Have you ever been overwhelmed by the idea of planning a trip because it seems too, well… overwhelming?! There’s a lot to think about when planning travel: from getting a visa, to figuring out transportation, to booking accommodation and getting local currency, it can be downright stressful.
So whether you’re planning a 2-week getaway or a journey with no end date in sight, these tips will take you from the brainstorming phase to stepping foot in your destination.
So WanOnTheRoad fam, I’ll show you how to take a travel daydream and turn it into reality.
- FIGURE OUT YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET
Before you can even begin to plan a trip, you need to take a good look at your finances and figure out how much money you have to spend on your adventure. This will dictate a lot of the future steps including where you can travel to and for how long.
Your budget needs to include these key categories:
a) Transportation: Flight, Rental Cars, Taxis or anything that gets you from point A to point B
b)Lodging: Hotels, Campers, B&Bs
c)Food
d)Shopping: We can never miss this one. Bringing back home some good memories from your recent trip…
e)Activities: Tours and excursions. The cost of having fun
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2- Decide where to go
It’s possible that you already have a destination in mind, perhaps it’s one of the places made popular by bloggers and vloggers like Bali or Bora Bora. Or maybe you want to go a bit off the beaten path and travel to less visited places like Burundi. If you do not even know where to start, you may need a bit of inspiration to help you decide on a location.
Don’t forget to do a little digging and make sure that the time of year you plan to travel is optimal. Asking yourself the following questions can really save you the troubles or headaches down the road:
. Desired experience: Do you want to spend time exploring a city full of ancient ruins? Do you prefer a modern environment? Do you want to be near a beach?
. Weather: What weather do you want to experience on your trip? Are you a warm weather person or a cold weather person?
. Time of year: Do you have any personal restrictions that require you to travel a certain time of year?
. Money: Do some research to understand the average cost of meals and hotels in the place you are considering.
Safety of travelers is a prime concern people should address before starting on their journey (especially solo female travelers).
3-Decide the duration of your trip
A key aspect of a good trip planner is to correctly estimate the number of days required to visit a destination. A road trip planner would elongate the duration of a trip whereas, a trip planned with flight tickets could be a little shorter. A trip with a lot of urban destinations will need more time in the sightseeing, and therefore a longer trip duration. Whereas a trip to a tropical beach town would not involve much sightseeing and hence, the duration can be shorter.
It is advisable to keep a vacant day in touring plans that exceed 7 days. This gives a buffer to things like flight/train delays, traffic jams, weather hold-ups, or a change-of-heart to extend one’s stay at a particular destination.
If you don’t know if you need a visa, check out your home country’s visa websites.
4-Book flights, train, or bus tickets, and accommodation
You know where you want to go? ✅. Have your visa? ✅
Now here comes our favorite part: It’s time to book a flight!
First, you’ll need to answer these questions: What airport will you fly into? Are you going to make a round trip and fly out of the same airport? Or are you departing out of a new place?
After the ideation is complete, booking tickets for your flight, train or bus transfer well in advance is an important step in learning how to plan your trip to perfection. Since flight and train tickets are subject to availability and prices rise over time, getting the bookings done a few months in advance will help you avoid additional costs on your initial budget.
Depending on how long your vacation is you may choose to book all your accommodation ahead of time or none at all.
For instance, if you only have two weeks, it might be best to arrange your hotels or hostels online so you don’t waste precious time trying to figure out accommodation when you’d rather be exploring. Plus, you don’t want to run the risk of everything being booked up!
5- Pack diligently and make all the necessary adjustments
It’s starting to feel real now isn’t it?! Your trip is coming up fast and it’s time to get packing!
If you’re a self-proclaimed over-packer, or someone who always ends up using only half the things in their suitcase on every trip… I’m right there with ya! We recommend planning out your packing ahead of time so you are not rushing at the last minute to get everything you need stuffed into your oversized suitcase. One tip is to lay everything you think you will need for a trip out on a flat surface (your bedspread works great for this) and then take away half — yes half! — of it. That is how much stuff you should realistically be trying to pack.
6- Get travel insurance
Even though you might be safer abroad than in your home country, accidents happen everywhere and you should always be covered. Assurance covers any unexpected circumstances such as medical emergencies, stolen documentation and trip cancellation. You will be protected and have peace of mind while you travel!
7- Learn what to expect
Before you head to a new place, do your research, learn about the cultural norms in the place that you are visiting. This can save you from awkward situations. Things to consider: Greetings styles, Language, Food, Queuing, Personal Space, Dress. Make sure you have a basic understanding of at least these things.
Confirm Reservations
It’s easiest to call or write to confirm reservations for things like accommodation and transportation before you find yourself in a foreign country with a canceled Airbnb reservation and nowhere to go. Confirm all your important reservations and keep copies of your confirmation receipts in your email.
If you follow all of these steps, your result will be an itinerary that you can be proud of!
WanOnTheRoad 