6 Steps for planning an around-the-world family trip
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could take a few months off and just travel the world?” Has your family had this conversation around the dinner table? Is your wanderlust real? Well, I’m here to encourage you to make your around-the-world dream into a reality.
I did. A few years ago, my sons, then 10 and 13, and I embarked on a 72-day adventure. We traveled to England, the Netherlands, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, New Zealand, and French Polynesia. I traveled with my sons on the first half of the trip; my husband joined us for the second half of the journey.
While I could write a book about our experiences and the invaluable time together, my purpose here is to give you some practical advice on how to get started.
Here are 6 steps to planning an around-the-world adventure of your own.
1. Negotiate time off
Negotiating time off from your full-time job is probably the most difficult obstacle… and a deal breaker, if the boss says “no.” But you’ll never know until you ask.
I was able to negotiate a three-month sabbatical from my position. Perhaps your employer gives a set sabbatical after a certain number of years worked; if so, even better! Or maybe you’re in between jobs with enough money saved to take a break.
My advice: seize the opportunity!
2. Choose your destinations
As a family, sit down with a map of the world. There’s an overwhelming number of choices, aren’t there? My children and I put together a short list based on the following criteria:
- Where were our bucket list destinations?
- Where did our family have personal connections?
- Where did we have family and friends living abroad?
- Where were those faraway locations that using a round-the-world ticket (more on that to come) made sense?
We started with a bucket list item. We wanted to go on an African safari. While many countries offer the experience, I had a friend from Tanzania, whose family still lived there. So on our trip, we spent a few days bunking with my friend’s parents in Dar es Salaam before leaving on safari.
Next, my family ancestors are from the Netherlands, and while I have been to the country several times, I wanted my children to connect with their heritage. So, in addition to visiting Amsterdam, we spent time in Groningen where our family has roots.
We were fortunate to have friends living in London and Dubai. Staying with them saved us a tremendous amount of money on lodging expenses in cities that are notoriously expensive.
Finally,Nepal and French Polynesia were faraway destinations that required very costly flights if we were to travel there on separate trips. By maximizing our round-the-world tickets, we could save money.
It was the beginning of a plan.
3. Reserve flights
To put together a trip of this magnitude, you do need to be highly organized, especially when building the itinerary and arranging flights.
The vast majority of our flights were purchased with United Airlines frequent flyer miles. We took advantage of a product called the Round-the-World Fare with the Star Alliance. The Star Alliance is made up of United Airlines plus its international airline partners.
In order to purchase a Round-the-World Fare, you have to meet certain requirements, and if you are using frequent flyer miles, you have to adhere to additional rules. The requirements change, but in general:
You have a maximum number of stops and legs (connecting flights).
Travel must be completed in the same global direction. You can fly east to west or west to east. There’s some allowance for backtracking through a connecting city, as long as the city is in the same geographic zone.
Flights can be booked 11 months from your end date.
There’s a maximum number of miles that you can fly based on the seat class. By going to Nepal and French Polynesia, we maxed out our miles, getting the most for our money.
Children (ages 2 to 11) are charged 75% of the adult fare.
We did pay for some regional flights in Africa and Southeast Asia. In Thailand and Cambodia, we took advantage of Bangkok Airways’ Discovery Airpass which discounts fares if you have a minimum of three regional flights.
However, since our trip, I’ve learned about a new service (Ok, they’ve been in business since 1987! It’s new to me.) that could make your life so much easier! AirTreks specializes in putting together complicated, multi-stop itineraries. The website has an easy-to-use mapping tool to get you started. AirTreks also offers travel specialists to help with the details; trust me, there are lots of details! And if you miss a flight or have an issue on your trip, they’ll help you get back on track. Check them out here.
Please know that we love its product so much that KidTripster has decided to partner with AirTreks as an affiliate. That means if you use our link to book, we get some coffee money from them. There’s no additional cost to you. Just wanted you to know!
4. Control costs
Yes, a trip like this is expensive. We saved for several years, skipping other vacations. I also involved the kids in the finances. They contributed birthday money and profits from garage sales; I wanted them to be invested.
In addition to using the airline programs to cut costs, we looked for opportunities to decrease our lodging expenses. As I mentioned earlier, we stayed with friends in London, Dubai, and Dar es Salaam. We had our first youth hostel experience in Amsterdam. We booked a budget camping safari in Africa and camped in Groningen. And when we splurged on a resort hotel in French Polynesia, we cashed in hotel points.
We found traveling in Southeast Asia to be particularly economical. In fact, the hotel with the very best service and amenities (better than other 5-star properties that we’ve stayed at) – Golden Temple Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia – was only $70/night! Read more here.
KidTripster Tip: Avoid chain hotels. They’re typically more expensive and not nearly as interesting. In 72 days of travel, we only stayed at one chain resort and that was on points.
KidTripster Tip: When booking lodging in advance, ask for an early bird rate or family discount. Or if you’re booking in the calendar year prior to your trip, try to lock in that year’s prices. Keep all of your emails documenting agreed upon rates.
5. Develop a day-by-day itinerary
Developing a detailed itinerary is laborious and time-consuming; however, I never wanted to be wondering where we’d be staying when traveling with my children. Also, some of the best attractions and excursions need to be booked months in advance.
Start by researching each of your destinations thoroughly to find the best family-friendly options. Fortunately, you’ve found KidTripsterfor that! Then book your activities and hotels. Again, make sure to keep records of all your email correspondences. A month before you leave, confirm all your reservations.
6. Start early
Ideally, you’d start your itinerary planning at least 18 months in advance. Once you’re able to nail down your flights, typically 11 to 12 months in advance, proceed with the remainder of your reservations.
Needless to say, our around-the-world trip was the most memorable experience that our family has ever shared. If it’s at all possible, I’d highly recommend it for your family, too.
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