Spending an entire year traveling is a dream for many people. However, it requires a lot of preparation. Don’t worry, though. If you stay organized and give yourself enough time, you can make this dream come true. Start planning a year in advance so you have time to outline and book your trip, get all of the documents you need, save up for travel expenses, and prepare for your big adventure.
StepsMethod 1Method 1 of 4:Mapping out Your Travel Plan
1Make a list of places you want to visit a year before your departure date. The first step in the planning stage is making a broad list of the countries and areas you’d like to visit. Since planning will take a long time, give yourself a year between starting the planning process and your eventual departure date. Discuss the plan with all of your travel companions and think about the places you’ve always wanted to go. Draw up a master list of locations that you want to visit during the year.XYou may also want to visit multiple cities or sites in a single country. Account for that as well.This list doesn’t have to be the final list of your destinations. It’s more of a brainstorming stage before hammering out more specifics. List all of the places you might want to go without limitations yet, then work on whittling the list down as you do more planning and see what’s possible with your timeline and budget.
2Check if any countries on your list have travel advisories. Unfortunately, some places around the world are not safe to travel to. Some are active warzones, some are experiencing epidemics, and others are undergoing some form of unrest. Protect your safety by avoiding areas that have official travel advisories. Search for any advisories on countries that you’re considering visiting. If there is a high risk, remove those places from your itinerary.XSometimes, only a certain area in a country has an advisory. In these cases, you may not have to eliminate the whole country from your list, just a certain region.For a list of countries that the US has announced travel advisories for, visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/.If you’re not in the US, see if your own government has a similar list of restricted countries. The US list can still give you a good indication of which areas are unsafe.Remember that even if a country doesn’t have a travel advisory against it, traveling is still potentially dangerous. Always be vigilant and don’t put yourself in dangerous situations.
3Draw up an itinerary for each location you’re visiting. When you broadly know what countries and cities you’re visiting, then look at what you can do in each location. Make a list of clubs, restaurants, historical sites, museums, and any other attractions you want to visit. Plan out your itinerary so you can make the most of your time in each area.XRemember that you don’t have to plan every minute of the trip. Scheduling some free time to wander and get to know the place is a great way to enjoy your trip even more.Some activities may require tour guides. Be sure to book these in advance. They could be filled up by the time you get to the destination.Look up the costs of each activity as well. Remember to factor this into your budget.
4Book your flights 3-6 months in advance. You’ll probably have to fly for at least part of the trip. Start looking at flights 3-6 months before your departure date to find the best deals and prices. Book all of them well in advance so all your travel is arranged before the trip.XIf you can’t get a direct flight to one of your locations, consider making the layover location another spot to visit. You might discover a new place that you love.Since you’re traveling for a year, you’ll probably have to book some flights while you’re traveling. Make sure you have a computer or another way to investigate flights.In general, don’t book flights more than 6 months in advance. You could miss out on price drops closer to the flight date.
5Make hotel reservations ahead of your travel date. Along with your flight arrangements, make sure all of your lodging reservations are made well in advance of the trip. Find the right lodging for you in each of your destinations and book them as soon as you decide.XXExpert SourceAngela RiceLuxury Travel SpecialistExpert Interview. 18 September 2020.You have many choices for lodging on your trip. Hotels give you a private room and accommodations. These range from budget to very expensive. Hostels are a cheaper option, but with less privacy.If you have friends or family in a certain area, see if they’ll let you stay with them for a little while. This can help you save some money.
6Arrange transportation from one location to the next. Besides the main flight to start your trip, you then have to get from each location to the next. The way you travel depends on the location. Many places have train networks that can take you most places. Buses might be a cheaper option, but they can be slow and unreliable. For longer trips, another plane ride might be necessary. Investigate how you’ll get from one location to the next and book all the plans if you have to.XFor local travel, you don’t have to worry about booking early to get cheaper prices because these prices usually don’t fluctuate the way airline tickets do. However, keep expiration dates in mind. For example, don’t buy a train ticket a year in advance if the ticket expires in 6 months. Check all those dates before booking, and get the tickets closer to your departure, if necessary.You could also rent a car if you’re confident in your driving abilities. If you do rent a car, make sure to familiarize yourself with all the local driving laws. You don’t want to end up in legal trouble on vacation.Remember that you need to show your passport on any transit that crosses a national border, even if it’s only for a day trip.
7Find the contact information of your nation’s consulate in every location. Even with perfect planning, emergencies can still happen while you’re overseas. Consulates and embassies from your home country can assist in emergency situations or if you end up stranded in a country without your documents. Look online to find the locations and contact information for every consulate in the countries you’re traveling to. If you experience an emergency while overseas, contact the consulate for assistance.XConsulates are usually in the capital city of foreign nations. This may still be far away from where you’re staying, so look up how you would get there if you had to.Consulates are able to issue emergency passports and travel documents if yours are lost or stolen, provide information about services in the country, give you legal advice, and help evacuate you in a disaster situation.Remember that consulates and embassies are limited in the services they can legally offer you. They can’t give you any money, find you a job, renew documents, or intervene in legal disputes.XMethod 2Method 2 of 4:Managing Your Finances
1Add up the costs the trip. A year of travel will be very expensive, even if you do it on a budget. Come up with a financial plan ahead of time. Investigate travel costs, hotels, average food costs, and entertainment in each area you’re planning to visit. Then add that all up for an indication of what this trip may cost. Use this information to develop a travel budget for yourself.XRemember to adjust your budget to the places you’re visiting. A year traveling in Europe will cost a lot more than a year traveling in Southeast Asia, for example.A year of travel can cost around $30,000 per person, but there are a lot of variables like where you go and stay, the activities you do, and where you eat.There are some budget tools online that can give you an average daily cost for visiting a certain area. The website budgetyourtrip.com, for example, gives an average breakdown for traveling to many different countries. These are only estimates, but can give you a good guideline for what the trip may cost.
2Make a travel budget for the trip. When you’ve added up the potential costs of the trip, develop a budget to follow while you travel. Start with the essential items, which are travel, lodging, and food. When you’ve added up these costs, then determine how much you have left over for entertainment. Break this budget down by week to determine what you can afford to spend during your travels.XBe prepared to sacrifice some items if you can’t afford them. A 4-star resort may be nice, but a perfectly nice budget hotel could be less than half the price. Making these trade-offs will give you more to spend on entertainment and exploring.Pay close attention to the budget as you travel and don’t overspend. You don’t want to end up short of cash while overseas.
3Look for deals and discounts in each location you’re visiting. Saving money will be important on such a large trip. Whenever possible, try to find deals on travel, lodging, food, and entertainment. By doing a little bit of searching, you might end up freeing up a lot of your budget for other uses.XTry to book your travel dates in the off-season when not many people travel. For example, airfare and hotel costs tend to be much lower in February than July.Since you’ll be traveling for some time, you may get to know some locals. Ask them where cheap restaurants and entertainments are. You might discover some gems.Some airlines and hotels offer travel packages that include travel, lodging, and food. This is often a significant discount. Look for deals like these if you know you’ll be spending time in a certain area.Hostels are almost always cheaper than hotels, which is why they’re very popular with travelers. If you have friends or family in some places, you could also offset the cost by staying with them.
4Use local transportation to get around within different countries. While taking cabs everywhere might be more luxurious, this will get very expensive quickly. Check the local transit system in each area you’re visiting. Trains and buses are much more affordable, and in many places, are very reliable. Use options like these to save on travel costs.XIf you have any questions about the transit system, ask a representative at the hotel you’re staying in. They can tell you the correct routes to take.Always be vigilant on public transportation. Thieves might target people who look like tourists. Keep your wallet and phone out of sight and only glance at your map without making it obvious if you’re lost. These activities could stop thieves from targeting you.
5Start saving money 6-12 months before your departure date. Unless you have a lot of savings already, you’ll probably need additional funds for this trip. Set an amount that you want to save every month, and open a bank account for it. Then trim your spending and eliminate unnecessary expenses. Store away all of the extra money to build your savings for the trip.XThe “pay yourself first” method is a popular one for saving. It means that rather than paying your expenses and then saving the leftovers, you take your target savings out first. If you want to save 20% of your paycheck and make $1,000 per week, immediately put $200 into your savings account when you get paid. Then, adjust your spending to what’s left.Putting your money into high-yield savings accounts or CDs will earn you interest and help you save more.If you have trouble reducing your spending, just remember why you’re doing it. The thought of experiencing your dream vacation is a good motivator to skip unnecessary purchases.
6Check if there are work opportunities in the countries you’re visiting. Some people finance their travels by finding work in different countries. See if there are opportunities for foreign travelers to earn money in the areas you’re traveling. Arrange any necessary paperwork and permits before your departure date to avoid any delays when you arrive.XPopular jobs for travelers are teaching their native language, working at a resort or camp, or performing manual labor like agricultural work.Remember to abide by all work laws in the country you’re in. Working without the proper permits can result in fines, arrest, or deportation. Research the laws for the country you’re in and get your information from official government websites so you know the information is accurate. If you have to, try to find a government official to speak with and learn what the laws are for foreign workers.Method 3Method 3 of 4:Obtaining the Right Documents and Healthcare
1Apply for a passport if you don’t have one. International travel always requires a passport from your home country. If you don’t have one, apply for one several months in advance of your departure date. If you already have one but it is expired or may expire before your trip ends, apply for a renewal.XRemember to check the expiration date on your passport and make sure it’s more than a year away. If it expires while you’re overseas, you won’t be able to travel until a new one comes through.Different countries have different procedures for obtaining a passport, so follow your nation’s guidelines to get one.Passports can take up to 6 weeks to process, so apply for or renew yours well in advance of your travel date.
2Get any required travel visas 3 months in advance. Some countries require tourist visas for travelers to enter. This depends on your home country. Check the visa requirements for each country you’re visiting. If they require tourist visas, apply 2-3 months in advance so all the documents are ready when you arrive. Otherwise, you could be held up at the border.XFor a list of countries that require a visa for US citizens to enter, visit https://www.smartertravel.com/countries-that-require-visas/.If you’re not a US citizen, check with your national government about countries that require visas.If you plan on working while overseas, you may need a work visa as well. These may take a few weeks to process, so put in the request ahead of your arrival, unless you’ll be in a particular country for several months.
3Copy and scan all of your important documents. Your passport, visas, and ID cards are all extremely important while you’re traveling, and you could get stuck without them. Make several copies of each. Plan on having one copy on your person, one in your hotel room, and one in your home country with a friend or family member. Also scan them and keep electronic copies in your email or on a cloud storage drive.XIf you do lose any of your documents, the scanned or copied versions usually won’t allow you to get on a plane or cross a border. However, they will make getting replacements easier because you can prove your identity.
4Receive any required vaccines at least a month before traveling. Some locations have endemic diseases that you need to be vaccinated against. The specific vaccines depend on where you’re traveling. Visit your doctor and tell them all of your travel locations. The doctor will then give you any required vaccines to safely enter those areas.XIf you need several vaccines, the doctor may space them out. This is why getting them far in advance is important.Also make sure you’re up to date with your normal vaccines in addition to any special ones.Listen to your doctor if they give you any other health advice for the trip as well.Remember that if you enter a country with an active epidemic, you could be subject to a travel ban or quarantine when you return.
5Bring refills of any prescription medication you use. If you take any prescription medication, be sure to bring enough with you to last the whole trip. Either get a bulk supply, or bring prescriptions with you to refill overseas.XIf you can’t get a year supply of all your medicines, look into how you could refill them in another country. If the pharmacy you use has a branch in a country, for example, they can probably fill your prescription.Method 4Method 4 of 4:Getting Organized Before You Leave
1Quit your job or ask for an extended leave of absence. If you spend a year traveling, then you probably won’t be able to keep your job. A month before your departure, inform your boss of your plans. Ask if you can take an unpaid leave of absence and return to your job after the trip. If not, then tell them what your last day of work will be.XKeep a good relationship with your former boss. You never know if your job might still be available when you return.You might be able to do some jobs remotely. Ask your boss if this is a possibility so you can work while you travel. If you already have a remote job, then you can probably travel and keep your job.
2Sell all of your unnecessary belongings and store the rest. You’ll have to travel light on this trip. Go through everything you own and see what you don’t need. Sell any unnecessary items for extra money for the trip. Take everything else that’s essential and put it in a storage unit for the year.XYou can sell your items with a large garage sale, or use a site like eBay to reach a larger market.If a friend or family member is willing and has enough space, you could save some money by leaving things with them.
3Terminate any contracts or leases you have. All the arrangements you have at home need to be put on hold or cancelled while you’re gone. This includes your rental lease, internet and utility plans, gym memberships, and other services you regularly pay for. Contact all of these and cancel them before your departure date.XRemember that you can’t just break your lease, and some services require you to sign on for a certain amount of time. If your trip is scheduled so some services won’t be finished yet, then you might incur a penalty.If you own your home, make sure you have someone who can take care of it for you.
4Upgrade your phone plan to accommodate international travel. Your current phone plan may not provide service internationally or might be very expensive to maintain. Contact your provider to see if you can upgrade your plan to cover international travel. If your current provider can’t do this, then switch to a different provider with better international service.XDon’t neglect this step or you could be unable to contact family while overseas.You could also get a satellite phone that will work worldwide. These are expensive, however, and cost several hundred dollars at least.
5Order currency for each of the countries you’ll be in. Exchange fees overseas are very high, so you’ll save a lot of money by getting foreign currency before you leave. Contact your bank and see if they carry foreign currency. Exchange your money for foreign bills to bring with you.XUse your credit card as much as possible to save your cash. Remember to inform your bank that you’ll be traveling so your charges don’t look suspicious.To avoid carrying a lot of cash at one time, you can just get currency for the next country you’re headed to. For example, if you’re in England and are heading to France next, exchange your pounds for euros before leaving England. Do the same when you leave France.Airports also have very high fees for currency exchange, so don’t wait until you reach the airport to do so.If you don’t spend all your cash, you can change the bills back when you return.
6Choose a location to forward your mail to. You will probably still receive some important mail while you’re gone, so arrange for the post office to redirect your mail to a secure location in your home country. Your parents’ or another family member’s home is a common choice. Ask them to give you a weekly summary of the mail you received so you know if anything is important. If it is, ask them to scan and send it to you.XLet them know which mail they can throw out so it doesn’t accumulate while you’re gone.If possible, sign up to receive as much mail as you can via email. That way, you can see all your important mail from your computer or phone.
7Pack light to save as much room as possible. You can’t bring a lot on this trip. Plan to fit everything you need in a backpack and suitcase. Start by making a list of the essential clothes and items you need. When you’ve packed all that, then see what room you have left for other items.XXExpert SourceAngela RiceLuxury Travel SpecialistExpert Interview. 18 September 2020.Keep all of the climates you’ll be visiting in mind. If you’ll be in a cold place, for instance, be sure to bring a hat and gloves.Rolling clothes usually saves more space than folding them.Remember to bring the right gear with you, if you need any. Phone and computer chargers to fit foreign outlets, toiletries, and other electronics are all important for the trip.
