PLANNING A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD
If you think asking your employer to take a sabbatical is tough, imagine the work ahead of you when they say yes – and you have to decide how to best spend your time. If you have been following DomOnTheGo, then you will know that I chose to spend my career break sating my wanderlust and travelling around the world. If you are thinking about doing the same, then you know that planning a trip around the world is a massive undertaking. How in the world do you decide where to go? What will you do? How do you make sure you don’t return disappointed that you didn’t see or do enough? It all comes down to how you build your itinerary – and trust me, building the itinerary will be as much fun as your adventures around the world.
Planning a trip around the world that allows you to maximise your experience requires a bit of effort. If you love this part pf a trip, then you will enjoy checking out my approach for planning structured itinerary. If the whole idea scares you – relax – I have done it and have you covered. In a recent post I shared my structured and phased approach to planning a vacation. Travelling while on sabbatical tends to mean that you will be away for more than a couple weeks. That means that while it will likely take a bit longer and be more in depth than normal, planning a trip around the world follows the same methods. Here’s my approach in a nut shell:
- Create A List – It’s time to brainstorm. Think of everywhere you want to go and jot it down on a list. Use your imagination. Go wild.
- Find Best-Time – Dig around and find out when the best time of the year to visit your destinations is.
- Fit Your Budget – Now that you know the where and when – find out the how. Don’t make the mistake of trying to fit a trip within a budget. Fit your budget into your trip.
- Map It Out – Start plotting your destinations to find an order that make sense directionally with minimal backtracking.
- Book Your Flights – Book your long haul flights and let them act as a skeleton for your trip.
If you follow the above method, you are left with a nice, logical itinerary. Then it’s all about your personal travel style – how much or how little do you want to wing it while you are on the road. The additional items you then build into your plans serve as the meat to your itinerary. I personally like more structure than the normal person, but understand that planning a trip around the world requires flexibility. Having every single aspect of the trip pre-planned takes spontaneity out of the trip.
resulting itinerary will be forever epitomised in a multi-tabbed document that could bring tears to the eyes of anyone fond of a spreadsheet. The effort that we put into planning a trip around the world was immense – but the preparation mean that we were able to enjoy every minute of it. We had some very clear ideas of what we wanted to get out of the trip, the type of experiences we wanted for ourselves and where we would be able to get it.
Here is a snap shot of our itinerary and our ultimate itinerary. Whether you are planning a trip around the world for yourself or simply looking for trip ideas – the below should definitely give a steer in the direction.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
No trip around the world is complete without a road trip through the U.S.A (in a Mustang convertible – of course). It’s a rite of passage for most who grow up in the States, but I never had that experience. Travelling through the U.S. offered a way for us to get our travel juices flowing in a somewhat familiar place – easy to get around and we spoke the language. It also just happened to be the first country that made sense to visit given the matrix that was created. The U.S is vast and likely a place that you will need to visit many times before getting the full breadth of what it has to offer. Take the opportunity to see a few different corners like we did. During our trip we explored the deep South and contrasted our visit with a journey to the West coast.
Southern Route: Georgia – Tennessee
Western Route: Las Vegas – Grand Canyon – Death Valley National Park – Yosemite National Park – San Francisco – Pacific Coast Highway – Los Angeles
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS & ECUADOR
Keen to feed your inner David Attenborough? Then it is time to head to South America and visit the fantastic country of Ecuador. After a few days exploring the capital city of Quito and the surrounding volcanoes, we flew to the world’s best nature and wildlife viewing destination – the Galápagos Islands. There are a few ways to see and explore the Islands – we opted to hop on a boat and cruise around the central, western and southern islands. If the idea of exploring various ecosystems on land and underwater excites you – then this is the perfect stop for you. Get ready to don your wet suit and swim alongside with rays, sea lions, penguins and sharks.
Route: Quito – Puerto Ayora – Isla Rábida – Puerto Egas – Punta Espinoza/Urbina Bay – Elizabeth Bay/Punta Moreno – Puerto Villamil – Puerto Ayora – San Cristóbal – Quito
PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA & CHILE
It’s not time to head further south through South America. We are trading in the boat and wet suits for tents and hiking boots. Skip over to Argentina and kick off this leg of the trip with tango, Malbec, and empanadas in Buenos Aires. Once you have had your cosmopolitan fill, make your way through to gorgeous Patagonia. This spectacular region is shared by both Argentina and Chile, and the Andes Mountains as its dividing line. Explore some of Mother Nature’s finest works as you fly, drive, raft and trek through to the southernmost city in the world – Ushuaia. Traveler often spent months here – so be ready to find what you are after and enjoy.
Route: Buenos Aires – Bariloche – Puerto Varas – Punta Arenas – Puerto Natales – Torres del Paine National Park – Puerto Natales – El Calafate – El Chaltén – Ushuaia
NEW ZEALAND
When you are done navigating your way through South America – cross the Pacific Ocean and head to New Zealand. Comprised of two islands, New Zealand is an adventure lover’s paradise. When we were planning our trip around the world, we knew we wanted to explore in New Zealand. Our long haul flight from South America took us into Auckland, which is located on the North Island. The only thing that we booked prior to our arrival was a 4×4 car and a flight that departed the South Island 3.5 weeks later. Our road trip was efficient, epic and allowed us to see a pretty substantial amount of New Zealand.
If you are trying to decide whether or not New Zealand make your list, be sure to check out my ultimate itinerary in Destinations // New Zealand Itinerary for some inspiration.
Route: Auckland – Taupo – Hawkes Bay – Wellington – Marlborough – Christchurch – Dunedin – Fiordland National Park – Doubtful Sound – Milford Sound – Queenstown – Glacier Country
AUSTRALIA
A hop, skip and a jump away – you will find yourself in gorgeous Australia. Having been to Oz a couple times, we took the opportunity to sync up with friends enjoy a little bit of down time. If you have never been to Australia before, you will likely realise that it’s a massive country and unlikely you will be able to go everywhere you like in one trip. Pace yourself and explore what most would consider the highlights. Visit the capital city of Sydney, make your way out the bush to experience the sacred site of Uluru and be sure to get some beach and time in in one of the many amazing locations – Whitehaven Beach, Hamilton Island and Cairns just to name a few. We opted for a few lazy days along the east coast in Cairns and snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef. Stay tuned for features on previous destinations in Australia including Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and the Great Ocean Road.
Route: Sydney – Uluru – Cairns – Port Douglas
HONG KONG
If Asia is on your destination hit list, then it’s time to head to bustling Hong Kong. While there are undoubtedly more countries in Asia than you will have time to see, Hong Kong always serves as a great base for exploration throughout South East Asia. Hong Kong is an explosion to the senses and a feast for the eyes. Whether you choose to spend a weekend here or longer, soak it up as the next few stops will on your trip around the world will have you getting out of the hustle and bustle and off the beaten path. Having been to Hong Kong before, we used our stop here as a way explore it a bit deeper and taking advantage of what it has to offer – especially the dim sum. Yum.
Route: Hong Kong
MYANMAR
Having only opened its doors to tourism in 2012, Myanmar offers it’s visitors a glimpse into a land that is relatively unspoiled. As our first real foray into South East Asia, we opted to visit the country’s bustling capital city Yangon, attempted to explore the thousands of temples in Bagan and took the opportunity to experience life on the vast and serene Lake Inle. We fell in love with this destination and are happy to have seen it for what it was before tourism likely changes it.
Route: Yangon – Bagan – Lake Inle
VIETNAM
Ever feel like you are the only one of your friends that hasn’t been to Vietnam? Yea – that’s me and that finally changed. Plant yourself into hectic Ho Chi Minh City, take a trip out to the mighty Mekong river and slowly work your way over the 3,000km+ coastline to Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi. After exploring Hanoi be sure to head to the northern rice paddy filled mountain city of Sapa for an unforgettable trekking adventure. Before you leave this beautiful country be sure to head out to the coast for a cruise around the picturesque Halong Bay. We found that you can make your stay as long or short as you like but two to three weeks will give you a solid amount of time to experience the charm of Vietnam.
Route: Ho Chi Minh City – Nha Trang – Hoi An – Hue – Hanoi – Sapa – Halong Bay
LAOS
Often listed on many a backpacker trail guide, you should definitely make it a point to venture to Laos, the landlocked country in the heart of South East Asia, to see what all the fuss is about. Start north in lush green town of Luang Prabang and spend a few days exploring what life is like on the Mekong. Continue south through the country and head to the reformed party city of central Laos, Vang Vieng. It’s ere that you will find stunning scenery, boutique hotels and a tubing adventure along the Nam Song River that will make you feel like you are in another world. When you are done soaking up the vibes, make your way further south to the capital city of Vientiane. We didn’t know much about Laos prior to our arrival but are very glad that it made our itinerary. It’s these experiences that sum up why exploring new countries is so great. Enjoy it.
Route: Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng – Vientiane
CAMBODIA
When you think of Cambodia, you probably have Angelina Jolie and temples coming to mind. What probably doesn’t is the dark history that the country endured during the reign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Before you may your way to Siem Reap, head to capital city Phnom Penh for a some reflection and a history lesson. The stories like the ones that you will hear and experience while in Phnom Penh need to be told. It’s only through reflection of our history, that we can influence our future. This couldn’t more true when looking at the past of Cambodia. Of course no trip to Cambodia is complete without a visit the Angkor Wat Archaeological Center in Siem Reap. I’ve now been twice and can’t get enough. This is where you will get your temple fix. Temples, temples, and more temples.
Route: Phnom Penh – Siem Reap
PHILIPPINES
With a few months of solid travelling under our belts it is time to slow things down a bit. If you are following this itinerary, it is likely that will want this as well. Not initially on my travel hit list, tales from the road made Philippines shoot up in priority. If you have the time, do yourself a favour and see as much of this corner of the world as possible. Fly into Manila and explore a bit of northern Luzon before you head out to the islands. Swap your trekking gear for bathing suits, snorkel gear and sun tan oil and head out to the gorgeous islands. With over 7000 islands to choose from you will have your work cut out for you. No need to worry. I’ve done the digging and can happily say that our route was an easy and fantastic was to experience the Philippines.
Don’t believe all the noise you hear about it being complicated to get around. Just prepare yourself to be spoiled with white sand beaches and some of the most pristine coral gardens in the world.
Route: Manilla – Sagada – Coron – Puerto Princesa – El Nido – Cebu – Bohol – Boracay
MALAYSIA & BORNEO
After travelling in some of the most remote places in South East Asia you may need a dose of big city life and some developed civilization. Next stop? Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After a couple days of exploring and stocking up on your essentials, hope on a short flight to Sandakan for the start of your Borneo adventure. Your eyes will be permanently peeled for wildlife as you make your way deeper and deeper into the jungle. If you are up for a challenge after spending time in the jungle, set your sights on the summit of the highest mountain in South East Asia – Mt Kinabalu. What to do after a mountain summit? Relax. We opted to pop over to Borneo’s tropical Gaya Island for a few days. Might be a good option for you if you like treating yourself when on the go.
Route: Kuala Lumpur – Sandakan – Sepilok – Abai – Sukau – Kota Kinabalu – Gaya Island
NEPAL & EVEREST BASE CAMP
I have always had a fascination with Mt. Everest. Having trekked the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and summited Kilimanjaro – the roof of Africa, it only seemed natural to take my trusty boots to Nepal. We’ve carefully crafted an off the beaten path a couple of the regions High Passes and actually stayed overnight at Everest Base Camp with an expedition team. Our Everest Base Camp adventure was like that once in a lifetime trip and one that I knew would be a part of our journey as soon we started planning a trip around the world. If the idea of trekking to Everest Base Camp sounds too extreme to you, take the opportunity to visit Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu. Visit the Stupas, spin a few prayer wheels or fly to Everest in one of the many scenic flights that are offered. Nepal holds a special place in my heart – and I’m sure it will for you as well.
Route: Kathmandu – Lukla to Phakding – Phakding to Namche – Namche to Thame – Thame (Acclimatisation Day) – Thame to Lumdeng – Lumdeng to Gokyo – Gokyo to Thangna – Thangna to Dzongla – Dzongla to Lobuche – Lobuche to Gorakshep – Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp – Everest Base Camp to Periche – Periche to Tashinga – Tashinga to Monjo – Monjo to Lukla
INDIA
India is spectacular and is another destination that is an assault on the senses. If you have not been to India before, be sure to make it a part of your travels. Having already comprehensively explored Rajasthan, we knew we wanted to go back and see more. Keen to use India as a place to unwind after Everest, we found another great area to explore over three week. Another great India itinerary includes Mumbai and the South. If you want to see a different side to India spend a couple days in the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, and then hop on a plane and head south. Treat yourself to some luxury in Goa before exploring the backwaters of Kerala. This proved to be the perfect way to round out our trip around the world before venturing back to London.
Route: Mumbai – Goa – Kochin – Munnar – Thekkady – Allepey – Kochin
Whether you are planning a trip around the world looking for smaller holiday ideas, I am certain the above will give you plenty to ponder over. One other thing you may be pondering is what happened to Europe, Africa and Antarctica? Yes there are some gaps in the above itinerary.
My past travel experiences have led me throughout Europe quite extensively. As we leave in the vicinity, most of the time spent on our Sabbatical was in areas that are much further away from home. Africa is an amazing and vast continent. I have been lucky enough to visit Morrocco, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa. I look forward to sharing these adventures with you, including summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro and wild camping in the Serengeti and Ngornongoro Crater. There is so much more of Africa I would like to experience – and feel it needs its own dedicated trip. And then there is Antarctica. What can I say – this is a bucket list destination for me and I can’t wait for the day I get to share my adventures there with you.
For a peek at where DomOnTheGo has been, be sure to check out my Destination Guides page and start exploring.
Nepal has been on my list for so long! I need to make it happen by 2019. Thanks for reminding me and giving me the travel inspiration 🙂
I’m not in a position to take a sabbatical but I’d do this route if I could – especially visiting the Galapagos, a total dream of mine! Sadly it isn’t to be, but I can try and make it through your list one trip at a time!
I’m so glad you included New Zealand – so far its been my favourite place, its so beautiful and under appreciated! I wish I could afford to do a Round the World trip myself, but instead I’ve opted for slower travel along with working in between. So glad you got to experience so many wonderful destinations.
Sabbatical is out ouf question in Italy, but it really does sound pretty busy to plan a no-stop trip around the world, I had no idea!
You have been to some great places and had some great experiences. Of course the Piece de resistance is your exploration of Nepal and the Himalayas. Happy to see that you have also spent time exploring the backwaters of Kerala. Kerala is such a unique and tranquil region.
What an amazing resource – and a great place to start when planning 🙂 Now I’m wishing my 9-5 was a little more tolerant of sabbaticals 😉
Love this route of a Round the World trip. The mustang across the US is a must, I am still to do it. I only done a road trip in their verison of a Ford Mondeo! I felt so small with their trucks on the highway 😀
What a fantastic blog post! Thanks for the great informations – making a trip around the world is a dream of mine!