According to the United Nationals World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), about 1.4 billion tourists travel internationally every year.

Many of us enjoy international travel, but what about a round the world trip? We envision the combination of intense planning with high costs and assume it is out of our reach.

The truth is, we can all enjoy the pleasures of seeing the world if we use a few round the world travel tips. A few top picks, a little bit of time, and seeking the assistance of experts can result in your sipping wine in Paris or embarking on an African safari. The time to travel is now, so keep reading and pack your suitcase.

Trip Planning Costs

What is this going to cost me? That is the question that often prevents us from planning a round-the-world trip. The things you must consider include:

• Plane Tickets
• Ground Transportation
• Accommodations
• Food and Drink
• Activities

The actual costs when planning a round the world trip depend on your destination selections, travel style, and time of year you go. Visiting locations during their popular seasons for travel will increase costs.

Some parts of the world that are more expensive to visit than others. Travel to the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia are more costly. Trips to India, Southeast Asia, and Central America are more affordable.

Accommodation prices vary depending on whether you stay at a hotel, hostel, guest house, private villas or in a long-term rental. How much luxury do you need for sleeping?

Your choice of restaurants, local homes, street vendors, or purchasing and cooking your own meals will impact food costs.

If you enjoy skydiving, snorkeling, mountain climbing, skiing, or hitting the latest tourist attractions, you will pay more. If you prefer to stroll the streets, absorbing the culture and scenery, your cost will be considerably lower.

The bottom line? Round the world travelers who spend 12 months on the road usually spend between $20,000 to $30,000, or approximately $2,000 per month.

Round the World Trip Plane Tickets

The most economical way to purchase airline flights is to purchase a round-the-world (RTW) plane ticket from a single alliance. The three main carriers for this purpose are Star Alliance, One World, and SkyTeam. All air travel allows you to accumulate frequent flyer points when using airlines you are a member of.

Star Alliance

When you purchase round the world airline tickets through Star Alliance your itinerary is available on their website. This makes it easy to track your route.

Star Alliance offers more than 1,300 destinations in over 190 countries in one round the world price. With stay lengths between three days to a full year, re-booking at no charge, and between 2-15 stops, you can’t go wrong with this company.

One World

One World offers up to 1,000 destinations in over 170 territories. Select from a three, four, or six continent trip options.

Their One World Explorer program allows you to travel from continent to continent or city to city using a continent-based plan.The Global Explorer plan provides more extensive distance-based travel plans.

Step up to their Circle Pacific plan and visit continents bordering the Pacific Ocean. Options include countries in Asia, Southwest Pacific, North America, and South America.

SkyTeam

When you book your travel flights through SkyTeam, you are able to spend as much or little time as you choose at each destination. There are four package plans of travel with pricing dependent on total travel miles, cabin class, and country where you begin travel.

You select 2-15 stops, but must include one transpacific flight, one transatlantic flight, and one flight traveling between Area 2 and Area 3. You must begin and end your travel in the same country.

Time to Travel

The minimum number of days for a round the world trip is usually ten days and two stops. To get the most from your trip, plan on 6-12 months.

Research your dream destinations, must-do activities, and determine the best time to visit. Planning to visit the largest rodeo in the world? The Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada, takes place in July.

If the Netherlands is on your agenda, visiting between December and March is less costly. To enjoy the tulip festivals and flower gardens, you need to visit during April, a peak month for tourists. To experience the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta you need to be in New Mexico, USA for nine days in October.

The time of year and length of your stay at each location depends on your personal preferences. Talk to someone who plans round the world trips. They can advise you on how to meet your destination desires and save money.

Travel Hacks for Your Trip

Travel hacks can be anything from picking destinations to how you pack clothes. Here are some travel hacks to make planning a round the world trip successful.

Make an Itinerary Bucket List

Step one in planning your trip is to create a bucket list of things throughout the world you want to see or do. This can be anything from hiking a specific trail, attending a festival, visiting a museum, or touring castles.

Once you have your bucket list, prioritize everything so you make sure you hit the top five. Decide how much time you want to spend at each of those locations. The other destinations and activities can be worked into the schedule or dropped if necessary.

Include Interesting Overland Routes

When visiting other countries you will need to navigate within each country by using local transportation. Find out what the main form of travel is in each country and experience it to the fullest. This may mean traveling among some countries by rail, boat, or bus.

Rent a bicycle to travel about on your own in the Netherlands. Travel down the canals by boat in Venice, navigate city streets by rickshaw in China, and visit wildlife reserves by an open-air 4×4 in Africa.

Finance Your Trip

You have your trip planned and are now ready to hand over your credit card to the travel agent. Do you really want to pay exorbitant interest charges for using a credit card to finance your round the world trip?

The better choice is to finance your trip using a Plenti Holiday Loan. With low interest rates and zero monthly fees, Australia’s consumer lender allows you to pay back a $2,001 to $50,000 loan over the course of 1-7 years. They have no monthly or early repayment fees, making them the perfect way to finance you trip around the world.

Scan Important Documents

When traveling internationally have all paperwork including your passport, identification, travel itinerary, flight confirmations, hotel reservations, etc. scanned into your phone. If any of these items become lost while traveling you have a backup. It also makes it easier to access information en-route.

See the World

Now that you know a round the world trip is feasible for anyone and everyone, it is time to start planning. Create your bucket list, select your top destinations, and contact a round the world airline travel alliance to book those tickets.

There is a quote that says “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” Don’t stop at one page, enjoy the whole book and plan your trip today.