’ve added Fiji as a new island addition in our top 100.

17. Great Ocean Road ~ Australia

Appx. 243 km (150 miles) | 2-4 Days

Torquay to Allansford  | This iconic coastal drive is on our southern doorstep in the state of Victoria, and while we’ve both cruised parts of it, we haven’t driven it together. While you can knock it over in around four hours, we want to take our time and explore the epic coastal scenery both in and out of the car, including the world-famous Twelve Apostles, pristine beaches, rainforest, waterfalls, bushwalks, and eats and drinks along the way.

18. Circle Tasmania ~ Australia

Appx. 1,800 km (1,120 miles) | 1 week to 1 month

Hobart to Hobart Loop  | Gorgeous Tasmania holds a real allure for us: it’s one of just a couple of places we could imagine ourselves retiring to one day. Naturally, we’re keen to road trip to all of its corners before then. This  epic Tassie circuit  by Tourism Australia looks like the perfect place to start. Add some extra km’s to include historic Port Arthur and the foodie destination, Bruny Island, plus some world-class hiking side-trips, and we’re raring to go!

19. The South-Western Corner ~ Australia

Appx. 2,000 km (1,240 miles) | 2 weeks

Perth to Perth via Albany  | Take one of the world’s great wine regions (Margaret River), add exquisite white-sand beaches, giant trees, waterfalls, sand dunes, amazing hikes, unique geological formations and ridiculously cute quokkas, and you can see why this road trip has been calling to us. We finally had the chance to drive it in 2021 and it was every bit as epic as we’d hoped. Our original claim stands – this may well be one of the best road trips in Australia. Check out our itinerary for an epic two week road trip of south west Australia .

The Ultimate Australian Road Trip It’s called ‘The Big Lap’, a classic Aussie understatement for an epic 40,000 km (25,000 mile) adventure looping right around Australia. It’s a bit of a tradition for retired older Aussies and young international backpackers to load up a 4WD or camper trailer and embark on this extraordinary journey. It skirts just about all of the Australian coastline plus a stint inland to the Red Centre. How long it takes is entirely up you. Something to look forward to when we’re old(er).

20. South to North via Explorer’s Way ~ Australia

Appx. 4,000 km+ (2,500 miles) | 2-3 weeks

Adelaide to Darwin  | We might be leaving  The Big Lap  for later (see above), but this epic Australian road trip is one we hope to make sooner. Starting in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, this incredible journey overlands through the southern outback and into the Northern Territory to visit some of the most iconic destinations on the continent – Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon, Karlu Karlu-Devils Marbles, Litchfield National Park and more – before winding up in Darwin. Huge!

21. Viti Levu Island ~ Fiji

Appx. 515 km (320 miles) | 12-14 days

Nadi to Nadi Loop  | An iso binge watch of  Eco-Challenge Fiji  put the spectacular landscapes of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, firmly on our road trip list. While we’ll leave the hard core adventure racing to the pros, exploring the island by car opens up a world of possibilities for reaching its remote corners and experiencing its diverse natural beauty and outdoor adventure – on land as well as in the sea (diving!) and on the nearby islands – along with the culture and legendary warmth of the Fijian people. 

22. North Island Loop ~ New Zealand

Appx. 3,200+ km (2,000 miles) | Up to a month

Auckland to Auckland Loop  | This incredible journey around the north island of New Zealand, one of our favourite places on the planet, is at the summit of our bucket list. It takes in the north’s unsurpassed landscapes of lush forests, thermal springs, pristine beaches, iconic volcanoes and spectacular lakes. Throw in ultra-cool Wellington with its craft beer and food scene, a visit to ‘Hobbiton’, and the wineries of Hawkes Bay, and this may just be our ultimate road trip heaven.

23. South Island Loop ~ New Zealand

Distance varies | Up to a month

Christchurch to Christchurch Loop  | You can tackle New Zealand’s breathtaking South Island in a couple of different trips, or road trip the whole island. We’ve already mini-looped once via the west coast glaciers, and a second time via Central Otago and the east coast ( check out our South Island highlights ). Both times we took in the magnetic mountains-and-fjords-drive between Queenstown and Milford Sound. With loads of epic destinations like Abel Tasman National Park, the Catlins and Dunedin still to visit, a drive around the whole South Island is definitely a future New Zealand bucket list road trip goal for us.

Road Trips in Central & South America

Latin America may well be a contender for our favourite part of the world. The vast spaces and incredible, changing scenery of South America are superb for road tripping, while the countries of Central America serve up culture and history in compact abundance. While there are still so many corners of both that we want to explore, the seven journeys here are a combination of our favourites and most anticipated.

24. Ruta 40 ~ Argentina

Appx. 5,200 km (3,230 miles) | As long as it takes

La Quiaca to Punta Loyola  | South America is catnip for us, we just love it. We’ve travelled various segments of amazing National Route 40 through Argentina over the years, but we’re keen to travel the entire length, from the dramatic canyons, deserts and salt flats of the north, through the lake regions, wine regions, World Heritage, cultural heritage, historic sites and pampas grasslands, to the mind-blowing mountains and glaciers of spectacular southern Patagonia.

25. Route of the Seven Lakes ~ Argentina

Appx. 108 km (67 miles) | 1-3 days

Bariloche to San Martín de los Andes  | The more time we spend in Argentina, the more places end up on our bucket list to come back and explore by car. We knew nothing about the Ruta de los Siete Lagos – Route of the Seven Lakes – when we arrived in the town of Bariloche, and our expectations were batted completely out of the ballpark. This road trip, a tiny section of Ruta 40, can be done in a day or more slowly as you follow a winding route through the sweeping forests, soaring peaks and serene lakes of northern Patagonia. Read  our one-day itinerary .

26. Atacama to Uyuni ~ Chile & Bolivia

Appx 550 km (340 miles) | 4-5 days

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile to Uyuni, Bolivia  | Atacama, the world’s highest, driest, oldest desert is simply breathtaking – both literally and figuratively. From the volcano-dotted moonscape of the Chilean plateau, it’s just a hop across the high Andes to Bolivia and another otherworldly destination: the vast salt flats of Uyuni. We tried this journey by road once before but were thwarted by sudden snowstorms. We’re determined to go back and try again.

27. Carretera Austral ~ Chile

Appx. 1,225 km (760 miles) | 1-2 weeks

Puerto Montt to Villa O’Higgins  | Patagonia is addictive. The nature, the wildlife, the outdoor adventure….we could go on. Our short road trips in Chile have whetted our appetites to explore more of this gorgeous country by car and the Carretera Austral, Chile’s Route 7, which winds along parks, rivers, lakes and hot springs and offers plenty of opportunities for trekking and out-of-car nature immersion, hits all the marks.

28. Parks & Wildlife ~ Costa Rica

Appx. 1,100 km (685 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

San José to San José Loop  | This little wedge of land in Central America is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, making Costa Rica an outstanding destination for nature lovers. With a quarter of the country protected in reserves, the hardest part of a road trip is deciding what you can bear to leave out. Our loop through the parks of Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, La Fortuna and Tortuguero served up pristine rainforest, soaring volcanoes, hot springs, beautiful beaches and wildlife watching in epic abundance. Road trip itinerary to come. In the meantime, here’s our round-up of must-see parks in Costa Rica .

29. Classic West ~ Cuba

Appx. 1,150 km (715 miles) | 2 weeks

Havana to Havana Loop  | Legendary Cuba is every bit as vibrant, evocative and distinctive as we’d hoped. From the lively, crumbling capital of Havana, a journey around the western half of this island nation serves up colourful rural villages, tobacco plantations, pretty beaches and World Heritage cities. There are opportunities for horse-riding, scuba diving, cycling and, of course, vintage car rides. While we didn’t drive ourselves (it’s certainly possible), our classic car road trips between each destination took this trip to another level. Read  our 2-week Cuba itinerary .

30. Yucatan Peninsula ~ Mexico

Appx. 2,500 km (1,550 miles) | 2-3 weeks

Cancun to Cancun Loop  | The vast, jungley Yucatan peninsula is like a magnet, drawing us back time and again to explore its pearly beaches,  otherworldly cenotes , vivid historic towns,  vibrant reefs , and epic ancient Mayan ruins (all of it fuelled by delicious tacos al pastor). While it’s easy to get around the Yucatan by public transport or tour, as we have previously, hiring a car is a chance to go at your own pace and search out the many gems of this awesome, ancient place. We’ll be back.

European Road Trips

While Europe may not have the landmass of some other continents, its 44 countries and sheer diversity of people, place, history and culture have led to it accounting for almost half of our top 100 road trip bucket list!

Having spent countless hours, days and weeks meandering by car through the UK and western Europe, plus a couple of months road tripping through northwestern Europe and Scandinavia, we know the possibilities for European road trips are endless. So while we’ve managed to compile close to fifty road trips here which are an absolute must for us, there are literally hundreds more just waiting in the wings. Bring it on!

31. Across the Austrian Alps ~ Austria

Appx. 1,200 km (745 miles) | 2 weeks

Innsbruck to Vienna  | A whirlwind winter weekend in Innsbruck introduced us to the gorgeous alpine-scapes of Austria, and returning to road trip the country is a must for us. Our planned journey starts in Innsbruck, and from there winds a high-altitude path to the western mountains and back across the country’s alpine ranges, via the famed  Grossglockner High Alpine Road , to Vienna in the east. It’s not all epic mountains though – great wining, dining, amazing hiking, history, architecture and much more also await.

32. Istria & The Adriatic Highway ~ Croatia

Appx. 800 km (500 miles) | 10 days +

Rovinj to Dubrovnik  | The glimpses of Croatia we’ve had through short trips to Split and Dubrovnik – of historic cities, charming islands, turquoise waters and epic sunsets – have been more than enough to convince us that a road trip along this stunning Kings Landing coast is a must. Cue the  Adriatic Highway , which winds a magical coastal path from top to bottom. We’ll extend the journey by starting in Rovinj, on the Istrian peninsula.

33. Southern Scandinavia ~ Denmark, Norway & Sweden

Appx. 1,850 km + Car Ferry | 2+ Weeks

Copenhagen to Copenhagen Loop  | This Nordic journey takes in the cool Scandi cities, historical highlights and beautiful, changing landscapes of Denmark, southern Norway and Sweden. We travelled this route as part of a 3-month road trip through northwest Europe and Scandinavia, but as we were rained on for most of the journey, this route is one we’re keen to travel again, in better weather. It can easily be done in either direction, and extended with a  broader circuit of Norway . Itinerary write-up to come.

34. The Mysterious Faroe Islands ~ Denmark

Distance varies | 7-10 days

Tórshavn to Tórshavn Loop  | The seed for a trip to the Faroe Islands was planted as we stood looking out to sea from the port of Hirtshals in Denmark, and it’s well and truly taken root. This wild and remote cluster of islands in the northern Atlantic, a far-flung, self-governing outpost of the Danish kingdom, has an air of magic and legend about it, and the scenery to suit. While driving around an archipelago seems unlikely, the Faroes’ bridges, under-sea tunnels and ferries make road tripping here entirely possible and, by all accounts, entirely unforgettable.

35. Baltic Road Trip ~ Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Tallinn to Vilnius  | Apart from a girls’ weekend in Tallinn for Dan in the early noughties, the Baltic states remain a tantalising unknown to us. What better way to discover this under-the-radar corner of northeastern Europe than by car? Highlights include castles, national parks, cool cities with baroque and art nouveau architecture, beaches, charming villages, history in droves, and plenty of scenic driving on a weaving route between Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

36. Ancient Provence ~ France

Appx. 500 km (310 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Marseilles to Marseille Loop  | Some 2,100 years ago, the Romans turned up in south-east France, named it Provincia Romana and started building. Their legacy can still be found all over Provence, in the form of ancient theatres, temples, bridges, roads, aqueducts and monuments. We’ve driven parts of this route and mapped a bunch more for a fantastic road trip into the distant past. This is also one of the world’s great wine regions. Ancient history + wineries = our perfect European road trip.

37. The Brittany Coast ~ France

Appx. 700 km (435 miles) | 5-7 days

Saint-Malo to Saint-Malo Loop  | If the beautiful rugged coastline wasn’t enough to put this epic road trip on our list, the megalithic sites, primeval forest trails, medieval villages and towns, and renowned food scene have cemented it there. The World Heritage Mont St Michel is also just down the road from Saint-Malo.

38. Island Tripper, Corsica ~ France

Appx. 600 km (372 miles) | 7-10 days

Bastia to Bonifacio  | It took just one pic of a winding coastal road with mountains rising above a crystal clear cove to put a Corsica road trip on our bucket list. This French island, birthplace of Napoleon, packs a Mediterranean punch with wildly diverse landscapes, cute villages, outdoor adventure, beachside chill, delicious food and wineries, all in a relatively compact, very road-trippable space.

39. La Route des Grande Alpes ~ France

Appx. 675 km (420 Miles) | 3 days

Thonon-les-Bains to Menton  | Alpine road trips are probably our fave, and this amazing drive from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean through the French Alps ticks all the boxes: national parks, climbing routes, sky-high villages and lakes, around 20 mountain passes, and some of the highest roads in Europe. It’s open in Summer and early Autumn only.

40. La Route des Vins D’Alsace ~ France

170 km (106 miles) | A couple of days

Marlenheim to Thann  | How could we not include a road trip named for wine? The historic Alsace region is in France’s north-east near Germany and Switzerland, and vino is truly in its DNA – it’s been producing wine since Roman times. This isn’t a long road trip, but with dozens of picturesque villages and around 1,000 producers dedicated wholeheartedly to wine, it’s a journey we want to take slow and savour (literally).

41. French and Italian Rivieras ~ France, Monaco & Italy

Appx. 315 km (195 miles) | 7-10 days

Nice to La Spezia  | Despite taking in three countries, road tripping the Cote D’Azur from Nice to Menton via Monaco and onwards through the Italian Riviera to La Spezia will put little more than 300 km on the odometer. But this is said to be some of the most idyllic coastal driving out there: a gorgeous stretch of Mediterranean lapped by turquoise waters, with beautiful beaches and pretty villages, culminating in the renowned Cinque Terre National Park, a destination we’ve been itching to get back to and hike for 15 years.

42. Journey to the Caucasus ~ Georgia

Appx. 1,100 km (685 miles) | 2 weeks

Tbilsi to Tblisi Loop  | Europe’s far eastern country of Georgia has become a traveller hotspot in recent years and we’ve heard lots of good stuff about it. We’ve also heard road tripping is the best way to get out into the countryside and explore the myriad landscapes, cool historic sites – like the medieval Rabati fortress and Vardzia cave monastery – and the many natural highlights, from canyons, waterfalls, lakes and hot springs to the high peaks of the Caucasus Mountains.

43. The German Alpine Road ~ Germany

Appx. 450 km (280 miles) | 5-8 days

Lindau to Schönau  | People have been drawn to the Bavarian delights of the  Alpenstrasse  – scenic, traditional, cultural and culinary – for more than 160 years. More than a dozen villages and towns dot the beautiful route, which meanders via valleys and meadows, mountains and lakes, and passes dozens of castles, churches, monasteries and palaces.

44. The Castle Road ~ Germany

1,200 km (745 miles) | 1-2 weeks

Mannheim to Prague  | We love a good castle, so naturally, Europe’s greatest dedicated castle road trip is a mandatory entry on our list. Winding a route through scenic central Germany before crossing into Prague, the  Burgenstrasse  links more than seventy historic citadels, including castles, palaces and aristocratic residences.

45. The Romantic Road ~ Germany

Appx. 354 km (220 miles) | 3-4 days

Füssen to Würzburg  | More castles, yes, and dramatic ones (including the famous, Disney-esque Neuschwanstein). But tales of Germany’s Romantic Road through Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg tell a delightful road tripping story of postcard perfect scenery, colourful villages and cobblestoned medieval towns. Plus there’s Bavarian beer at one end and wine country at the other end. Perfect!

46. Highlights of the Mainland ~ Greece

Appx. 2,000 km (1,242 miles) | 2 weeks

Athens to Athens Loop  | Greece is rightly renowned for its beautiful islands, of which we’ve sampled a few. But we’ve always wanted to hit the road on the mainland and experience the culture, scenery and archaeological wonders of this very ancient place. Highlights of our planned mainland Greece road trip include epic sites like Corinth, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora.

47. Minoan Crete ~ Greece

Appx. 745 km (460 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Heraklion to Heraklion Loop  | Crete is an island of myth and legend: home to the ancient Minoan civilisation and the mythological half-man, half-bull Minotaur. Signs of this highly advanced people remain at archaeological sites such as Knossos and Phaestos, but our own road trip through Crete surprised us with rugged mountain scenery, caves, beaches, beautiful gorges for hiking, Venetian architecture and seriously good food. Road trip highlights to come .

48. The Ring Road ~ Iceland

Appx 1,350 km (840 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Reykjavic to Reykjavic Loop  | A mystical island of icy glaciers, brooding volcanoes and soothing hot springs; where the summer sun shines all night and strange lights dance across the sky in winter. We were captivated on  our road trip through the south of Iceland  and we’ll definitely be back to explore the rest on the famous island loop  Ring Road . This is said to be one of the best road trips in Europe.

49. The Wild Atlantic Way ~ Ireland

2,500 km (1,550 miles) | As long as it takes

Malin Head to Kinsale  | Ireland remains one of our fave destinations, ever since we first road tripped a loop around the country – and got engaged en route – in 2006. The  Wild Atlantic Way  is our next goal for the island nation. An anniversary road trip perhaps? Spanning six regions of diverse and spectacular Irish coastal terrain, this journey can be done in sections, or in one long, incomparable road trip.

50. Bay of Naples & Amalfi Coast ~ Italy

Appx: 150 km (95 miles) | 7-10 days

Miseno to Salerno  | Road tripping the  Amalfi Coast  is a renowned journey, and rightly so. The stunning SS163 coastal route itself is just 50 km and can be driven end to end in a matter of hours, but we extended our trip to start at ancient Misenum, travelling around the Bay of Naples in the shadow of Vesuvius, taking in the vibrant city of Naples, the extraordinary ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and charming cliff-side Sorrento, before winding through the spectacular coastal towns of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Itinerary to come .

51. The Dolomites ~ Italy

Distance TBC | 7-10 days

Bolzano to Bolzano Loop  | There are some superb driving routes through the high altitude scenery of the Italian Dolomites and Alps, including the famed  Grande Strada delle Dolomiti  and the sky-high switchbacks of the  Stelvio Pass . We’re keen to explore them all, so we’ve mapped out a World Heritage Dolomites journey along one of the best driving roads in Europe, taking in mountain passes, mountains lakes, mountain meadows, mountain food, and lots of time out of the car on epic mountain hikes.

52. Tuscan Wineries & Hill Towns ~ Central Italy

Appx. 700 km (435 miles) | 2 weeks

Florence to Florence Loop  | Our love affair with Italy was cemented on the winding roads of Tuscany, Urbino, Perugia and Terni, as we road tripped through a gorgeous countryside of rolling hills, expansive vineyards and striking medieval hill towns. We’ve espoused the highlights of this journey over two posts, one focusing on our  Tuscan road trip through Chianti , and the other our  medieval hill-town hopper , taking in magical Urbino, Assisi, Orvieto, Siena and San Gimignano. It’s one of the Italian road trips we definitely intend to do again.

53. Puglia Discovery ~ Italy

Distance TBC | 10 – 14 days

Bari to Bari Loop  | If someone said we could only road trip in Italy for the rest of our days, well, we’d be ok with that. The region of Puglia, in the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot, is a corner we finally reached this year: a wedge of gorgeous coastline and popular beaches, wonderful old towns for exploring on foot (including a couple of historic World Heritage sites and the nearby hill-town of Matera), sensational food and wine, and opportunities to get off the beaten path for a taste of quintessential southern Italy. Road trip itinerary to com e.

54. Sardinia Island Loop ~ Italy

Appx. 1,500 km (930 miles) | 2 weeks

Cagliari to Cagliari Loop  | Just when we think road tripping Italy can’t get any better, the island of Sardinia turns up the heat. Its spectacular white-sand beaches, lapped by turquoise waters, are said to be some of the most beautiful on the Med. More than just a pretty face though, Sardinia has charming medieval villages, mountains, caves and canyons, intriguing Bronze Age sites, and a food and wine scene all its own. Check out our two week Sardinia road trip itinerary .

55. Ancient Sicily ~ Italy

Appx. 1,000 km (620 miles) | 10-14 days

Palermo to Palermo Loop  | This wonderful island is ideal for road tripping and it’s a trek we definitely hope to make again. Spectacular World Heritage ancient sites, including some of the very best preserved temples and in-situ mosaics, beautifully evocative villages and historic cities, an active volcano to climb, and endlessly buonissimo eating experiences guarantee an unforgettable Italian drive holiday. Plan your own self-drive adventure with our two week Sicily road trip itinerary .

56. Monasteries, Fortresses and Wine ~ Moldova

Appx. 850 km (530 miles) | 7-10 days

Chișinău to Chișinău Loop  | Wedged between Romania and Ukraine, this little nation flies largely under the tourist radar. Formerly part of Romania and then the Soviet Republic, Moldova’s Orthodox Christian fabric has led to the many monasteries and fortresses which are a highlight of road tripping here. It also has one of the world’s most ancient winemaking traditions and the  world’s largest wine cellar . Say no more.

57. Mountains, Coasts and Fjords ~ Norway

Appx. 1,900 km (1,180 miles) | 3-4 weeks

Oslo to Trondheim  |  Vast, rugged and breathtakingly beautiful, Norway makes for an unparalleled road tripping adventure. We drove and camped a coast-and-fjord route from the capital to Trondheim, taking in some of the most incredible scenery we’ve yet laid eyes on. While our trip continued on into Sweden, you can return to Oslo via Oppdal over 500 km. We’ve still got the northern Svalbard region to explore, but southern Norway makes for a truly epic adventure all its own. Read  our two-week, self-drive Norway road trip itinerary .

The Most Spectacular Drive in the World? It’s a big call, and we’re ready to eat our words, but we reckon the 230km (140 mile) drive along the Fv55, Rv15 and Fv63 roads between Sogndal and Geiranger in Norway is one of the world’s most beautiful – read  why we think so.  Fv63 also continues on to the famous switchbacker, Trollstigen Road.

58. Flores Island, The Azores ~ Portugal

Up to 100 km (62 miles) | 3-4 days

Santa Cruz Das Flores Loop  | There’s a mystical quality to the lush, volcanic landscapes of Flores, one of nine islands in Portugal’s Azores archipelago. You could explore it in a busy day, and you’d be pushing to reach 100 km on the odo, even if you drive the whole thing. But with wild and windswept scenery, waterfalls in abundance, cute villages, lovely hikes and even some diving to be had, we’d look to slow the drive time and linger longer.

59. Lisbon to Porto ~ Portugal

Appx. 850 km (530 miles) | 8-10 days

Lisbon to Porto via Duoro Valley  | Our ideal Portugal road trip follows the west coast north from the capital, winding a route between coastal villages, beaches and medieval towns, and taking in nearly a dozen World Heritage sites. Of course, a couple of days exploring the Duoro Valley wine region (and its prehistoric rock art) is a must before lingering on in Porto, one of our favourite European cities.

60. Transfăgărășan & Transalpina Roads ~ Romania

Appx. 800 km (500 miles) | 1 week

Bucharest to Bucharest Loop  | We’re keen to explore all of Romania by road, starting with this multi-day drive to and from Bucharest, looping across two of the country’s epic mountain roads. The Transfăgărășan gets a tick from the Top Gear crew, weaving its way across the Fagaras Mountains to Transylvania, while the Transalpina, Romania’s highest road, offers panos over 2,000-metres above sea level. Both offer standout alpine hiking and scenery, as well as waterfalls, historic castles, even the ruins of an ancient Dacian fortress.

61. Highlights of Slovenia

Appx. 550 km (340 miles) | 10-14 days

Ljubljana to Ljubljana Loop  | A Slovenia road trip is all about the outdoors and driving through speccy scenery to reach even more speccy places that can be explored on foot. Our itinerary goals include Slovenian highlights such as Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, hiking through high mountains and deep gorges, an Adriatic coastal city with a Venetian past (Piran), World Heritage caves, a medieval castle built into a cave, and much more.

62. Slovakia Showcase

Bratislava to Bratislava Loop  | Another intriguing and beautifully scenic country, Slovakia promises outstanding cultural, historic and nature experiences on a road trip looping from the capital to the east of the country and back. Medieval towns, evocative castles and sites that tell more recent tales of the country’s struggles to come into its own, sit alongside lakes, caves and a backdrop of the stunning Tatras Mountains.

63. Andalucian Adventure ~ Spain

Appx. 1,150 km (715 miles) | 10-14 days

Málaga to Málaga Loop  | Spain is made for road tripping and the southern region of Andalucia is especially awesome. We’ve explored some of the highlights on a previous trip, including the spectacular World Heritage sites of Seville, Granada and Cordoba. There’s plenty to draw us back here though, from historic pueblos blancos (whitewashed villages) and neolithic dolmens, to ancient port cities and the iconic rock of Gibraltar, not to mention all the amazing food and wine!

64. The Basque Circuit ~ Spain

Appx. 480 km (300 miles) | 7-10 days

Bilbao to Bilbao Loop  | Tucked into a northern corner of the Iberian peninsula, the autonomous Basque region,  Euskadi , is a land unto itself, with traditions and a language all its own. The coastline is ruggedly beautiful and its beaches and resort towns renowned. Best of all, this is the unofficial foodie capital of Europe. Pintxos bars abound (the best creation ever!), as do Michelin star restaurants, and the famed Rioja wine region is right on the doorstep.

65. Canary Islands ~ Spain

Appx. 375 km (233 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Tenerife & La Gomera  | John’s very first foray abroad was a trip with mates to Tenerife when he was 16. Classic, innit. Beyond the resorts where sun-starved Brits congregate though, a road trip of the biggest Canary Island and its smaller neighbour, La Gomera, offers magnificent coastal scenery, forest escapes, charming villages, beaches for chilling, and one epic hiking opportunity to the peak of an active volcano, the 3,718m-high Mount Teide.

66. West Coast Mallorca ~ Spain

Appx. 180 km (233 miles) | 1 week

Palma to Formentor Peninsula  | Mallorca is another sun-drenched Spanish isle beloved by Brits. Like the Canaries though, steer the car well clear of the beach resorts, and there’s a dramatically beautiful island to discover. We’ve read the west coast is particularly spectacular, trailing a route from the capital Palma through the Tramuntana Mountains to the island’s northern tip. While not a long trip by km’s, it sounds like one to enjoy slowly.

67. Across the Pyrenees ~ Spain & France

Appx. 700 km (435 miles) | 1 week

Lourdes to Lourdes Loop  | The great range of the Pyrenees mountains forms a natural boundary between France and Spain, a stunning region that can be explored by road. The must-sees of the central range span breathtaking canyons and glacier-gouged rocky amphitheatres, mountain lakes, a sky-high observatory, and San Juan de la Peña, a monastery embedded in the foot of a cliff, to name just a few.

68. Swiss Alps Explorer ~ Switzerland

Appx. 485 km (300 miles) | 7-10 days

Lausanne to Zurich  | Driving through the incredible scenery of the Swiss Alps is sky high on our road trip bucket list. Our Swiss road trip itinerary goals make the most of the picturesque lakeside cities like Lausanne and Interlaken, the medieval old towns of Bern and Lucerne, and the dramatic, snow-capped mountain panos of Lauterbrunnen and Grindlewald. We’ll also take on the switchbacks of the famous  Furka Pass .

69. Ultimate Turkish Delight ~ Turkey

Appx. 3,000+ km (1,865 miles) | 1 month

Istanbul to Istanbul Loop  | Turkey is one of our favourite countries and while we’ve driven, bussed and toured various parts of it, our goal is an ultimate road trip loop from Istanbul to Cappadocia and back along the south and west coasts. Thousands of years at the cross-roads of eastern and western civilisations have left an extraordinary legacy in the World Heritage and ancient sites that scatter the country. The landscapes are wildly diverse, the food is exceptional, the culture rich and the history astounding. We can’t wait to get back.

70. The Atlantic Highway ~ England, UK

Appx. 115 km (70 miles) | 3-5 Days

Barnstaple to Fraddon  | It’s little more than 100 km, but some say the  Atlantic Highway  is one of the top road trips in the UK. We know from our forays further south that Cornwall’s wildly beautiful coastline is one to linger over. This stretch passes pretty seaside and harbour villages like Bude, Padstow and Clovelly, and mystical sites like ancient Tintagel. There are speccy coastal rambles and delicious seafood eats, all with the wild Atlantic in view.

71. The Hidden Highway ~ England, UK

Appx. 200 km (125 miles) | 3-5 Days

Ludlow to Llangollen  | This  lovely jaunt  weaves along country roads and rolling hills through the borderlands of England and Wales. The invisible divide has changed little in 12 centuries, and the many sites along the way – iron age forts, medieval villages and market towns, ruined castles and abbeys – span as many years and more.

72. South West Explorer ~ England, UK

Appx. 1,350km (840 miles)+ | 2 weeks

South West England starting and finishing in London  | One of our fave UK road trips, this jam-packed two week journey travels from London to Cornwall and back, taking in a huge range of highlights along the way as we pass through the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire. We’re talking classic white cliffs, moody moors, crumbling castles, fossil beaches, standing stones, cosy pubs, dramatic coastal scenery (including the World Heritage Jurassic Coast), quaint countryside and fishing villages, and some incredible coastline walks. Check out our ultimate, self-drive South West England Road Trip Itinerary .

73. Yorkshire Moors and Dales ~ England, UK

Appx. 725 km (450 miles) | 5-7 days

York to York Loop  | England’s sweeping moors make for spectacular road tripping and a tranquil journey through the bucolic landscapes of Yorkshire Dales National Park and North York Moors National Park is high on our list. Starting in the fantastically historical hub of York’s old town, this trip takes in the expansive nature, old market towns, castles and abbeys, snug pubs and warm welcome of England’s north.

74. Causeway Coastal Route ~ Northern Ireland, UK

Appx. 250 km (154 miles) | 7 days

Belfast to Derry-Londonderry  |  This famous route  along the beautiful, rugged coast of Northern Ireland weaves a magical journey of spellbinding scenery, ancient castle ruins, clifftop walks, seaside villages and beaches, whiskey tasting, pretty beaches, the oldest human settlement on the island at Mount Sandel, and World Heritage highlight, the Giant’s Causeway. Best of all though, the chance to see puffins!

75. Isle of Skye ~ Scotland, UK

Appx. 850 km (530 miles) | 5 days

Inverness to Glasgow via Skye  | Beyond its legends of fairies and giants, the Isle of Skye is a tale of expansive, fantastical scenery, rolling hills dotted with sheep and the occasional shaggy, orange-coated highland ‘coo’, ancient sites, peaty whisky, brooding mountains and lounging seals. The walks are wild and wonderful, the pubs cosy and warm, and the Scottish breakfasts singularly epic. Read  our Isle of Skye road trip itinerary .

76. North Coast 500 ~ Scotland, UK

Appx. 830 km (515 miles) | 1-2 weeks

Inverness to Inverness Loop  | It is possible to walk all 500 miles of this route (cue the tune), but as it features on just about all of the world’s best road trip lists, drive it we shall!  This iconic journey  skirts the coastal fringe of the northern highlands, showcasing Scotland’s finest scenery and all the things we love best: ancient sites, standing stones, evocative castles, hidden beaches, wildlife watching and bird spotting, and the chance to get off the beaten track.

77. The Dragon’s Spine ~ Wales, UK

Appx. 285 km (180 miles) | 5-7 days

Cardiff to Conwy  | For 1,200 years, the dragon has been the Welsh sigil, so Dragon’s Spine is a fitting name for this road trip along the country’s mountain ‘backbone’ from south to north. Also known as  the Cambrian Way , the A470 travels through two spectacular national parks – the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia – and serves up outdoor adventures like hiking, caving and ziplining. Distilleries, breweries and wineries seal the deal.

Road Trips in the Middle East

The Middle East isn’t the first place that comes to mind when thinking about epic road trip destinations. And yet it’s among these timeless landscapes that we’ve had some of our greatest driving adventures. These are ancient places, and yet some of our newest too – lands where gravelly, well-worn roads intersect spanking new freeways, and historic hill-top forts stand as remote, crumbling outposts to dazzling new, modern cities.

The long and tangible history to be found in the mountains, dunes, deserts, cities and coastlines of this region is without compare, as is the warmth and welcome of the people. A road trip in the Middle East is a road trip you won’t soon forget.

78. Ancient Israel & The Palestinian Territories

Appx. 850 km (530 miles) | 2-4 weeks

Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv Loop  | This wedge of land on the eastern Mediterranean is the epicentre of the world’s three major monotheistic religions, and witness to a complex story of humanity, millennia in the making. Our brief visit to Jerusalem left an indelible mark and convinced us we need to return with time and a hire car, to get off the beaten track and beyond the turbulent narrative curated for us on the outside. A road trip offers the chance not just to seek out the many extraordinary historical and natural sites of Israel and the Palestinian Territories, but to engage first-hand with the people who live here.

79. Amman to Wadi Rum via the Kings Highway ~ Jordan

Appx. 450 km (280 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Amman to Aqaba  | The ancient landscapes of Jordan have thousands of years of stories to tell, and the road from Amman to Aqaba along the Kings Highway touches on many of them. With neolithic standing stones, biblical mountains, Roman ruins, Byzantine mosaics, crusader castles, the extraordinary Dana Biosphere Reserve, magical side trips to the Dead Sea and Wadi Rum, plus Petra – one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, there’s a reason Jordan is calling us back for a go-slow road trip.

80. Ancient Phoenicia ~ Lebanon

Beirut to Beirut Loop  | 2020 has brought further tragedy to a nation defined by struggle for much of its long history. But Lebanon is as enduring as its legendary cedar tree. The story here spans some 6,000 years, and it can be found in the people, culture and many epic archaeological sites that dot the country. From the bustling Mediterranean cities to the snowcapped mountains and gorgeous inland gorges, the renowned cuisine and warm, vibrant locals, this is a land we can’t wait to explore by road.

81. South-East Arabia ~ Oman

Muscat to Muscat Loop  | Low-key Oman has held its secrets close for millennia. We were intrigued. Cue an amazing two week road trip through a beautiful country of dramatic landscapes: from vast, flat stony deserts to shifting dune deserts to dramatic mountains and gorges. Medieval watch towers stand sentinel over ancient towns, while off-road adventures, rich culture and Arabian hospitality await. Read our Oman road trip itinerary .

82. City to Desert ~ United Arab Emirates

Appx. 335 km (210 miles) | 2-3 days

Dubai to Liwa Oasis  | While glitzy Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been shaped out of the desert by human hand, just a couple of hours to the south-east stretches one of nature’s most wild and inhospitable places: the vast Empty Quarter. Edging this harsh landscape, among a great sea of rose-gold sand dunes – including one of the world’s largest – is the Liwa Oasis, a 100 km stretch of villages and date palm forests. The journey to the oasis, along a purpose-built highway through the desert, is itself said to be spectacular, making this a trip worth taking slow.

Road Trips in North America

It’s little surprise that North America , with its big, expansive nature, excellent roads, and well-established road tripping culture, claims the second largest collection on our top 100 road trip list.

America has dozens and dozens of outstanding dedicated byways, skyways, highways and parkways, while some of the world’s most renowned scenic routes weave a path through Canada’s breathtaking provinces. Each North American road trip we set out on in these beautiful, diverse, easy-going countries leaves us more keen for the next one.

83. Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia ~ Canada

Appx. 300 km (185 miles) | Up to a week

Baddeck to Baddeck Loop  | You can drive the Cabot Trail in a day, but we’re keen to take our time on  this loop  around the northern tip of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, discovering the beautiful landscapes and the island’s unique mix of Aboriginal, Acadian and Gaelic cultural influences. In addition to the panoramic scenery, the drive takes in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where black bears, moose and bald eagles roam, and dozens of hiking trails offer the chance to stretch the legs.

84. Dempster Highway, Yukon ~ Canada

Appx. 730 km (450 miles)  | 2-3 Days

Dawson City to Inuvik  | This incredible journey through the Yukon wilderness has all the hallmarks of an iconic Canadian road trip. Steeped in history, and traversing an old dog sled route, the Dempster’s unpaved roads will challenge us. But it’s diverse, it’s remote, and it crosses the Arctic Circle through dense forest full of wildlife, across dramatic tundra, and past the spectacular Mackenzie and Tombstone mountain ranges. A must!

85. Icefields Parkway, Alberta ~ Canada

Appx. 230 km (140 miles) | 2-3 Days

Lake Louise to Jasper  | Based on what we’ve heard, we’ll definitely be arguing over who does the driving and who gets to sit in the passenger seat and take in the views on the Icefields Parkway. This is said to be one of the world’s most spectacular highways, and it comes up regularly when we ask people about their favourite road trip. Also known as Highway 93, the parkway links Banff and Jasper national parks, serving up hundreds of kilometres of mindblowing Canadian Rockies scenery, including over 100 glaciers, beautiful waterfalls and lakes, and river valleys blanketed in pine and larch forest. So high on the bucket list!

86. Montreal to the Gaspé Peninsula ~ Canada

Appx. 950 km (590 miles) | 7-10 days

Monteal to Gaspé  | Montreal and Quebec City have long been in our sights, and our plan for this epic road trip includes both. Then it leaves the bustling centres behind to wind a coastal route to the tip of the remote and spectacular Gaspé Peninsula, where the history is long and tangible, the birding outstanding, and the scenery superb, with forested wilderness, rugged mountains, ravines and rocky outcrops.

87. Vancouver Island, British Columbia ~ Canada

Appx. 1,500 km (930 miles) | Up to 2 weeks

Nanaimo to Nanaimo Loop  | Gorgeous Vancouver Island is an outdoor lover’s dream. While exploring by road means a bit of backtracking in places, it doesn’t matter when there are so many scenic places to stop. Our road trip served up giant trees, historic villages, totem pole walks, black bear watching, kayaking, a fossil dig, serene forest hikes, wineries and breweries, second-to-none chowder, bald eagles at every turn, a hike to a plane wreck, and so much more. Our itinerary is coming .

88. The Viking Trail, Newfoundland ~ Canada

Appx. 500 km (303 miles) | 3-5 days

Deer Lake to L’Anse aux Meadows  | Viking sagas made the leap across the Atlantic from Europe to North America here, and the landscapes – especially the dramatic mountains and fjords of Gros Morne National Park – are said to be reminiscent of the lands they left behind. There are chances en route of spotting moose, whales and, at certain times of year, icebergs! The road ends at the 1000-year-old World Heritage Viking settlement site of L’anse aux Meadows.

89. Alcan Highway ~ Canada & USA

Appx. 2,200 km (1,400 miles) | 1-2 weeks+ 

Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Delta Junction, Alaska  | This is one of North America’s legendary routes, through the Canadian Rockies and Yukon. It takes in Canada’s highest peak, alpine trails, First Nations culture, stunning mountain ranges, pristine glacier lakes, and remote, untamed parks. It’s also grizzly and black bear territory, along with an abundance of other wildlife, including timber wolves, lynx, eagles, elk, moose and more. Plenty of memory cards needed for this trip!

90. Yukon Golden Circle Route ~ Canada & USA

Appx. 568 km (352 miles) + Car Ferry | 7-14 days

Whitehorse to Whitehorse Loop  | The renowned Golden Circle Route loops a truly wild adventure from Whitehorse in Canada to Skagway and Haines in Alaska, then back into Canada and the grizzly bear country of Kluane. Spectacular alpine scenery awaits, along with vast icefields, picturesque lakes, First Nations sites, Klondike gold rush history, and a ton of outdoor activities and wildlife spotting.

91. Badlands National Park Loop, South Dakota ~ USA

Appx. 62 km (39 miles) | 2-3 days

Wall to Cactus Flat  | It may be one of the shortest routes on our road trip bucket list, but we reckon this journey through the striking geology of the Badlands should be stretched out over days, with early starts and late finishes to max the photo opps. The road winds among buttes, mounds and pinnacles, while bison, prairie dogs and raptors hang out on the grasslands. With a few extra days, we’ll extend the trip into Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park.

92. Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia & North Carolina ~ USA

Appx. 755 km (470 miles) | 5-7 days

Afton, Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina  | Dan has dreamed about visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains since the early 90s, after falling in love with its scenery in  Last of the Mohicans . So it goes without saying that the opportunity to explore the beauty of the central and southern Appalachians has made it onto our road trip bucket list. The highlights are many on the road between Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks: from sampling delicious local food and wine, and learning about Cherokee tradition, to searching out waterfalls, rivers, gorges and caverns, and stretching the legs on wilderness hikes.

93. Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, Colorado & Utah ~ USA

Appx. 770 km (480 miles) | 1 week

Dinosaur to Dinosaur Loop  | The fossil-nerd in us both gets really excited about  this road trip , a journey of 150-million-years to some of the best dinosaur quarries and trails, fossil displays and museums around. It even starts and finishes in a town called Dinosaur! Add stunning canyons, rock formations, high plains and petroglyph sites for one amazing themed trip.

94. Highway to Hana, Maui, Hawaii ~ USA

Appx. 72 km (45 miles) | 1-3 days

Paia to Hana  | Another short-distance contender, the Hana Highway is on our list for its sheer wild beauty as it curves no less than 600 times along the northeast coast of Maui. Many do the trip in a day, but there’s plenty to do and see en route – including bridges (59 of them!), rainforest hikes, waterfalls, black sand beaches, a lava tube, roadside stands and markets, and all the visual drama of this volcanic, Jurassic Park-like island world.

95. Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, Wyoming & Montana ~ USA

Appx. 885+ km (550+ miles) | 10-14 days

Jackson, Wyoming to West Glacier, Montana  | Touring through the spectacular landscapes of Wyoming and Montana, this road trip takes in the heavy hitter national parks of Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier, and peaks with the renowned  Going-to-the-Sun Road . Mountains, lakes, canyons, geysers, waterfalls, glaciers, wildlife spotting and tonnes of hiking and outdoor pursuits await. Unsurprisingly, these are hugely popular parks, so extending a road trip out to two weeks will mean more time to visit before and after the crowds move on.

96. Pacific Coast Highway, Washington to California ~ USA

Appx. 2,655 km (1,650 miles) | 2 weeks

Seattle, Washington to San Diego, California  | The Pacific Coast Highway is often touted as the classic California road trip. We’re keen though to extend it out beyond Highway 1 to include Highway 101 and drive the length of Washington, Oregon and California, taking in landscapes as diverse as misty rainforest, tall sand dunes, giant redwood forests, the famous Big Sur coast, beautiful beaches, as well as buzzing big cities and cool coastal communities, and winding up in San Diego, where I (Dan) spent my middle and early high school years.

97. Lake Tahoe to Death Valley via Yosemite, California ~ USA

Appx. 1,285 km (800 miles) | 7-10 days

Lake Tahoe to Death Valley  | Much of this classic American road trip follows Route 395, a journey of diversions from the mountains-and-crystal-clear-waters of Lake Tahoe to the scorching desertscape of Death Valley via the world famous scenery of Yosemite National Park. While the changing scenery from the car is bound to be superb, the many outdoor opportunities are also a big appeal, as are potential side trips to wineries, hot springs, groves of ancient trees and historic sites.

98. San Juan Skyway, Colorado ~ USA

Appx. 375 km (235 miles) | 3-4 days

Durango to Durango Loop  | There are a couple of nicknames for the Skyway, including  America’s Switzerland , and a stretch called the  Million Dollar Highway . This is a high-altitude journey in the shadow of mountains soaring 4,000 metres, past waterfalls and hot springs, via the famous ski resort of Telluride, and the intriguing Native American cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. There’s plenty of hiking, epic panos, and breweries to end each day.

The Ultimate American Road Trip? According to science, apparently so.  This 22,046 km (13,699 mile) adventure  was created by algorithm and loops through all of the 48 connected states of the USA, stopping at a major landmark in each. You could drive it in 224 hours non-stop if you were really keen (or mad), but for us, this one’s more likely to be a lifetime of mini-trips. The guy that created it has also built an itinerary visiting every national park in the linked, mainland states. Epic!

99. The Seward Highway, Alaska ~ USA

Appx. 210 km (130 miles) | 2-3 days

Anchorage to Seward  | The wonderful wilds of Alaska are squarely in our sights. There are a range of drives we hope to do here, like Denali National Park, but the Seward Highway is a stand out. The big nature alone is magnetic – snow-capped mountains, hanging glaciers, dramatic fjords and vibrant wetlands. But it’s the peak wildlife watching that gets us really jazzed about a road trip here: humpback whales, orca, belugas, sea lions, otters, black bears and more than a hundred species of bird are just the tip of the iceberg.

100. National Parks Trail, Utah ~ USA

Appx. 2,000 km (1,250 miles) | 2-3 weeks

Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Loop  | Utah may well have one of the greatest concentrations of world-class parks and monuments on the planet. We’ve mapped a road trip loop that takes in the state’s showstoppers like Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Monument Valley, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, along with extraordinary places like San Rafael Swell, Goblin Valley State Park, dinosaur trails and the petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock. We cannot wait to drive this route!

What unmissable road trips would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!

4 thoughts on “Our Bucket List Of 100 Ultimate Road Trips Around The World”

“Wow, this article really got me excited to plan my next road trip! The diversity of landscapes and destinations mentioned here is truly inspiring. I’ve been to a few of these places, but there are definitely some hidden gems I can’t wait to explore. Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive guide with helpful tips and recommendations. Can’t wait to hit the road and create some unforgettable memories!”

Thanks Charles, glad you found the post helpful. Happy road tripping!!

Amazing!! Congratulacions! Good and best job!! Thank you!! Brazil is not, but undestand! God bless You!!! Have a lot travels!

Hi Adalgisa! Thanks so much for your kind words. You know, Brazil was almost on the list! There are some amazing-sounding off-road adventures that we came across in our research, not to mention the famous Costa Verde, which we travelled part of in 2011. Do you have some road tripping suggestions for Brazil? We’d love to hear them – our list will definitely grow! Happy road tripping, Danielle & John

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Ultimate Earth

This is the trip your bucket list puts on its bucket list. It’s a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime, best of the best adventure around the world. After five continents in two months, you will have quite literally seen it all. It doesn’t get more ultimate than this.

Picture yourself

Hiking above the clouds at Machu Picchu

Picnicking by the Eiffel Tower, sipping champagne

Yodeling from atop the majestic Swiss Alps

Capturing photos of wild animals you never dreamed of seeing

Exploring the busy streets of Bangkok, searching for the city’s best noodles

What you'll get

Round-trip flights & airport transfers (or book 'em yourself)

53 nights in handpicked accommodations

53 breakfasts

Expert Tour Director

24/7 support

12 insider tours with local guides

3 game drives in Kenya

Desert Safari in Dubai

Admission to Seine River cruise, the Acropolis, Grand Palace, and so much more

Hop on your flight to your first stop: Lima, Peru, once the center of the “New World” and now a bustling metropolis. Say goodbye to your old self, because in less than two months, you’re going to be a new person.

This tour requires a visa for U.S. citizens. Check entry requirements or call us with questions at 800-766-2645.

Up the altitude and dive into jungles, cities and ancient ruins During this eight-day stretch, you’ll live like a local in Lima, journey to vibrant Cuzco, and hike around the always enchanting Machu Picchu, where you can learn about its mysterious past, watch the sunrise, and feast your eyes on a real-life llama.

Highlights:

• Land in Lima, head to your accommodation, and meet your fellow travelers as they arrive.
• Walk through Cuzco, a modern city at a staggering elevation of 11,150 feet.
• Explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas, rich in Peruvian tradition.
• Visit several Incan archaeological sites, including the fortress at Ollantaytambo.

You’re off to a new continent: Europe! Your first stop is England, home of the Queen, tea, a wonderfully different form of the English language, and the largest city in the European Union: London. It’s here that red busses zip down the left side of the road, Big Ben chimes at tea time and medieval castles accent a futuristic skyline. Brimming with history and unique architecture, you’ll soon understand why it’s one of the most visited cities in the world.

• Put your walking shoes on for a guided tour that brings you outside Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
• Experience a royal ritual during the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace.
• Get a proper view of London from above on an optional London Eye & Tea excursion.

Next up: Paris, France, a city known for world-class art and gastronomical perfection. There’s nothing quite like a warm croissant, except for maybe croque monsieur AKA next-level French grilled cheese. From the major landmarks like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower to the serenity of the River Seine, you’re going to see it all. Study up on high fashion, watch the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and get used to having only one free hand since your other hand will always have a fresh baguette in it. Now you’re ready for France.

• Arrive to your accommodation and get settled in the city of love and cheese: Paris.
• Float down the River Seine during a scenic boat ride that makes its way through the true heart of the city.
• Watch the world-famous lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkle (every hour, on the hour after sunset).
• Find peace of mind at Luxembourg Gardens, a tasteful collection of tree-lined promenades, flowerbeds, statues, and the Medici Fountain.
• Opt in for the optional (and oh-so-elegant) tour of the Palace of Versailles.

You’re off to Switzerland, home to postcard-worthy views everywhere you look. Breathe in fresh lake air with hints of fresh chocolate (it might only be your imagination) as you explore a charming city overlooked by the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. It won’t take long to see why so many people flock to Switzerland—and seemingly never want to leave.

• Get introduced to the city with a guided tour from your Tour Director.
• Stand in wonder before Löwendenkmal, an impressive sculpture of a wounded lion carved into a sheer rock cliff.
• Stroll across the Kapellbrücke, a covered wooden footbridge featuring a series of paintings dating back to the 17th century.
• Shout from the top of a mountain during an optional excursion up the Swiss Alps.

It’s everybody’s favorite boot-shaped country, recognized for Renaissance art, people that use outdoor voices all the time, and infinite carbs: Italy! It’s safe to say, whether you’re consuming art or pizza, Italy is a cultural mecca begging to be explored. And even though Italians don’t actually eat spaghetti and meatballs, it doesn’t mean you can’t finally have your Lady and the Tramp moment. Start in Venice, and make your way down through Florence and then Italy’s capital city of Rome, where hustle and bustle is served with a side of ancient ruins.

Note: There is no included entry to the Duomo during the guided sightseeing in Florence, but you will have free time to return if you so choose.

• Stand in the footprints of history on the Rialto Bridge, the oldest spanning the Grand Canal.
• Stroll the Piazza della Signoria, home to Florence’s seat of power, the Palazzo Vecchio, as well as several intricate sculptures.
• Visit the final resting place of some of the most illustrious Italians such as Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli at the Basilica di Santa Croce.
• Stop for a photo outside of Rome’s Colosseum, where gladiators battled to the death in mortal combat, and be glad you live in the 21st century.

Hop over to Athens, Greece, a vibrant metropolis that was once the center of art, politics, and literature. Ancient monuments, feta cheese, and people socializing in the streets make this country stand out from the rest. After experiencing Greece, you’ll know two things for sure: The Mediterranean Sea is bluer than most things (including, but not limited to, Eiffel 65’s hit song from the 90s), and baklava is a dessert sent from the gods. After a few days in Athens, journey out into the Mediterranean to begin your epic Greek island adventure to Santorini. Get ready for beaches by day, and nightlife by—you guessed it—night.

• Switch from Italian to Greek as you make your way to Athens, the center of Greek mythology and home to The Acropolis, the remains of an ancient citadel built 2,500 years ago.
• Update your watch to island time on the ferry to Santorini, famous for its white-washed and blue-domed buildings, volcanic landscapes, and picture-perfect sunsets that you can happily post with #nofilter.
• Sit back and relax at your beachside hotel. (Seriously, this is all you have to do.)
• Head back to Athens for one more opportunity to see the sites and put tzatziki on everything.

You are now entering the Middle East, a region made up of 15-20 (depending on who you ask) countries in North Africa and Southwest Asia. The first cities were born here, religions arose, and humans figured out how to express ideas through abstract characters on clay tablets (also known as writing). Touch down in Dubai, a futuristic desert city that is hard to put into words. Picture pet cheetahs instead of dogs, indoor ski resorts, and the most expensive hotel in the world. It’s incredibly wealthy, outrageously over the top, and expats make up 80% of its population. Prepare your mind, because it’s about to be blown.

• Kiss Europe goodbye, and hop on your flight to Dubai, a city plopped in the middle of the desert, that needs to be seen to be appreciated.
• Help yourself to a geography lesson, brought to you by the World Islands, 300 man-made islands off the coast, placed together to look like a map of the world.
• Put on your bargaining shoes, and walk through the Dubai souk, a traditional marketplace that sells everything from jewelry to textiles.
• Look waaaaaay up at Burj Khalifa. It’s the tallest building in the world, and almost twice as tall as the Empire State Building.
• Count the number of luxury cars you pass, not including the police in Lamborghinis.
• Hop aboard a Land Rover 4x4 for an adrenaline pumping, desert safari through the sand dunes outside the city, followed by a barbecue dinner and belly dancing performance.
• Cheers to being half-way through your trip with an included Half-way lunch.

New continent alert: welcome to Africa! When it comes to historical significance, Africa takes the cake; human beings literally came into existence here over 6 million years ago. You’ll spend the next seven days in the East African country of Kenya exploring national parks, coming face-to-face with countless wild animals, and simply enjoying the peaceful serenity of the great outdoors.

• Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and East Africa’s most cosmopolitan city.
• Hit the open road towards Amboseli National Park, known for three things: elephants, birds, and jaw-dropping views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
• Enjoy two days in the Masai Mara, a huge area of savannah grasslands.
• Keep your eyes peeled during your game drives for The Big Five (lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinoceroses).

Asia, unknown to much of the Western world, is a behemoth of a continent with a couple billion people, beautiful beaches, and thousands of years of rich history—the perfect adventure for the culturally curious. Hopefully you’ve worked up an appetite, because you’re going to the home of delicious spicy noodles: Thailand. But this country is more than thin strips of dough and spices. There are tropical forests, floating markets, and golden Buddhas everywhere. On the way to Bangkok, sit back, relax, and practice some yoga. Try corpse pose, which, is essentially sleeping. Bangkok’s mixture of modern day norms is juxtaposed with traditions of the old world. As night falls, the energy of the busy city streets turns into world-renowned nightlife.

• Arrive in City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Visvakarman at Indra's behest (a rough translation of the city’s full name).
• Board a longtail boat and find out why Bangkok is known as the “Venice of the East.” Hint: it’s not because of gelato.
• Look up at the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most important religious icon, which happens to be a two-foot-tall jade statue of Buddha.
• Gawk at the intricately adorned Grand Palace in the heart of Bangkok, and then travel by speedboat an hour outside of the city to behold the floating markets.
• Explore the busy streets of Bangkok as you search for the city’s best noodles.

Yes, you’re still in Thailand, but the islands are as special as they come, which is why they get their own section. After you’ve had your fair share of Southeast Asia’s mainland, it’s time for some island fun. Phuket and Phi Phi Islands in Thailand are your places to lounge in the sun on a white sand beach and snorkel in crystal-clear water among tropical fish. These islands are part tropical paradise, part party central. Which style will you pick? Spoiler: there’s no wrong answer.

• Snorkel, sunbathe, or take a walk along the beach in Phuket before picking from a breadth of dinner options and hitting the town.
• Zoom over to Ang Thong National Marine Park on a speedboat and get ready to hit the beach, snorkel the colorful reefs with exotic fish, and kayak around the islands.
• Learn about the essential herbs, vegetables, and sauces in Thai cuisine by creating some of the country’s most famous dishes during a cooking class.
• Enter a real life Planet of the Apes as you pass by a beach with hundreds of monkeys lining the sand and cliffs, hoping you’ll toss them a banana.
• Lounge at Maya Bay, where Leonardo DiCaprio filmed The Beach.
• Find a beach bar and watch Islanders test fate as they juggle flaming batons and you question whether you could do that, too. Spoiler: You can’t.

Spend a day exploring islands known for their tropical waters and limestone cliffs.

Sydney, Australia's oldest and largest city is the last stop on your adventure around the world. It has an energizing combination of beautiful landscapes, vibrant culture, and nightlife. The moment you step foot in Sydney, you’ll feel the buzzing energy all around you. It’s loud, it’s attractive, and it knows it. And there’s no better way to end your trip than with four days of beaches, delicious food, extravagant nightlife, and—wait for it—koalas.

• Check out all that Sydney has to offer on a guided tour from your Tour Director.
• Learn about Sydney’s most famous hydrated amorphous form of silica (it’s opal, if you couldn’t guess).
• Enjoy a scenic boat ride out on the picturesque Sydney Harbor.
• Hit Manly Beach, catch some rays and watch surfers in their natural habitat (like Planet Earth but instead of birds it’s bros).
• Get out of town for a day hike in the Blue Mountains, where you can balance out the constant endorphin-high of traveling with the peaks and troughs of the Jamison Valley.
• Come face-to-face with some of Australia’s best wildlife (lookin’ at you koala bears and kangaroos) at the Sydney zoo.

Farewell Dinner Share some last laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included farewell dinner with the group.

Goodbye, friends family! Let’s face it. After 57 days, you’re practically family. But your next destination awaits—home. Before you head to the airport, enjoy your last few moments together. Take one more group photo. Grab that final drink. (Fine, maybe a couple of drinks.) But this isn’t goodbye. It’s “See you later.” The only question is, where?

BOOK THIS TRIP OF A LIFETIME NOW

Once in a lifetime places, with once in a lifetime people

This trip was amazing. Going on a trip with strangers can be extremely intimidating. But I took the chance and ended up meeting people that changed my life. Not only that, but I got to see once-in-a-lifetime places for 57 days. I will look back on this trip and reminisce on swimming with sea lions, having a picnic at the Eiffel Tower, having a blast wine tas... See more

Best two months of my life

Everything about this trip was incredible. The tour guide Alejandro was amazing, I saw and did so many cool things and I made friends I'll have forever.

You Should Have Booked This Trip Yesterday

This trip may initially give you sticker shock, but trust me when I say it is more than worth it! The opportunity to experience all of these countries and create lifelong friendships along the way is priceless. When (not if) you go on this trip make sure to keep a journal. Save ticket stubs, postcards, etc. It's a fun memento when you get home.

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These world cruises offer the ultimate itineraries.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

Want to island hop around French Polynesia, visit Africa's incredible cities, and cruise through Asia without ever switching hotels or repacking your bags? An around-the-world cruise provides the ultimate itinerary, packed with exciting international destinations (some even visit hard-to-reach destinations like Easter Island and Antarctica), and luxury cruise lines provide comfortable accommodations, specialty restaurants, and plenty to do on and off the ship.

There are two main things you need before booking a world cruise: plenty of time and some spare cash. Prices range from around $20,000 to upwards of $100,000 per person, and all our top picks are more than 100 days (one is even a whopping 275 days), so they're ideal for retired travelers looking for their next big adventure. Pack wisely for a range of destinations and climates, and get ready for the journey of a lifetime, filled with postcard-perfect destinations and new friends (because you're bound to meet a travel buddy or two after 100-plus days on a ship). If an around-the-world cruise is at the top of your travel list, you'll want to book sooner rather than later — these journeys frequently sell out because many cruise lines only offer a limited number of sailings.

Here are ten of the best around-the-world cruises you can take in 2023 and 2024.

Viking Ocean Cruises

Viking world cruise.

See 28 countries on the 138-day Viking World Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to London. After departing from Florida, the Viking Sky will sail the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, stopping in sunny destinations before crossing the Panama Canal to reach the Pacific. From there, the ship will visit destinations in Mexico and the continental United States, continuing on to Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Australia. Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and India are among the ports in Asia, then it's on to the Middle East before traveling to Europe, where final destinations include Italy, Spain, and Portugal en route to London. Fares start at $59,995.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Moments in time: world cruise 2024.

Sail around the world in 132 nights aboard the Seven Seas Mariner on a round-trip journey from Miami. You'll spend the days at sea enjoying the luxury ship's amenities, including the spa and several restaurants and lounges, between stops in destinations like Costa Rica, Mexico, Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, India, UAE, Israel, and Italy, among others. This 2024 world cruise , with fares starting at $73,499, is officially sold out , but you can join a waitlist to be notified of cancellations.

Royal Caribbean

The ultimate world cruise.

Royal Caribbean pulls out all the stops — and there are more than 150 of them — on this 274-night cruise to all seven continents. The itinerary aboard the Serenade of the Seas begins in Miami on December 10, 2023, and visits more than 60 countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, French Polynesia, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Romania, and Greenland, before ending in Miami on September 10, 2024. Travelers who don't want to commit to the entire cruise can book shorter segments. Fares start at $59,999 for this cruise that gives travelers the opportunity to visit 11 of the great wonders of the world, including the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, and Chichen Itza.

World Cruise 2024

Enjoy 133 days on Silversea's Silver Shadow with this round-trip sailing from San Francisco. During that time, the ship will visit 65 ports in 14 countries, including Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Japan, and Canada. Fares start at $66,000 for this 2024 sailing, which currently has waitlist availability.

2024 World Cruise: Extraordinary Horizons

Climb aboard the Seabourn Sojourn for a 145-day world cruise from Los Angeles to Athens, visiting 72 ports in 28 countries. The cruise departs Los Angeles and goes to Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam, Japan, and China — just to name a few places — before ending in Greece. Visit the website for booking details and shorter segments.

Oceania Cruises

Around the world in 180 days.

Travelers on Oceania's 180-day round-trip cruise from Los Angeles to New York aboard the Insignia will see some of the world's most impressive sights. Highlights include stops in stunning French Polynesia, Indonesia, Thailand, Egypt, Spain, France, and Iceland. Fares start at $48,499 for the 2024 sailing .

MSC Cruises

Msc world cruise 2024.

The MSC Poesia will take guests to 56 destinations on this 120-day cruise starting in Rome. Countries visited during this journey include Argentina, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, and Jordan. When you're not exploring each port, you can relax in the swimming pools and hot tubs, visit the many restaurants, bars, and lounges, or go to the spa. Fares start at $17,199 per person; find booking details on the MSC website.

Princess Cruises

111-day world cruise.

This round-trip cruise from Los Angeles on the Island Princess will visit 47 ports in beautiful places like New Zealand, Australia, Bali, Sri Lanka, UAE, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Bermuda, Mexico, and more. Fares for this 2024 sailing start at $19,497.

Holland America Line

128-day grand world voyage.

Explore the world on this 128-day round-trip journey from Fort Lauderdale on the Zuiderdam . This cruise's itinerary includes a trip down the Amazon River, stops in the Caribbean, a Panama Canal crossing, and stops in cities like Honolulu, Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and more. Fares start at $23,599 for this 2024 cruise .

Azamara World Cruise

This 155-night itinerary to more than 40 countries kicks off in Fort Lauderdale and finishes in Barcelona. The itinerary features ports for experiencing some of the great wonders of the world, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, as well as Petra in Jordan and the Colosseum in Rome. Travelers can also choose to join segments of the cruise aboard the Azamara Onward for as few as 10 nights. Fares for this 2024 sailing start at $36,379.

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• The Ultimate Travel Guide

The Ultimate Travel Guide  

Here’s everything you need to know to prepare for your Round the World Trip:

If you’re someone who has long dreamt of traversing the planet from the Amalfi Coast to the Himalayas. If you’ve imagined the brilliant colors, sounds and aromas of distant places. If you long to meet new people, explore different cultures and bask in the mysterious and exhilarating beauty of the Earth. Then, wanderlust is in your blood.

However,as you start to pack your suitcase with maps and sunscreen, you may realize that have a lot of questions about traveling abroad. Some of these questions might include:

• How do I pay for such a trip?
• Where exactly should I go?
• What do I need?
• Where do I even begin?

Taking a trip around the world requires a ton of preparation, but it isn’t as challenging as you may believe. We’re here to help you through the process from beginning to end. To help you realize your dream of world travel.

This guide offers an insight on everything you need to know about planning a trip around the world, from budgeting your trip to booking your flight. You can use this guide to understand how to:

• Pick the destinations that suit you best.
• Budget for your trip.
• Book the best around the world flights that meet your destination goals.
• Choose the right accommodations for your budget.
• Prepare for your trip with the necessary documents and traveller’s insurance.
• Have a safe and healthy round the world trip.

Aroundtheworldticket.com is a team of travel experts who want to help you create an itinerary that factors in your budget, tastes and travel needs. For over a decade, we’ve helped travellers create the most economical routes, find the best around the world ticket deals and make the most out of their round the world journeys. We thrive on challenges and can work with you no matter how complex your desired route of travel may be. It is extremely important for us to build lasting relationships with our customers and provide assistance throughout their expeditions hence makingyour travels as hassle-free as possible.

Excited? So are we! Traveling the world is an experience you’ll never forget. Continue reading to learn how you can make your dream of becoming a world explorer a reality.

Table of Contents

• CHAPTER 1: MAKING THE CHOICE TO TRAVEL THE WORLD
• CHAPTER 2: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOUR TRIP
• CHAPTER 3: HOW TO BOOK YOUR FLIGHT
• CHAPTER 4: HOW TO CHOOSE WHERE TO STAY
• CHAPTER 5: HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE WHILE TRAVELING

Chapter 1: Making the Choice to Travel the World

You know you’re a traveller if you appreciate the little details in life. It could be the fragrance of Thai curry or the chime of medieval church bells. With so much admiration for all of the world’s cultural treasures, it is very hard to choose where to visit. After all, there are 195 countries in the world! We believe that there are four different aspects to consider when deciding which countries to include on your itinerary:

• Time of year

Simply put, some countries are more expensive to visit than others. If you’re looking to spend time in more affordable places, consider adding India, Kazakhstan, Bhutan, Indonesia, Malaysia or Egypt to your list. You can stretch your dollar a lot further in these locations without compromising on your experience.To give you a better idea of India’s affordability, a three-course meal for two people in Jaipur costs an average of $7.68. When it comes to travel, low-cost doesn’t always mean a low-quality experience.

On the other end of the spectrum, pricier destinations also offer an abundance of sightseeing gems. Some of the more expensive countries to visit are in Europe — think Scotland, France and Italy. Some countries in Asia and South America, like Japan and Argentina, can tip the scale to the costlier side, too. However, if you’ve always dreamt of touring Edinburgh Castle or snacking on gelato next to the Grand Canal, don’t let the price deter you. With proper planning, budgeting and saving, you can visit the places you really want to see.

Before you plan your travel, make sure to check with the U.S. Department of State about places that are safe to travel to during your chosen dates. When traveling to any unfamiliar place, it’s important to do your research and take certain precautions to avoid any potential danger. Perhaps you can also arrange to tour with a local guide or stay with a host family that can help you make safe choices.

Different countries have seasons and weather patterns that are unique to their geographic location. For example, African seasons are opposite North American seasons. While autumn runs from September until the end of December in the United States, it goes from May to t

the end of June in Africa. Places like Kenya, though, can be hot year-round. It’s important to consider climate differences when choosing where and when to visit a place. That way, if you’re visiting Chile in August, you won’t find yourself shivering in a tank top.

• Time of Year

The time of year you decide to travel determines the experience you will have. If you like crowds and people to meet,then maybe you’ll enjoy Europe during the summer months. During this time there are plenty of festivals and tourist activity. And if you prefer a more relaxed and quiet experience, you should visit a place during the off-season time.  You may have fewer events to choose from and maybe worse weather to deal with, but it will always count for a new experience. It all really depends on personal preference and what you wish to do during your travels. Do you wish to be witness to an animal migration? Are there any traditions, ceremonies or events you’ve longed to partake in? Or do you just want to walk around the streets and experience life as a local? Evaluating the purpose of your trips and what you want to do in each location will definitely help you decide where to go.

This may be the most obvious and the most important detail of your planning. You can only travel in one direction with a round the world ticket, so you’ll want to pick destinations that are on the same path, either going east to west or west to east. A round the world ticket, versus a bunch of one-way tickets, will save you time and money. You’ll also have more freedom to make the most out of the placesthat you visit. For example, you can’t fly to from Dallas, TX to Istanbul and then decide you want to go swimming in Barbados — because the Caribbean is a little out of the way. However, if you want to head to Beijing from Istanbul before heading back to Dallas, well, that’s more round-the-world style. But don’t worry — if you really want to include some tropical beach time in your itinerary, we’ll gladly work with you to make that happen.

How to Budget for Your Round the World Trip

The big question is — how are you going to pay for this trip across continents? Traveling is extremely expensive, isn’t it? It can be — but a hamburger can be expensive, too, if you order Kobe beef. Just like anything you purchase, the cost depends on a lot of different factors and the level of comfort you prefer. The trick is to find a balance between comfort and affordability, which we are happy to help you with. So, don’t get discouraged! With a little effort each week, you can save enough money to tour the world. Here’s how to get started:

• Make a Savings Plan

Remember the first car you bought with your own hard-earned money? It may have stalled at every stop light, but hey, it was yours! Well, just as you were patient and determined to

buy your first car, you can apply that same willpower to plan a trip that will change your life forever. First set a travel budget and then proceed with the following:

• Set aside money each week. Use a savings calculator to help you determine how much you need to save.
• Cut unnecessary expenses.
• Sell items you no longer want or use.
• Work extra hours or pick up a part-time job.

Sometimes small changes can really add up. Next time you want to buy a latte when you can make a cup of coffee, think about the option that will help you reach your goal.

• Estimate Travel Costs

When figuring out how much your round the trip journey is going to cost, there is more than flights and accommodations to consider. Write down everything you can think of that you’ll need to set aside money for. Even if you don’t know the exact cost of an item, an estimation will still help you determine what you can afford. You’ll want to estimate costs for:

• Passport or visa fees
• Vaccination fees
• Flight ticket
• Baggage fees and airport parking
• Transportation costs
• Hotel costs, including fees and taxes
• Meals, snacks and beverages
• Travel insurance
• Sightseeing, tours and other activities
• Travel accessories

You’ll need to have an idea of how long you plan to stay at each destination as well. Since you’re making estimates at this point, you’ll want to overestimate costs to ensure you’ll have enough to follow through with your plans.

• How to Save and Spend Money Abroad

Using a foreign currency can be intimidating at first, but it’s also exciting and adds to the adventure. You have different options to choose from when it comes to exchanging currencies. One option is you can contact your bank to order foreign currency before you travel. There may or may not be a fee to do this, depending on your bank, but this can help you avoid higher fees to exchange cash while overseas. If you do opt to exchange currency in a different country, use local banks and not currency exchange offices in the airport. Currency exchange at the airport are usually more expensive. You also have the option to wait until you get to your destination and take money out of an ATM. This too will have certain associated fees that you can find out about from your bank.You should also call your credit card company and bank to make sure they allow international transactions and find out about the additional fees, if any, are involved. A fee-free credit card is also a great option before you embark on your journey. Make sure to take a few dollars with you, too, just in case. Here are a few money-saving tips to follow while traveling:

• Avoid tourist restaurants. Instead, eat like the locals do or cook your meals, if possible.
• Re-use water bottles. Bring water purifying tablets with you to ensure your drinking water is safe.
• Use public transportation. Ride a bike or walk when possible.
• Get a no-fee credit or ATM card before your trip.

Consider leaving a bit of money at home with someone you trust in case of an emergency or if your cards get lost or stolen. Always have a backup plan. it’s recommended to meet with an RTW travel specialist to help you route your trip, book flights and address all of your questions and concerns about traveling abroad. Foreign travel can get complicated, especially if there are a lot of destinations you want to include in your itinerary. Meeting with an RTW specialist at a travel agency can save you a lot of time and stress and ensure maximum optimization. As one traveller is the same, an experienced travel expert will help you tailor your trip to your personality.  

Chapter 2: What You Need to Do Before Your Trip  

Naturally, a round the world trip involves a lot of planning and preparation. It is important totake it one step at a time so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Remind yourself that all your effort will be well worth it once you’re onyour way.

• Get Your Passport and Visa for Round the World Travel

One of the first steps you’ll need to take in preparing to travel abroad is to find out what documents are required to enter the countries that you will be visiting. Look up your destinations on the U.S. Department of State website to find out. This online search tool allows you to look up specific information with respect to your destination.

For example, say you’re planning a trip to Thailand. Type “Thailand” in the search box, and you’ll find that you won’t need a visa if you’re staying for under 30 days, but you will need a passport that’s valid six months from the date of your arrival. Everything you need to know about traveling to Thailand can be found on this page, including medical information, embassy and consulate contact information, safety tips and local laws.

As a general rule, you should make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of entry into any foreign country. Renew your passport or get a new one  at least three to five months ahead of time . Take into account that a passport can take betweenthree to six weeks to arrive once you have put in your application.

• Buy International Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for your round the world trip is highly recommended. A survey by the U.S. Travel Insurance Association showed that approximately 33.4 million Americans have had travel protection plans when they travel. The most popular travel insurance plan even included an option to cancel the trip, which was taken up by 85% of travellers.

A typical insurance plancan include coverage for one or all of the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost or stolen luggage
• Trip cancellation or interruption

If you’re wondering about costs, travel insurance generally costs from 4% to 8% of the total trip. Speak to your travel agent about buying travel insurance for your round the world trip. It helps you keep your peace of mind and remain free of worries.

• Check If You Need Vaccinations

You may need to get vaccinated before entering the destination of your choice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or certifiedTraveller’s Health websiteswill help you to understand all the medical requirements for your travel.Say you’re traveling to Africa or South America — you made need a vaccine for yellow fever. Some other travel-related diseases that are preventable with vaccines are:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid fever
• Meningococcal disease
• Japanese encephalitis

The CDC recommends meeting with a doctor four to six weeks before you travel. Speak with your doctor or find a local travel clinic to answer all of your vaccination and health questions. A doctor can suggest precautions you should take based on your personalrequirements.

• Research Local Culture and Laws

Did you know beef is prohibited in India, and driving under the influence in Japan can throw you behind bars immediately? Every country has local laws you may not be familiar with. It’s important to know what to expect to prevent any misunderstanding or miscommunication. An easy way to prepare for your travels is to go online and read up on local laws in different countries around the globe.

Also, take the time to familiarize yourself with the culture and history of your destinations. Chances are, if you have interest in a particular country, you already know a little bit about the country’s culture. However, the deeper you dig, the easier it will be for you to adapt. Teach yourself local language phrases andlearn about customs and manners so that you can blend in easily. With a little preparation, you can overcome cultural challenges with greater ease and understanding. The more you know ahead of time, the richer and more meaningful your travels will be.

• Pack These Items

Try to make a packing list days or weeks ahead of time and look through it a few times so that you can add or removeany necessary items from the list.As a general rule, you’ll want to pack as light as possible. As tempting as it might be to pack five pairs of shoes, just in case, or a maybe even a complete series of paperback novels, remind yourself that sometimes adventure calls for a little less preparation — and that means leaving the snowshoes in the garage.

Here’s a short list of items, excluding clothes and toiletries, you’ll want to make sure you include on your packing list:

• International driver’s permit or driver’s license
• Vaccination certificate
• Proof of insurance
• Paper copies of passport, visa and other documents
• Anti-diarrhea medicine
• Motion sickness medicine
• Your prescriptions
• Cash in the currency of destination countries and debit or credit cards
• Hand sanitizer
• First-aid kit
• Insect repellent
• Small bottle of detergent
• Gum for the plane ride
• Travel pillow
• Phone charger
• Plastic bags

Chapter 3: How to Book Your Flight  

You’ve narrowed down your destinations,you’ve renewed passport and you just bought a nice, new carry-on bag. Feelslike it’s time to book that flight and put your plan in action. But consider this: It’s one thing if you’re booking a flight to begin a week-long vacation in another state. It’s another thing if you’re planning to fly across the globe for an extended period of time.

The thought of flying around the world can feel intimidating but luckily, there are plenty of travel experts to  help you plan your trip and book economical flights .

Let’s look at some options:

• Round the World Ticket

A round the world ticket allows you to build a custom itinerary with the exception that you must travel east to west or west to east. In other words, you can’t backtrack. You must also start and end your journey in the same country with a round the world ticket.

Depending on which airline you book with, a round the world ticket is usually valid for up to 12 months. You will be able to book stops to the destinations of your choice that are generally along your flight path. This type of ticket is more economical than booking many one-way flights. In short,  a round the world ticket  combines multiple tickets into one.

• Multi-Stop Flights

A multi-stop flight allows you to visit multiple cities with one ticket and does not require traveling in a particular order — you can backtrack if you wish. Because there are fewer limitations with a multi-stop ticket than a round the world ticket, there are lot more options of where you can go. A multi-stop flight is considered a good option for shorter travel s and it provides a lot of room for flexibility.

However, even with a round the world ticket, you can arrange to spend time in multiple cities along the way using stopovers. A stopover is basically a long layover. Whereas a layover is no more than 24 hours, a stopover can last for days.

Let’s pretend that you’re flying from London to Cairo with a layover in Rome. Instead of waiting to re-board the plane in Rome for two hours, a stopover would allow you to explore Rome for a day or two for little to no added cost.A travel expert can help you create a more complex itinerary with the maximum optimization possible. There are plenty of options to tailor your flight to include multiple destinations.

• Open Tickets

An open ticket means that you set a departure date, but your return date is flexible. You could have up to a year to explore your destination before returning, depending on the airline. Not all airlines offer this option, and there are some risks that come with the freedom. For instance, having an  open ticket for your around the world trip  means no guarantee of having a flight to your next destination when you want it. Airline schedules and seating availability are certain factors that one has to account for when booking an open ticket.

Also, some countries, like those in the European Union, will only allow you to visit for up to 90 days. So, in this case, whether you have an open ticket or not, you need to move on in about three months.

Why Fly Business Class Round the World?

The class that you choose to fly always has a significant impact on your experience. If you think  business class tickets  are too pricey, contacting a travel agent can help you find the best deals. With business class you’ll have:

• More leg-room.
• Better rest.
• More amenities.
• Better service.
• More privacy.
• Less exposure to germs.
• Better food and drinks.
• Little or no wait to board.
• Lie-flat seats/Reclining seats.
• More personal space.

Traveling for hour after hour can be exhausting — especially when you’re cramped into a single economy seat next to a stranger. When you arrive at a new place, you’ll want to feel rested, so you can enjoy and explore your destination. Your level of comfort on your journey hence, becomes a priority.

Economy class and cheap motels might work for shorter trips, but paying round the world business class airfare might be worth it for long-haul flights. A travel specialist can help you find the best deals for a business class flight and also help you decide if it’s worth the extra cost.  

Chapter 4: How to Choose Where to Stay  

You booked your flight, and your heart is fluttering with excitement — it’s official now, you’re going to travel the world! So, the next question is, where are you going to stay?

Choosing your accommodations can be difficult. On the one hand, you want the most affordable option. On the other hand, you also want to feel comfortable and safe. The best way to go about it is to try to find a place that falls somewhere in the middle. If you have a fixed budget, keep in mind that you may need to make certain compromises.

Opting to stay ata recommended hotel is always thesafer option. To make sure you get a room at the hotel you want, it is recommended to book your hotel room approximately one month in advance.  Booking too early may not land you the best deal , and if you wait too long, you may have to settle for less depending on where you’re traveling to.

Some of the pros of staying at a hotel include:

• Convenience
• Housekeeping services
• Modern amenities
• Can feel safer and more secure, especially for solo travelers
• Familiarity

Some cons of staying at a hotel include:

• Usually pricier than other options
• Lacks cultural immersion
• Standard and predictable

No need to feel intimidated, staying at a hostel does not mean you have to sleep elbow-to-elbow with strangers. Although hostels vary greatly from one to the other, private rooms are now becoming a standard with many modern hostels. If you are young and out to explore, hostels are a popular option for the younger crowd. Besides this, they also help make sure you stay well within your budget.

Some pros of staying at a hostel are :

• Affordability
• Ability to meet other travellers
• Feature certain amenities
• Usually conveniently located
• May offer amenities that hotels do not offer, such as game and entertainment rooms

Cons of hostels include :

• Lack of privacy
• May not have housekeeping services
• Safety or theft could be an issue
• May have to share a bathroom
• Possible dorm-like atmosphere

Because a hostel doesn’t follow the standards of a hotel chain, it’s important to research the hostel you plan to stay at ahead of time. Find out if you’ll have the option to a stay in a private room with a private bathroom. Depending on where you stay, you might want to bring earplugs.Although hostels may be seen as a more on-a-whim option, it’s highly recommended to book your hostel in advance. Popular hostels fill up quickly. Depending on your destination and the season, this could be an issue. Talk with your travel specialist to help you find the right hostel for you.

Other Options

If hotels aren’t culturally exciting enough for you, or if you don’t like the idea of sharing a bunk bed with a stranger, there areother alternatives. These include:

• Stay with a Host Family

To stay with a host family, you’ll have to make arrangements through a homestay program or service, or you can research homestay accommodations for your destination.Homestays are popular choices for volunteers and exchange students, it can be a very affordable housing alternative for travellers of any age who may be traveling for any reason. Here’s some benefits and restrictions of staying at a homestay:

• Experience full cultural immersion.
• Gain language skills.
• Learn where the locals go.
• Eat home-cooked meals.
• Build relationships.
• Have house rules to follow.
• Be expected to be mindful of your manners and cultural differences.

Camping is likely the most affordable of all the options, but it’s also probably the least comfortable. However, for all the nature-lovers and adventurous souls out there, the pros of camping may outweigh the cons. Here’s what your camping trip will usually involve:

• Usually the most affordable option.
• A way to experience the great outdoors.
• Less comfortable.
• Affected by weather, animals, and insects.
• Rent an Apartment or Vacation Home

Renting out someone’s apartment, home or vacation home may be a favourable option depending on where you’re going, who you’re traveling with and what yourdates are. More populated cities will likely have more rentals available. Important things to be aware of with home rentals are:

• They can be more affordable than a hotel, depending on the size and location of the rental.
• It’s important to communicate with the owner and know exactly what you’re paying for.
• They have more space than a hotel.
• They usually have a kitchen.
• You’ll get to live like a local.
• Rental dates may be less flexible than other options.
• There may be a minimum stay time — no overnight-only stays.

Not all homeowners are going to put effort into making their rental comfortable for you, nor will they always be 100% honest with you. That’s why it’s important to rent from a source you can trust.Using an apartment or home rental may be a great option for a family, couples or large groups traveling together.

As you can see, choosing your accommodations may be more about personal preference than affordability. A travel expert can help you decide what’ll work best for your overall travel plans and can help you book your accommodations in advance.

Chapter 5: How to Stay Healthy and Safe While Traveling  

The rewards of traveling outweigh the risks, but the truth is, traveling can take a toll on your physical and mental health if you don’t make self-care a priority. Now that you have all the pre-planning figured out, let’s take a look at how you can make the most of your journey by ensuring good health and safety.

Food Safety

See that street vendor selling fried meats on a stick? The aroma guides your senses and attracts you towards it, your stomach rumbles. And then you notice — there’s no one waiting in line.But before you surrender to your senses, consider the following tips. You may find that waiting in that really long line of tourists for the place across the street is worth the wait.So as much as you might want to just chow down on some street food, remind yourself of the risks.

Here are some things you can do to avoid food poisoning:

• Drink bottled water or canned beverages.
• Avoid raw fruits and vegetables, raw or undercooked meat, seafood, poultry and eggs, and food that has been unrefrigerated for hours.
• Try to eat at reputable places. Avoid deserted areas.
• Use water purifying tablets.

Preparing for Travel-Related Illnesses

Sometimes you get sick even when you’re careful. Here’s how you should prepare for travel-related illness:

• Check your insurance coverage before you leave on your trip.
• Purchase short-term medical insurance that covers you abroad if needed — your travel specialist can help you with this.
• Obtain a list of English-speaking foreign health care providers from the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers.

Other steps to take for good health:

• Eat healthy before your trip.
• Take it easy and don’t stress about the small stuff.
• Avoid touching public surfaces. If you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Reserve time to rest and relax during your trip.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Research the health risks of your destinations.
• Use sun protection.
• Try not to alter your regular diet too much by eating too much food you don’t normally eat.

Following the above-mentioned steps will help lower the risk of getting sick. However, sometimes it’s inevitable. Either way, don’t let it prevent you from having a great time. Pack antacids and anti-diarrhoea medication and drink plenty of purified water to stay hydrated — it’s important to stay hydrated regardless of whether you’re sick or not.If you are unable to nurse yourself back to health while traveling, don’t push it! Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for a list of healthcare providers.

Other Safety Tips

Eating spoiled meat isn’t the only safety concern with travel abroad. Visiting foreign places poses other risks too, but if you educate yourself and take the right precautions, you’ll be prepared to handle the risks. However, the first step is to do your research so that you don’t put yourself in risky situations in the first place!

Though safety will vary depending on the city you’re in, here are some of the precautions you’ll want to take:

• Street Safety
• Stay on main roads that are well-lit.
• Beware of pickpockets.
• Act as if you know where you’re going even if you’re lost.
• Wear a purse or bag that straps across your chest.
• Keep a list of emergency phone numbers with you.
• Learn a few words and phrases in the local language.
• Only ask local authorities for help.
• Hotel Safety
• Always keep the door locked.
• Know the fire safety procedure of your hotel.
• Don’t leave valuables or money out in the open while you’re away. Keep whatever valuables you can at home.
• Transportation Safety
• Keep car doors locked.
• Avoid driving at night if possible.
• Never accept food or drinks from strangers.
• Try to avoid being close to other people on trains.

As a general rule, try to explore with a fellow traveller or hire a local guide. Your travel agent can help you arrange a meeting with a local guide who will assist you as you navigate new places and make sure you stay in safe areas.Not every city will require extreme caution, but some cities pose greater safety risks than others.

Currently, countries with certain safety risks for American travellers are:

• Afghanistan
• Philippines
• North Korea

Some of the safest places to visit are:

• The United Arab Emirates
• Switzerland
• Hong Kong SAR

Check the U.S. Department of State’s Alerts and Warnings page to find out the current safety levels of the destinations that you will be visiting.

Your Trip Around the World: Use This Quick Checklist and Book with Us

Take a deep breath and exhale — you made it to the end of this guide, and you’re ready to begin the process of planning your round the world trip. Sure, there’s a lot to do, but before you know it, you’ll be looking down from your airplane window at the miniature patchwork of land below!

Here’s a quick summary of steps to take on a month-to-month basis before you take-off:

Six to 12 Months:

• Research places that interest you.
• Choose your destinations.
• Figure out your travel budget.
• Start saving.

Three to Five Months:

• Renew your passport.
• Apply for a visa if necessary.

One to Two Months:

• Get vaccinated.
• Start a packing list.
• Book your flight.
• Book your living arrangements.
• Let your bank and credit card companies know when and where you’ll be traveling.
• Make sure your phone plan will keep you connected internationally.

See? It’s not that bad. But we’re here to help  make your around the world trip planning even easier .

Ready for Take-Off?

It’s hard to imagine spending a lifetime visiting the same places over and over again when there is an entire planet to explore. There are currently over seven billion people on this planet, and an estimated 6,909 distinct languages that are spoken by them. Humans began migrating from Africa to Europe and Asia between 70,000 and 100,000 years ago. Think of all the languages and cultures that met and formed over the years! Culture is always changing, always making the world more and more exciting to explore.

Travel specialists at Aroundtheworldticket.com are here to help you experience the history and natural beauty of the world. Whether you want to see sightsee in Moscow or learn to dance the Samba in Brazil, we are here to help you plan every step of your trip. No detail is too small — from assistance with purchasing traveller’s insurance to tips for traveling solo, we’ll do what it takes to ensure you get the most out of your round the world experience.

It’s never too late to learn about new cultures, to challenge yourself and to live the life of your dreams. If you’ve always dreamed of traveling, why wait? You’re here on this planet andit’s always the right time to make the most of it.

AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL

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Your complete guide to booking around-the-world tickets with points and miles

With everything that has happened over the past 2 1/2 years, many of our readers are itching to get back out there and see the world. But what if you can't decide on a single destination? Enter around-the-world award tickets.

These awards let you see multiple destinations across multiple regions in one go. You can stay for extended periods of time in multiple cities and sometimes take alternate transportation between destinations to maximize your trip. These trips typically cost a lot of miles, but you'll almost always save when compared to booking tickets separately and piecing together your own itinerary. This is especially true if you book business-class around-the-world award tickets.

These complex itineraries are generally made possible by leveraging alliance route networks. So not only are you seeing amazing new cities, but you can fly interesting new airlines too.

You can book around-the-world award tickets with transferable currencies like American Express Membership Rewards points, Bilt Rewards points, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Citi ThankYou points — but again, it's not easy. You need to know where to look to find a transfer partner that works best for your specific around-the-world needs. In this article, I'll show you all your options for your post-pandemic around-the-world adventure.

This article is broken down by airline alliances. I'll cover each around-the-world award option for said alliance and discuss the rules and pricing for each around-the-world option.

For more TPG news and deals delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Oneworld around-the-world awards

Oneworld is the home of American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and many other reader favorites. Here are your options for booking around-the-world tickets on Oneworld partners.

Booking around-the-world trips with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific's Asia Miles program offers a quasi-around-the-world award option called "Oneworld Multi-Carrier Awards." These awards are priced based on distance flown and your cabin of travel. You can book these awards in any class you'd like, including first class.

These itineraries are confusing initially, but it's easier to visualize once you're familiar with the award chart's rules . Here's a look:

• Must fly at least two Oneworld carriers, three if flying Cathay Pacific.
• Maximum of five stopovers.
• Maximum flight distance of 50,000 miles.
• You must return to the original point of departure.
• Two connections (in addition to stopovers) are permitted.
• Two open jaws are permitted.
• Backtracking is usually permitted but varies based on the phone representative you work with.

Other than that, there aren't many restrictions to worry about. Prices are as follows:

You will pay moderate fuel surcharges, if applicable, but few Oneworld partners have high surcharges. The exception to this rule is British Airways, which is notorious for charging $500-plus for a one-way business-class ticket to London. Thankfully, Asia Miles has lower surcharges on BA flights when compared to other Oneworld loyalty programs.

You can generally backtrack on these awards as there's nothing in the terms and conditions that prohibits it. However, you may need to talk with multiple representatives to book one of these tickets. I've seen reports of Asia Miles representatives not allowing backtracking award tickets in some cases. If this happens to you, politely end the call and call back.

Asia Miles Multi-Carrier Awards are generally the best way to book first-class around-the-world awards. That's because Oneworld has the most carriers that still offer a true first-class cabin, like American Airlines , British Airways , Japan Airlines and others. Here's an example of an around-the-world ticket mostly operated in first class and clocking in at 21,224 miles. It will cost 280,000 miles, since the business-class segments are charged like first class.

Here's a sample itinerary you could book as part of a single around-the-world award:

• New York to London: British Airways first class.
• London to Madrid: Iberia business class.
• Madrid to Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways business class.
• Doha to Hong Kong: Qatar Airways business class.
• Hong Kong to Tokyo: Cathay Pacific first class.
• Tokyo to Los Angeles: Japan Airlines first class.
• Los Angeles to New York: American Airlines Flagship First .

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite Oneworld search tool . Then, call Asia Miles to book your award ticket.

Earning Asia Miles: Cathay Pacific is a 1:1 transfer partner of Amex, Bilt Rewards, Capital One and Citi, and a 3:1 transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy.

Related: Book this, not that: Oneworld award tickets

Booking around-the-world trips with Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas ' around-the-world award program can be difficult to find since it's named "Oneworld Classic Flight Reward." You can only fly on Oneworld airlines (not other Qantas partners like Emirates or El Al), and you must fly at least two non-Qantas Oneworld airlines to use this award chart.

That said, these awards have interesting rules. Here's a look:

• Must fly at least two Oneworld carriers, three if flying Qantas.
• Maximum flight distance of 35,000 miles.
• One stopover is allowed in any one city.
• Two connections are allowed at any one city in the itinerary.
• If your destination city is different than your origin, you will be charged based on the distance to return directly from your destination to your origin.
• Ground transfers are allowed, but you will be charged for the distance between the two cities.
• Backtracking is usually permitted.

Pricing is as follows:

This award chart isn't as generous as Cathay Pacific's, but there is still some decent value in business class. If you max out the five stopovers, you'll likely pay 240,000-280,000 miles for a business-class around-the-world award. That means you're effectively purchasing each flight for 40,000-45,000 miles each. You are liable for paying fuel surcharges when carriers charge them.

Here's an example itinerary I built. It covers 31,279 miles and costs 280,000 miles in business class.

• Los Angeles to Sydney: Qantas, stopover.
• Sydney to Hong Kong: Cathay Pacific, stopover.
• Hong Kong to Johannesburg: Cathay Pacific, stopover.
• Johannesburg to Doha: Qatar Airways, stopover.
• Doha to London: Qatar Airways, stopover.
• London to Los Angeles: American Airlines.

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite Oneworld search tool . Then, either book online by creating a multicity award ticket or call Qantas to book.

Earning Qantas miles: Qantas is a 1:1 transfer partner of Amex, Capital One and Citi. You can transfer Marriott points to Qantas at a 3:1 ratio.

Related: Upgrades, lounge access and more: How to earn top-tier Oneworld status for $1,400

SkyTeam around-the-world awards

SkyTeam is the world's second-largest alliance based on the number of members. It includes some of the most well-known airlines, like Air France, Delta, KLM and Korean Airlines. Here are your options for booking around-the-world award tickets with SkyTeam airlines.

Booking around-the-world trips with Aeromexico Club Premier

Aeromexico Club Premier's SkyTeam around-the-world pass is an attractive deal and is relatively simple in comparison to other around-the-world award options. These awards cost 224,000 miles in economy or 352,000 in business class no matter how many miles flown. With Amex's 1:1.6 transfer ratio, you'll need just 140,000 Membership Rewards for economy and 220,000 for business class.

The following terms apply:

• Travel must continue in the same direction, east or west.
• Travel must begin and end in the same country.
• A minimum of three or a maximum of 15 stopovers are allowed.
• No more than five stopovers per continent.
• All flights must be booked in the same class of service.
• Pass is valid for one year from the date of issue.

An allowance of 15 stopovers is among the most generous of any around-the-world programs and there are no mileage limits to worry about. You can squeeze in some long-haul flights if you don't backtrack. This is a great deal for booking long around-the-world trips with lots of stopovers. Even if you don't max out the 15 stopovers, you may save miles by booking through Aeromexico rather than a similar itinerary with ANA Mileage Club .

Another great thing about Club Premier is that an around-the-world ticket is good for 365 days, meaning you could you can spend an entire year traveling the globe. It doesn't get any better than this.

Here's an example itinerary:

• Atlanta to Mexico City: Delta Air Lines, stopover.
• Mexico City to Tokyo: Aeromexico, stopover.
• Tokyo to Seoul, South Korea: Korean Airlines, stopover.
• Seoul to Hong Kong: Korean Airlines, stopover.
• Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines, stopover.
• Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta, Indonesia: Vietnam Airlines, stopover.
• Jakarta to Amsterdam: Garuda Indonesia, stopover.
• Amsterdam to Paris: KLM, stopover.
• Paris to Madrid: Air France, stopover.
• Madrid to Sao Paulo: Air Europa, stopover.
• Sao Paulo to New York: Delta Air Lines, stopover.
• New York to Cleveland: Delta Air Lines, stopover.
• Cleveland to Atlanta: Delta Air Lines.

You are liable for paying fuel surcharges on Aeromexico around-the-world tickets, but they're usually reasonable.

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite SkyTeam search tool . Then, call Aeromexico to book.

Earning Premier points: Aeromexico is a 1:1.6 transfer partner of Amex, a 1:1 transfer partner of Capital One and a 3:1 transfer partner of Marriott.

Related: Book this, not that: SkyTeam award tickets

Star Alliance around-the-world awards

With 28 member airlines serving over 1,300 destinations worldwide, Star Alliance is the largest of the three major alliances.

Here in the U.S., United Airlines is the major Star Alliance carrier. Other well-known carriers include ANA, Air Canada, Avianca, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore and Turkish. These airlines have hubs all around the globe, making Star Alliance a great bet for around-the-world tickets no matter where you want to go.

Booking around-the-world trips with ANA Mileage Club

ANA Mileage Club's around-the-world awards are flexible and — in my opinion — the best way to book a Star Alliance around-the-world ticket. Rules are relatively relaxed, but you'll want to keep the following in mind:

• Flights must be used to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans once.
• You must fly east to west or west to east and can't backtrack.
• Up to eight stopovers are permitted, up to three in Europe and four in Japan.
• You can book a maximum of 12 flight segments.
• You can also include up to four ground sectors (alternate transportation between two airports, even within the same city).
• The departure date of the final international flight to return to the country of departure must be 10-plus days after the departure of the first international flight on the itinerary.

Pricing is fair too — here's a look at ANA's around-the-world award chart:

One thing to note about ANA around-the-world awards is that you're liable for paying fuel surcharges, taxes and other fees if the operating carrier charges them. This can make booking tickets with carriers like Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines pricey. Thankfully, you can avoid these surcharges by booking with the following airlines that do not add fuel surcharges:

• Air New Zealand.
• Brussels Airlines.
• Ethiopian Airlines.
• LOT Polish Airlines (low surcharges).
• Scandinavian Airlines.
• Singapore Airlines.
• South African Airways.
• TAP Air Portugal.
• United Airlines.

While first-class pricing is enticing for a long around-the-world trip, Star Alliance makes it hard to book. Singapore and Swiss don't release first-class award space to partners. Lufthansa only does within 15 days of departure, leaving ANA as one of the only Star Alliance carriers that will let you book first class with miles. Thankfully, Star Alliance has great business-class options for you to choose from.

Take the following example, which covers over 20,500 flight miles and includes seven stopovers. This ticket costs 125,000 miles, around what most carriers would charge for a simple round-trip business-class ticket to Asia.

• Newark to Frankfurt: United, stopover.
• Frankfurt to Prague: Lufthansa, stopover.
• Prague to Warsaw, Poland: LOT Polish Airlines, stopover.
• Warsaw to Singapore: LOT Polish Airlines, stopover.
• Singapore to Hong Kong: Singapore Airlines, stopover.
• Hong Kong to Seoul: Asiana, stopover.
• Seoul to Tokyo: ANA, stopover.
• Tokyo to New York: ANA.

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite Star Alliance search tool . Then, call ANA to book your award ticket.

Earning ANA miles: If you're short on ANA miles, the carrier is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and a 3:1 transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy . Remember that Marriott also offers a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer to an airline.

Need to stock up on ANA miles? Consider applying for one of these American Express cards that can help you earn points with your everyday spending:

• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first six months of account opening. Earn 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants , 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x points), 3 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly from airlines or American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases ($250 annual fee; see rates and fees ).
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Earn 5 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly from airlines or with American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts , and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases ($695 annual fee; see rates and fees ).

Related: How I booked an around-the-world ticket in business class for 170,000 miles

Booking mini around-the-world trips with Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada's Aeroplan program doesn't have an official around-the-world award chart, but it allows stopovers on one-way tickets . This means you can effectively build a mini around-the-world itinerary by maximizing these stopovers. Routing rules are relaxed and you can stop over in a different region than your final destination.

Here are a few rules to know :

• Stopovers cost an additional 5,000 points.
• Up to one stopover per one-way ticket.
• No stopovers in the U.S. or Canada.
• Up to six segments per one-way ticket.
• You cannot book tickets that are 100% or more physical miles over the direct distance between two cities.
• Itineraries within a single region must stay within said region.
• There are no maximum permitted mileage restrictions for flight rewards on partners.
• Open-jaw tickets are only permitted between one-way tickets, not between connecting cities or stopovers.
• All flights are priced on a one-way basis.

Aeroplan prices flights based on the region you're flying to/from and the total distance of your flight. You can view the full award chart on Air Canada's website (PDF link). Further, the program no longer adds fuel surcharges to award tickets , so you can book carriers like Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa without breaking the bank.

You can maximize your Aeroplan tickets further by adding long layovers in up to six cities per one-way ticket. So if you're flying from Newark to Dubai via Frankfurt, you can stop over in Frankfurt for up to 24 hours without using your one stopover. This can be powerful for quick visits to a city you've already been to — just ensure the connection times work out.

Here's an example of a round-trip award ticket with a stopover on both the outbound and return tickets. There's also a long-layover connection on the outbound leg for a daylong visit to Frankfurt. This ticket costs 180,000 points round-trip according to the North America-to-Pacific award chart.

• Newark to Frankfurt: Lufthansa, layover.
• Frankfurt to Munich: Lufthansa, stopover.
• Munich to Singapore: Lufthansa, outbound final destination.
• Singapore to Tokyo: ANA, stopover.
• Tokyo to New York: ANA, inbound final destination.

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite Star Alliance search tool . Then, call Air Canada to book your award ticket.

Earning Aeroplan points: Amex, Bilt and Chase points and Capital One miles transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio. Likewise, you can transfer Marriott points at a 3:1 ratio.

If you want to earn Capital One miles, you can open a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . The Venture card offers 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Related: Capital One announces new 1:1 transfer tier, additional travel partners and more airport lounge details

Booking around-the-world trips with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines' around-the-world awards are poorly advertised and relatively limited. That said, if you want to include a premium-cabin segment on Singapore Airlines, you have to book through its KrisFlyer loyalty program . The carrier generally doesn't release premium-cabin award space to partners.

For Singapore around-the-world award tickets:

• Travel must continue in the same direction (east or west) with no backtracking.
• Must begin and end in the same country.
• Maximum of seven total stopovers, with a maximum of two in each country.
• Maximum of 16 flight segments.

Thirty-five thousand miles is a shallow ceiling to place on around-the-world awards. And the pricing is mediocre at best — especially when compared to ANA Mileage Club. Here's a look:

• Economy: 200,000 miles.
• Business: 280,000 miles.
• First: 405,000 miles.

Further, you're liable for paying fuel surcharges if charged by the partner airline. Thankfully, Singapore Airlines doesn't charge these on its own tickets.

One way to maximize these around-the-world tickets is by building an itinerary that includes Singapore Airlines' fifth-freedom routes . Here's an example of a business-class around-the-world itinerary that costs 280,000 miles:

• New York to Frankfurt: Singapore Airlines, stopover.
• Frankfurt to Istanbul: Turkish Airlines, stopover.
• Istanbul to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines, stopover.
• Addis Ababa to Singapore: Ethiopian Airlines, stopover.
• Seoul to Tokyo: Asiana, stopover.
• Tokyo to Los Angeles: Singapore Airlines, layover.
• Los Angeles to New York: United.

How to book: Map out your trip with Great Circle Mapper and find award space with your favorite Star Alliance search tool . Then, call Singapore Airlines to book your award ticket.

Earning KrisFlyer miles: Singapore is a 1:1 transfer partner of Amex, Capital One, Chase and Citi . It's also 3:1 transfer partner of Marriott.

If you're under 5/24 , your best bet is to apply for a Chase card with one of these heightened welcome bonuses:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card – Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve – Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Related: Book this, not that: Star Alliance award tickets

Bottom line

Around-the-world awards are not for the faint of heart, nor are they an option for every traveler.

They often require multiple weeks (or even months) to enjoy the stops, which requires commitment. That doesn't even consider the time needed to research and book the flights to make it work. That being said, if you're able to embark on a multistop trip, these awards can let you do it for just a fraction of the cost of booking tickets separately. Even "shorter" trips of only three or four destinations can benefit from this booking option in the right circumstances.

For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here . For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here .

Additional reporting by Ehsan Haque.

11 Around-The-World Cruises For An Epic Getaway

"Sailing around the world" sounds so romantic, doesn't it? You're sailing to remote islands with like-minded people while chasing sunsets on a distant horizon. Sure, you can just board a plane to, say, New Zealand, but there's something so pure and patient about maritime journeys. Cruises are like floating resorts, which ease their way over the waves. It's the definition of "slow travel." 

Amazingly, in the modern world of jet-setting travel, round-the-world cruises do exist. Voyagers visit dozens of ports over the course of their odyssey, each with its own landscape, climate, and personality. There are lots of ways travelers can experience "the trip of a lifetime," but this kind of circumnavigation outmatches just about all of them -- and in style. However, there are a few things to consider before investigating such cruises. First, what does it actually mean to sail "around the world?"

Many companies use this phrase — and sail thousands of nautical miles — but only around a single ocean or hemisphere. Even when ships do sail a distance equivalent to the equator (or more), they rarely return to their precise port of origin. Also, these epic  cruise vacations can be pricey ; the kind of dream that merits cashing in a 401K, and the time commitment is also substantial, meaning months on the water. But for diehard cruisers, crisscrossing the planet could easily be worth the time and money, and if this sounds like you, these 11 cruise lines are scheduled to sail around the world.

Read more: The Prettiest Waters Around The World

Viking: World Cruise

For 138 days, passengers frog-hop through the Caribbean, pass through the Panama Canal, make their way to the islands of Polynesia, and skirt Australia, Asia, and Europe before finally dropping their anchor in London. On Viking's World Cruise, you can step ashore in 28 different nations and pick from 57 guided tours. Viking has been a prolific, respected cruise line since its founding in 1997, and this three-quarter circumnavigation sets sail in December 2024, so there's still time to book.

Ships are equipped with spas, luxury dining options, and cabin beds that can be separated or combined, among many other touches. Long before stepping aboard, the Viking website has a virtual 360-degree tour, acquainting future travelers with the ship's staterooms. Viking has thoughtfully put together a reading list to help travelers get a deeper understanding of the countries they will visit, which is especially helpful in little-understood destinations like Moorea and Indonesia. The ship also has a sizable library onboard for further research. This, plus its sophisticated tours and dining options that reflect the culture of each port, may explain Viking's moniker, "the thinking person's cruise." Quality does come at a price, with full passage starting at $59,995.

Ambassador: Grand Round The World Cruise

The Ambiance sets off from London, crosses the Atlantic, passes through Panama, and hits Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America before pinging back to the United Kingdom. Not only do you cross all the major oceans, but you actually cross the Atlantic three times. Most of these destinations are warm-weather ports, including Sydney at the height of summer. Sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats are recommended on this largely equatorial route.

Ambassador is new to the cruise scene, having been established in the United Kingdom in 2021, and Ambiance is its flagship vessel. Passengers will spend their 120-night voyage in extreme comfort, traveling to 24 countries and 34 ports of call, with top-notch dining, live entertainment, and about 35,000 nautical miles in between. If you can live without a porthole, opting for an  inside cabin on the cruise , then passage starts at the budget-friendly price of $8,500 per person, making this Ambassador cruise one of the most economical on this list. You can also add on drink packages and arrange tours in advance or onboard through an agent or the Ambassador app. You can also explore the ship before you travel, thanks to a 360-degree virtual tour. The 2024 voyage sets sail on June 6.

Regent: World Cruise

The 2026 Regent World Cruise starts in Miami and ends in Miami, which makes it convenient to coordinate, especially if you're already based in the United States. Regent Seven Seas Cruises was founded in 1992 and is a respected brand in the industry.

The ship, the Seven Seas Mariner, also lives up to its name with a formidable 154-night itinerary: the Panama Canal, points along Central America, a dozen Pacific islands, Australia, South Asia, East Africa, and two Atlantic islands before returning to Florida. The Mariner arrives in many well-trod ports like Cape Town and Acapulco, but the route also includes locations that most travelers would have trouble pinpointing on a map: Lautoka, Abidjan, and Male are all names cruisers will become familiar with. To really explore these places, Regent organizes a whopping 431 free shore excursions across six continents, 77 ports, and 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Sailing nearly 40,000 nautical miles with world-class spas, dining, and entertainment aboard doesn't come cheap. While you'll need to contact Regent to request specific prices, passengers can expect to pay nearly $100,000 for passage. Regent's World Cruise is considered a luxury-level experience with first-class airfare, gratuities, and 24-hour room service included. If this is your tax bracket, just wait until you see the suites.

Royal Caribbean: Ultimate World Cruise

Royal Caribbean has been taking tourists to far-flung destinations since the late 1960s, and it's now one of the most recognizable cruise companies in the world, so naturally Royal Caribbean would host a round-the-world voyage. But even for seasoned travelers, the Ultimate World Cruise is pretty, well, ultimate. Royal Caribbean's world cruise lasts 274 nights and arrives in no fewer than 60 countries. In other words, you'll spend nine months at sea and personally visit more than a quarter of the sovereign nations on Earth. The saga starts and ends in Miami, where the Royal Caribbean is headquartered, which should make arrangements easy.

The biggest bragging right of all: This cruise touches on every single continent, including Elephant Island and Paradise Bay in Antarctica. You'll find yourself in both Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, plus ports you've never even heard of. That said, unless your soul is fueled by pure wanderlust, this itinerary may sound like a lot of cruising, which may explain why Royal Caribbean has divided the journey into four segments. Cruisers don't have to commit to the entire itinerary; they can easily pick from the quarter that most interests them. 

By the time you read this, a segment may be the only option left, as the next Ultimate World Cruise departs in December of 2023. The segments are significantly more affordable as well. An interior stateroom for the full cruise costs at least $60,000 per person, while a segment starts at $12,500.

Cunard: Full World Voyage

When the Queen Mary 2 departs from New York City on January 3, 2024, it won't return to this same harbor for 123 nights. The itinerary isn't exactly "around the world," but rather a crossing of the Eastern Hemisphere — twice. Passengers traverse the Atlantic to the United Kingdom, then ease their way down the eastern coast of Africa before beelining for Australia. The ship boomerangs back, with many stops in Asia, a shortcut through the Suez Canal, and a tour of the Mediterranean before heading back to the U.S.

The voyage comes at the heels of Cunard's 100th anniversary, making it the second-oldest company on the list. The Queen Mary 2 has been Cunard's flagship vessel since 2004, and the company has mastered hospitality over the past century, with exceptional dining, luxury suites, and Broadway-quality performances by the Royal Court Theatre. Cunard also takes pride in its children's facilities, encouraging families to travel together, as well as the great English tradition of afternoon tea. Most of the budget cabins on the Queen Mary 2 were already booked at the time of this writing, but cabins with balconies are still available, starting at the not-ludicrous price of $16,899 per person. 

Oceania: Around The World In 180 Days

When Junes Verne wrote his novel "Around the World in Eighty Days," his Victorian goal was to travel as quickly as possible. Oceania is now advertising the opposite: This journey takes passengers the long way from Los Angeles to New York City, across the Pacific, around Australia, along the coasts of East Asia, and then up through the Middle East, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and even Greenland. The itinerary doesn't spend much time in the "global south," so you'll have to visit Africa and South America another time.

The Miami-based Oceania was founded in 2002 and specializes in long-haul cruises, so they know their system well. This cruise may be especially appealing to foodies. The company takes particular pride in its onboard meals as well as in-country Culinary Discovery Tours. Passengers can also take advantage of The Aquamar Spa & Vitality Center, which can orchestrate a special dietary regimen.

Oceania exudes "small-ship luxury" and caps its total number of passengers at 1,250. Everything about the ship is more intimate than found on its larger cousins, from the live entertainment to the duty-free boutiques. If you like a small-town feel, 180 days should be just enough time to meet all your shipmates. If you can't summon the time or (at least) $47,599 by January 2024, the next ship departs in January 2025.

Princess: 111-Day World Cruise

This Princess cruise is another true circumnavigation, starting in Los Angeles and bearing west until the ship arrives back at its original dock. The 111-day cruise starts on January 18, 2024, and includes all three major oceans, both the Suez and Panama Canals, plus 47 ports along the way. The itinerary is light on Asian and African ports and skips South America altogether, but you can still enjoy visits to Australia, the Middle East, and numerous destinations around Europe.

Princess is a hallowed name in the cruise industry. Not only have its ships been sailing the world since the 1960s, but Princess is still one of the most profitable cruise companies in the world. Passengers can expect onboard enrichment programs, award-winning live performances, and rejuvenating treatments at the Lotus Spa. Each port will also bring its own offerings of special excursions, from river rafting to art tours. 

With its dependable quality of service and nearly four-month itinerary, it's remarkable that base bookings start at only $15,498. Better yet, if you want to circle the globe with the whole family, this Princess itinerary is a family-friendly cruise and offers youth programming, which is not always the case. If you miss this one, no worries. Three more, of varying lengths, are slated for January 2025.

Holland America Line: Grand World Voyage

Fort Lauderdale is the beginning and end point for the Zuiderdam, which spends 128 days making a complete circle around the globe. Holland America's Grand World Voyage is true to its name. Passengers travel across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, making port on five continents. Most of its destinations are clustered around Asia and the Mediterranean, and it skips over Australia. But the Voyage is a rare opportunity to sail up the Amazon River, with visits to inland Brazilian cities most travelers would never think to visit.

Holland America began as a shipping and passenger line in the mid-19th Century, and its history of cruising is nearly as old as the concept. The flagship Zuiderdam is a luxury vessel with a swimming pool and sizable theater. It also boasts several diverse dining areas, including the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse, the Italian-themed Canaletto, and the à la carte Lido Market. There's Billboard Onboard, a special room for trivia nights and karaoke, as well as World Stage, a presentation space with a wraparound LED screen. Bookings start at the more expensive rate of $22,499 for an inside cabin, and the 2024 voyage will set sail on January 3, 2024, but you can expect additional Grand World Voyages to be slated in the coming years.

Azamara: World Voyage

Formerly part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, Azamara is now an independent company taking its own journeys. The 2025 World Voyage begins in San Diego and sails westward, across the Pacific, to Australia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, before passengers disembark in Barcelona. The World Voyage doesn't quite girdle the globe, stopping just short of the Atlantic Ocean, and the only stop in Africa is Giza. But this 155-night expedition should satisfy almost any traveler, especially with its 40 countries and 22 overnights.

Unlike many world cruises, Azamara has divided its full itinerary into segments with clear geographic themes, such as "South Pacific Jewels" and "Mediterranean Icons." These titles can help turn experiences into coherent narratives. For example, "Ancient Pathways" draws a historic and economic line between Mumbai and Athens, along with all ports in between. These themes are coupled with thoughtful excursions, which are often scheduled around local holidays and festivals. The World Voyage for 2024 appears to be sold out, but the 2025 edition sets sail on January 5. Passage starts at a princely $39,999.

Freighter Cruises

Some of us want to keep it simple. No need for late-night show-stoppers, cocktail parties with hundreds of strangers, or daring bets at the roulette wheel. "Freighter cruises" have gone by many names over the years, such as "banana boats" and "cargo cruises," but passengers have hitched rides on commercial ships since the dawn of seafaring. These accommodations come in many forms, and you do have to share your vessel with stacks of massive shipping containers; still, you can expect a comfortable cabin and regular meals, along with friendly and respectful crewmembers from around the world. For travelers with a Jack London streak, the freighter cruise feels raw and adventurous.

The Freighter Travel Club was founded in 1958, and companies like Maris Freighter Cruises and Voyage en Cargo have booked passengers on commercial vessels for years. Maris has arranged round-the-world itineraries in the past, and multi-week journeys are common, as enormous loads are floated from one nation to the next. The pandemic took its toll on this niche industry, and most of these journeys do not precisely travel around the world. But when they're in operation, freighter cruises usually cost a little over $100 per day, and savvy travelers have flexibility in their bookings.

Miray Cruises: Life At Sea

Sure, cruising is fun, but what if you want to turn your ship into a semi-permanent address? Life at Sea Cruises promises three years of luxury seafaring, with stops in 140 countries across all seven continents. By the time you're done with these 382 ports, you'll have more photos to sort through and stories to share than most people will amass in a lifetime.

That sounds life-changing, but we'll have to see whether it's too good to be true. Life at Sea is a brand-new enterprise from Miray Cruises, and the maiden voyage has been fraught with delays. However, at the time of this writing, Life at Sea should get underway by the end of 2023, and most full-voyage passengers should already be sailing by 2024. If all goes well, there are four scheduled embarkation options for travelers who want to hop aboard later on, and more will likely be scheduled.

One of the problems has been the ship itself. For a while, the purchase of the ship was in limbo, pushing back the original sail date. However, the MV Lara now seems ready to sail. The medium-sized vessel has space for 1,266 passengers, with a range of cozy cabins, a wellness center, and a pool deck, among many other amenities. Travelers committed to living at sea for three years should get a lot out of their floating home. Life at Sea is a dreamy concept, so let's hope for calm waters once it finally sets sail. 

Read the original article on Explore .

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Public Viewing/Screening: Austria vs. France | ŒLGARTEN

Experience the thrill of the Austria vs. France match at the 2024 EM public screening in Berlin's ŒLGARTEN. Delve into the rich history of these teams, from Austria's early dominance in football to France's more recent successes. Back in 1934, during the FIFA World Cup, Austria and France clashed in a tense Round of 16 match that ended in a dramatic 3-2 victory for Austria after extra time. Witness the electrifying atmosphere of the viewing event as Europe's top football nations battle for supremacy. Enjoy the company of friends, family, or fellow fans as you immerse yourself in the excitement of every goal and thrilling moment. Indulge in delicious food, refreshing drinks, and a captivating ambiance that is certain to engage you throughout the ultimate football party in the city. Join in for an unforgettable experience at this free event on June 17, 2024, and be a part of the action as these two footballing giants collide on the big screen at ŒLGARTEN in Berlin.

Provided by Gon?alo | Published Apr 30, 2024

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