HOW TO PLAN A TRIP IN 5 STEPS

Are you dreaming with a vacation or an adventure of a lifetime but not sure where to start planning? Let me help you by teaching you how to plan a trip in 5 steps with my best tips and advice.

HOW TO PLAN A TRIP IN 5 STEPS

I know that sometimes planning a trip can be really overwhelming and time-consuming but trust me that having a plan and sometimes an extra plan has saved me from awful situations where I could had my vacation ruined.

Ready to organize a super trip? Let’s go!

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE DESTINATION

Nowadays social media plays a massive part in inspiring people to travel more.

So you are probably dreaming away about a place you have seen online but is that city or country the option for you?

I ask myself a few questions that always help me narrowing down my destination when I’m unsure where to go.

1. Where do you want to go?

• Think about your interests – Beach or Mountains? Summer or Winter? Relaxation or Adventure or both?
• The type of experiences you like – Festivals? Culture? Food experiences? Shopping?
• A general budget you would be willing to pay per night: Luxury, Mid-range or budget?

2. How much time do you have available?

Certain countries are so big that different locations require you to get a flight and that might take longer than if you are just visiting one city in Europe for example.

3. When can I travel?

• Some places and experiences will vary depending if it’s high or low season.
• Check when it’s the best times to visit the destination you are going. For example certain tropical countries have heavy rainy seasons and that might not be what you want for just 7 nights away.
• Avoid peak travel periods

4. What’s my total budget?

This last step will help you to reduce the list you might already have done.

STEP 2: PLAN AN ITINERARY

No place as an ‘ideal’ duration for me, it all depends on you. Your personality, your time and your interests.

Something that I personally could find boring you on the other side of the screen could find it really amusing.

Some people like to see new places every day and some others like to take it really slow and get to know everything about it.

The most important thing is that you define an itinerary to enjoy it as much as possible.

If you have written down how long you have available previously you can now write an initial itinerary of places.

Things to keep in mind:

• Number of days for the destination: is it a small city? Do you need long trips in a car/ bus or a flight? Are you moving around in between locations within a country?
• Be reasonable and don’t put too much in each day
• For ‘travel days’ where you have to get transports from A to B avoid planning something on top of that
• Keep a free day once in a while if it’s long term travel

STEP 3: BOOK TRANSPORTS AND ACCOMMODATION

After your itinerary is lined up it’s important that you book some things in advance.

Booking tickets for your flights, trains or buses and even transfers can help you save a lot of time and money.

When you book tickets last minute there is generally less or not available and the prices rise over time too.

1. Book your flights

I start by doing a quick search on Skyscanner and Google Flights to check prices.

Once I decide which company fits the best interests for my trip I go directly to the airlines and book it on their website. This is because a lot of times price are cheaper that way.

2. Book your accommodation

I usually prefer to book hotels or resorts for a short stay but If I know I’m staying for a long time or if I’m working for an extent period I prefer to have my own house/apartment.

I start by looking into Booking.com which is a really simple and easy website to use and can show you any type of accommodation from luxury to budget friendly and even holiday homes.

If you are looking into long term stays check out one of my favorites Airbnb.

3. Book transports / transfers

You might need to book additional flights to move around certain destinations or to book a rental car if you are doing a road trip.

Check out the destination services: do they have good train infrastructures? Can you walk from place to place or no? Are there taxis companies available and are they cheap?

Some destinations have transportation’s passes available like the Oyster Card for public transportation in London which is a great to save money and plan your itinerary.

The Interrail/Eurail is a famous program to move around in Europe without spending too much money.

Explore Europe by train | Find your Interrail Pass

If you are renting a car online deals are generally much better than if you leave last minute.

Another thing you can do is to look for certain destinations websites for transport bookings like 12go.asia for South East Asia for example where you can find many deals for buses, ferries, flights and trains.

STEP 4: PLAN WHAT TO SEE & DO

You don’t necessarily have to plan all you want to do to the exact details but having a rough idea of what to see & do can help you make sure you will indeed do what you want to do and potentially save you money.

For example some cities have a ‘free day’ for museums where there’s no entrance fee on that specific day and it would be a shame to miss that.

• You can combine some activities in ‘packages’ like day tours
• As general rules things are cheaper when booked online in Europe or the US and in Asia or South America for example it’s cheaper if you book it directly to the local vendors.
• If you are short of time you can try to maximize it by doing transfers in between destinations in the evening or overnight.

Another important aspect to take in consideration is that some activities are seasonal like boat trips or skiing.

I normally start by doing a quick research on Google with ‘best things to do in’ or ‘free things to see and do in’ then write the ones I’m interested.

Then I move onto Pinterest where I look for ‘day trips in’, ‘city tours in’, ‘best things to do in’ and normally read other travel blogs.

When I decide what to see & do I look it up more in details some of the more popular ones to know when is the best time of the day to visit and allocate it to a day.

If I can and it’s worth to do so I also get tickets in advance for entrance where they are cheaper online like theme parks or shows. Check out GetYourGuide.com they have some great discounts.

Many cities have City Passes with discounts for entrance in popular attractions and even discounts in transports so that might be also worth to check.

I don’t over plan each day because when you actually get to your destination it might the case that you’ll find about hidden gems and you want to include that on your trip!

If there is something that you really want to eat or drink where you are going it’s a good idea to do a quick research on restaurants and cafes.  When I travel I usually like to try all the local dishes and street food available.

If you fancy joining a group for a trip there are many good companies that can make it happen like G Adventures or Intrepid Travel.

STEP 5: PACK SMART

When it’s time to pack I always check the weather at the destination to have an idea of what kind of temperatures I can expect during the day and night.

Make sure you always pack some layers even when going to tropical destination where you just expect to have sunny days.

In one of my first long trips to South America I didn’t prepare well and end up freezing when I visit a Geyser at 4 in the morning! Never again!

Having things like sunscreen, mosquito repellent are also essentials depending on where you are going.

Another major aspect of packing is about the culture of the country you are visiting – do a quick research on do’s and don’ts relating to what to wear to avoid any conflict or disrespect to the locals.

In general pack versatile clothes that can be worn in different combinations and that can be washed easily if you have to.

I normally just arrange each outfit together so I don’t lose much time looking for it and try to separate into day/night wear type of clothes.

Packing cells can also be a great help.

EXTRA TIPS

There a few other details that I like to include in this guide because they are just as important as all the steps mentioned above for a successful trip plan.

Visa Requirements

Make sure you check this to avoid any last minute issues. Every country has different rules and you might have to arrange a visa some time in advance of your trip as well as pay for other documents.

Do a quick search on ProjectVisa.com that shows you visas requirements for all countries and then double check the country embassy’s website.

Check Your Passport

You might not have a passport yet and need to arrange it. It can take weeks to be ready so do that as soon as possible.

Also take note that of the expiration date, some countries require a valid passport for 6 months beyond your date of stay and enough pages for stamps and visas.

Get Vaccinated

You should always check if your vaccines are up to date but certain destinations require you to have specific vaccines to enter the country.

Go to a travel clinic or talk to your own doctor or health care professional 6-8 weeks before to arrange vaccines that you might need.  Make sure you carry your vaccine documentation with you.

Check out the CDC website for vaccine requirements for each country.

Protect your money

Check the rates to withdrawal money abroad in advance and see what are the best options and the best card to use.

I always want to make sure that I’m reducing any bank international transitions fees that can be so high at times.

Personally I like to use a prepaid travel card that has many benefits and reduced fees. You load your card with your own money and then you can use it just like any other card. Check out the Revolut card.

Inform your bank about your travels plans to avoid having your card blocked or any issues to use it abroad.

Make Copies of Important Documents

For my own peace of mind I always take my documents printed out including a copy of my passport.

Sometimes you might not have access to WI-FI to check your documents and you might need to check addresses and reservations.

Travel Insurance

I think that everyone traveling should have travel insurance, there are just so many things that can happen for many external factors that is best to be covered.

I personally like WorldNomads.com, really simple to join and use and has a broad cover worldwide.

Phone & Internet Access

Check your internet coverage abroad for your own phone company and the rates they charge.

It might be a good idea to buy a local SIM card so make sure you have your phone unlocked to do so.

***

I love trip planning because it already makes me dream away in advance before I reach my destination.

Researching things makes you also understanding the destination a little bit better and be prepared for a change of plans.

Of course I always say you can never plan everything to the tiny details and these guide is just for general advice.

I hope you enjoy as me all the process of planning a trip and you have the best trip ever!

Have fun

*This article contains affiliate links which means that if you book something through these links I will earn a small commission at no extra cost for you.

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